huckepack

South West Coast Path

Length

Stated
1,014 km, the stated length (Natural England (gov.uk))
Map line
1,026.2 km, OpenStreetMap along the official track
Used for
The charts on this page, and comparing trails in the search

1,014km

Ascent · descent

This trail
35,000 m up, 35,000 m down
Source
The stated totals (Natural England (gov.uk))

35,000m ↑35,000m ↓

Difficulty

What
How hard the trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days
Scale
Easy to Hard, with the same thresholds for every trail; each takes its hardest measure
Keep in mind
It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get
  • Terrain: ModeratePath grade: ≈ T2
  • Climate: Demanding in Apr–SepWet days: 14 days (August)
  • Effort: DemandingLongest day: ≈ 7 h 45 (stage 10)

All measures

Terrain: Moderate; Climate: Demanding in Apr–Sep; Effort: Demanding
Suggested
30–56days

Per stage

How
The 52 main stages' totals over their number
Source
South West Coast Path Association, so the averages come from one source
Ascent
The terrain model's estimate per stage (≈): the stages state no climbs

19.4km· about 340 m ↑
Season

Landscape

Source
ESA WorldCover satellite land cover, along the main route
  • Grassland and shrubs: 53%
  • Forest: 34%
  • Farmland and villages: 9%
  • Water, snow and ice: 3%
  • Bare rock and sand: 2%

Landscape along the route

Mostly Grassland

Location

Country
United Kingdom
Regions
Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset
Start
Minehead
Finish
South Haven Point
Route type
Point to point
Travel hubs
  • Taunton38.2 km by road · 40 min
  • Bristol Airport (BRS)85.4 km by road · 89 min
  • Exeter Airport (EXT)83.9 km by road · 74 min
Protected areas
Exmoor National Park
Managed by
Natural England and the South West Coast Path Team (National Trails), South West Coast Path AssociationOfficial website
Waymarking
The National Trail acorn, or the Path's name, on stiles, gates and signposts
  • Trail
  • Variant
  • Start
  • Stage start
  • Finish
  • Contour lines

Difficulty

Terrain

Rates
How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot?
How
Rated over the whole main route.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Path grade
the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated
  1. EasyT1
  2. ModerateT2
  3. DemandingT3
  4. HardT4 to T6
Climbing
ascent of the main stages over their length
  1. Easyunder 15 m per km
  2. Moderate15–30 m
  3. Demanding30–50 m
  4. Hard50 m or more
Steep stretches
share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model)
  1. Easyunder 5 %
  2. Moderate5–15 %
  3. Demanding15–30 %
  4. Hard30 % or more
Natural ground
share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own
  1. Easyunder a third
  2. Moderatea third to two thirds
  3. Demandingtwo thirds or more

Moderate

  • SAC hiking scale

    This trail
    T2 (our estimate)
    Basis
    "The South West Coast Path can be challenging in places" and "there are steep hills and rugged coastal paths in many places": a clear, waymarked path along cliff tops with steep climbs and drops at every cove and river mouth, without scrambling (T2).
    Scale
    The Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard)
    Why
    Trails rate difficulty in many local scales, or only in words; we translate each into this one so trails compare
    Keep in mind
    An estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather
    T1 · Hiking
    Well-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
    T2 · Mountain hiking
    A continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
    T3 · Demanding mountain hiking
    The path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
    T4 · Alpine hiking
    Often no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
    T5 · Demanding alpine hiking
    Mostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
    T6 · Difficult alpine hiking
    Pathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.

    The scale at the Swiss Alpine Club

    estimated T2
  • Climbingestimated 18 m per km
  • Steep stretches2 % of the way
  • Natural ground65 %

Climate

Rates
How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get?
How
From 30 years of daily weather (ERA5), rated per month. Without months picked: the trail's best run of at least two season months, each measure at its hardest month. Pick months in the search to rate it for yours.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Heat
mean daily high at the lowest point
  1. Easyunder 22 °C
  2. Moderate22–27 °C
  3. Demanding27–32 °C
  4. Hard32 °C or more
Cold
mean nightly low at the highest point
  1. Easy8 °C or more
  2. Moderate3–8 °C
  3. Demanding−2 to 3 °C
  4. Hardbelow −2 °C
Wet days
days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points
  1. Easyunder 10
  2. Moderate10–14
  3. Demanding14–18
  4. Hard18 or more
Snow
days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point
  1. Easyunder 1 day
  2. Moderate1–3 days
  3. Demanding3–6 days
  4. Hard6 days or more
Wind
mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points; over land: a point whose 25 km weather cell is mostly sea takes the nearest mostly-land cell's
  1. Easyunder 15 km/h
  2. Moderate15–20 km/h
  3. Demanding20–25 km/h
  4. Hard25 km/h or more

Demanding in Apr–Sep

  • Heat · August19 °C by day
  • Cold · April5 °C at night
  • Wet days · August14 days
  • Snow · April0 days
  • Wind · April24 km/h

Effort

Rates
How long are the days?
How
Rated by the longest main stage; a time range counts its upper end.
Level
The hardest measure sets it
Longest day
walking time of the longest main stage, stated or by DIN 33466
  1. Easyup to 4 h
  2. Moderate4–6 h
  3. Demanding6–8 h
  4. Hardmore than 8 h

Demanding

  • Longest day · stage 10estimated 7 h 45

Climate

Days in season · lowest point
8–19°C
Nights in season · highest point
3–13°C
Wet days a month
11–17
Daylight
7.9–16.5h
SeasonDay high and night low0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °CWet days, at the highest point5101520Daylight8.4 h9.9 h11.7 h13.8 h15.5 h16.5 h16.1 h14.6 h12.5 h10.6 h8.8 h7.9 hJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Climate by month, 1995–2024 average
MonthLowest point, day high / night low (°C)Highest point, day high / night low (°C)Wet daysSnow daysFrost nights at the highest pointDaylight (h)
January8.4 / 5.26.6 / 3.515.90.73.68.4
February8.6 / 5.16.8 / 3.413.50.63.79.9
March9.7 / 5.57.9 / 3.913.10.42.111.7
April11.8 / 79.9 / 5.311.40.10.413.8
May14.4 / 9.612.6 / 812.20015.5
June16.9 / 12.415.3 / 10.911.70016.5
July18.5 / 14.316.9 / 12.913.30016.1
August18.8 / 14.817.2 / 13.414.10014.6
September17.4 / 13.315.7 / 11.913.10012.5
October14.7 / 11.313 / 9.717.10010.6
November11.3 / 8.39.5 / 6.617.20.10.38.8
December9.2 / 6.27.3 / 4.416.50.52.67.9

Climate by month

Source
ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, averages for 1995–2024
Places
The trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to their height
Bars
From the mean night low to the mean day high
Wet days
At least 1 mm of rain; snow days at least 1 cm of snow
Daylight
Sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month
Shading
The trail's season

Stages

RouteDistanceAscentDescentElevation
1Minehead Porlock Weir14.5 km380 m ↑380 m ↓10 → 10 m
2Porlock Weir Lynmouth19.3 km580 m ↑580 m ↓10 → 10 m
3Lynmouth Combe Martin20.9 km750 m ↑790 m ↓40 → 10 m
4Combe Martin Woolacombe20.9 km610 m ↑620 m ↓20 → 20 m
5Woolacombe Braunton24.1 km210 m ↑220 m ↓10 → 0 m
6Braunton Instow20.9 km40 m ↑40 m ↓10 → 0 m
7Instow Westward Ho! (via Bideford)17.7 km70 m ↑80 m ↓10 → 0 m
8Westward Ho! Clovelly17.7 km380 m ↑280 m ↓20 → 120 m
9Clovelly Hartland Quay16.1 km320 m ↑370 m ↓90 → 50 m
10Hartland Quay Bude24.1 km650 m ↑690 m ↓50 → 0 m
11Bude Crackington Haven16.1 km350 m ↑280 m ↓0 → 70 m
12Crackington Haven Tintagel17.7 km470 m ↑450 m ↓10 → 30 m
13Tintagel Port Isaac14.5 km290 m ↑340 m ↓60 → 10 m
14Port Isaac Padstow19.3 km220 m ↑270 m ↓50 → 0 m
15Padstow Porthcothan21.7 km220 m ↑210 m ↓10 → 20 m
16Porthcothan Newquay17.7 km260 m ↑230 m ↓10 → 30 m
17Newquay Perranporth17.7 km260 m ↑290 m ↓30 → 10 m
18Perranporth Portreath19.3 km420 m ↑440 m ↓40 → 10 m
19Portreath Hayle19.3 km200 m ↑200 m ↓10 → 10 m
20Hayle St Ives9.7 km110 m ↑100 m ↓10 → 10 m
21St Ives Pendeen22.5 km360 m ↑340 m ↓10 → 30 m
22Pendeen Sennen Cove14.5 km210 m ↑240 m ↓70 → 30 m
23Sennen Cove Lamorna19.3 km340 m ↑330 m ↓10 → 20 m
24Lamorna Marazion14.5 km120 m ↑110 m ↓30 → 40 m
25Marazion Porthleven17.7 km220 m ↑220 m ↓10 → 10 m
26Porthleven The Lizard20.9 km330 m ↑310 m ↓10 → 30 m
27The Lizard Coverack17.7 km240 m ↑250 m ↓30 → 20 m
28Coverack Helford20.9 km290 m ↑300 m ↓10 → 0 m
29Helford Falmouth16.1 km220 m ↑220 m ↓10 → 10 m
30Falmouth Portloe22.5 km340 m ↑260 m ↓0 → 80 m
31Portloe Mevagissey19.3 km390 m ↑390 m ↓10 → 10 m
32Mevagissey Par19.3 km280 m ↑310 m ↓40 → 10 m
33Par Polperro20.9 km450 m ↑410 m ↓0 → 40 m
34Polperro Portwrinkle19.3 km430 m ↑420 m ↓10 → 20 m
35Portwrinkle Plymouth20.9 km260 m ↑330 m ↓70 → 0 m
36Plymouth River Yealm24.1 km240 m ↑250 m ↓10 → 0 m
37Wembury Bigbury-on-Sea22.5 km390 m ↑370 m ↓10 → 40 m
38Bigbury-on-Sea Salcombe22.5 km480 m ↑490 m ↓10 → 0 m
39Salcombe Torcross20.9 km340 m ↑340 m ↓20 → 20 m
40Torcross Dartmouth16.1 km330 m ↑310 m ↓0 → 20 m
41Dartmouth Brixham17.7 km410 m ↑410 m ↓10 → 10 m
42Brixham Babbacombe17.7 km460 m ↑380 m ↓0 → 70 m
43Babbacombe Exmouth25.7 km290 m ↑380 m ↓90 → 0 m
44Exmouth Sidmouth20.9 km360 m ↑360 m ↓0 → 0 m
45Sidmouth Seaton17.7 km490 m ↑530 m ↓50 → 10 m
46Seaton Seatown22.5 km700 m ↑680 m ↓0 → 30 m
47Seatown Abbotsbury19.3 km260 m ↑270 m ↓20 → 20 m
48Abbotsbury Ferry Bridge (Wyke Regis)17.7 km120 m ↑150 m ↓40 → 10 m
49Ferrybridge Ferrybridge (round the Isle of Portland)20.9 km300 m ↑300 m ↓0 → 0 m
50Ferrybridge Lulworth22.5 km470 m ↑450 m ↓0 → 20 m
51Lulworth Worth Matravers (through the Lulworth Ranges)22.5 km650 m ↑620 m ↓30 → 60 m
52Worth Matravers South Haven Point22.5 km240 m ↑360 m ↓110 → 0 m
Variants
SDRWest Bexington Osmington (South Dorset Ridgeway)27.4 km

Totals and averages count the main stages only. ≈ marks our estimates where the source gives no figure: ascent and descent and heights from the terrain model (Copernicus DEM, 30 m grid, sampled every 500 m), to the nearest 10 m.

Terrain

Highest · lowest point
309m high0m low

Gradient

Steepest climb
22 % (12°), 112 m up over 500 m, stage 51
Steepest descent
−27 % (15°), 135 m down over 500 m, stage 1
Gradient
Height per distance: 20 % is 20 m up per 100 m forward; 100 % is 45°, not 90°
Keep in mind
Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: steps and ladders within them are steeper
GradientAngleFeels like
10 %6°Noticeable on a road
20 %11°A steep path, slow going
30 %17°Very steep, often steps
100 %45°Scrambling

22% ↑−27% ↓

Steep stretches

This trail
7.5 km up, 11 km down: the darkest parts of the profile
Steep
15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), in 500 m stretches
Why it matters
Slow going uphill, hard on the knees downhill

18.5km

Surfaces

  • Natural ground: 65%, 655.7 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
  • Gravel: 14%, 142.3 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.
  • Paved: 20%, 197.3 km. Asphalt, concrete and cobbles: roads and village streets.
  • Unknown: 1%, 13.4 km. Stretches whose surface OpenStreetMap doesn't record.

65% natural14% gravel20% paved
0 m200 m309 m12468101214161820222426283032343638404244464850520 km1009 km

Terrain along the route

Heights
Copernicus terrain model, 30 m grid, every 500 m along the main route; in forests it reads the treetops
Colours
Each 500 m by its gradient in walking direction: climbs warm, descents violet, darker when steeper (to ±30 %)
Ground
The strip below, from OpenStreetMap; the 17% without a surface tag is read from the way type (footpaths natural, tracks gravel)

Landscape

Forest34%Grassland and shrubs53%Bare rock and sand2%Water, snow and ice3%Farmland and villages9%15101520253035404550520 km1009 km

Landscape along the route

Source
ESA WorldCover 2021, a 10 m satellite map
Points
Every 500 m along the main route; each takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground
Groups
Its eleven classes, folded into the six shown
Keep in mind
What the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there

Sleeping

Wild camping is prohibited. England gives no right to wild camp along the Trail: tents only on campsites or with the landowner's permission.

21.6 km without a bedCamping236Huts2Hostels32Rooms33415101520253035404550520 km1009 km

Places to sleep along the route

Ticks
One per place to sleep: 236 campsites, 2 huts, 32 hostels, 334 guest houses
Counted
Within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail); no hotels or day shelters
Shaded
The longest stretch without any, km 497.4–519
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list closed ones, so book or check locally

Water & Supply

Clean water

This trail
25.1 km without clean water, km 497.4–522.5, stages 28–29
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Within 500 m: 99 taps, fountains and drinking springs, 10 places to sleep with drinking water, 314 refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites
Refills
Guests come first and many close out of season: ask, and carry a little extra. Places marked without drinking water are left out
Source
OpenStreetMap; the counts include the approach and variant, the chart shows the main route

25.1kmScarce

Any water

This trail
21.3 km without any water, km 452.9–474.2
Rating
  1. Frequentup to 10 km
  2. Regularup to 20 km
  3. Scarcebeyond
Counted
Clean water, plus the 18 springs within 500 m
Keep in mind
Spring water's quality is unknown: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer

21.3kmScarce

Shops

This trail
39.8 km without a shop, km 151.2–191
Counted
511 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol station shops, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Keep in mind
Small village shops are often missing in OpenStreetMap, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one

39.8km
Water · 21.3 km withoutPublic drinking water · 76.7 km withoutSprings (treat before drinking) · 217.3 km withoutRefills at places to sleep · 31.1 km withoutShops · 39.8 km withoutSupermarkets · 92.4 km withoutConvenience and general stores · 45.5 km withoutPetrol station shops · 518.3 km without12468101214161820222426283032343638404244464850520 km1009 km

Water and shops along the route

Ticks
One per place along the main route
Counted
Drinking water and springs within 500 m; refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m; shops within 1 km, or 3 km of a stage's end
Shaded
Each lane's longest stretch without. "Water" counts every kind and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own
Source
OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally

Wildlife

Wildlife

Shows
Animals that can be dangerous to hikers on this trail: large animals, venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, ticks, and plants that harm on touch
Level
Ours, read from the official source
High
A bite of a species it calls common can be life-threatening within hours
Moderate
It warns of attacks or serious harm, or places the trail in a risk area for tick-borne encephalitis
Low
The harm is mostly minor or treatable, or avoidable by how you behave
What to do
From the official sources: Natural England and Natural Resources Wales; NHS
Pictures
Silhouettes from PhyloPic, not to scale, each maker named with its advice; the landscape is the trail's own, drawn by us

Cattle ModerateTicks Moderate

Cattle

Moderate danger

The Path crosses clifftop fields where cattle graze; the Health and Safety Executive names cows with calves and walkers with dogs as the two most common factors in incidents between cattle and the public.

If you meet one

  • Give livestock plenty of space: their behaviour can be unpredictable, especially when they are with their young
  • Keep your dog on a lead around livestock
  • Let your dog off the lead if you feel threatened by livestock: releasing it makes it easier for you both to reach safety
  • Follow the farmer's directions when animals are being moved or gathered

Don't

  • Risk getting hurt protecting your dog
  • Feed livestock

Advice: Natural England and Natural Resources Wales. Level: ours. Silhouette: Katy Lawler (Bos taurus), PhyloPic, public domain.

Ticks (Lyme disease)

Moderate danger

Ticks that can carry Lyme disease live all over the UK, in woods and long grass; the NHS names grassy and wooded areas in southern England and the Scottish Highlands as high-risk areas, and the whole Path runs through southern England.

If you meet one

  • Cover your skin while walking and tuck your trousers into your socks
  • Use insect repellent on your clothes and skin; products containing DEET are best
  • Stay on clear paths whenever possible
  • Wear light-coloured clothing so ticks are easier to see and brush off
  • Remove a tick with fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool: grasp it as close to the skin as possible, pull slowly upwards, then clean the bite
  • Get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if, within 3 months of a bite, you feel unwell with flu-like symptoms or a round or oval rash appears

Don't

  • Squeeze or crush the tick when you remove it

Advice: NHS. Level: ours. Silhouette: Guillaume Dera (Ixodes ricinus), PhyloPic, public domain.