South West Coast Path Run

South West Coast Path Run

A truly epic trail running holiday along England’s longest waymarked trail, from Minehead to Poole.

3 to 8 nights
630 miles
Easy / Moderate to Strenuous

From £390 per person

Find your holiday

About the trail

At 630 miles (1,014 km), the South West Coast Path is England’s longest National Trail and has good claim to being the most spectacular too.

The route spans a wonderful variety of running, over rugged clifftops, around sheltered coves, harbours, fishing villages and across heather moorland. Out here, you’ll find stirring views over the open sea and the British countryside, alongside devilish daily mileages.

It’s not just the distance that daunts, though: the route constantly rises and falls and will leave your calves whimpering. In fact, it’s more common for runners to attempt it one chunk at a time rather than all in one go.

We offer the South West Coast Path in sections, allowing you to piece together the most suitable route for your time and stamina. Of course, if you’re prepared for the challenge of the whole route, you can run these sections consecutively to cover the entire 630-mile trail.

Choose your route

  • This route includes dog friendly tour options North Devon Run
  • Cornwall's Atlantic Coast - North Run
  • Dorset Run
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options South Cornwall Run
  • South Devon Run
  • Cornwall's Atlantic Coast - South Run
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options South West Cornwall Run
  • Tor Bay and East Devon Run
  • Far West of Cornwall Run

Dog friendly tours available

Dogs are welcome on select routes along this trail. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your holiday.

Walking tours available

We also organise walking holidays along this route. Find out more.

About this route

4 to 8 nights
88 miles
Easy / Moderate to Demanding
2nd January to 24th December
Includes Dog-Friendly Tours

From £520 per person

North Devon Run

The first leg of the South West Coast Path charges along the coastline of North Devon, a trail running holiday through dramatic landscapes lashed by the sea. Demanding climbs and descents are a staple on the first half of the route out of Minehead, swooping along the highest coastline in England. But the route softens as your holiday progresses. Enjoy a peaceful jog through oak woodland and sweeping sandy beaches on your way to the route’s end in Westward Ho!

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
R-NDEV1 From Minehead to Westward Ho!(L) 4 nights, 3 days running Demanding £520
R-NDEV2 From Minehead to Westward Ho!(L) 5 nights, 4 days running Moderate / Demanding £635
R-NDEV3 From Minehead to Westward Ho!(L) 6 nights, 5 days running Moderate £710
R-NDEV4 From Minehead to Westward Ho!(L) 8 nights, 7 days running Easy / Moderate £900

North Devon Trail Run 4 nights, 3 days running

£NNN per person
  • Itinerary
  • What's included?
  • Extra nights?
  • Tour facts
  • Route profile
  • Travel info
  • Weather
  • Holiday Highlights
Start

Travel to Minehead where your first night's accommodation will be booked

Day 1

Minehead to Heddon's Mouth(L). 28 miles (45km) / 5771 ft (1759 m) ascent

Day 2

Heddon's Mouth(L) to Croyde. 27 miles (43.5km) / 5039 ft (1536 m) ascent

Day 3

Croyde to Westward Ho!(L). 33 miles (52.5km) / 1263 ft (385 m) ascent

Finish

Depart from Westward Ho!(L) after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

Overnight stops marked with an (L) have very limited accommodation, and therefore more often than not will also require a transfer, particularly on bank holidays and weekends. We will use non-transfer accommodation wherever possible.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation in most cases; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard if practical. A very limited number of stops will require you to travel on foot up to two miles off the trail, however these instances will be clearly communicated to you if applicable.

Further transfers may also be required due to some accommodations having a two-night minimum booking policy, especially at weekends.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog-friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Traveller Supplement
£60.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£50.00 per person / per night


You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Heddon's Mouth(L))
Price on request
Standard
Interactive
© Contours Walking Holidays North Devon Run map
Minehead to Westward Ho!
88 miles (141 km)
2nd January to 24th December

Holiday highlights

Scaling the highest coastline in England, with spectacular views at Foreland Point and Great Hangman.

Spying wild ponies out across the purple moors of Exmoor and a wealth of birdlife in North Devon's Biosphere Reserve.

Taking in the sandstone pinnacles at the Valley of Rocks and the dramatic gorge at Heddon Mouth.

What's included?

  • 4 nights' accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
  • Breakfast each day.
  • Door to door luggage transfer.
  • Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

An extra night gives you the chance to explore some of the towns and villages along the trail or to relax and give those weary legs a rest.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Heddon's Mouth(L))
Price on request

Tour Facts

Total distance: 88 miles (141 km)
Duration: 4 nights, 3 days running
Minimum daily distance: 27 miles (43.5 km)
Maximum daily distance: 33 miles (52.5 km)
Code: R-NDEV1 Grade: Demanding
Season: 2nd January - 24th December
Start of holiday: Minehead
End of holiday: Westward Ho!(L)

Route Profile

North Devon Trail Run Route Profile

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major city and international airports are Exeter, Bristol and Newquay.

By Rail - The nearest rail station to the start of the trail (Minehead) is at Taunton (about 24.5 miles away). The nearest rail station to the end of the trail (Westward Ho!) is at Barnstaple (about 10 miles away).

By Bus - Buses run to Minehead from Taunton Monday to Saturday only, so a taxi will be required on a Sunday. Buses run from Westward Ho! to Barnstaple all week.

From London - Trains run from London Paddington station to Taunton. From there a bus/taxi will be required to Minehead.

Return To The Start - The public transport route to return to the start of the trail is to take a bus/taxi to Barnstaple rail station. From there trains run to Taunton, from where a bus/taxi will be required to Minehead. This journey takes a very long time, but could be shortened by taking a taxi each end instead of the buses, or consider taking a taxi the whole way.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

  • MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
  • Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
  • Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.