Running along the western edges of Exmoor, the river reaches the North Devon coast at Heddon's Mouth.

[1] The nearest road access to the beach is at Hunter's Inn, approximately 1.6-kilometre (1 mi) south of sea-fall.

[3] The Heddon Valley is renowned for its natural environment, with bridges and stepping stones along the river, meadows, and walks which start from the National Trust shop and information centre which has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1963.

The cobbled beach at Heddon's Mouth is approximately 300 metres (980 ft) wide and is only accessible through footpaths on the National Trust land or via the South West Coast Path.

[4] The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway once ran through part of the valley, halting at the small village of Parracombe.