The South West Coast Path Hike

The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest National Trail — 630 miles of clifftop and beach path tracing the entire peninsula from Minehead in Somerset, around Devon and Cornwall, and finishing at Poole Harbour in Dorset. Originally cut by coastguards looking for smugglers, it's now walked by close to half a million people a year in section, and a couple of hundred in a single push.

What to expect

A full traverse takes most walkers 7-8 weeks. Total ascent and descent across the trail is around 35,000m — comparable to climbing Everest four times. The character shifts constantly: the rolling Exmoor coast at the start, north Cornwall's surf beaches and dramatic cliffs, the wild Land's End peninsula, the gentler south coast through Falmouth and the Helford, then the Jurassic Coast of east Devon and Dorset.

Practical notes

Walkable year-round; spring and early autumn offer the best balance of weather, daylight and accommodation availability. Cliff path closures from erosion are common — check the South West Coast Path Association's diversion list before each stage. Most walkers tackle it in sections; popular shorter walks are the Lizard, the Camel Estuary, and the Jurassic Coast around Lulworth.