The British are good in giving thier long distance trails simple, descriptive names: Thames path, Coast to Coast, South West Coastal Path. Funny, considering they have the funniest and strangest place names.
At a bit over 1000km, The South West Coast Path is the longest trail in the UK, running along the Devon and Cornwall coasts. And I do mean, along the coast. As much as possible, the trial is right there, on the beaches or more often - on the cliffs above. It is as wild and remote as England gets: wind-swept cliffs, tiny bays with criminal pasts and green farmlands.
Highlights: Constant sea views, dramatic landscapes, amazing blooms, birdwatching, surprising amount of ascents and descents and some great food.
Who is this for? anyone who wants to hike in the UK and get to know the more remote parts of this country. You can do anything from a day hike to the full trail, and there are multiple convenient(ish) starting point along the trail. If you choose to do multiple days, then you can opt for a leisurely pace of 12-15km per day, or make it more of a challenge by going 25-30km per day. With a variety of luggage transfer services offered, you can make it even easier and carry only a day pack.
If you are accustomed to more mountainous regions, then note that the lack of heights is deceiving: unlike the Alps for example where the ascents are long, and so are the descents, this is more of an up and down, up and down kind of hike.
Getting there: A combination of trains, buses and taxis will get you to any starting point along the trail. Specifically, we chose a section that is relatively close to London, landing in Heathrow airport. The new tube line got us to London Paddington, from which we boarded the train to Barnstaple via Exeter, and then a taxi to Westward Ho!. Closer airports include Bristol and Exeter, both of which has international flights (but none that worked for us).
Navigation: The trail is generally well-marked with stiles marked with an acorn, the symbol of long-distance trails in the UK, or with the name of the trail. Most of the time there's little question as to where the trail goes, as you keep to the cliffs above the sea. However, alternative routs as well as directions to villages off the trail as limited and inconsistent. Everything is in miles, so remember that 1 mile is 1.609 kilometres.
Weather: It's England. And along the coast. So you can expect sun and rain and wind, all in the same hour. We didn't get much rain, but when it came, it came down fierce. Weather in may is relatively stable, with the added bonus of spring blooms. Summer can get hot, particularly with the impact of global warming, and there's no air conditioning anywhere.
Difficulty level: You can make it as difficult or as easy as you want - you can make the days as short (12km) or as long as you want, particularly if you are carrying a tent. Otherwise, it's mostly about finding accommodation. Not many long ascents/descents, but some days there's a substantial cumulative effort.
Accommodation: Mostly B&Bs, there's also hotels and hostels along the way, as well as the option of pitching a tent. This means that you can do on the cheap, camping every night and cooking your own food, or opt for more expensive options. Most of the thru-hikers we met did a combination of camping with the occasional night at a B&B for comfort. Some places have limited accommodation options, so it's best to book ahead in season (May being a popular hiking month, July - August for general holiday makers).
Flora and Fauna: The guide book said there might be bluebells in some sections, as well as some rhododendron blooms. This was an English understatement if there ever was one. There were carpets of bluebells, and the rhododendron were as big as trees. There were many sea birds, as well as hares, deers and pheasants. In some part of the trail you can see dolphins, or so said the book.
Food: Some days there's a place to stop for lunch or coffee, though not always open in the off-season. In the larger villages/towns there's several options for dinner at a variety of price points, in others it's mostly dinner at the hotel. With many of the hotels serving as a local pub, this is often a great option for a lively dinner. Speciality of the trail is fish and sea food, and other than one place, we've had excellent grub. Most places pride themselves on using local products, not just in sea food but also the excellent diary produced in the numerous farms in the region. The Devon cream tea - pot of tea served with scones, heavy cream and jam - is a fun option, particularly when the scones are fresh and the jam is homemade.
Transport: There are limited bus connections between the towns and villages along the trail, but with careful planning and using taxis it is possible to skip sections if needed. If you think you might need this, make sure you have the timetable and route for the local buses, as well as the number for a local taxi service with you as you hit the trail, as there is limited cell reception in some places. Check https://www.transportforcornwall.co.uk/ for the public transport options in the Cornwall sections of the trail.
Planning: We did not plan our own trip, but used a self-guided tour company, as we wanted to have our luggage transferred, and we booked only three weeks in advance. The tour company provided us with the books published by Trailblazer (it required two books, as our week was split between part 1 and part 2 of the 3-book series). I did not find it particularly useful, but I'm guessing is helpful when you plan your own trip. There are also other guidebook in English covering this trail.
Costs: we paid 1280 pounds. This included accommodation + breakfast for two, as well as luggage transfer. I'm sure that if you do all the booking yourself it's cheaper, and of course you can make it much more affordable by sleeping in hostels or camping.
Our sections: (in brackets: where we slept)
Day 1: Westward Ho! to Clovelly (Clovelly)
Day 2: Clovelly to Hartford (Hartford)
Day 3: Hartford to Morwenstow (Bude)
Day 4: Crackington Haven to Boscastle (Boscastle)
Day 5: Tintagle to Port Gaverne (Port Gaverne )
Day 6: Port Isaac to Padstow
If you read my posts, you'll see that on more than half the days we either took a taxi or the bus to/from the trail. We did that because we wanted to have shorter days. You don't have to do that. All hotels we stayed in, other than Hartford are on the trail and require no transport other than your legs getting you there.
Would I recommend it? Yes, yes and yes again. If I could, I'll do the whole 1040km.
Comentários