Southwest Coastal Path walking…

By Martin Lock Aug 10, 2012

Experience one of the most beautiful areas of England in the Southwest with Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.

Each offering completely different contrasts in both the countryside and coast.

Walking on the Southwest Coastal Path is a wonderful experience whether you just want a day out and a stroll across a few miles and then lunch in a cosy country pub or if you have the time and you’re adventurous to embark on walking the whole 630 mile trip! The Southwest Coastal Path starts in Dorset on the “Jurassic Coast” so called because of the amount of fossils found in the cliffs and on the beaches especially on stretches near the pretty town of Lyme Regis which has a fossil museum as well. See the best local website for details http://www.jurassiccoast.com/

LYME REGIS BEACH

Walking down to Devon there are some beautiful typically English towns ranging from Weymouth to Sidmouth, Teignmouth and Torquay. Quaint seaside towns such as Paignton are defiantly worth a visit with views to Torquay over the bay. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paignton for information on Paignton. Coming into Cornwall the coast is undulating with cliff walks and some beautiful small bays such as Falmouth http://www.falmouth.co.uk/ which has lots of local attractions and activities such as sea fishing. A few miles along the coast path is a superb hotel the Meudon Hotel at Mawnan Smith a tiny hamlet on the coast. It’s worth a nights stay to enjoy the stunning sub-tropical gardens and the wonderful cuisine. Contact http://www.meudon.co.uk for details and a brochure.

Continuing round the coast are hidden gems such as Mousehole a tiny village with a simply stunning setting. http://www.cornwall-online.co.uk/westcornwall/mousehole.htm Right at the tip of Cornwall are to be found the first of the really big beaches which is what the northern shores of Cornwall and Devon are famed for. St Michaels Mount http://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/ is a famous “island” separated by a causeway located on a beautiful beach in Cornwall. It’s well worth a visit and spending the whole day exploring this fascinating area. Moving round the southernmost tip of the UK at Lands End the Coastal Path winds up across high cliff tops and across some of Britain’s largest sandy beaches full of surfers like Newquay, Fistral and Polzeath. If you are strong and fit have a go at surfing! There are lots of Surf schools and you’re never too old to try this exciting sport which has simply exploded in popularity in the past decade. See http://www.surfing-cornwall.com for more details. Along this part of Cornwall’s coast are picturesque towns like St Ives famous for painting due to its fabled light and sea views. If you would like to stay here the local tourist website has lots of tips http://www.stives-cornwall.co.uk/

Another place to visit if you have a passion for the Arts is the Minack Theatre which is Cornwall’s world famous open-air theatre, in Penzance. Visit the website with the following link to find out what is on, and how to book tickets. http://www.minack.com/index.htm

MINACK THEATRE, PENZANCE

TINTAGEL CASTLE

Moving up the Coastal Path takes you past stunning Tintagel with its Castle which has passed into folklore as the reputed birthplace of King Arthur. Go to the castle ruins see details at English Heritages site http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/tintagel-castle/ Crossing over on the path into Devon more enjoyable sights can be found. The area from Bude through Croyde up to Woolacombe is simply amazing. Fantastic cliff walks full of wheeling and diving sea birds can be found especially from Croyde Bay over to Putsborough Sands. The cliffs here at Mort Hoe point are high and very rugged and it has an interesting history ranging from smugglers to its part in the D Day preparations. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/croyde-woolacombe-and-mortehoe/

The final section of the South West Coastal Path takes you across more amazing cliff walks many areas covered with woods and steep valleys. Illfracome is a beautiful cove with and amazing history; well worth a visit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilfracombe To plan your walks and see much more information visit the official website of the South West Coastal Path at http://www.southwestcoastpath.com/

$ilfracombe$