Carry less
Available on many booked sections; verify full-trip continuity.
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SOMERSET · DEVON · CORNWALL · DORSET · NAMED TRAIL
South West Coast Path
A long coastline to return to, one beautiful section at a time.
WHOLE TRAIL1,014 km / 630 mi
PLANNING PACE35–56 walking days
WALKING EFFORTDemanding
SLEEP INDOORSInns, B&Bs & small hotels
The complete 630-mile route runs from Minehead to Poole Harbour. Choose a manageable coastal section or use the official resources for a much longer journey.
01 / GET YOUR BEARINGS
See where the walk takes you.
Loading the map. Places along the route are listed below.
Location overview: numbered pins mark approximate places. Dotted connections show their order, not the walking path. Use the linked route maps for navigation.
02 / CHOOSE YOUR SUPPORT
Your walk. Your way of travelling.
You can change this as you plan.
03 / MAKE ROOM FOR THE WALK
The whole trail, or your part of it.
Start with the route length. Then allow time to enjoy it.
Padstow to St Ives
Walking-day ranges are planning estimates, not a booked daily itinerary. Choose actual overnight stops and check stage distances before reserving. Rest days add time; they do not shorten walking stages.
04 / THE PLACES ALONG THE WAY
Shape the days around the stays.
Choose stays by their walking access to the route. Named stays below include an access note and its source. General town searches cover a wider area, so check the walking route from the trail before booking.
Know how close the bed is before you book
On the trail means the property or official route source places the stay directly on the Way—no separate off-route transfer is normally planned. Near / stage stop means the stay is at a named stage stop, start or finish; the access note gives the most specific credible distance or relationship we found.
Use the named stay as your map anchor. "View hotel on route map" pins the property alongside approximate stage places. The dotted connections are not the surveyed trail and cannot measure a hotel-to-trail distance. "Open in Google Maps" helps inspect paths and directions; check the official route map for the marked trail. Any access distance or time below comes from its linked source and is labelled when property-reported.
| Place | Planning role | Stays & trail access |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Minehead | Starting area |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Minehead ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 2 Ilfracombe | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Ilfracombe ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 3 Westward Ho! | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Westward Ho! ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 4 Bude | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Bude ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 5 Padstow | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Padstow ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 6 Newquay | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Newquay ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 7 St Ives | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around St Ives ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 8 Land’s End | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Land’s End ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 9 Penzance | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Penzance ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 10 Falmouth | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Falmouth ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 11 Plymouth | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Plymouth ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 12 Exmouth | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Exmouth ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 13 Lyme Regis | Route place; choose suitable overnight stages |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Lyme Regis ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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| 14 Poole Harbour | Finishing area |
Access not checkedBroader Booking.com search around Poole Harbour ↗ (new tab)This Route Guide has not yet verified a specific property here. Explore availability, then verify the walking connection to the official trail before booking.
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These are lodging starting points, not reserved rooms. Access notes and any quoted distances come from the linked sources. Confirm your dates, room type, actual walking route and luggage collection with each property before booking.
Get there—and get back—simply
Choose trailheads with workable train, bus and ferry connections. Check crossings for your dates.
Check rail connections ↗ Check local transport ↗05 / TRIPS OFFERED ON THIS TRAIL
Compare trips from walking-holiday providers.
These are bookable trips offered by independent providers along all or part of this trail. Walking trips are the core comparison; when a genuinely relevant horseback, cycling or running version exists, we label it clearly as a different way to experience the same route landscape.
2 trip options from 1 operators.
Self-guided options are listed below. Use the Service filter above to separate them. This is a researched selection, not every provider or itinerary. Examples checked 19 September 2026. Starting prices are per person; check your dates, room basis, single supplements and inclusions. Currencies are shown as advertised.
| Operator & trip | Service & coverage | Time | Advertised from | Check the details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillwalk ToursPadstow–St Ives · moderate | Self-guidedTrail section | 8 days / 7 nights6 walking days | Check current price | Cornwall section, not the whole coast path. View trip with Hillwalk Tours ↗ (new tab) |
| Hillwalk ToursSt Ives–Penzance · challenging | Self-guidedTrail section | 5 days / 4 nights3 walking days | Check current price | View trip with Hillwalk Tours ↗ (new tab) |
BEFORE THE BOOKINGS
Make the plan work
on the ground.
Steep repeated climbs are common. Whole-trail accommodation and ferry logistics need the official planning resources.
Confirm an indoor bed for every night, the distance to each stay, and how you will reach and leave the route.
South West Coast Path Association ↗Planning guide · Facts checked 19 September 2026. Dates, access and services may change.
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