The South West Coast Path. Paddy Dillon
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in planning and enjoying a successful walk.
Maps and GPS
In print, a dozen OS 1:50,000 scale Landranger sheets cover the entire route: 180, 181, 190, 192, 193, 194, 195, 200, 201, 202, 203 and 204. The OS 1:25,000 scale Explorer Series covers the entire route in 16 sheets: 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 110, 111, 115, 116, 126, 139, OL9, OL15 and OL20.
Three Cicerone map booklets contain detailed 1:25,000 OS mapping of the South West Coast Path. They are: Vol 1 Minehead to St Ives; Vol 2 St Ives to Plymouth; Vol 3 Plymouth to Poole.
Harvey Maps, www.harveymaps.co.uk, covers the South West Coast Path in three waterproof sheets, at a scale of 1:40,000, as part of their National Trail series.
Increasingly, walkers are making use of mobile devices and navigation apps that combine GPS and OS mapping. While this saves considerable weight, users must ensure that their devices are regularly charged to be effective.
Time and tide
If the tide allows, it is worth going down to the beach at Bedruthan Steps (Stage 14)
The old proverb states that ‘time and tide wait for no man’, and this is true on the South West Coast Path. If planning a fairly rigid schedule along the route, then be sure to obtain up-to-date tide tables, which can be purchased at shops and tourist information offices. Tide times are often posted at RNLI lifeboat stations and lifeguard cabins, as well as at harbour offices. Do not walk along beaches at the foot of cliffs when there’s a danger of being cut off by the rising tide, and avoid wading across tidal channels if a ferry is available. The River Erme, which has no ferry, can cause considerable delays when walkers have to wait for low water.
Take careful note of any stretches of the route that run along beaches. High, pebbly storm beaches are likely to be safe most of the time, except, as their name suggests, during fearsome storms. Marshes tend to get covered by the highest tides, but are free of water at most other times. Lower-lying beaches, expansive sands and mudflats are subject to twice-daily inundation, which can bring progress to a halt. Usually, this might only be for an hour, but in some places it could be longer. If walking along beaches while the tide is rising, always ensure that you can escape inland if necessary.
The ‘Three Rocks’ are prominent red sandstone stacks at Ladram Bay (Stage 38)
Tides depend primarily on the position of the Moon relative to the Earth, centrifugal force, and to a lesser degree, the position of the Sun. Rather than trying to understand the astronomical and physical data, just refer to current tide tables, or check www.tidetimes.org.uk and bear in mind the following:
high water occurs in cycles approximately every 12 hours and 25 minutes
low water occurs in cycles approximately every 12 hours and 25 minutes
spring tides rise higher than neap tides and both occur about a week apart
tide tables are usually quoted in GMT, so add one hour for BST in summer
tide tables are actually tide ‘predictions’, so use the data provided carefully, and
strong onshore winds and low air pressure cause additional storm surges.
Looking at the above, beware of any beach walks that are likely to take place when tides are rising, and more particularly when spring tides are forecast. It’s best to avoid beach walks altogether when high tides are forecast to coincide with strong onshore gales. In recent winters, several stretches of the South West Coast Path were damaged, requiring substantial repairs during 2014 and 2015.
Waymarking and paths
The South West Coast Path is waymarked, but route-finding is still important
The South West Coast Path is a National Trail, so it’s well signposted and waymarked from start to finish. Signposts may simply state ‘Coast Path’, or waymark posts may carry nothing more than a direction arrow and an ‘acorn’ symbol. Some signposts will give destinations further along the trail, and may also indicate the distances to those places. In urban areas, where the route may turn left and right in quick succession through busy streets, there might be no signposts, or they may be lost among other distracting signs and notices. In some cases, metal ‘acorn’ discs might be set into the pavement, or ‘acorn’ stickers might be applied to lamp posts. It’s often the case that route-finding is more difficult in urban areas than it is on a remote stretch of coast!
The South West Coast Path is exceptionally well maintained, but a coastal trail of this length will always require attention somewhere along its course. In some cases, stretches that get overgrown will be cut back once or twice a year. Damage to signposts, stiles and footbridges won’t be attended to until someone reports them. If a problem is spotted, report it using the online facility on the South West Coast Path website (www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk), and in the author’s experience, they’ll probably respond within two days and tell you they fixed a minor problem!
Damage to the path itself may result in diversions, if it becomes dangerous to continue. Serious problems take longer to fix. Any detours put in place should be clearly marked, and information should be available on the website. Problems that can’t be fixed will result in permanent re-alignment of the route, so beware if using an old map or guidebook.
Rescue services
Rescue services can be alerted by dialling 999 (or the European emergency number 112) from any telephone. On some popular beaches there may be a phone dedicated as an emergency line. The coastguard service is able to coordinate assistance from the police, ambulance, fire service and lifeboat as necessary. You cannot call for a helicopter, but based on the information you provide, one of the emergency services may request a helicopter to assist. Always give as much information as possible, especially as to the location and nature of an accident, then await further instructions.
Walkers don’t often suffer accidents on the Coast Path, but it makes sense to walk with care near cliff edges and always be on the lookout for unstable edges, landslips and rockfalls. Tread carefully on steep and uneven paths. Always check the weather forecast and be aware that heavy rain or strong winds can make walking difficult or even dangerous.
Walkers who want to go swimming should read the warning notices posted at the most popular beaches, and check local conditions with lifeguards if they are present. In out-of-the-way places, don’t go swimming without a good understanding of the nature of the sea.
Nare Head, seen in the distance from a point before Pendower Beach (Stage 25)
Safety on the Coast Path
As well as following the Countryside Code, when you are walking the South West Coast Path, always remember to follow the advice provided on the official South West Coast Path website.
Staying safe is your own responsibility – look after yourself and other members of your group
Let someone know where you’re going and what time you’re likely to be back – mobile phone reception is patchy on the coast.
Take something to eat and drink.
Protect yourself from the sun – sea breezes can hide its strength.
Informal paths leading to beaches can be dangerous and are best avoided.
If you’re crossing a beach,