Between Lynton and Lynmouth, the cliff railway is both the most practical and the most enjoyable option. It runs on a simple counterbalance principle — the descending car is filled with water to outweigh the ascending car — and has operated continuously since 1890. It saves a walk of about 152 metres (500 feet) of elevation on a very steep road.
Outside the cliff railway, everything is on foot. Lynmouth harbour, the flood memorial, the Rhenish Tower, and the start of the Watersmeet path are all within a short walk of each other. Lynton's town centre is compact. The Valley of Rocks is an easy 30-minute walk west of Lynton along a signed path.
For longer excursions — Watersmeet, Brendon, the Doone Valley — you'll either walk or drive. The roads here are single-track with passing places in many stretches.