South West Coast Path

The South West Coast path is England’s longest waymarked long-distance footpath and National Trail. The trail covers a total of 630 miles along the spectacular coast of Devon,  Cornwall and Dorset. We offer ten holidays covering the entire route. From the start of the route in north Devon we have Minehead to Westward Ho! This is followed by two holidays in north Cornwall, from Westward Ho! to Padstow and from Padstow to St Ives.  Then in south and west Cornwall we have three holidays covering St Ives to Penzance,  Penzance to Falmouth and Falmouth to Plymouth.  In south Devon we have Plymouth to Brixham, Brixham to Exmouth and Exmouth to Lyme Regis. Finally in Dorset we have Lyme Regis to Poole, taking you to the end of the full route.

Each walk is worth doing in its own right or you can put two or more together if you have the time!

The route is challenging, there are no big mountains but there is plenty of climbing and descending through all the coves that line the route. It can be rocky underfoot in places too but the route is well waymarked and easy to navigate.

The many beautiful beaches, fascinating history, fishing villages and imposing cliffs make this an unforgettable walk.

Our Dorset holidays let you explore sections of the Jurassic Coast where you might even find some fossils. The footpath takes in tiny fishing villages, rocky headlands, lively resorts and golden surf-washed beaches.

Our Dorset holiday delivers a memorable finale to the 630 mile South West Coast Path. This spectacular section of the trail boasts amazing geology and stunning scenery as it travels from Lyme Regis to Poole along the Jurassic Coast, England’s first Natural World Heritage Site.

Highlights along this stretch of coastline include Charmouth Beach where you can look out for fossils. Nearby is the wonderful viewpoint of Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast of England. Birdwatchers will relish West Bexington Nature Reserve, a stop off for migrating birds. Another must see is Thorncombe Beacon, one of a chain of beacons used to warn of the approaching Spanish Armada in 1588. As is the long pebble bay of Chesil Beach, the site of many shipwrecks, and near Lulworth the iconic coastal landmark, Durdle Door.

Near Weymouth there is a choice of routes, either stay on the coast or follow the South Dorset Ridgeway through one of the UK’s most significant ancient ceremonial landscapes.

Whether the Dorset coast is the home straight on an epic South West Coast Path adventure, or perhaps your introduction to this iconic walk, or even something in between, you are sure to have a thoroughly enjoyable and hugely rewarding experience.

Length

7 - 8 nights

Full Route Length

76 miles / 122 km

Average Grade

Moderate

Why do this walk?

Walk along the Jurassic Coast, England's first World Heritage Site.

Enjoy dramatic clifftop walking between delightful sandy beaches.

Discover amazing geology and stunning scenery.

Stay in pretty seaside towns and picturesque fishing villages.

Amazing clifftop views of the wild Atlantic coast, tiny fishing villages and night stops in the popular towns of Padstow, St Ives, Port Isaac and Tintagel. The North Cornwall Coast Path is a must-do walk along a breath-taking stretch of coastline.

Trevan Point on the North Cornwall Coast

Our North Cornwall holidays cover over 140 miles of coastline from Westward Ho! to St Ives, comprising tiny fishing villages with cobbled streets, ancient woodlands, rocky headlands, remote coastal landscapes and golden surf-washed beaches.

You’ll enjoy overnight stays in the popular towns such as Tintagel, Port Isaac, Padstow and of course St Ives itself. There are a great many historical sites along this route as well as museums telling the story of North Cornwall’s hidden past. Highlights along this stunning stretch of coast include Tintagel Castle, the mythical birthplace of the legendary King Arthur. There are a number of Iron Age forts which are of huge interest too. Also on display are abandoned engine houses, relics of a once prosperous tin mining industry.

The first half of the North Cornwall coast features some the wildest and remotest areas on the whole of the South West Coast Path. As a result, the walking can be challenging at times. Be prepared for numerous daily ascents and descents. The second half will see you pass by some of Cornwall’s most popular surfer beaches.

This is a dramatic landscape with magnificent waterfalls crashing from the clifftops onto the rocky beaches beneath. You might be lucky enough to spot grey seals. There’s a wealth of wildlife and wildflowers too. Birdwatchers should look out for stonechats, linnets and meadow pipits as well as peregrine falcons, buzzards and kestrels, while cornflowers, sea pinks and kidney vetch colour the countryside enhancing your experience of this awe-inspiring coastline.

Length

5-10 Nights

Full Route Length

142 miles / 229 km

Shortest Break Length

64 miles / 103 km

Average Grade

Moderate

Why do this walk?

Experience spectacular clifftop walking with incredible views.

Explore the exquisite tastes behind Padstow’s delightful seafood restaurants.

Discover the history of Cornwall.

Stay in delightful seaside towns and old fishing villages.

Enjoy the highest cliffs in England, beautiful beaches, a wealth of flora and fauna and a glimpse into Cornwall’s fascinating history of seafaring and smugglers. This part of the South West Coast Path allows you to explore the north Devon Coastline with stopover nights in the popular towns of Minehead, Lynmouth and Woolacombe.

Our North Devon holiday, the first leg of the 630 mile South West Coast Path, actually begins life just over the border in Somerset, in the town of Minehead. From here you’ll follow the coastal path for almost 90 miles to the village of Westward Ho! enjoying overnight stays in popular locations such as Lynmouth, Ilfracombe and Woolacombe.

There is diverse scenery all along this section of the South West Coast Path. The first stretch takes you over some of the highest cliffs in England where the expanse of Exmoor meets the sea. There are extensive views inland and north across the Bristol Channel with the coast of Wales as the backdrop. You will pass through coastal woodland and see vast sandy beaches popular with surfers. In contrast is the large estuary of the Taw and Torridge rivers, flanked by sand dunes and marshland, where the path follows the former railway and later the estuary.

On your journey you’ll enjoy the sight of numerous cliff top flowers, particularly the abundance of bluebells and primroses in springtime. The Exmoor coast is home to a variety of wildlife and many rare species of flora and fauna. Expect to see red deer, stag beetles, blackneck moths and the whitebeam trees which are unique to Exmoor.

There are Sites of Special Scientific Interest with their delightful heathland and grasses, nature reserves too with sand dunes housing rare snails and lizards as well designated areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty where you might be able to spot grey seals, gannets and in the summertime dolphins, sunfish and even basking sharks.

This is an area valued for its birdlife and it also incorporates the Tarka Trail, a series of footpaths following the route taken by Tarka the Otter in the book by Henry Williamson.

Length

8 to 10 nights

Full Route Length

88 miles / 142 km

Shortest Break Length

88 miles / 142 km

Average Grade

Moderate

Why do this walk?

Explore one of Britain's most dramatic coastlines.

Enjoy unspoilt countryside with an abundance of wildlife.

Walk over the ‘Great Hangman’ the highest point on the South West Coast Path.

Delight in purple tinted moors, home to Exmoor ponies.

Enjoy a walk that takes in beautiful beaches, a wealth of flora and fauna and a glimpse into Cornwall’s fascinating history of seafaring and smugglers. The South West Coast path takes you around the most southerly coastline of Britain with stopover nights in the popular towns of St Ives, Penzance, Falmouth and Plymouth.

The South and West Cornwall coastline is the longest section of the South West Coast Path, stretching 175 miles from St Ives round to Plymouth. This is a contrasting coastline serving up a mix of rocky headlands overlooking idyllic coastal villages as well as lively resorts with their magnificent sandy beaches. In addition to being bookended by the popular towns of St Ives and Plymouth, overnight stays include Penzance and Falmouth.

Much of the trail follows the footpaths used by coastguards and officers back in the 19th century who would have been on the lookout for smugglers. Popular highlights include Gurnard’s Head, Sennen Cove and the Minack Theatre as well as St Michael’s Mount and the magnificent Lizard Point. There are numerous historical sites along this stretch of coast including scattered tin-mine ruins, old coastguard lookouts and lighthouses, ancient harbours and age old churches.

Boulder-strewn cliffs, smugglers coves, windswept headlands and stunning expansive views all contribute to this dramatic landscape. As do the colourful wildflowers and wealth of birdlife. Look out for fulmars, kittiwakes, shags, razorbills and even the Cornish chough, once extinct in the county but now making a welcome return.

Whether you choose to complete this stretch of the South West Coast Path in a series of short breaks or in one combined challenge, you are assured of a rich and rewarding experience.

Length

4 - 8 Nights

Full Route Length

175 miles / 280km

Shortest Break Length

39 miles / 63 km

Average Grade

Moderate

Why do this walk?

Stroll along miles of golden surf-washed beaches.

Explore the fascinating history of Cornwall.

Enjoy spectacular clifftop walking between idyllic sandy beaches.

Visit charming seaside towns and traditional fishing villages.

Our South Devon holidays let you explore sections of the Jurassic Coast where you can even have a go at fossil hunting. The footpath takes in tiny fishing villages, rocky headlands, lively resorts and golden surf-washed beaches.

The Cobb at Lyme Regis - South Devon Coast Path

Our South Devon holidays are as diverse as they are delightful. Ahead of you are 125 miles of truly unforgettable coastline, bookended by Plymouth from where the Pilgrim Fathers departed for the New World in 1620, and Lyme Regis renowned for its World Heritage Jurassic Coast.

On your journey you’ll enjoy idyllic coastal villages, golden surf-washed beaches and rocky headlands rewarding you with incredible views. Take time to soak up the atmosphere of the lively resorts on the English Riviera. Quiet time is guaranteed too as you pass through ancient woodlands and visit peaceful coves.

With its many National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest the area is full of fascinating flora and fauna. Wildlife and birdlife are plentiful and you never know, you might spot some dolphins. Our South Devon holidays also let you explore sections of the Jurassic Coast where you can even have a go at fossil hunting. For those with an industrial interest, there are miles of Brunelian railway line, lighthouses, wartime defences and an ill-fated abandoned village.

However you choose to explore the South Devon Coast, either a full on fortnight for the entire route, or nice and steady over several visits, our holidays are sure to reward you with a lifetime of memories.

Length

3 - 7 nights

Full Route Length

125 miles / 201 km

Shortest Break Length

28 miles / 45 km

Average Grade

Moderate

Why do this walk?

Explore the Jurassic Coast, England's first World Heritage Site.

Enjoy the mild and sunny climate of the English Riviera.

Visit the many National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Savour delicious cuisine on England’s Seafood Coast.

Client Feedback

You have always lived up to, and frequently exceed our expectations. You always respond quickly to requests, with good suggestions and whoever we speak with always seems to have our information to hand – so no explaining things over and over! You also take time to source quality accommodation even though at times you are limited for choice. Thank you for another nice wee walk!

Dales Way, July 2023
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We have never experienced such a well-organized holiday, so we would happily recommend Mickledore to friends and family!

Dales Way, July 2023
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Your staff seem really enthusiastic about your holidays and are very helpful when needed. It seems that our enjoyment of our holiday is important to your staff.

Westmorland Way, September 2023
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