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It's easy when heading for the coast to concentrate on the South West's glorious coastal path as a spot to walk.

But this short stroll to the summit of the Cairn, at Ilfracombe, is a perfect example of a little gem that's hiding just inland.

The Cairn is a rocky outcrop of 24 acres of mixed woodland and grassland, with numerous paths to the summit, which at 520 feet above sea level, offers superb views over the town and the Bristol Channel.

It's the favourite spot of local resident Stephen McCarthy for a number of reason.

"When I first moved here I had no idea that the Cairn was right on my doorstep and it's just been a lovely place to explore over the years," he said.

"It became my favourite walk because I love woods, there are many paths so you can always vary your route and thirdly and most poignantly because when I lost both my parents, the Cairn became my help.

Balment never lived to see the finished house

"That's where I did a lot of my walking and my thinking and that's why I have now got a bench up there dedicated to them."

Leave the park at its southernmost tip and cross into a cul-de-sac called Parkway. Shortly bear right on an unnamed lane, which leads you to the A361. Cross carefully into Kingsley Avenue.

Stephen has been a member of the Cairn conservation team, which as a lifelong epileptic he's found helpful in gaining confidence.

"My epilepsy can prevent me from doing certain things because physical exertion sets it off," he said.

"I was frustrated because I couldn't join the work parties, but I volunteered to become their wildflower surveyor which made me feel quite useful.

"It made me realise it does't matter if epilepsy stops you doing one thing, there's always something else you can do instead."

At the end of Kingsley Avenue you reach a crossroads of public footpath signs. The path we took was straight ahead, passing a unique roundhouse on the right.

This, Stephen explained, was built in 1910 by a William Balment who took a bet in a pub that he couldn't build a house that was purely circular. It took ten years to complete and unfortunately he never lived to see it finished.

Shortly you access the Cairn through a metal kissing gate that leads to a more open area, giving the first real views across Ilfracombe. Here it's said that Victorian housewives would gather to beat the dust from their carpets and mats, and no doubt enjoy the vista whilst doing so.

Keep straight ahead into an open meadow, which drops down to a tarmac path, where you turn left. This is part of the Ilfracombe to Plymouth cycleway and leads to the old railway line.

Keep on this trail for a short distance, taking the first path off to the left, which leads up into the woods.

There are various ways you can walk to the summit. We took the first path to the right, known as Cleave Path, which leads to a favourite tree of Stephen's – a spot alongside a narrow stream.

"It's one of the few places where the Cairn has running water," he said. "It's a very relaxing sound to me. Often I'll lean against this good old fir here. They say talk to trees and this tree has been my counsellor."

The path zig-zags left before the stream. Strewn alongside as you continue upwards are old logs and fallen trees. Stephen said this was the deliberate approach of Devon Wildlife Trust to increase biodiversity.

Some of the trees wouldn't look out of a place in a museum or art gallery, indeed you could imagine if someone had sculpted them they could command a princely fee.

"That's what I love about the Cairn," said Stephen. "Because everything is allowed to go back to nature you can just walk around and see modern art but in nature's form and it's always changing."

Continue zig-zagging to the summit, passing moss covered rocks and ascending weathered slate steps.

Pass a bench facing south and continue to the higher summit, which offers a stunning panoramic northerly perspective over the town.

Ilfracombe can be seen stretching out to the sea

You can see the Tors, the Landmark Theatre, the Capstone flag, east to Exmoor, and ahead the Bristol Channel and the hills of Wales.

"There are some beautiful colours in the channel," said Stephen, "but some days it can be an insipid grey and other days a Mediterranean blue."

It's a terrific spot to linger and the bench dedicated to Stephen's parents provides the ideal resting spot.

"Mum and dad loved living up high," said Stephen. "Wherever they lived they had to be up high for views. So when we had this bench done I just put a simple plaque on 'Special memories of mum and dad, the folks who lived on the hill'."

"It's lovely to think it's probably been used for hundreds if not thousands of years and that you're up here with other people that have looked out on this fantastic view."

It's certainly a peaceful place to pause and drink in the stunning scenery. And you have the added comfort of knowing it's all downhill on the way back.

You can pick your own route down any number of the paths through the woods and back via Kingsley Avenue to the park.