Excellent points. Good video I wild camped (5 campsites, 21 truly wild, 2 hotels) in the month of May. 28.5 days to complete the 632miles. Rushed it for work reasons, but I’d recommend it to anyone, almost any section!. I tended to eat bought meals mid day if I did buy a meal. So many wild camp spots. Bag about 25lbs with food and water. Still cost 1k.
Decent cooked breakfast was my favourite with energy snacks such as nuts , raisins, cheese etc for lunch and nibbling as you go. Hot cooked meal at night . Only ever carried water to drink and electrolytes just in case energy boost or replenishment ate required
Personally I like to book campsites in advance. The ability to have a hot shower at the end of the day is such a relief. Also you get to meet nice people who often frequent such places. Fill up with water, supplies, charge your phone (sometimes). It gives you a goal every day to get to a campsite BUT they are sometimes a mile or two off the path, and sometimes up a steep hill which you don’t feel like doing at the end of the day. However if you are like me, the bigger the challenge, the more rewarding it is when you get there.
It’s one of the finest LDP in the UK and I started at Minehead and got to Polperro with the last stretch to Poole Harbour to be undertaken at some stage . My pal and I used to spend 2 weeks every year on the path using a small van with all supplies , camping kit etc which we would drive along in stages and using public transport and hitchhiking. We camped on ‘ official’ sites, bunk houses, h youth hostels and occasionally B& B. I can highly recommend using the Luggage Transfer Service that operates the whole coastal path and will collect and deliver your kit wherever you need it . All you do is supply the transfer company with your itinerary and they will come up with a costing . Very useful if you don’t want or need to hump all your kit every day. If you choose this option you can walk freely and easily with just a day sack .
Great video Andy. As you know Ive walked the path twice in full last year, each way, following your journey helped considerably. I, like you, wanted to watch a video to explain just what is involved in completing the SWCP in one go, this video goes a long way to showing what is required. Thank you.
You're a natural presenter Andy, i really like your style, relaxed, organised, well paced delivery, as if you're talking to friends. Conveying the info which matters, so it's no surprise you've completed whole route with aplomb. I did stretches in N. Devon & Cornwall via bnb's, tutherwise travelling to start point (small car) & circling back. Did M. Batten to Exmouth this way & being retired means i can choose fine weather; cheating i know, but i admire the whole route in 1 folk. Do you know if anyone's ever done whole path via accommodation only BnB's etc. My fave area (so far) was Babbacombe, the coastal woods here are magical as are the red cliffs & sometimes red sea (mineral leech) glimpsed from high cliffs. What did you think of the red rock sea stacks in Ladram bay near Sidmouth, did you catch them in a sun drenched state?
Thankyou for your kind words Clifford. I walk for pleasure, so if at all possible, I will choose to do so in fine weather. Why wouldn’t you? The views are so much better and the walking so much more pleasurable. A German chap who started at the same time as me, carried a tent but never used it! He stayed in accommodation all the way ( well, at least as far as Weymouth, when I last saw him!) Yes, I too loved the red rocks around Dawlish and Ladram. The sea was quite red in those areas. I got a nice pic of the rocks in the sun surrounded by green foliage. Enjoy your walking!
Usually, everything in Australia is much larger than anything England has to offer. On this occasion, the opposite is true, because being 1013km, the Southwest Coast Path in England is four times longer than yours!
@@andyshikes3425I don’t know why you said that . I never mentioned about who has the longest walks . I just mentioned that I haven’t done the one in the UK . It is that the names of the walks are similar, that’s all .
Thank you for posting and taking the time. My wife and I are thinking of two weeks on the Southwest Coast Path and because we are farmers need to go the second half of March. Is this a bad idea would you say? Figure there will be rain but would the trail be uncomfortably muddy and slick?
That depends! In essence, the path doesn’t get used as much in the winter and so should suffer less footfall. However, if we get a fair bit of rain between now and the end of March, it wouldn’t take much to churn it up in the more ‘popular’ areas. I walked it in Summer and hardly had any rain, so may not be the best person to ask! If you are on Facebook, join a group called South West Coast Path. One of the admins is Graham Eaves who has walked the whole path at least 7 times ( as a through hike) at various times of the year and lives on its doorstep. He will be better able to give you advice on conditions. Good luck and enjoy (whatever the weather and conditions).
Hi Stefan, whenever I booked accommodation, it was just by using Google maps, clicking ‘bed’ icons and following links to websites. I then either phoned the individual places up or booked via their websites. I didn’t use any ‘booking’ websites.
Hi Andy I’m starting my adventure September! I’m a wild camper so I’m aiming to wildcamp the majority of the time and to keep my pack light just replenish in the towns is there any advice u can give me in places that it might not be possible to wild camp?
Carl, that depends a lot on where you are prepared to try your luck. Personally, I just wouldn’t feel comfortable trying to wild camp anywhere near a ‘built up area’ or anywhere else that people may gather ( such as beauty spots with car parks etc), so pretty much the whole of Torbay (Brixham - Torquay) is a no no. However, if you are not so bothered, there are even places where you could pitch a tent in some of the more rural parts of Torbay. I’m probably not the best person to ask, to be honest. If you are on Facebook, join a group called ‘South West Coast Path’. There is all sorts of advice and tips on there. A chap by the name of Graham Eaves, is currently doing his third full through hike of the path and this time is trying to wild camp the whole way round. However, even he has found that sometimes, you just need to have the odd night in a B&B to dry out and charge up etc. Good luck and enjoy your adventure. It’s an amazing experience!
Hi Andy. I'll go on the SWCP at the end of July, Newquay to penzance. I'll sleep in some B&B and similar. My question is, what about the temperature in the night? A sweatshirt and a rain jacket it's ok or i need something more? I'm from Italy. Thank you
Hi, that’s a very good question. At the moment, the U.K. is having a relatively cool summer ( unlike Italy at the moment). Night time temperatures are dropping to around 12c at night, but that could change. It can sometimes stay at 18-20c at night, if we get a decent spell of weather. A lot depends on whether you are a warm or cold sleeper. Personally, I don’t like to be too warm at night. I was only ever cold once on the whole 2 months of my trek and that was partly my fault. It rained one evening and I stayed in my tent, but just sat on the tent floor instead of on my insulated sleep mattress. The cold came up through the ground and I ended up wearing every piece of clothing to get warm! Apart from that, a thin sweatshirt was good enough most evenings. I did have a quilted jacket with me, but hardly ever wore it and you would be unlikely to need one in July.
It’s a fantastic walk and I highly recommend it . Best practice is to layer your clothes and I always walked this foot path in September every year. Everyday I wore shorts , leather Brasher boots, polyester t shirts, fleece and the first rate Paramo Alta jacket with their waterproof trousers. No need for down jacket unless you feel the cold .
Most days I waited until about midday until deciding where to try and reach. If I had a phone signal, I then phoned or e-mailed ahead to the campsite, but most of the time that was unnecessary. The exception being the weekends (especially the Bank Holiday weekends) when the campsites got a bit busier. Then I tended to book ahead the night before, if I remembered! I walked mid May to early July and never got turned away from a campsite. There was one near Newquay that I turned up at unannounced because I had no phone signal. They told me it was full, but when I gave them my best puppy dog eyes, they let me stay on a spare patch of ground. Most campsites are Backpacker friendly and give you a discounted rate as well as accommodating you without the need for a reservation. Just use some charm and be unassuming and you’ll be fine.
My pal and I planned and booked all our accommodation months before we used to walk the path . We always went in early September and spent 2 weeks annually.
Hi Andy! Thanks so much for producing a really informative series of videos. What time of year did you hike the trail? I'm thinking about doing a 2-3 week hike on the trail with my son. What would be the best section to do? We would probably want to stay mainly in B&Bs so would probably need a more populated area.
Steve, I started my hike on 17th May and finished 8th July. I deliberately chose to do it then because hopefully you get nice weather and the summer ‘holiday’ season hasn’t started, when all the path / places get very busy. As far as recommendations go, a lot depends on how tough you want it to be? Most of the path is fairly well populated ( if not directly on the path, then only a short distance away). The only really remote areas are around Lands End and between Clovelly and Bude, but even they have some B&B’s. My favourite stretch was probably Bude to St Ives, which took me 9 days, but I had a day off in Perranporth. It starts really tough, with some incredibly steep climbs, but the bit between Padstow and Mawgan Porth is relatively flat cliff top walking with stunning beaches. The rest is classic Cornish coast. Craggy coves and tin mines etc. The beaches of Perranporth and Hayle are long and arduous but if you get nice weather, simply beautiful. Alternatively, the stretch between Penzance and Charlestown (St Austell) is also a lovely . This stretch involves 3 ferry crossings ( Helford, Falmouth-St Mawes, St Mawes-Place) and also the Gillan Creek to wade across ( an hour either side of low tide is only 6 inches on a spring tide, maybe 12 inches on a neap tide). There are some stunning villages along the route Cadgwith, Coverack, Mullion Cove, Portscatho, Gorran Haven, Mevagissey to name but a few. The wholes section gives you a mixture of cliff top walking, some lung busting climbs, some spectacular views. It took me 8 days to hike ( but that was with a few long days ) but could easily be done in 11. Whatever stretch you do, I’m sure you’ll find it hard going at times, but ultimately very enjoyable. Good luck and happy hiking!
@@andyshikes3425Great answer. I am currently walking the SWCP in week long stages. Started at Minehead two years ago. And we have recently reached Lizard Point. It has been stunning all the way. Just the occasional half day when it becomes a bit of a hot jungle, but don’t let that put you off. It is literally epic.
Eddie, thanks for your kind words. There were so many wonderful places, it’s hard to pick a favourite. However, I particularly liked walking the stretch between Padstow and Trenance. I had lovely sunny weather. The path was relatively easy walking and there were so many gorgeous sandy bays with Turquoise coloured water. I also really liked walking between Mount Batten (Plymouth) and Bigbury on Sea. Again I had glorious weather and some of the views were to die for! Also, the little harbour at Portscatho is very pretty.
Hi Andy, Thank you for this very helpful video! I am planning to walk the path for about a week this summer. Which part of the path would you recommend if I want to see beautiful cliffs? And which part would you say is the less touristic/wilder? Because I can only go the 1st week of July, I am expecting a more busy path...
Hi The wildest parts of the path are 1) From Porlock to Coombe Martin but a lot of the path is in woodland 2) Clovelly to Bude, 3) St Ives to Mousehole. There are so many wonderful cliff views all along most parts of the path, but Bude to Polzeath would be a spectacular stretch but very tough climbs! There are a few bottlenecks along the way (Tintagel and Port Isaac) but the views are worth the hassle. Best of luck
Hi there , i am very happy that you did this video, that help me a lot , this years 2023 i Just did the 925 km and 55 000m positive climb acrostiche the Pyrénées mountain ... my question is .... i will do The South West Coast Path next year 2024 in May and june and plan 30 days to do it ... by your expérience it will possible ? I am backpacking ( 11 kg total ) same set up as in the Pyrénées... thank you for time ... Sincerely yours Luc from south of France !!! And keep doing triste nice video
Hi Luc, Thankyou for your kind comments. Yes, I think if you can climb in the Pyrenees, you should be able to finish the SWCP. However, 30 days is quite a tough itinerary. I’ve no doubt you are fit enough to achieve it ( many do) but part of the coast path experience is to take in all the sights you will see, which if you are in a rush, is not possible to do. If you can afford to, take a bit more time and enjoy the wonderful coastline. Best of luck Andy
@@andyshikes3425 thanks for you time and your ansnwer , i will take in consider your advise, the only problem i have is it very expensive for to do it in two shuts, living south of France, i will see if i can add à few days more ... Sincerely yours Luc !!!
Thanks for the info! What gear did you use on the coast path? Did you have any trouble with the winds regarding your tent? I'm planning on doing part of it in june. I'm also really curious about if you find yourself warm enough at nighttime in the tent (planning on buying some new gear). :)
Hi, I had an MSR Hubba Hubba NX2 tent, which is a two person tent. I like to have a bit more room than a one person tent offers. That tent is pretty good in strong winds. However, if you are walking in June, you will be very unlikely to get a storm, so wind shouldn’t be an issue. I was very lucky with the weather when I did my thru hike and only had one cold evening. Make sure you buy a decent mattress with good insulation, because that prevents cold rising up from the ground. Air temperature’s should be fine in June. I had a sleeping quilt rated to 0*c and was plenty warm enough.
I used my 32 year old Wild Country Trisar + tent which is not lightweight by today’s standards but as I wasn’t carrying tent each and every day it was perfect
Hi Andy, thanks for the video info. I'm thinking of doing this the same time you did and for roughly the same amount of time and with campsites/b&bs etc, carrying my backpack. The only difference is I'd be doing it with my dog (spaniel). Would you foresee any problems with this? I've thought of some logistical challenges with this but wondered what your take on it may be? or others that may have done it with a dog? Many Thanks
Hi Jacquie. I know quite a few people have walked the whole path with their dog and had no problems. The only issues I can foresee, are B&B’s reluctant to take pets and you having to carry extra weight such as dog food, water, bedding etc. If you are on Facebook, there is a group called ‘South West Coast Path’ that is well worth joining. There is lots of useful advice and certainly one lady called Elisabeth Tailleur, who did the path with her dog. All the best with your planning and enjoy the path!
Jacquie, I’ve just come across Elisabeth’s RUclips channel. Not only has she done the SWCP with her dog, but also JOGLE! youtube.com/@ellihikes?si=PAsLMzDjhmZIcUSU
Leslie. This is England we are talking about, so as far as the weather is concerned, nothing is certain!!! May / June can be wet some years and dry others, likewise Sept/Oct. It really is pot luck. Due to climate change we seem to be getting drier Spring weather, but that may just be an anomaly.
Excellent points. Good video
I wild camped (5 campsites, 21 truly wild, 2 hotels) in the month of May. 28.5 days to complete the 632miles. Rushed it for work reasons, but I’d recommend it to anyone, almost any section!. I tended to eat bought meals mid day if I did buy a meal. So many wild camp spots. Bag about 25lbs with food and water. Still cost 1k.
Decent cooked breakfast was my favourite with energy snacks such as nuts , raisins, cheese etc for lunch and nibbling as you go. Hot cooked meal at night . Only ever carried water to drink and electrolytes just in case energy boost or replenishment ate required
Personally I like to book campsites in advance. The ability to have a hot shower at the end of the day is such a relief. Also you get to meet nice people who often frequent such places. Fill up with water, supplies, charge your phone (sometimes). It gives you a goal every day to get to a campsite BUT they are sometimes a mile or two off the path, and sometimes up a steep hill which you don’t feel like doing at the end of the day. However if you are like me, the bigger the challenge, the more rewarding it is when you get there.
I'm the opposite I'll happily wild camp wherever I like and get a campsite for a shower etc every 5 days or so........like proper hiker trash 😂
Loved watching all your coastal walk congratulations on your completed it and thanks for sharing with us all .
Thanks Andy 👍 really enjoyed it all
Thankyou for your kind words Christopher.
It’s one of the finest LDP in the UK and I started at Minehead and got to Polperro with the last stretch to Poole Harbour to be undertaken at some stage .
My pal and I used to spend 2 weeks every year on the path using a small van with all supplies , camping kit etc which we would drive along in stages and using public transport and hitchhiking.
We camped on ‘ official’ sites, bunk houses, h youth hostels and occasionally B& B.
I can highly recommend using the Luggage Transfer Service that operates the whole coastal path and will collect and deliver your kit wherever you need it . All you do is supply the transfer company with your itinerary and they will come up with a costing . Very useful if you don’t want or need to hump all your kit every day. If you choose this option you can walk freely and easily with just a day sack .
Thank you, Andy thoroughly enjoyed your mega coastal path hike, what an achievement I was hooked....
Glad you enjoyed it
Well done Andy. Some very good insights into your experiences. I always look forward to catching up on your videos.
Great video Andy. As you know Ive walked the path twice in full last year, each way, following your journey helped considerably. I, like you, wanted to watch a video to explain just what is involved in completing the SWCP in one go, this video goes a long way to showing what is required. Thank you.
Thanks Graham. Did I read that you are doing it again for a third time?
@@andyshikes3425 YepnAndy, a third time starting late March, how mad is that!!
You’ll be doing it blindfolded next 😂
@@andyshikes3425 Well I might drink a lot more beer as my feet seem to know the path well enough🤣
I bought all the books that remain as souvenirs of my walks and the HMSO publications were the old one inch to a mile OS map sections .
Great stuff, thanks. Just the information I was looking for.
You're a natural presenter Andy, i really like your style, relaxed, organised, well paced delivery, as if you're talking to friends. Conveying the info which matters, so it's no surprise you've completed whole route with aplomb. I did stretches in N. Devon & Cornwall via bnb's, tutherwise travelling to start point (small car) & circling back. Did M. Batten to Exmouth this way & being retired means i can choose fine weather; cheating i know, but i admire the whole route in 1 folk. Do you know if anyone's ever done whole path via accommodation only BnB's etc. My fave area (so far) was Babbacombe, the coastal woods here are magical as are the red cliffs & sometimes red sea (mineral leech) glimpsed from high cliffs. What did you think of the red rock sea stacks in Ladram bay near Sidmouth, did you catch them in a sun drenched state?
Thankyou for your kind words Clifford.
I walk for pleasure, so if at all possible, I will choose to do so in fine weather. Why wouldn’t you? The views are so much better and the walking so much more pleasurable.
A German chap who started at the same time as me, carried a tent but never used it! He stayed in accommodation all the way ( well, at least as far as Weymouth, when I last saw him!)
Yes, I too loved the red rocks around Dawlish and Ladram. The sea was quite red in those areas. I got a nice pic of the rocks in the sun surrounded by green foliage.
Enjoy your walking!
Thank you Andy!
We have The Great South West Walk in Australia . I haven’t done the one in England but one day I will when I visit the UK .
Usually, everything in Australia is much larger than anything England has to offer. On this occasion, the opposite is true, because being 1013km, the Southwest Coast Path in England is four times longer than yours!
@@andyshikes3425I don’t know why you said that . I never mentioned about who has the longest walks . I just mentioned that I haven’t done the one in the UK . It is that the names of the walks are similar, that’s all .
I hope you make it to the UK and manage to complete it. Hopefully you get good weather. It’s epic!!
Useful video, thanks Andy
planing to do it soon and the advice that you gave were very good.
Thankyou
Thanks Andy. Very informative!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video really helpful. A heavy pack definitely makes a big difference
Hi, yes it does, especially when clambering over boulders!
Great Andy, useful thanks
Thank you for posting and taking the time. My wife and I are thinking of two weeks on the Southwest Coast Path and because we are farmers need to go the second half of March. Is this a bad idea would you say? Figure there will be rain but would the trail be uncomfortably muddy and slick?
That depends! In essence, the path doesn’t get used as much in the winter and so should suffer less footfall. However, if we get a fair bit of rain between now and the end of March, it wouldn’t take much to churn it up in the more ‘popular’ areas. I walked it in Summer and hardly had any rain, so may not be the best person to ask!
If you are on Facebook, join a group called South West Coast Path. One of the admins is Graham Eaves who has walked the whole path at least 7 times ( as a through hike) at various times of the year and lives on its doorstep. He will be better able to give you advice on conditions. Good luck and enjoy (whatever the weather and conditions).
You can get light backpacking tents a bit cheaper than a few hundred quid now ...... Which is nice 👍
Hi there, where did you book accomodation? Which website?
Many thanks, Stefan
Hi Stefan, whenever I booked accommodation, it was just by using Google maps, clicking ‘bed’ icons and following links to websites. I then either phoned the individual places up or booked via their websites. I didn’t use any ‘booking’ websites.
@andyshikes3425 many thanks, Andy. Much appreciated.
Merry Xmas!
Hi Andy
I’m starting my adventure September! I’m a wild camper so I’m aiming to wildcamp the majority of the time and to keep my pack light just replenish in the towns is there any advice u can give me in places that it might not be possible to wild camp?
Carl, that depends a lot on where you are prepared to try your luck. Personally, I just wouldn’t feel comfortable trying to wild camp anywhere near a ‘built up area’ or anywhere else that people may gather ( such as beauty spots with car parks etc), so pretty much the whole of Torbay (Brixham - Torquay) is a no no. However, if you are not so bothered, there are even places where you could pitch a tent in some of the more rural parts of Torbay.
I’m probably not the best person to ask, to be honest. If you are on Facebook, join a group called ‘South West Coast Path’. There is all sorts of advice and tips on there. A chap by the name of Graham Eaves, is currently doing his third full through hike of the path and this time is trying to wild camp the whole way round. However, even he has found that sometimes, you just need to have the odd night in a B&B to dry out and charge up etc.
Good luck and enjoy your adventure. It’s an amazing experience!
Hi Andy. I'll go on the SWCP at the end of July, Newquay to penzance. I'll sleep in some B&B and similar. My question is, what about the temperature in the night? A sweatshirt and a rain jacket it's ok or i need something more? I'm from Italy. Thank you
Hi, that’s a very good question. At the moment, the U.K. is having a relatively cool summer ( unlike Italy at the moment). Night time temperatures are dropping to around 12c at night, but that could change. It can sometimes stay at 18-20c at night, if we get a decent spell of weather.
A lot depends on whether you are a warm or cold sleeper. Personally, I don’t like to be too warm at night.
I was only ever cold once on the whole 2 months of my trek and that was partly my fault. It rained one evening and I stayed in my tent, but just sat on the tent floor instead of on my insulated sleep mattress. The cold came up through the ground and I ended up wearing every piece of clothing to get warm!
Apart from that, a thin sweatshirt was good enough most evenings. I did have a quilted jacket with me, but hardly ever wore it and you would be unlikely to need one in July.
@@andyshikes3425 Ok. Many thanks for your resp. I don't like to be too warm at night too :)
It’s a fantastic walk and I highly recommend it . Best practice is to layer your clothes and I always walked this foot path in September every year. Everyday I wore shorts , leather Brasher boots, polyester t shirts, fleece and the first rate Paramo Alta jacket with their waterproof trousers. No need for down jacket unless you feel the cold .
@@andrewarthurmatthews6685 Yes, it was a fantastic walk and no, i never used my down jacket. Thank you
Andy, did you book your campsites in advance, or did you just turn up and pay for the night..
Most days I waited until about midday until deciding where to try and reach. If I had a phone signal, I then phoned or e-mailed ahead to the campsite, but most of the time that was unnecessary. The exception being the weekends (especially the Bank Holiday weekends) when the campsites got a bit busier. Then I tended to book ahead the night before, if I remembered! I walked mid May to early July and never got turned away from a campsite. There was one near Newquay that I turned up at unannounced because I had no phone signal. They told me it was full, but when I gave them my best puppy dog eyes, they let me stay on a spare patch of ground. Most campsites are Backpacker friendly and give you a discounted rate as well as accommodating you without the need for a reservation. Just use some charm and be unassuming and you’ll be fine.
My pal and I planned and booked all our accommodation months before we used to walk the path . We always went in early September and spent 2 weeks annually.
Hi Andy! Thanks so much for producing a really informative series of videos. What time of year did you hike the trail? I'm thinking about doing a 2-3 week hike on the trail with my son. What would be the best section to do? We would probably want to stay mainly in B&Bs so would probably need a more populated area.
Steve, I started my hike on 17th May and finished 8th July. I deliberately chose to do it then because hopefully you get nice weather and the summer ‘holiday’ season hasn’t started, when all the path / places get very busy.
As far as recommendations go, a lot depends on how tough you want it to be? Most of the path is fairly well populated ( if not directly on the path, then only a short distance away). The only really remote areas are around Lands End and between Clovelly and Bude, but even they have some B&B’s.
My favourite stretch was probably Bude to St Ives, which took me 9 days, but I had a day off in Perranporth. It starts really tough, with some incredibly steep climbs, but the bit between Padstow and Mawgan Porth is relatively flat cliff top walking with stunning beaches. The rest is classic Cornish coast. Craggy coves and tin mines etc. The beaches of Perranporth and Hayle are long and arduous but if you get nice weather, simply beautiful.
Alternatively, the stretch between Penzance and Charlestown (St Austell) is also a lovely . This stretch involves 3 ferry crossings ( Helford, Falmouth-St Mawes, St Mawes-Place) and also the Gillan Creek to wade across ( an hour either side of low tide is only 6 inches on a spring tide, maybe 12 inches on a neap tide). There are some stunning villages along the route Cadgwith, Coverack, Mullion Cove, Portscatho, Gorran Haven, Mevagissey to name but a few. The wholes section gives you a mixture of cliff top walking, some lung busting climbs, some spectacular views. It took me 8 days to hike ( but that was with a few long days ) but could easily be done in 11.
Whatever stretch you do, I’m sure you’ll find it hard going at times, but ultimately very enjoyable. Good luck and happy hiking!
@@andyshikes3425 Thanks Andy, I really appreciate your prompt and detailed response.
@@andyshikes3425Great answer. I am currently walking the SWCP in week long stages. Started at Minehead two years ago. And we have recently reached Lizard Point. It has been stunning all the way. Just the occasional half day when it becomes a bit of a hot jungle, but don’t let that put you off. It is literally epic.
Yes with this walk you are spoiled for choice as which is the best scenic stretch of the walk .
just wondering what was your favorite place during the whole walk village cove etc
Eddie, thanks for your kind words. There were so many wonderful places, it’s hard to pick a favourite. However, I particularly liked walking the stretch between Padstow and Trenance. I had lovely sunny weather. The path was relatively easy walking and there were so many gorgeous sandy bays with Turquoise coloured water. I also really liked walking between Mount Batten (Plymouth) and Bigbury on Sea. Again I had glorious weather and some of the views were to die for! Also, the little harbour at Portscatho is very pretty.
Hi Andy,
Thank you for this very helpful video! I am planning to walk the path for about a week this summer. Which part of the path would you recommend if I want to see beautiful cliffs?
And which part would you say is the less touristic/wilder? Because I can only go the 1st week of July, I am expecting a more busy path...
Hi
The wildest parts of the path are 1) From Porlock to Coombe Martin but a lot of the path is in woodland 2) Clovelly to Bude, 3) St Ives to Mousehole.
There are so many wonderful cliff views all along most parts of the path, but Bude to Polzeath would be a spectacular stretch but very tough climbs! There are a few bottlenecks along the way (Tintagel and Port Isaac) but the views are worth the hassle. Best of luck
@@andyshikes3425 Thank you so much! I will have a look! And looking forward to watch your videos of the path which I didn't see yet!
Hi there , i am very happy that you did this video, that help me a lot , this years 2023 i Just did the 925 km and 55 000m positive climb acrostiche the Pyrénées mountain ... my question is .... i will do The South West Coast Path next year 2024 in May and june and plan 30 days to do it ... by your expérience it will possible ? I am backpacking ( 11 kg total ) same set up as in the Pyrénées... thank you for time ... Sincerely yours Luc from south of France !!! And keep doing triste nice video
Hi Luc, Thankyou for your kind comments.
Yes, I think if you can climb in the Pyrenees, you should be able to finish the SWCP. However, 30 days is quite a tough itinerary. I’ve no doubt you are fit enough to achieve it ( many do) but part of the coast path experience is to take in all the sights you will see, which if you are in a rush, is not possible to do. If you can afford to, take a bit more time and enjoy the wonderful coastline. Best of luck Andy
@@andyshikes3425 thanks for you time and your ansnwer , i will take in consider your advise, the only problem i have is it very expensive for to do it in two shuts, living south of France, i will see if i can add à few days more ... Sincerely yours Luc !!!
Thanks for the info! What gear did you use on the coast path? Did you have any trouble with the winds regarding your tent? I'm planning on doing part of it in june. I'm also really curious about if you find yourself warm enough at nighttime in the tent (planning on buying some new gear). :)
Hi, I had an MSR Hubba Hubba NX2 tent, which is a two person tent. I like to have a bit more room than a one person tent offers. That tent is pretty good in strong winds. However, if you are walking in June, you will be very unlikely to get a storm, so wind shouldn’t be an issue.
I was very lucky with the weather when I did my thru hike and only had one cold evening. Make sure you buy a decent mattress with good insulation, because that prevents cold rising up from the ground. Air temperature’s should be fine in June. I had a sleeping quilt rated to 0*c and was plenty warm enough.
I used my 32 year old Wild Country Trisar + tent which is not lightweight by today’s standards but as I wasn’t carrying tent each and every day it was perfect
Hi Andy, thanks for the video info. I'm thinking of doing this the same time you did and for roughly the same amount of time and with campsites/b&bs etc, carrying my backpack. The only difference is I'd be doing it with my dog (spaniel). Would you foresee any problems with this? I've thought of some logistical challenges with this but wondered what your take on it may be? or others that may have done it with a dog? Many Thanks
Hi Jacquie. I know quite a few people have walked the whole path with their dog and had no problems. The only issues I can foresee, are B&B’s reluctant to take pets and you having to carry extra weight such as dog food, water, bedding etc. If you are on Facebook, there is a group called ‘South West Coast Path’ that is well worth joining. There is lots of useful advice and certainly one lady called Elisabeth Tailleur, who did the path with her dog. All the best with your planning and enjoy the path!
Thank you, very much appreciated, that's great! @@andyshikes3425
Jacquie, I’ve just come across Elisabeth’s RUclips channel. Not only has she done the SWCP with her dog, but also JOGLE! youtube.com/@ellihikes?si=PAsLMzDjhmZIcUSU
@@andyshikes3425 Sorry for the late reply. That's great thanks very much Andy.
Is there a lot less rain in May/June compared to September/October?
Leslie. This is England we are talking about, so as far as the weather is concerned, nothing is certain!!!
May / June can be wet some years and dry others, likewise Sept/Oct. It really is pot luck. Due to climate change we seem to be getting drier Spring weather, but that may just be an anomaly.
Its public land we are the owners 😂
The establishment can think what it likes 😂
Nope better up in Scotland and Northumberland, south coastal path isn't worth anyone's time
No one cares what you say Troll
Always found midges a challenge in Scotland.
It's definitely worth the time
And I'd wild camp wherever I like the law is ridiculous