Itinerary

It is with great excitement that I finish the final preparations,  the final uphill training walk and of course the final cull of the chronic overpacker ready to begin this legendary and epic long distance trail in the South West of England.    This one has long been on my list of coveted hikes.     It’s length and time needed to complete it made it one that had to wait its turn patiently.     But it was always there …never forgotten and it now feels even more special to me.   It is by far my longest challenge at over 1000km and 7 weeks of walking.    I could of broken it into chunks and completed it over time but knowing myself I knew at the end of a chunk, if I could see the path continuing with a sign pointing somewhere lovely, I would be scheming to miss my plane in order to keep my boots on and leg it.   So it was always the plan to attempt it in its glorious entirety.   

In order to complete it all in one go I went early with the planning of my route and distances so I could have a better chance of securing accomodation at each of my planned end of day locations.   Over 3 weeks I happily sat and went on the hunt for places to stay in villages and on cliffs and in fields.    To find 49 nights meant mixing it up with rooms over pubs, bed and breakfasts , air b and b’s , peoples front rooms turned into lodgings, peoples garden sheds turned into lodgings and the odd tent in a field.   It was a perfect way to get a feel of the walk and the places I would walk by and towards.   The best thing about doing this so far in advance is that as I set off I can’t really remember them so each day will have a surprise ending – Bed of the Day will hold the same anticipation as Pie of the Day.  

Here is the plan below.    I have to get to my digs each night so there can be no variation or slowing down of the legs.    I could only squeeze in two rest days –  anymore and Christmas lights would be going up.  This beautiful hike begins in Somerset, runs westard along the edge of Exmoor and Nth Devon into Cornwall before looping around Land’s End to head eastward through Sth Cornwall and Sth Devon and into Dorset.     The facts which I will confirm en route are enough to make any trail proud with 115,000 ft of ascent and descent, 230 bridges crossed, 13 ferry crossings, 880 gates, 436 stiles,  and 30,000 steps to go up and down.   To add to its uniqueness  71% of it is either in National Park or an Area of Outstanding National Beauty, all this while it passes through 2 World Heritage Sites.     Just typing this tonight before I fly out I am in awe of what lies ahead and truly grateful to be setting off on this adventure – I have no doubt that this one will be well worth the wait.   

Here goes!  Thank you so much to my beautiful family for encouraging me every step.

Day 1 – Minehead to Porlock Weir (9.5 miles / 15km)

Day 2 – Porlock Weir to Lynmouth (12.5 miles / 20km)

Day 3 – Lynmouth to Combe Martin (13miles / 21km)

Day 4 – Combe Martin to Woolacombe (12.5 miles / 20km)

Day 5 – Woolacombe to Braunton (15.5 miles / 25km)

Day 6 – Braunton to Instow (13 miles / 21km)

Day 7 – Instow to Clovelly (22 miles / 35km)

Day 8 – Clovelly to Hartland Quay (10.5 miles / 17km)

Day 9 – Hartland Quay to Bude (15.5 miles / 25km)

Day 10 – Bude to Boscastle (16.75 miles / 27km)

Day 11 – Boscastle to Port Isaac (13.75 miles / 22km)

Day 12 – Port Isaac to Padstow (11.75 miles / 19km)

Day 13 – Padstow to Porthcothan (13.75 miles / 22km)

Day 14 – Porthcothan to Newquay (11.25 miles / 18km)

Day 15 – Newquay to Perranporth (10.5 miles / 17km)

Day 16 – Perranporth to Portreath (12.5 miles / 20km)

Day 17 – Portreath to St Ives (18 miles / 29 km)

Day 18 – REST DAY  in St Ives.

Day 19 – St Ives to Pendeen Watch (13.5 miles / 22km)

Day 20 – Pendeen Watch to Porthcurno (16 miles / 26km)

Day 21 – Porthcurno to Mousehole (9.5 miles / 12.6km)

Day 22 – Mousehole (via Penzance) to Porthleven (17 miles / 28km)

Day 23 – Porthleven to The Lizard (13.5 miles / 22km)

Day 24 – The Lizard to Porthallow (15 miles / 25km)

Day 25 – Porthallow to Falmouth (18 miles / 29km )

Day 26 – Falmouth to Portloe (13.75 miles / 22km)

Day 27 – Portloe to Mevagissey (12.5 miles / 20km)

Day 28 – Mevagissey to Polmear (Par) (11.25 miles / 18km)

Day 29 – Polmear (Par) to Polperro (13 miles / 21km)

Day 30 – REST DAY in Polperro

Day 31 – Polperro to Portwrinkle (12.5 miles /20km)

Day 32 – Portwrinkle to Plymouth (13.5 miles / 22km)

Day 33 – Plymouth to Wembury Beach (13.5 miles / 22km)

Day 34 – Wembury Beach to Bigbury- On- Sea (14.25 miles / 23km)

Day 35 – Bigbury- On-Sea to Salcombe (13 miles / 21km)

Day 36 – Salcombe to Torcross (13 miles / 21km)

Day 37 – Torcross to Dartmouth (10 miles / 16.6km )

Day 38 – Dartmouth to Brixham (10.9 miles / 17.5km)

Day 39 – Brixham to Babbacombe (13.2 miles / 21.2km)

Day 40 – Babbacombe to Exmouth (14.4 miles / 23.2km)

Day 41 – Exmouth to Sidmouth (12.5 miles / 20.1km)

Day 42 – Sidmouth to Seaton (10.3 miles / 16.6km)

Day 43 – Seaton to Seatown (14.1 miles / 22.6km )

Day 44 – Seatown to Abbotsbury (12.5 miles /20km)

Day 45 – Abbotsbury to Ferrybridge (11.3 miles / 18km)

Day 46 – Ferrybridge to Isle of Portland Circuit (15 miles /25km )

Day 47 – Ferrybridge to Lulworth Cove (14 miles / 23km )

Day 48 – Lulworth Cove to Worth Matravers (14 miles / 22km )

Day 49 – Worth Matravers to South Haven Point (14miles / 22km )

THE END !!