South West Coast Path Walking Holiday – Westward Ho! to Penzance | Walking Holiday in Britain | Self Guided Walking Holiday

The South West Coast Path stretches round the entire coastline of southwest England, a distance of 630 miles. Whilst walking the entire route is a remarkable feat and a great experience, not all of us have the time to walk such a distance. For this holiday, therefore, we have chosen to concentrate on the 186 mile stretch from Westward Ho! on the north Devon coast round to Penzance on the south Cornwall coast. This is one of the most spectacular sections, especially along the rugged north Cornwall coastline. Well known places along the route include Bude, Newquay and St Ives, but it is the lesser known headlands such as Botallack and Gurnard's that often surprise and impress walkers on this route. Towards the end of the holiday, your route takes you round Land's End, the southwestern tip of the British mainland, before a final couple of days along the southern Cornish coast via the delightful Porthcurno to finish in bustling Penzance.

Grade: Demanding

Meals:
You will normally be staying in a town or village where there is at least one place to buy an evening meal. On the rare occasion that this is not possible, we will book you into an accommodation which provides an evening meal (this is not included in the holiday price). Lunches can usually be bought on route and we can advise you of the days when this is not possible. On these days you can book a packed lunch from your accommodation by letting them know the night before or we can book it for you. These usually cost about £5. Alternatively, most of the towns and villages in which you stay have shops where you can buy items to make up your own packed lunch.

When to Go:
April, May and June are when everything comes to life so it is very green, wild  flowers are abundant and blossom abounds. July and August tend to be the  warmest months, but it is rarely so warm as to be uncomfortable for walking or  cycling. September tends to be one of the most pleasant times in the
countryside and is quieter as most people with children have finished their  holidays. By October the days are getting shorter and the weather is much more  changeable.

Getting there:
Getting to the start of this holiday is very straightforward as there is a train station in nearby Barnstaple. There is a regular service from London Paddington to Barnstaple via Exeter.

Departure:
At the end of the route, the rail terminus of Penzance is close to your final night's accommodation.

Day 1 Arrive Westward Ho!
Day 2 Westward Ho! to Clovelly ~ 11 miles
Day 3 Clovelly to Hartland Quay ~ 10 miles
Day 4 Hartland Quay to Bude ~ 15 miles
Day 5 Bude to Boscastle ~ 17 miles
Day 6 Boscastle to Port Isaac ~ 14 miles
Day 7 Port Isaac to Padstow ~ 12 miles
Day 8 Padstow to Porthcothan ~ 14 miles
Day 9 Porthcothan to Crantock ~ 14 miles
Day 10 Crantock to Trevaunance Cove ~ 12 miles
Day 11 Trevaunance Cove to Gwithian ~ 16 miles
Day 12 Gwithian to St. Ives ~ 10 miles
Day 13 St. Ives to Pendeen Watch ~ 14 miles
Day 14 Pendeen Watch to Porthcurno ~ 15 miles
Day 15 Porthcurno to Penzance ~ 12 miles
Day 16 Departure

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