South West Coast Path: Newquay to Plymouth (402 km)
In July 2022 I decided to go on my first long distance solo hike on a beautiful, well known coastal hiking trail in England: the South West Coast Path (SWCP) in Cornwall. The official start is in Minehead, Somerset and ends in Poole Dorset, a total of around 630 miles which can take one to two months to complete.
Passing Cape Cornwall
I didn’t have two months free to hike the whole trail but still wanted to do a large chunk, and see some of the most stunning parts. My intuition was telling me to begin in Newquay so I began here aiming for Falmouth, but ending up extending it to Plymouth as I was enjoying the experience so much. In total I walked around 250 miles. The rhythm of walking as well as the sights and sounds of the sea became meditative and incredibly calming.
When I passed the 100 mile mark on Day 9 and solo wild camped on a cliff by the sea
The openness of other hikers and locals created a welcoming and safe atmosphere that I hadn’t experienced before. The whole experience was the positive catalyst for future hikes as my confidence grew. I didn’t have an exact time-frame, I just wanted to take my time and be in the moment. I camped every night mostly at campsites but I also wanted to wild camp where possible, and as you read on, I am happy to say I did.
My home for the next few weeks
This was the start of filming myself hiking and sharing it with others. Personally, I was stuck in a bit of a creative rut and for months my intuition was telling me to get out in Nature so I thought filming and sharing it would help.
I made a video for each day of the hike so you can follow along the journey!
When I made it to Falmouth!
At the end of each day I wrote a little account of what had happened and things I saw along the way. I share my thoughts and experience on each day if you click the links below, beginning with Day 1.
Start: 24th July
End date: Mid-August (Including 2 rest days in St Ives and a week rest in Falmouth from sickness)
Sleeping: Campsites + Wild camping
Daily average walked: 10km - 24km (Depending where you are, the terrain is very steep ascents and descending multiple times throughout the day)
Longest Day: 24km trying to find a camp site and path diversion (Part 2:Day 3).
Cutest animal: Wild ponies! Most were shy but one time a herd came up to me whilst alone.
Scariest animal: Wild Adder snake (albeit tiny)
Trail Feature: Food resupply, free water and cafes available mostly in every welcoming town you pass.
Tip: When booking campsites via phone say you are a 'Walker' - they will give you a cheaper rate, usually £10 a night.
Navigation: OS Maps and Google Maps