Walks in South West England
Walks in the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire
Being a northerner most of my walking is naturally done in areas close to home but there are other parts of Great Britain which have a special attraction to me. The counties of South West England are such places for not only do they have fabulous coastlines and the iconic South West Coast Path to draw walkers from far and wide but they have many inland treats too such as Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor, Exmoor, the Quantock Hills, the Blackdown Hills, the Mendips and the Dorset Downs. I can't access them often but when I do I enjoy them to the full as this selection of spectacular walks demonstrates. And keep checking out this section, I aim to add more and more walks to it in the future.
Interactive map of the walks
| Walk | Miles | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Avebury Stone Circle, The Sanctuary, West Kennett Long Barrow and Silsbury Hill | 5.4 | Quite simply this is the most famous ancient archaelogical walk in England. |
| Bodmin Moor | 11.0 | A lovely walk on the north side of Bodmin Moor starting from Five Lanes to the heights of Brown Willy and Rough Tor. |
| Looe to Fowey | 12.2 | Bridge the two popular coastal towns on a twelve mile walk with Polperro a lovely halfway point for lunch. |
| Penzance to Land's End | 15.2 | Mousehole and Lamorna Cove are highlights of the day, before Land's End of course. |
| Coverack to Mullion | 15.4 | A quite long day on the South West Coast Path but there is the highlight of a visit to Lizard Point on the route. |
| Yes Tor and High Willhays | 15.4 | A wonderful walk from Sticklepath onto the wonderful landscape of north Dartmoor and a visit to it's inspiring twin peaks. |
| Mawnan Smith to Coverack | 16.4 | A moderate walk on a section of the South West Coast Path with a short boat trip across Helford River. |
| Kingsand to Looe | 17.3 | A 16 mile walk on Cornwalls spectacular south east coastline with Rame Head and Kereval Beach being highlights. |
| Mullion to Penzance | 19.5 | A spectacular section of the Cornish Coastal Path with disused tin mines and St Michael's Mount to enjoy during the day. |
| Portloe to Mawnan Smith | 20.8 | A fourteen mile coast path walk with the delight of a rest while taking the water taxi across Falmouth Bay. |
| Fowey to Portloe | 28.9 | A monster coastal walk for the super fit only, this 27 mile epic is a serious undertaking and a real challenge. |
| From the Great British Walk | ||
| Bath to Compton Martin | 20.7 | Bath, Prior Park, Dunkerton, Carlingcott, Camerton, Radford, Paulton, Hallatrow, Temple Cloud, Hinton Blewitt, West Harptree, Compton Martin. |
| Compton Martin to Axbridge | 9.3 | Compton Blewitt, Hazel Park, Blackmoor Nature Reserve, Velvet Bottom, Black Rock, Cheddar Gorge, Cheddar, Axbridge. |
| Axbridge to Burnham on Sea | 14.9 | Axbridge, Strawberry Line, King's Wood, Wavering Down, West Mendip Way, Crook Peak, Webbington, Loxton, Bleadon, Berrow, Burnham on Sea. |
| Burnham on Sea to Bridgwater | 11.7 | Burnham on Sea, River Parrett, Bridgwater Bay, Alstone, Huntspill, Stretcholt, Bridgwater. |
| Bridgwater to Wellington | 19.2 | Bridgwater, King;s Cliff, Rooks Castle Wood, Kingston St Mary, Norton Hillfort, Norton Fitzwarren, River Tone, Bradford on Tone, Wellington. |
| Wellington to Tiverton | 16.4 | Wellington, Great Western Canal, Harpford Bridge, Cothay Manor, Waytown Limekilns, Ayshford Chapel, Sampford Peverell, Halberton, East Manley, Tiverton. |
| Tiverton to Morchard Bishop | 14.2 | Tiverton, River Exe, Black Down, Way Village, Poughill, Binneford Water, Kennerleigh, Barton Cross, Morchard Bishop. |
| Morchard Bishop to South Zeal | 17.1 | Morchard Bishop, Two Moors Way, Down St Mary, Tuckingmill, Zeal Monachorum, North Tawton, Tarka Trail, Taw Green, South Tawton, South Zeal. |
| South Zeal to Stowford | 19.9 | South Zeal, Stickleback, Belkstone Cleave, Dartmoor, Scarey Tor, Rowtor, Yes Tor, High Willhays, Meldon Reservoir, Sourton Taws, Tor Wood, Granite Way, Crandford Brook, Watergate, Lewtrenchard, Stowford. |
| Stowford to Five Lanes | 17.0 | Stowford, Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre, River Wolf, Lifton, River Tamar, Launceston, Tregadillett, Polyphant, Five Lanes. |
| Five Lanes to St Breward | 9.6 | Five Lanes, Altarnun, Trewint Downs, Leskernick Hill, Bodmin Moor, Source of River Fowey, Brown Willy, Rough Tor, Fenacre Stone Circle, Churchtown, St Breward. |
| St Breward to Indian Queens | 21.0 | St Breward, Lower Lank, Wenford Dries. Camel Trail, Shell Woods, Boscarne Junction, Tremorebridge, Demelza, Tregonetha, Indian Queens. |
| Indian Queens to Truro | 13.9 | Indian Queens, Penhale, St Enoder, Mitchell, Trispen, Lanner Mill, Idless Woods, Truro. |
| Truro to Gweek | 15.9 | Truro, Ponsanooth, Polkanuggo, Halvosso, Constantine, Gweek. |
| Gweek to Lizard Point | 14.5 | Gweek, Mawgan, Poldhu Cove, Mullion Cove, Predannack Head, Kynance Cove, Lizard Point. |
| Walk | Miles |
|---|---|
| Avebury Stone Circle, The Sanctuary, West Kennett Long Barrow and Silsbury Hill | 5.4 |
| Bodmin Moor | 11.0 |
| Looe to Fowey | 12.2 |
| Penzance to Land's End | 15.2 |
| Coverack to Mullion | 15.4 |
| Yes Tor and High Willhays | 15.4 |
| Mawnan Smith to Coverack | 16.4 |
| Kingsand to Looe | 17.3 |
| Mullion to Penzance | 19.5 |
| Portloe to Mawnan Smith | 20.8 |
| Fowey to Portloe | 28.9 |
| From the Great British Walk | |
| Bath to Compton Martin | 20.7 |
| Compton Martin to Axbridge | 9.3 |
| Axbridge to Burnham on Sea | 14.9 |
| Burnham on Sea to Bridgwater | 11.7 |
| Bridgwater to Wellington | 19.2 |
| Wellington to Tiverton | 16.4 |
| Tiverton to Morchard Bishop | 14.2 |
| Morchard Bishop to South Zeal | 17.1 |
| South Zeal to Stowford | 19.9 |
| Stowford to Five Lanes | 17.0 |
| Five Lanes to St Breward | 9.6 |
| St Breward to Indian Queens | 21.0 |
| Indian Queens to Truro | 13.9 |
| Truro to Gweek | 15.9 |
| Gweek to Lizard Point | 14.5 |
Feedback and Suggestions:
I am always pleased to received feedback on the structure and content of the website. I also welcome suggestions on how I can improve the website which may include new areas to cover, new walks or route alterations to existing walks. To contact me with feedback and/ or suggestions please complete the Walking Englishman Feedback Form. Thank you.
(Note: Walking without proper preparation can be dangerous. Information and downloads on this website are provided free of charge; it is each walker's responsibility to check the material and use accordingly. Postscript: My walk reports are not route guides and should not be treated as such. They are written with personal reflections of my walks)
