South West Coast Path Backpack

We have a week to kill in either end of June or early September and fancy a weeks backpacking on the SW coast path. The backpacking isnt a problem, its just which bit to do. Any thoughts. Looking for around 100-120 miles, with easy (is there such a thing?) public transport connections back to the midlands.

Ideas appreciated.

Train to Taunton, bus to Bishops Lydeard, West Somerset Railway to Minehead. First week of September would mean that you'd miss the CAMRA beer festival at Minehead station (13th & 14th Sept), but never mind. A week should get you to Bude, if not further south (Padstow might be pushing it unless you get in a lot of miles per day). Bus from Bude to Barnstaple, train to Exeter, change & back to the Midlands.

It doesn't really matter which 100 miles you do, since there's a huge variety on any 100 mile stretch you care to name. You'll get cliff paths, promenade walks, wooded areas, little towns and villages, etc, on any stretch of the SWCP. Public transport to and from Birmingham is no problem either, since every railway line and several major bus routes feed inland to the main line railway. If you use Cross Country trains, then your outward and return trips will be single journeys without the need to change. If you do the stretch that Chairman Bill outlines above, then you'll always remember the 'big-dipper' series of ups and downs on the final leg to Bude!

In the end we went to the IOM in June and had a week on from Minehead to Hartland point lat week on the SWCP. The logic being better weather in the south in September......

Was either of them wet? I described landing at Douglas as British Monsoon! well based on that there are not really words to describe last week. We started out nice and dry and hot on Saturday, then it was waterproofs nearly all the time after that. We gave the Tarka Trail section a miss, jumping a bus from Croyde Bay through to Bideford. The rest is as Paddy describes, 20,000 feet of ascent to keep us happy. Camp sites nicely placed with good facilities, and the two wild pitches didnt involve too far a carry with water. The big memory , oh the rain, and not being able to get accross the torrent at Mouth Mills!

Back where we left off for 10 days, started light sac from Hartland Quay down to Bude. A BIG day out 17 miles and 4400 ft of up they say in the SWCP ssoc guide book, and yes there was a lot of up and down. Then the next 9 days worked our way down to Hayle  (nr St Ives). All in 119 miles with 26000ft of up (and probably down)

THE SWCP Assoc guide book is a great starting point for planning, distances / heights and timings are realistic, and the stages make sence in terms of accomodation. though it is really useful if you B+B. We camped, and found the Backpackers Club Long Dist Path pitch directory more useful. 3 great wild pitches though.

Anyone who thinks that coastal path walking is easy... then try this section. Weathger certainly made up for last years rain.

Dazz wrote (see)

Anyone who thinks that coastal path walking is easy... then try this section.

Well yes... it's probably the most difficult part of the entire 630 mile coast path!