South West Coastal Path - SWCP

For walkers, runners and even virtual runners on the SWCP. Bring your questions, answers and experiences to share here!

The best place to start looking for information or for planning anything from a day trip to covering the full distance is the South West Coast Path Association, who maintain a very good website.
southwestcoastpath.org.uk

Guide books:
OS National Trail Guides (4 volumes: Minehead to Padstow; Padstow to Falmouth; Falmouth to Exmouth; Exmouth to Poole). Includes OS 1:25,000 maps.

Trailblazer Guides (3 volumes: North Devon; Cornwall; Dorset & South Devon). Includes detailed hand-drawn mapping.

Cicerone: The South West Coast Path (single volume).

Distances from Minehead:
This data is taken from the SWCP Association website, which reckons a total distance of 629.6 miles, With special thanks to um for working out where to find this comprehensive set of figures.

Town Distance from Minehead
Bossington 6.0 miles [9.7km]
Porlock Weir 8.9 miles [14.3km]
Culbone 10.6 miles [17.1km]
Lynmouth Harbour 20.9 miles [33.7km]
Lynton 21.4 miles [34.4km]
Combe Martin 34.7 miles [55.8km]
Ilfracombe 40.0 miles [64.4km]
Morte Point 46.7 miles [75.1km]
Woolacombe 48.5 miles [78.1km]
Baggy Point 52.8 miles [84.9km]
Saunton 57.2 miles [92.0km]
Braunton 63.5 miles [102.2km]
Barnstaple (Long Bridge) 68.9 miles [110.9km]
Instow (for Ferry to Appledore) 76.3 miles [122.8km]
Bideford 79.0 miles [127.2km]
Appledore 82.5 miles [132.8km]
Westward Ho! 87.3 miles [140.5km]
Buck's Mills 94.1 miles [151.4km]
Clovelly 98.4 miles [158.4km]
Hartland Point 105.8 miles [170.3km]
Hartland Quay 108.7 miles [174.9km]
Devon / Cornwall Border 114.4 miles [184.1km]
Bude (canal lock) 123.9 miles [199.4km]
Widemouth Bay 126.9 miles [204.2km]
Crackington Haven 133.7 miles [215.2km]
Boscastle 140.4 miles [226.0km]
Rocky Valley 143.2 miles [230.4km]
Tintagel 145.2 miles [233.6km]
Trebarwith Strand 147.3 miles [237.1km]
Portgaverne 153.5 miles [247.0km]
Port Isaac 154.2 miles [248.2km]
Portquin 157.4 miles [253.3km]
Pentire Point 161.4 miles [259.7km]
Polzeath 163.1 miles [262.5km]
Rock (Ferry) 166.0 miles [267.1km]
Padstow (Ferry) 166.0 miles [267.1km]
Trevose Head 175.3 miles [282.1km]
Treyarnon Bay (YHA) 177.3 miles [285.4km]
Porthcothan 179.5 miles [288.9km]
Mawgan Porth 184.0 miles [296.1km]
Watergate Bay 186.3 miles [299.8km]
Newquay (station) 189.8 miles [305.4km]
Crantock (via Tidal bridge) 193.9 miles [312.0km]
Porth Joke 195.7 miles [315.0km]
Holywell 197.8 miles [318.4km]
Perranporth 202.3 miles [325.6km]
Trevaunance Cove (for St Agnes) 206.2 miles [331.9km]
St Agnes Head 207.8 miles [334.5km]
Chapel Porth 209.5 miles [337.1km]
Porthtowan 210.6 miles [339.0km]
Portreath 214.7 miles [345.5km]
Godrevy Point 220.8 miles [355.4km]
Gwithian 222.3 miles [357.7km]
Hayle 226.4 miles [364.4km]
Lelant 228.7 miles [368.0km]
St Ives 232.5 miles [374.2km]
Zennor Head 239.0 miles [384.6km]
Gurnard's Head 241.0 miles [387.9km]
Bosigran Cliff 243.1 miles [391.2km]
Pendeen Watch 246.2 miles [396.2km]
Cape Cornwall 250.2 miles [402.6km]
Cot Valley (for Lands End YHA) 251.2 miles [404.2km]
Sennen Cove 255.3 miles [410.9km]
Land's End 256.6 miles [412.9km]
Porthgwarra 260.4 miles [419.0km]
Porthcurno 261.6 miles [421.0km]
Penberth 262.8 miles [423.0km]
Lamorna 267.0 miles [429.7km]
Mousehole 269.4 miles [433.6km]
Newlyn 271.1 miles [436.3km]
Penzance (station) 273.1 miles [439.5km]
Marazion 276.2 miles [444.5km]
Perranuthnoe 278.6 miles [448.3km]
Praa Sands 282.5 miles [454.7km]
Porthleven 287.0 miles [461.9km]
Church Cove, Gunwalloe 291.5 miles [469.1km]
Polurrian Cove (for Mullion) 293.3 miles [472.1km]
Mullion Cove 294.2 miles [473.4km]
Kynance Cove 298.9 miles [481.0km]
Lizard Point (for YHA) 301.1 miles [484.5km]
Church Cove, the Lizard 302.9 miles [487.5km]
Cadgwith 304.5 miles [490.1km]
Coverack (for YHA) 311.4 miles [501.2km]
Rosenithon 314.6 miles [506.3km]
Porthoustock 315.1 miles [507.1km]
Porthallow 316.3 miles [509.1km]
Gillan Creek 319.1 miles [513.6km]
St Anthony-in-Meneage 321.3 miles [517.1km]
Helford 324.0 miles [521.4km]
Helford Point (ferry) 324.3 miles [521.9km]
Helford Passage (ferry) 324.3 miles [521.9km]
Rosemullion Head 327.2 miles [526.5km]
Maenporth 328.8 miles [529.1km]
Swanpool Beach (Falmouth) 330.5 miles [531.9km]
Pendennis Point 332.4 miles [534.9km]
Falmouth (ferry) 334.2 miles [537.9km]
Place (ferry) 334.2 miles [537.9km]
St Anthony Head 336.3 miles [541.2km]
Portscatho 340.4 miles [547.9km]
Nare Head 345.2 miles [555.6km]
Portloe 347.8 miles [559.8km]
PorthluneyCove 351.4 miles [565.6km]
Dodman Point 354.2 miles [570.1km]
Gorran Haven 356.7 miles [574.0km]
Mevagissey 360.0 miles [579.4km]
Pentewan 362.3 miles [583.1km]
Charlestown 367.3 miles [591.1km]
Par 370.7 miles [596.6km]
Polkerris 372.8 miles [600.0km]
Gribbin Head 374.9 miles [603.3km]
Fowey (ferry) 377.5 miles [607.5km]
Polruan (ferry) 377.5 miles [607.5km]
Polperro 384.6 miles [618.9km]
Talland 385.9 miles [621.1km]
Looe 389.5 miles [626.9km]
Millendreath 390.8 miles [629.0km]
Seaton (Cornwall) 393.4 miles [633.1km]
Downderry 394.4 miles [634.8km]
Portwrinkle 397.2 miles [639.3km]
Freathy 400.8 miles [645.1km]
Rame Head 404.3 miles [650.6km]
Kingsand / Cawsand 407.1 miles [655.1km]
Cremyll (ferry) 410.5 miles [660.6km]
Plymouth (Stonehouse) 410.5 miles [660.6km]
Plymouth - Barbican (ferry) 413.1 miles [664.9km]
Plymouth - Mountbatten (ferry) 418.1 miles [672.8km]
Plymouth - Jennycliff 419.1 miles [674.4km]
Heybrook Bay 422.3 miles [679.6km]
Wembury (beach) 424.0 miles [682.3km]
Wembury - Warren Point (ferry) 425.5 miles [684.8km]
Noss Mayo (ferry) 425.5 miles [684.8km]
Stoke Beach 430.3 miles [692.5km]
Erme Estuary (Mothecombe) 434.6 miles [699.4km]
Bigbury-on-Sea 439.3 miles [707.0km]
River Avon (ferry) 440.5 miles [708.9km]
Thurlestone Sands 442.9 miles [712.8km]
Hope Cove 444.2 miles [714.9km]
Bolberry Down 446.6 miles [718.7km]
Salcombe (ferry) 452.4 miles [728.0km]
East Portlemouth (ferry) 452.4 miles [728.0km]
Prawle Point 456.8 miles [735.1km]
Lannacombe 459.7 miles [739.8km]
Start Point 461.5 miles [742.7km]
Hallsands 462.7 miles [744.6km]
Torcross 465.0 miles [748.3km]
Strete 468.5 miles [753.9km]
Stoke Fleming 470.9 miles [757.9km]
Dartmouth (ferry) 475.3 miles [764.9km]
Kingswear (ferry) 475.3 miles [764.9km]
Sharkham Point 482.9 miles [777.2km]
Brixham (harbour) 486.2 miles [782.4km]
Paignton (pier) 491.8 miles [791.5km]
Torquay (harbour) 494.6 miles [796.0km]
Babbacombe 499.3 miles [803.6km]
Maidencombe 502.5 miles [808.7km]
Shaldon (ferry) 505.7 miles [813.9km]
Teignmouth (ferry) 505.7 miles [813.9km]
Dawlish 509.4 miles [819.8km]
Dawlish Warren 511.2 miles [822.7km]
Starcross (ferry) 513.7 miles [826.8km]
Exmouth (ferry) 513.7 miles [826.8km]
Sandy Bay 516.7 miles [831.6km]
Budleigh Salterton 519.2 miles [835.5km]
Ladram Bay 523.8 miles [843.0km]
Sidmouth 526.2 miles [846.9km]
Branscombe 532.8 miles [857.5km]
Beer 535.1 miles [861.1km]
Seaton (East Devon) 536.5 miles [863.4km]
Lyme Regis 543.6 miles [874.8km]
Charmouth 546.6 miles [879.7km]
Seatown 550.7 miles [886.2km]
Eype Mouth 552.6 miles [889.3km]
West Bay 553.7 miles [891.1km]
West Bexington 559.3 miles [900.1km]
Abbotsbury (swannery) 563.0 miles [906.1km]
Weymouth (Ferrybridge) 573.9 miles [923.6km]
Portland Bill 579.5 miles [932.6km]
Weymouth (Ferrybridge via Portland loop)) 586.9 miles [944.6km]
Weymouth (Clock Tower) 590.5 miles [950.3km]
Bowleaze 592.6 miles [953.7km]
Osmington Mills 595.3 miles [958.0km]
Durdle Door 600.2 miles [965.9km]
Lulworth Cove 601.4 miles [967.8km]
Arish Mell 604.2 miles [972.4km]
Kimmeridge Bay 608.5 miles [979.3km]
St Aldhelm's head 614.5 miles [988.9km]
Durlston Head 620.0 miles [997.8km]
Swanage - pier 622.1 miles [1001.1km]
Old Harry Rocks 625.3 miles [1006.4km]
Studland 626.8 miles [1008.8km]
Poole Harbour - South Haven Point 629.6 miles [1013.2km]

Further reading:
McGoohan’s blog of a 1993 odyssey on the SWCP first appeared on 31 August 2016 and Day One is indexed as #974.

Raynor Winn's book The Salt Path is a travelogue with a bit of a difference. Published in 2018, it describes the experiences of the author and her husband who found themselves unexpectedly homeless and decided to walk the Path.

500 Mile Walkies, by Mark Wallington

Just Off For A Walk, by Stephen Reynolds

Walking Away, by Simon Armitage.

Virtual SWCP 2020
Some of us took part in a virtual event organised by windingpaths.uk in which the challenge was to log 636 miles of running and/or walking between 1 June and 31 December 2020 to complete the distance of the whole Path.

Participants in the 2020 SWCP virtual event:
Me (Synge)
Wriggling Snake
Derby Tup
Stef (Mrs DT)
Alice the Camel
Rosehip
Fragile Do Not Bend
Bintmcskint
V'rap
Lorraine
Garfield
Vancouver Jogger
GimmeMedals
NavyAl
notgivinup

This thread isn't exclusively for the one event though, so whether or not you are taking part, do feel free to join us on this clifftop bench overlooking the sea and share your love of the SWCP!