First Light from near Land’s End, Cornwall. Photographer, Krzysztof Nowakowski.
We consider the South West Coast Path to be one of the top
walks to be found anywhere in the world. Where else can you
walk along 630 miles of such superb coastline? The heritage,
wildlife,
geology
and scenery
along the way are truly inspirational and every day walking
it brings stunning new experiences.
The high quality of all these aspects of the South West Coast Path corridor is reflected in the array of official designations it has collected over the years. As it threads its way around the coastline, the Coast Path passes through five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, seventeen Heritage Coasts, a National Park, two World Heritage Sites, a UNESCO Geopark and Britain’s first UNESCO Biosphere reserve.
However don’t take our word for it – here’s what other people have said about the path:
When the readers of Country Walking magazine,
Britain’s biggest-selling walking magazine, were invited
to vote for Britain’s Greatest Walk,
the South West Coast Path was a clear winner, with their reporter,
Jenny Walters describing the path as "630 miles of
unparalleled gorgeousness".
Travel writers and photographers Clare Jones and Steve Watkins
picked just 30 classic walking routes for their book, Unforgettable
Walks to Take Before You Die
published by the BBC. They spent nine months traveling to
24 countries on 5 continents to find the world’s most
inspiring, spectacular and beautiful trails. Their book ranks
the South West Coast Path alongside experiences such as New
Zealand’s Routeburn Track, and hiking the Inca Trail
in Peru.
When asked why they had included the Coast Path, Steve enthused:
“Throughout a whole year of walking around the world,
I was hard pressed to find anywhere that matched the natural
drama and stunningly beautiful light along the South West
Coast Path. You can’t beat it for the sheer diversity
of landscapes and the chance to experience some truly wild
and beautiful coastal scenery. And you can do anything from
a half-day walk to all 630 miles.”
Drawing on the knowledge, passion and miles traveled by Lonely
Planet’s staff and authors, Best
in Travel 2009
highlights the best places to go and things to do around the
world and includes the South West Coast Path as one of their
world's best walks. "Along its route, you'll find
Mediterranean-turquoise bays, historic ruined tin mines, a
rock-hewn abbey on its own island, surf beaches, deserted
beaches, grey seals and basking sharks, and the best Cornish
pasties in the land. Eight weeks should cover the lot, but
many attempt it in shorter sections and however you try, it
won't disappoint."
Sarah Baxter who wrote the chapter has spent the past six
year’s writing, trekking and travelling the world for
Wanderlust magazine, where she is currently deputy editor.
She’s fond of water in all its forms, having snorkeled
with killer whales in Arctic Norway, floated among glow worms
in New Zealand’s caves and touched the snows of Kilimanjaro.
But, she reckons, "nothing beats standing on a cliff,
pasty in hand after hiking a chunk of the South West Coast
Path." |
