Overview
Discover challenging and dramatic walking trails shaped by the footsteps of traders, smugglers, saints and pirates. Cornish walking trails will reveal ancient tin mines, clifftop castles, timeless fishing villages and wild moors as you travel through a landscape of huge cliffs and hidden coves that goes back to the depths of time itself. In between the coastal drama, iconic harbours such as St Ives and Padstow give walkers access to some of the UK‘s best restaurants and coastal hotels. A county encircled by the wild Atlantic ocean, there is over 330 miles of spectacular world class coast path here taking you around the farthest corners of England - put simply it feels like walking on the edge of the world.
Stretching from coast to coast across the southwest of England, Devon is a richly diverse county with rugged shores and cliffs in the north, and classic Victorian seaside resorts in the south. In between you'll find tranquil green pastures, wooded gorges and the two dramatic wild moors in the National Parks of Dartmoor and Exmoor. Choose Devon for its walking variety, and you'll find that the popular image of cream teas and thatched cottages is true - but that Devon is so much more once you explore it on two feet. Coast to coast routes like the Two Moors Way will offer a journey through it all from the wild northern shores that inspired the Romantic poets to the maritime ports of the south coast.
Free your soul and clear your mind! Walking on the wild moors of these National Parks is a wonderful antidote to modern living. England's last true wilderness, Dartmoor offers 365 square miles of virtually uninhabited freedom with high moors and twisted dramatic granite tors a land of myths, ghosts and legends. Exmoor, its smaller and more gentle neighour, is 250 Square miles of near perfect and unique beauty, with high uplands swathed in heather and steep, wooded gorges and rushing streams. See Dartmoor ponies and Exmoor stags in these wildlife rich areas, home to 30 species of mammals and over 240 types of bird. The moors offer a unique opportunity for more challenging walking where the only human sound you will hear is the rhythm of your own breath.
Avoid the crowds and discover “Secret Somerset” missed by so many rushing headlong for the far South West. The 'land of the summer people' was named in a time when this area could only be visited in the summer months as the sea receded. Today its a rich, fertile and 'for real' landscape crowned by the fine walking ridges of the Mendip and Quantock Hills both protected areas of outstanding natural beauty. Rising up over King Arthur‘s Vale of Avalon along with the magical Tor at Glastonbury, walkers will find hidden gorges, wooded combes and the best inland panoramas of the South West. Also boasting its own Jurassic Coast Path, providing a gateway into the wilds of Exmoor National Park, Somerset offers walking routes without the crowds for those who want to find..... what the rest miss.
Dorset has a comfortable old world “English” feel to it and its walking routes traverse a rather more green and agricultural land of thatched cottages, cream teas.... and fossils ! Walkers here will find the more gentle rolling farmland, pretty villages and chalk ridges beloved by Thomas Hardy that sweep down to end abruptly at the World Heritage Jurassic Coast. Here, alongside the sea, those after more challenging routes can take a walking holiday through time itself amongst the dramatic chalk stacks, cliffs and arches of the Dorsetshire fossil coast. An area that can be very busy in high season but often suits walkers looking for more gentle and less exposed walking than the far west of the region.
Wales offers some of the best walking and outdoor activities to be had anywhere in the world. The 870-mile Welsh Coast Path was only fully opened in 2012 and is the world's first walk along the entire coast of a nation. The terrain is on an equally grand scale with towering cliffs, vast stretches of unspoilt golden sands, imposing castles, offshore islands and to the north there is the backdrop of Snowdonia National Park with its stunning mountains. Wales in general offers walkers great value for money compared to more popular areas like Cornwall with walking options to suit everyone, from those who want the cosmopolitan restaurants and facilities of towns like Tenby and St Davids, through to isolated and remote forests and coastal hills that sit on the very cusp of the Snowdonian Peaks. Bursting with confidence and pride in its “Welshness”, its Celtic history, language and culture there has never been a better time for walkers to enter Wales.
The South West Coast Path is the UK's longest National Trail and one of the top ten walking routes in the world. It snakes, dips and rises continuously on its way through a staggering 1014km (630 miles) of pristine coastline, 450 miles of which is through nationally protected areas. It's a challenge too; walking the entire South West Coast Path is the equivalent to scaling Mount Everest four times! From towering cliffs to hidden coves, ghostly tin mines to lush subtropical wooded creeks. One minute a dramatic rock theatre hewn out of the cliffs, the next a prehistoric fossilized forest or a 20thC Art Deco Island Hotel. What sets The South West Coast Path apart from other trails is that around almost every corner is yet another surprise as you retrace the footsteps and histories of the tin miners, fisherman, smugglers, wreckers and the customs men who chased them.
Main operators of all trains between London and Devon and Cornwall Use this site to check times, reserve seats and book tickets online
The Official Site covering train travel, tickets and timetables for the whole of the UK
Superb site - The Offcial Public Transport Website covering lcoal bus, ferry and rail travel in the South West. Use this to find times, bus stops, maps and route options to and from the walking trails.
Official website for the UK's main long distance coach (bus) company. Daily buses from London and other UK areas to various points in the South West suitable for the walking trails. Generally cheaper than train travel but much slower.
Free and reliable site giving detailed route directions, mileage and estimated times for car travel between any points in the UK.
Cornwall's only airport with some European and UK flight options. Best option for flying into Cornwall if you can find a suitable flight.
Regional airport with UK internal and some international arrivals. Well placed for Cornwall, Devon, Dartmoor and Exmoor Walking.
The largest regional airport with regular international arrivals. Easy access to Minehead and the Somerset and North Devon Coast Path - connects with train travel for Devon and Cornwall, Dartmoor and Exmoor.
Large regional airport with UK internal flights and international arrivals. Worth using for access to the Jurassic Coast Dorset Coast Path Walks.
Official site for the Path - lots of useful information, mileage caluculator, up to date path news and plenty of inspiring images.
Excellent resource site for the charity which helps lobby for our most popular trail. Very useful distance and timing calulator for walking each daily section of the walk. Up to date news and information about the different areas of the coast path.
Official National Park Website for Dartmoor
Official website for Exmoor National Park
Official Site for the lovely 36 mile Coleridge Way route through Exmoor and the Quantock Hills, images, route info and more
Evolving site (as the author walks the route !) with pictures, text and a good personal account of the Coast Path and Scilly Isles
Usual information and graphs on average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine hours etc by month for the South West of the UK.
Reliable Current Weather forecasts with 10 day forecast. Search by town / location across the West Country.
Official Weather Forecasters for the UK - South West forecast and 30 day long range UK forecast with special sections for Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks
With reference to wading river crossings on the Coast Path. Tide times for Plymouth (Devon) and Falmouth (Cornwall) for the next 7 days.
Official site of the Cornwall Tourist Board and information on everything you need to plan your holidays in Cornwall.
Official site of the Devon Tourist Board and information on everything you need to plan your holidays in Devon
Official Tourist Information Resource site for all things Dartmoor
Official Tourist Information Resource site for all things Exmoor
Official website for the World Heritage Site which the last stages of the South West Coast Path passes through in Dorset. Visitor info, news and images.
Excellent and well presented official Tourist Information Site for all things Falmouth. Vital for finding out what is happening during your stay as well as working out the best places to eat and drink in the town. Useful section on walking and information on the various Ferry crossings and river options used by coast path walkers.
The Official Website for information, ideas and inspirational breaks and days out across England including all the areas we operate in.
Members of this Sustainable Tourism Partnership
Members of The South West Coast Path Association
Members of the Official Tourist Information Service for Cornwall
Members of the official Visit Devon Tourist Board
Members of the official Dartmoor Tourism Partnership
Members of the official Exmoor Tourism Partnership
Members of the official Visit North Devon Tourism Partnership
Members of the Heart of Devon Tourist Partnership
Suppliers of our Coast Path Guidebooks - superb guides written by walkers for walkers. Excellent High scale sketch Maps, town plans, useful information, places to eat, history, travel info and so much more.
UK Government Mapping Agency - provide the highest scale maps (Explorer Grade) for all our walking routes. 1:25 000 scale
With us from Day 1 - Evergreen are responsible for the design, development and maintainence of our websites
Go to top
Company Registered in England No: 8227323 VAT Registration No: 138 8656 68