A Coastal Adventure

Mike Hancock, SWCPA member and fundraiser, set off from Minehead on 11 June aiming to complete the path in a month, which he achieved on 11 July – an amazing feat! This article, written by Mike, is a brilliant account of his journey and there’s some top tips included for anyone seeking to walk/ run the Path solo.

There are many avenues to research ahead of undertaking a challenge such as the South West Coast Path. On YouTube there are journeys by Easy Dexter, Jon Poulter or others, there is Raynor Winn’s Salt Path – which seems to have inspired a generation of German hikers. There is the SWCP Association’s own guides and planners and many more experiences. Ultimately, it is not a complex or technically challenging pathway, it is long at 630 miles (the equivalent of the driving distance from Dover to Inverness ), it is massively overgrown in places and there is no question that some of the sections are enough to make a grown adult squeak, but if you can keep putting one foot in front of the other then you can complete the path.

It is truly amazing and a wonderful experience

Whether you decide to take it in sections over 10 years or whack the path all in one go, you will come across people doing it faster, slower, longer and harder. The preparation and equipment you take can make an enormous difference and with end to end through hikers, I have seen everything from Jacob Fuchs with his thorough assessment, selection and minimalist equipment fully loaded with emergency rations and water at 6.5kgs, through to youngsters on Duke of Edinburgh programmes and older hikers carrying upward of 18 to 20kgs. I would strongly recommend against the latter. This is a strenuous pathway and at times is darn right nasty, you must be brutal in your equipment selection and minimise to essentials. 

If you are taking more than a good pack, sleep bag, liner, air mat and tent (if camping), cold soaking set up and essential emergency food, day snacks (peanuts, energy bars, your own trail mix) change of clothes, first aid kit, wash kit, trowel and paper, chargers and cables, good knife and spork, sun lotion and after sun, then you may be over doing it. Those extra kilos will weigh 10 times more up in North Devon. Over the first few days on the Path, I experimented with my kits and reduced gear I was not using and packed up at least 3 or 4 kgs of “essential” stuff and sent it home by post. It made such a difference and was gear I was not likely to use anyway. At 10kgs loaded with 1.2 litres of water, I was ready for the Hartland Quay to Bude section, which I think was designed by the Marines in consultation with the creator…  Once you have mastered that piece, the rest of the route is a pleasure to behold.

Weighing it up

Weight is everything and being ready to be able to walk the distance you plan to walk for as many days as it takes. I was extremely lucky to fall in with a few guys moving at my pace and although we often hiked separately, we were covering 20 plus miles a day. Jakob and Steve were good foils to keep the challenge exciting, sit down at the end of the end of the day and talk about the experience with and rehydrate. 

Best foot(wear) forward

What you wear on your feet is a key decision and everyone has their own opinion regards ankle protection, weather proofing or lightweight dry fast trail shoes. I went for trail shoes, would do it again and managed to get away with only the loss of a few toenails and shin splints on the last few days. Clearly always go for a good size more than you normally wear and remember that most of the wet getting in your shoes is rain, dew and drops from the overgrowth on the path not from boggy or wet terrain at this time of year. You need to have something you can dry easily and keep your feet in as good a condition as you can. They are the key to reaching the end of your quest.

Keeping hydrated 

Along the path there were perhaps two or three short sections where water was a challenge to replace, and as such I would suggest 1 to 1.5 litres is often enough, even wild camping. Water is weight (1 litre = 1kg ) so consider in your planning. Meals and snacks along the path are readily available and often not much more than the cost of rehydrated foods. Most of the hikers I spoke with focused on emergency rations of 1 day and grazed as far as they travelled. This was not an issue along the way and to be honest I had some amazing and cheap meals and snacks. I must highlight the Harbour House Coffee shop at Porlock Weir for the best flat white and bacon sarnie of the trip, best Sausage Roll at the Snack Shack on the prom at Woolacombe, Vega vegan cafe in Tintagel had the most incredible vegetarian curry & dhal and desserts, and the pizza award has to go to Bigbury Bay Pizzas at Mount Folly Farm with their mobile pizza oven. The added benefit being the amazing bread in the morning from the left-over pizza dough. Moving on after only a night was a hard call. I would have loved to have had more ice cream but with a scoop being up to £3.80 I had other things to prioritise. The Salcombe Dairy Madagascan vanilla was pretty special when I did splash out….😁

Fundraising Challenge

I managed my hike as part of a retirement plan to give a little back and keep myself out of trouble for a few weeks. Supporting the SWC Path Charity, RNLI, and London Air Ambulance.  I have been stunned by the generosity of people before I started and along the route. Richard T, Tracy Bond, Sue, Judy, Helen and Vera, Ben, Carole and Mike, my friends, family, work colleagues and a few friends of friends were all incredible and supportive. We collectively raised over £10,000 with at least £4,000 going direct to supporting this amazing pathway. 

I have to thank Kim, Pam, Sonja, Trish, Rob, Robin, Rebecca, Mark, Jayne and John, Em, Jo & Puddle and Bolly who all went out of their way to join me on the walk and helped with logistics along the way. Having friends join you with your challenge even for a few hours is a great boost. 

Also, and finally to my family – Liz, Robyn and Simon, Christie and Jamie and Jack and Elle who have helped me with planning, laughed at my technical illiteracy and helped set up the Instagram diary and supported with encouragement along the way – your turn now…♥️

This has not only been a pathway but a journey through eons of time as you pass the different views of geology and landscape of our South West Coastline. It is truly awe inspiring and you really don’t feel the miles for the distraction of sights and sounds. Sea lions calling in the sea mist, seals chasing fish up onto the beaches, sparrow hawks and kestrels hovering and hunting and the owls hooting above your tent all night. It has been so good to keep the sea at your side. 

The South West Coast Path 

Forged by Time.

Sculptured by nature.

Fleetingly travelled by the fortunate few. 

by Mike Hancock 

Are you feeling inspired?

Do you want to set off on a Coast Path challenge and help raise funds for the Path you’ll be travelling along? Go to our website for more information and support: https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/Get-involved/challenge/