83 days – October 2021 with Covid behind us, 4 friends set out from Minehead.
630 miles and 83 days later, October 2025 – 4 cherished friends arrive at South Haven Point.
An amazing walk on a stunning coastline, but more than that, an adventure and experience.
Beautiful times always keeping the sea on the right.
Happy days, tough days, some wet and windy
It was a shame about Paul’s boots!
Hundreds of signposts- sometimes not enough. Emma – can you make a note of that.
Benches of every shape and size. Andy – another one for the calendar.
From strolls along proms, to clinging to rocks on our knees as the wind roared.
Falmouth was very wet, but I bet it was busy in the Summer!
From Airbnbs to converted barns to B&Bs to a caravan.
Thanks Mr Woodha. Please Mrs B&B can you stop talking we need to dry out.
Cushions and curtains. Didn’t always last the stay. By the way
What’s that nun doing up a stepladder with a chain saw?
But more than just a walk, horse whispering, sheep rescue.
Marines on manoeuvres. A rocket launcher to Ukraine.
And Verity standing tall.
A cliff railway, a short ferry ride, and a pheasant shoot.
Whilst we’ve walked our lives have changed. Families have grown, grandchildren arrived bringing joy.
Sadly, we’ve lost some family and friends. We’ve not let 2 cancers and major surgery get in the way.
But we’ve grown in fitness resilience and endeavour. It’s not often you get to climb the equivalent of Everest four times!
Orchids and bluebells, campions and bearded lichen hanging on trees.
The walk reassured us that flora and nature was alive and well. It was worth buying Emma the I Spy Plant book.
A rare sighting of choughs, seals and skylarks. Kestrels swooping and butterflies galore.
Just for a while we felt nature was not being worn down by man.
83 days – we couldn’t have done it without walking together.
With Fiona and Emma planning the routes and places to stay, the spreadsheets were brilliant.
Food and supplies, games in the evenings – with the guys winning through (I wrote the lines – so it may not be true).
Cheese and chutney, flapjack, and peanut loaf. Coffee and tea in bed early in the mornings. Not enough ice creams.
But nevertheless, it was 83 days we’ll never forget.
For the coastline, but more for our memories and friendship.
And now… Where do we go next?
Written by Emma Charlton
4 friends
4 years
83 days
630 miles
Paul & Emma Charlton
Andy & Emma Griffiths
from Sidmouth, East Devon
A huge thank you to Emma for sharing their South West Coast Path journey.
Emma and Paul are members of the Association and we invite our members to share their completer journey in our bi-annual magazine, Trailblazing. Becoming a member helps support the Path and the work we do, with 50% of membership going directly to the Path – if you’ve enjoyed walking the Path, why not give back as a member and keep in touch with all the Path news. FIND OUT MORE AND JOIN.
Header Image: Durdle Door, Dorset by Nikola Hudakova
The South West Coast Path 