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Westward Ho! to Padstow South West Coast Path

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  • View our UK travel routes map if you need to see how to reach the South West and Wales from the rest of the UK or from main air and sea ports
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Your Walking Holiday Route along the North Coast

Getting to and from the trail - Westward Ho!, Bude and Padstow

If you ask us for a quote we will include public transport or parking information to suit your walking holiday and for those booking we advise and assist in helping you to work out and book the best travel options for your walk.

Arriving and departing by public transport works best for this route and saves a fairly long or expensive journey back to your car at the end of your walk though it is possible if you prefer to drive - see below

Train Travel to the South West Coast Path Westward Ho and PadstowTrain Arrival  - Fast direct trains run from London, The Midlands and the North to Exeter station where you change for the scenic branch line journey to Barnstaple on the North Devon Coast. Time from London to Barnstaple is 3.5 to 4 hours. From Barnstaple regular buses take 1 hour to reach Westward Ho ! OR we can advise on or arrange private transfers to the trail.

For those arriving for shorter holidays at Bude you take the train to Exeter (between 2 and 3 hours from London) and then the fast bus from Exeter Station direct to Bude (around 2 hours)

Train Departure -  From Padstow regular buses take one hour to Bodmin Parkway Main Line Station. Fast trains to London from here take 4 hours with connections for Bristol, the Midlands and The North.

Parking information for walking the South West Coast Path PadstowCar -  Long stay parking is available free or for a very small charge in Westward Ho! and Bude at several of our B&B's. In Padstow most long stay parking is in the long stay council run car parks and we can advise on the options and prices.

Getting back to your car by public transport does take a while.  Bus from Padstow to Bodmin Parkway then train to Barnstaple (change at Exeter) and bus to Westward Ho! You can speed up the transfer time with private transfers to and from the stations to avoid the bus journeys which we can advise on. It is also possible to take a private transfer all the way back to your car taking just over an hour though this is an expensive way of doing it - ask us for a quote if you are interested.

For those walking a smaller stage from Bude there are better public transport options by bus (one change around 3 hours) though we can also arrange a private transfer if you are in a hurry.

Bus Travel to the South West Coast Path UK National Trail Walk Coach Arrival -  National Express Coaches from London run to Westward Ho! with connections from other parts of the UK.

Coach Departure - There is also a return service to London from either Wadebridge OR Bodmin a 1/2 hour or 1 hour bus ride from Padstow. Coach travel is usually the cheapest way of getting too and from the trail but it is slow and less comfortable than the train.

South West Coast Path Cornwall information for overseas travellersArriving from Overseas - Those arriving from overseas will usually arrive in the UK at London Gatwick or London Heathrow airport from where you can catch direct trains to Bridgwater and Taunton (see the train information above). Those arriving at London Heathrow will usually take a 1/2 hour underground train / overland train service into London Paddington to catch the fast inter city trains to Devon and Cornwall. Bristol and Exeter airports are very close to the walk and also have a number of international flights

Internal Flights - Exeter airport allows easy access to the starting points at Westward Ho! or Bude within 2 hours  - see the train section for details from Exeter. You can return by bus and train to Exeter from Padstow (see above) in around 3.5 hours. If you can find cheap flights then Newquay airport is linked to Padstow by a direct bus or is a short 20 minute transfer at the end of the walk.

Remember do ask us for help, advice, timetables and options covering how to arrive and depart as quickly and cheaply as possible.

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