Exeter is the closest city to Exmouth and would be the hub of travel heading in that direction. To get to Exmouth one must go through Exeter essentially.
Getting from Exeter to Exmouth
By Car
The route from Exeter to Exmouth includes many winding country lanes along the A376 and takes around 30 minutes.
If using a Sat Nav/GPS while driving you can use the post code to get close to the venue EX8 5DB. Parking is available just past the barn itself, look for the sign for “Exmouth Country Lodge and Pratthayes”.
By Taxi / Uber
There are taxis and ubers within Exeter that will carry you to Exmouth. If using a taxi service it is best to call in advance and arrange for a ride, as hailing one may not drive you that far.
Taxi Options:
By Train
There is a direct train line from Exeter St David’s Station and Exeter Central Station on GWR (Great Western Railway).
The train departs every 30 minutes and takes 30 minutes to get to Exmouth.
Train tickets cost around £5.20 each way and can be purchased in advance or at the station. They are not available on the train.
The Exmouth Train Station is 2 miles from the venue, Exmouth Country Lodge. There are taxis often outside the train station who can help deliver you to the venue.
Getting from London to Exeter
By Car
There are 2 routes from London, down the A303/A30, or across the M4/M5. We recommend the M4/M5 route as it is a motorway (highway) and easier to follow. The A303/A30 turns into country lanes, at times, and is very winding and only one lane in each direction, and though maps often suggest it is faster it is not.
The only reason to take the A303/A30 is if you’re planning to stop off at Stonehenge or want to take the “scenic” route (though there is not much else to see along the way).
By Coach / Bus
There is a Coach / Bus that runs direct from Heathrow to Exeter, with one or two stops along the way.
It is operated by National Express, and you can book with them directly (what I would recommend). The bus leaves from the bus depot, at Heathrow Airport, which is located within the vicinity of Terminals 2 & 3 (free inter airport transfers are available if you fly into Terminals 4 or 5).
The route takes upwards to 4 hours to complete, and you get dropped off at a bus terminal in Exeter, near the city center.
Round trip tickets would cost around £50, if booked in advance.
Tickets can be booked through the National Express website: https://nationalexpress.co.uk
By Train
There are two different train operators and routes you can take to reach Exeter from London – either with Great Western Railways or South Western Railways.
Great Western Railways operates a service from London Paddington Station – this service is slightly pricer, but a shorter journey and you can reserve seats (in fact do not purchase the tickets unless you were able to reserve seats). A round trip from Paddington can cost around £100, and takes around 2.5 hours.
South Western Railways operates a service from London Waterloo Station – this service is cheaper, but slightly longer and you cannot reserve a seat (so ensure that you do not travel at rush hour, which includes trains departing between 4pm and 8pm). A round trip from Waterloo can cost around £50, and takes around 3 hours. If you take this line you’ll pass through the Bride & Groom’s town of Woking as you head southwest towards Devon.
You can research tickets and book them through the National Rail website: http://nationalrail.co.uk
Before booking anything via that website make sure you check a few things:
- Arrival Station is “Exeter St David’s” (unless your hotel tells you otherwise).
- Double check that under the column “Dur. Chg.” there are 0 changes, you do not want to have change trains on either route.