Travel Information

Crossing the Camel Estuary - the Black Tor Ferry

It is easy to get to the South West Coast Path by road and rail and there are also a number of air and ferry services.

Bristol (60 miles/97 km from Minehead end of the Path)
Bournemouth (6 miles/10km from Poole Harbour end of the Path)
Exeter (approx 11 miles/18km from the Path in East and South Devon)
Plymouth (on the Path)
Newquay (on the Path)

For more information see www.visitsouthwest.co.uk

Plymouth (on the Path) - from France and Spain
Poole (5 miles/8km from Poole Harbour end of the Path) - from France
Minehead, Ilfracombe, Lynmouth (on the Path) - from South Wales and Bristol

Both ends of the Path can be reached from London by a combination of train and bus:
To get to the Minehead end of the Path, take a train to Taunton (about 2 hours from London), and then a bus or bus and train to Minehead (about 1 ¼ hours).
To reach the Poole Harbour end of the Path, take a train to Bournemouth (about 1 ¾ hours from London), and then two buses to South Haven Point via Sandbanks ferry (about 1 hour)
Barnstaple, Newquay, Hayle, St Ives, Penzance, Falmouth, Par, Looe, Plymouth, Paignton, Dawlish, Exmouth, Weymouth and Swanage are towns along the Path with a rail service

The following towns along the route of the Path are served by long distance coach/bus:
Minehead, Ilfracombe, Braunton, Barnstaple, Fremington, Instow, Bideford, Northam, Westward Ho!, Bude, Newquay, Perranporth, St Agnes, Hayle, Carbis Bay, St Ives, Penzance, St Erth, Porthleven, Mullion, Lizard, Falmouth, (St Austell), Plymouth, Brixham, Paignton, Torquay, Teignmouth, Dawlish, Starcross, Sidmouth, Lyme Regis, Charmouth, (Bridport), Weymouth, Swanage.

For more information (including timetables and fares) about travelling to South West England by any of these methods, see www.visitsouthwest.co.uk/.

The south west is well served by major trunk roads (M5, A303, A30) and most of the gateway start and finish points along the Coast Path are served by a network of A and B roads. However, they can all become very busy during the main summer season.

Car parks are readily available at all coastal towns. At more remote locations along the Coast Path you will find informal car parks, normally managed by landowners or Parish Councils. Some car parks are free, but there are normally charges (Pay & Display, staffed ticket kiosk, honesty box). During the main summer season all parking areas will be busy. If you do choose to drive to your walk start point, you are advised to leave your car in a designated parking area, rather than parking along the roadside. This often hinders other traffic, including local farm vehicles.

If you are planning to walk for two days or more, you will need to arrange longer term car parking; some accommodation establishments may be able to help you, but you are advised to discuss this with the proprietor beforehand.

You can avoid retracing your steps or the hassle of finding somewhere to park the car, by using public transport. If you use a bus or train for a linear walk, it is usually best to do so at the start of your day so that you are free to walk back at your own pace. You can find out what bus and train services are available at www.traveline.info or by telephoning the Traveline, +44 (0) 871 200 22 33.

Another option is to take a taxi, and local firms will be pleased to give a price for the service. Many taxi operators subscribe to the National Taxi Hotline – 0800 654321.

The route of the South West Coast Path meets a lot of rivers as it skirts the coastline and 16 of these are crossed by ferries. Using one of these can make your day out even more memorable. Some of the ferries are seasonal with restricted hours of operation so be sure to check timetables before you set out.

Click here for FERRY INFORMATION [PDF 72Kb]