Short answer: the Atlantic Highway is the A39 from Barnstaple in North Devon to Fraddon in Cornwall, passing Bideford, Bude, Camelford and Wadebridge. As an Atlantic Highway campervan trip it takes three or four days with detours to Clovelly, Boscastle, Tintagel and Padstow. The A39 itself is easy driving; the coastal lanes off it are narrow and steep, so big vans should stay on the main road and book campsites.
At a glance
| Thing | Detail |
|---|---|
| Road | A39, signed as the Atlantic Highway |
| Start and finish | Barnstaple (where it meets the A361 North Devon Link Road) to Fraddon (where it meets the A30) |
| Length | Sources vary; one puts the Atlantic Highway at about 134 miles including the North Devon and Cornwall coast. The direct A39 between the two ends is shorter |
| Days | Three or four with detours |
| Best for | Surf beaches, harbour villages, clifftop walks, Tintagel and the Camel Trail |
| Van-size watch-outs | The A39 is fine. Coastal detours to Clovelly, Crackington Haven, Boscastle, Port Isaac and Polzeath use narrow, steep lanes |
The Atlantic Highway campervan route, stop by stop
We drive it north to south, finishing near the A30 for the run home. The A39 passes by Bideford, Bude and Wadebridge and goes straight through Camelford. The best bits are often just off it.
- Barnstaple. The start, where the North Devon Link Road meets the A39. Stock up here.
- Bideford, Appledore, Instow and Westward Ho! Bideford is on the road. Appledore and Instow face each other across the estuary, and Westward Ho! has a wide open beach.
- Horns Cross and Peppercombe. One guide suggests parking in a layby at Horns Cross for a mile-long walk down to Peppercombe beach. Park only where it is legal and safe, and never overnight.
- Clovelly. A traffic-free village with steep cobbled streets and a tiny harbour. You park at the top and walk down.
- Hartland to Bude. The longest driving stretch and the emptiest part of the route. Bude has two sandy beaches stretching down towards Widemouth Bay.
- Crackington Haven, Boscastle and Tintagel. From Widemouth the A39 heads inland, but a coastal road runs through these villages. Boscastle has its harbour; Tintagel its castle on a rocky headland.
- Port Isaac and Polzeath. More coast, more steep lanes. Pretty, but think about your van first.
- Camelford. Back on the A39, which runs right through the town.
- Wadebridge and Padstow. Wadebridge sits on the tidal River Camel at one end of the Camel Trail cycle route. Padstow is a side trip off the main road.
- Fraddon. A few miles on, the Atlantic Highway section ends and the A39 briefly joins the A30.
A four-day plan
| Day | Route | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barnstaple, Bideford, Appledore or Westward Ho! | Campsite near Bideford or Westward Ho! |
| 2 | Clovelly, Hartland, Bude | Campsite near Bude or Widemouth |
| 3 | Crackington Haven, Boscastle, Tintagel, Port Isaac (small vans) or straight down the A39 (big vans) | Campsite near Camelford or Wadebridge |
| 4 | Camel Trail by bike, Padstow, Fraddon | Home, or carry on west |
Roam's ready-made routes are coming, not built yet, and van-aware trip planning will follow. When they land, the aim is a route like this one that keeps a long van on the A39 and flags the lanes. Join the waitlist to hear when.
Where to sleep
Book campsites. In England, staying overnight in a vehicle on land you do not own needs the landowner's permission, and parking is not the same as camping. National Park guidance in the Lake District puts it bluntly: the only legal places for campervans to stay overnight are formal campsites, and parking on a highway is not a right. North Devon and Cornwall are not national parks, but the same principle about land ownership applies, and many coastal car parks have their own no-overnight rules on the signs.
Summer and school holidays get busy on this coast, so book ahead. For more on the rules, read our overnight parking rules guide.
Van-size warnings
- The A39: a main road and fine for most vans. It is the backbone; use it.
- Coastal lanes: the road through Crackington Haven, Boscastle, Tintagel, Port Isaac and Polzeath is the scenic option, and the villages sit at the bottom of steep valleys. Our rule of thumb: if your van is over about 6 metres or you are not happy reversing on a hill, stay on the A39 and drive in to one village at a time.
- Clovelly: you park at the top whatever you drive; the village is traffic free.
- Laybys: handy for a walk, not for sleeping.
Fuel and water
Barnstaple, Bideford, Bude, Camelford and Wadebridge give you regular chances to fill up. The Hartland to Bude stretch is the most sparsely populated, so do not head into it on fumes. Fill water and empty waste at campsites.
Want more of the south west? Our South West Coastal 300 guide covers a different stretch. For a flatter, gentler coast, try the North Norfolk coast.
Main road or coast road
The big decision on this trip is how much of it to do on the A39 and how much on the coastal roads. The A39 is a busy main road with lorries and holiday traffic, not a scenic drive in itself for much of its length. The scenery is at the end of the lanes that drop off it towards the sea. We think of it as a spine with ribs: drive the spine, and pick two or three ribs a day.
In a small van, the coast road from Widemouth through Crackington Haven, Boscastle and Tintagel is the highlight, then on through Port Isaac and Polzeath to Wadebridge. In a big van, drive the A39 to Camelford and visit one village at a time from a campsite, or use the Camel Trail by bike from Wadebridge instead.
Before you go
- Book early for summer. North Devon and North Cornwall are holiday coasts, and school holidays fill campsites fast.
- Measure your van. Height, width, length. Write them on a sticker on the dashboard. Coastal car parks often have height barriers; our height barriers guide explains what to look for.
- Bring bikes if you can. The Camel Trail starts or ends at Wadebridge and saves you trying to park in Padstow in August.
- Plan for the weather. This is the Atlantic coast. Wind and rain blow through quickly, and clifftop paths get muddy.
- Arrive early at the villages. Clovelly, Boscastle and Tintagel get busy by late morning in summer.
Questions
Where does the Atlantic Highway start and end?
At Barnstaple, where the A39 meets the A361 North Devon Link Road, and at Fraddon, where it meets the A30.
Is the Atlantic Highway suitable for motorhomes?
The A39 is. The coastal detours through Boscastle, Tintagel and Port Isaac are narrow and steep, so larger motorhomes should stick to the main road.
How many days do you need for the Atlantic Highway?
Three or four days lets you do the main detours without rushing.
Can you park overnight in a campervan on the Atlantic Highway?
Only where you have permission, such as a campsite. Laybys and car parks are for parking, not sleeping, unless the signs or owner say otherwise.