Hiking Collection by
Explore Britain’s longest trail — South West Coast Path
52 days
2-7 h/day
1,030km
18,190m
18,160m
Variety is the very essence of the Coast Path. From craggy cliffs to golden beaches, remote fishing villages to bustling seaside destinations, wildlife havens to idyllic harbours, majestic moorland to marine habitats, epic rock formations to chalk grasslands – there truly is something for everyone.
Along the trail, you wander through some internationally-important habitats and see the only place in the world that displays 185 million years of geological evolution in the cliffs and rocks, the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
You also see evidence from thousands of years of people living, working and battling along the coastline, whilst exploring some of the finest cliff-top trails, best beaches, cleanest seas and most picturesque fishing villages Britain has to offer.
In this Collection, I’ve divided the route into 52 stages of between 6 and 17 miles (10 – 27 km), starting at Minehead in Somerset and ending at South Haven Point, overlooking Poole Harbour in Dorset. This itinerary is the standard way to complete the South West Coast Path.
You can, of course, break the route down into as many days as you feel comfortable with, walk individual sections and complete it in the opposite direction. In fact, due to its length, the vast majority of people tackle short sections and complete the route over an extended timeframe. Many of these Tours make excellent day hikes, too.
On balance, the Path is a challenging hike. The total ascent is 58,00 feet (17,678 m) – the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest twice. You’ll need good fitness, stamina and technical ability to take on this challenge.
For the most part, you’re never too far away from civilisation. However, the trail gets very remote at times as you head east. As such, ensure you have enough water and snacks to keep you sustained. Sturdy footwear and waterproofs are essential. Be sure to pack sunscreen, especially in the summer months. You can hike this route at any time of year and each season offers a unique perspective on the scenery.
Public transport links are fairly good along the trail. To get to the start, the nearest train station is Taunton. From there, you can catch the 28 bus service to Minehead. The end of the trail, in Poole, has good public transport links including a train station.
Visibility:
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South West Coast Path
1,046km
18,300m
18,300m
Last updated: June 26, 2024
Do it yourself!
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Ready to get going? Create and customize your own version of this adventure using the full route below as a template.
Plan your own version of this adventure in the multi-day planner based on the stages suggested in this Collection.
Activities
1. Stage 1: Minehead to Porlock Weir — South West Coast Path
14.9km
04:16
320m
310m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
2. Stage 2: Porlock Weir to Lynmouth — South West Coast Path
18.5km
05:29
550m
550m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
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3. Stage 3: Lynmouth to Combe Martin — South West Coast Path
21.7km
06:43
770m
770m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
4. Stage 4: Combe Martin to Woolacombe — South West Coast Path
22.6km
06:36
600m
610m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
5. Stage 5: Woolacombe to Braunton — South West Coast Path
24.1km
06:20
190m
200m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
6. Stage 6: Braunton to Instow — South West Coast Path
18.7km
04:44
40m
40m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
7. Stage 7: Instow to Westward Ho! — South West Coast Path
18.0km
04:38
80m
80m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
8. Stage 8: Westward Ho! to Clovelly — South West Coast Path
18.8km
05:29
520m
450m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
9. Stage 9: Clovelly to Hartland Quay — South West Coast Path
16.7km
04:46
350m
410m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
10. Stage 10: Hartland Quay to Bude — South West Coast Path
24.7km
07:19
700m
710m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
11. Stage 11: Bude to Crackington Haven — South West Coast Path
16.6km
04:46
410m
400m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
12. Stage 12: Crackington Haven to Tintagel — South West Coast Path
18.5km
05:27
530m
500m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
13. Stage 13: Tintagel to Port Isaac — South West Coast Path
14.1km
04:47
340m
370m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
14. Stage 14: Port Isaac to Padstow — South West Coast Path
20.7km
05:36
280m
300m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
15. Stage 15: Padstow to Porthcothan — South West Coast Path
21.7km
05:48
250m
250m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
16. Stage 16: Porthcothan to Newquay — South West Coast Path
17.0km
04:38
260m
230m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
17. Stage 17: Newquay to Perranporth — South West Coast Path
19.1km
05:10
250m
280m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
18. Stage 18: Perranporth to Portreath — South West Coast Path
19.6km
05:38
440m
440m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
19. Stage 19: Portreath to Hayle — South West Coast Path
18.8km
05:01
210m
220m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
20. Stage 20: Hayle to St Ives — South West Coast Path
9.41km
02:30
100m
100m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
21. Stage 21: St Ives to Pendeen — South West Coast Path
23.3km
06:31
460m
430m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
22. Stage 22: Pendeen to Sennen Cove — South West Coast Path
13.6km
03:47
250m
270m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
23. Stage 23: Sennen Cove to Lamorna — South West Coast Path
18.9km
05:15
360m
350m
Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
24. Stage 24: Lamorna to Marazion — South West Coast Path
14.5km
03:47
100m
120m
Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
Collection Stats
Activities
52
Distance
1,030 km
Duration
285:32 h
Elevation
18,190 m
18,160 m
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