What is the South West Coast Path?
The South West Coast Path is a 630 mile route that traces the edge of the land across Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, following some of the most dramatic and ever-changing coastline in the UK. Cliffs give way to coves, estuaries open out into wide horizons, and working harbours sit quietly between stretches of raw, exposed headland.
Once the longest National Trail in the country, it now forms a major part of the King Charles III England Coast Path, the longest managed walking route in the world, with roughly a third of that entire route made up by this stretch alone.
Despite its scale, the South West Coast Path never feels like one continuous walk. Every few miles the landscape shifts, the light changes, and the mood resets, meaning no two sections ever feel the same.
In recent years, stories like The Salt Path and its film adaptation have brought the trail further into the public eye, introducing more people to the idea of walking it and what it can represent. That visibility is a good thing, but it only ever shows part of the picture. Huge sections are skipped over, and some of the most rewarding stretches never make it into the story. The quieter miles, the tougher climbs, the less obvious places. And more often than not, those are the moments that stay with you.
The path itself has never been about ease. Much of it follows old routes once used by coastguards, fishermen and the communities who lived and worked along this coastline, shaped over time by necessity, weather and the natural line of the land. That history is still felt in every step. It is not a route you rush or tick off, but one that asks you to move through it properly, to take it as it comes.
A short film from the South West Coast Path
BBB Recommendations from the trail
These aren’t your standard Google results. What you’ve just unlocked is my personalised picks from the trail.
Places that have been a part of my journey, shaped my experiences and stopped me in my tracks.
- 🏕️ Top 5 Campsites
- 🛏️ Stays on Trails
- 🍺 Top 5 Pubs
- 🍽️ Places to Eat & Drink
- 💧 Top 5 waterfalls
- 📚 Top 5 reading Spots
- New Tab
1️⃣ Stoke Barton Farm and Campsite – Devon
Perched right on the North Devon coast, this is wild camping done properly. Open fields, sea air, and space to properly switch off after a long stretch on the path.
What makes this place special is having Speke’s Mill Mouth waterfall right on your doorstep, and the sunsets over Lundy are unreal.
They do offer limited electric hook up on the field, so whether you are in a tent, camper, or tentbox, you can all wake up to the same unreal view.
No over polish, no fuss. Just proper coastal camping.
Best for: A solid camping experiences with one of the best sunset spots on the the Hartland Headland.
1️⃣ The Loas Hut – Cornwall
Tucked just above Tregardock Bay, this is one of those stays that feels completely off grid while still being right on the coast path.
Set in its own enclosed field, the Laos Hut sits on stilts with a wide open view of the sea. It is simple and back to basics. A small double bed, wood stove, solar lighting and no distractions.
You are only a few minutes off the South West Coast Path between Trebarwith and Port Isaac, with direct access down to the bay.
There is a separate hut with a proper shower and toilet, plus a small camp kitchen with everything you need.
I stayed here for the summer solstice and the sunsets were unreal. You can also walk to Tregardock Bay waterfall in about 20 minutes, which is easily one of the best on the coast.
Best for: A quiet, off grid stay right on the trail with unreal sunsets and direct access to one of the best hidden bays.
1️⃣ The Rashleigh Inn – Polkerris, Cornwall
Right on the water in Polkerris, this is one of the best placed pubs on the entire coast path. You’re literally steps from the beach with a pint in hand and views right across the harbour.
What makes this place stand out is the balance of everything. A proper old pub feel inside with a roaring fire, candlelit tables and little bar games, paired with an incredible selection of local craft beers from places like Verdant, St Ives Brewery, Goodh and Tintagel.
The food is unreal as well, and the hot pork scratchings are a must. If you time it right, sunset here is something else.
Best for: A proper coastal pub with great beer, atmosphere and sunset views
2️⃣ The Shipwrights Arms – Helford, Cornwall
Tucked down on the Helford River, this is one of those pubs you almost stumble into on the trail. You literally pass it on the way to the ferry crossing, and once you’re there, it’s hard to leave.
This was one of the places that got me into craft beer in the first place. I remember sitting on the slipway out front with a pint of St Ives Brewery Slipway watching the sunset, and it just stuck with me.
Helford itself is a proper hidden gem. Quiet, under the radar and completely different to the busier parts of the coast. The walks around here are unreal, and the whole place has a slower, calmer feel to it.
Inside the pub it’s everything you want. Low ceilings, a roaring fire, good food and genuinely friendly staff. One of those places where you end up staying longer than you planned.
Best for: A hidden gem stop on the trail with great beer, food and a proper coastal atmosphere
1️⃣ Verdant Schooners – St Agnes, Cornwall
They serve the best pizza and beer on the whole of the South West Coast Path. End of.
Verdant is one of the best breweries in the South West, if not the UK. They’re essentially one of the originals of the craft beer scene here, and despite their growth, nothing has changed. They still produce some of the most consistent, high quality hazy beers in the industry.
Schooners sits right on the coast path, tucked away down in St Agnes with views stretching out over Trevaunance Cove. It’s one of those places you almost stumble across and then never forget.
The pizzas are next level. You can’t go wrong with a classic margherita and a garlic pizza, paired with whatever hazy, DIPA or TIPA has just come through from Verdant’s brewery.
The staff are super chilled, the whole place has a relaxed feel, and it’s somewhere I find myself coming back to again and again. Whether it’s an evening beer or setting up with the laptop during the day, it just works.
Best for: One of the best food and beer stops on the coast path with unreal views and proper craft beer.
2️⃣ Kynance Cove Cafe- The Lizard, Cornwall
Kynance Cove Cafe is one of the best cafes in Cornwall, full stop. On a sunny day it genuinely feels like the Mediterranean, with crystal clear water, wild rock formations and yachts often moored up in the cove below.
The setup is simple but spot on. You order inside, get given a raffle ticket, then wait for your number to be called from the hatch. There’s not much indoor seating, but outside is where it shines with a grass terrace full of benches and deckchairs overlooking the cove. They also offer accommodation on site which I haven’t stayed in yet, but it looks like an unreal place to wake up right on the coast.
The food delivers every time. The bacon, brie and cranberry ciabatta is unreal with thick cut bacon and loads of melted brie, and the cream teas are just as good with proper Cornish jam and Rodda’s clotted cream.
What makes it even better is how you get there. There’s no road access, it’s a 20 to 30 minute walk from the National Trust car park, or you walk straight through it on the coast path, which makes it an easy and very worthwhile stop.
Best for: One of the most scenic food stops on the South West Coast Path with unreal views and proper Cornish classics
1️⃣ Porth Cadjack Cove Waterfall- Cornwall
Porth Cadjack Cove is one of those places that feels almost too good to share. It’s easily one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Cornwall if not in the entire South West.
The water drops straight off the top of the cliff in a single fall onto the beach below, creating something that feels completely out of place in the best possible way. The surrounding plant life is unreal, bright green and thriving thanks to the constant spray, making it look totally different to anything else along this stretch of coast.
Getting down to it takes a bit more effort. There’s an old fisherman’s path which is a little more challenging than sticking to the main coast path, but if you’re confident on that kind of terrain, it’s more than worth it. It can only be accessed at low tide so make sure to check this out and DO NOT go down if the tide is coming in or coming up to high tide.
It’s literally a couple of minutes off the South West Coast Path, and if you’re walking between Portreath and Gwithian, it’s a non negotiable stop.
I’ve featured this waterfall a few times, including in Episode 2 of my South West Coast Path series on YouTube where I show exactly how to access it. There’s also a shorter route from Bassett Cove car park which I’ve shared over on Instagram and TikTok. A
What3words: ///available.tribes.neat
2️⃣ Tregardock Beach Waterfall – Cornwall
Tregardock Bay waterfall is properly hidden along one of my favourite stretches of coastline in Cornwall, from Boscastle down to Rock. This whole section is wild and underrepresented, and Tregardock Bay itself is a beach that most people walk straight past without ever knowing what’s there.
The waterfall is tucked away to the right as you come down the steps onto the beach and is only accessible at low tide. Like Porth Cadjack, the water drops straight off the cliff in a single fall, but here it lands in a small cove at the far end of the beach where you can stand on a big, smooth rock and just take it in.
This is one of those spots that feels completely off the radar. Quiet, raw and a bit harder to reach, but that’s exactly what makes it so good.
I spent the 2025 summer solstice down here and it was easily one of the best nights of the year. If you want to see how to find it then check out a video I made on this trip for my socials.
Best for: A hidden, low tide waterfall on a wild stretch of coast that most people miss
What3words: ///chromatic.warnings.arts
3️⃣ Speke’s Mill Mouth Waterfall – Devon
Speke’s Mill Mouth does not disappoint. It’s one of the most famous waterfalls in North Devon, dropping around 60ft straight down into a plunge pool that’s just begging to be jumped into.
What makes it even better is that this isn’t just one waterfall. The main drop is the showstopper, but further down the valley the water continues in a series of cascades before eventually spilling out into the sea.
It’s perfectly positioned right on the South West Coast Path on the Hartland Quay headland, and only about a 20 minute walk from Stoke Barton Farm Campsite. That makes it an unreal spot to tie into an evening walk, especially with the sunsets over Lundy.
The sheer size and power of this waterfall make it feel properly grand. It’s one of those places that really sticks with you.
Best for: A dramatic, multi stage waterfall on the coast path with epic scale and sunset views
What3words: ///stag.liked.hockey
4️⃣ The Clovelly Waterfall – Devon
Clovelly Waterfall is well known, but very few people actually take the time to walk along the stony beach to find it, and even fewer step underneath it.
On a hot day, this place is unreal. I visited on one of the hottest days of the year in 2025, and after the steep descent down into Clovelly from the coast path, it felt like the perfect reward.
Clovelly itself is an incredible old cobbled village with no vehicles on its streets, and this waterfall is fed from the gardens above. It drops straight onto the beach where the stones are huge, smooth and perfect on tired feet.
Pair it with a dip in the sea and you’ve got one of the best reset spots on the coast. The water here warms up quickly in summer too, thanks to the sun baked rocks, which just adds to it.
What3words: ///fattening.pancake.requires
1️⃣ Mullion Cliffs – Cornwall
This is my favourite reading spot in Cornwall, and easily one of my favourite places to sit and do absolutely nothing.
Perched right on the South West Coast Path on Mullion Cliffs on the Lizard, this spot delivers everything. A good book, a cold beer and a sunset that stretches out over Land’s End and beyond the Isles of Scilly.
It’s incredibly peaceful up here. Quiet, exposed and completely immersive. The kind of place where you can properly switch off, get lost in a book and just let the hours drift by as the sun drops into the sea.
It’s also surprisingly under the radar. You won’t find crowds here, just open space, big views and that feeling of having stumbled onto something special.
Best for: Switching off with a book, a beer and one of the best sunset views in Cornwall
What3words: ///surging.watching.snowy
