The South West Coast Path
630 mi1,014 km
3–7days per section
No.1England's longest trail
Apr–Octbest window
England's longest National Trail hugs the entire south-western edge of the country — Somerset, the two coasts of Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset's Jurassic cliffs. It is relentlessly, absurdly scenic: harbours, coves, lighthouses, cliff-top switchbacks, cream teas earned the hard way.
Almost nobody walks it in one go, and that's its charm — it's the great collectable trail. Pick a section that matches your week and your legs, finish it, and come back next year for the next one. The climbing adds up, so don't let "it's a coast path" fool you about effort.
Walk it ifYou want sea views every single hour, flexible section lengths, and a trail you can build a relationship with over years.
Look elsewhere ifYou want one continuous epic with a finish line this year, or your knees hate repeated steep ups-and-downs.