Taunton Deane group has completed this 600 + mile epic twice before, so when you find a good thing, why not repeat it? Leader and organiser is John Lowe – repeating his efforts of the first trip – while Ken Burgess did much of the organisation of the last one.

For those wishing to follow him the path in whole or in part, this is a brief outline of the stages. John expects it to take around four years, so the older members had better order up their wheelchairs for the final stages.

For those who want all the gory detail there is an official website run from Exeter. This as you will see describes it as "One of the world's greatest walks", which may be overgilding the lily a little, but undeniably it does provide superb scenery for much of its length.

The Official Distance is 630 miles, including the bit round Portland Bill (lot of funny people there, it is alleged). If you were to do it in one go, it would take 7-8 weeks. It starts from Minehead and as long as you keep the sea on your right hand, you'll eventually finish at Poole. Who needs a map? In the meantime you will climb 115000 feet – about four times the height of Everest – cross 17 large rivers – 15 by seasonal ferry – and consume an awful lot of Mars bars.

The first walk was started in February 1997 and 26 stages later completed in September 2000.

The early stages till the party reaches Clovelly will be done as day trips. (As you walk through Westward Ho! remember Bill Bryson not wishing to stay the night in an ejaculation). From then on weekend parties staying at known B & Bs or small hotels are the order of the day. Early booking is therefore essential. Being linear walks you will be picked up by coach from the Crescent car park in Taunton, normally at 8.30am, wafted to the start and picked up at the finish. Simple.

The first stage was walked in December (Minehead to Porlock Weir: pictures right) but from here on the dates booked are:

28th March: Porlock Weir - Lynmouth, 12½m

18th April: Lynmouth - Combe Martin, 12¾m

23rd May: Combe Martin - Woolacombe, 13m

20th June: Woolacombe - Braunton, 16 miles

25th July: Braunton - Instow 12 miles

29th August: Instow - Westward Ho!, 11 miles

26th September: Westward Ho! - Clovelly, 11 miles, hilly.

SWCP expert leader John Lowe, at the start

This is your first day's walk: Porlock Bay in sight

And from the archives, here's one report from Mr John Ollerenshaw (Area Publicity)

A Walk on the Wild Side
Earlier this year our group, Taunton Deane, took up the challenge of the longest of long distance footpaths, the South West Way. Our last venture for 1997 was to walk from Clovelly around Bude and thus enter Cornwall.
On Saturday morning a small group set out from Hartland Quay Hotel to tackle the two planned stages. Clovelly to Hartland Point gave us a taste of things to come when we had to scramble across the ford at Mouthmill. The small stream was now a spate, this proved a bonus for later in the day, as the many streams disgorging into the surging Atlantic were fine cascades and waterfalls.
Having passed the huge mushroom (radar dome) at Hartland Point, the scenery and gradients rose considerably. Successive headlands and rocky coves arched away into the distance, each one apparently exceeding the other in rugged beauty and grandeur. We strode passed Hartland Quay in order to shorten the next day’s walk, and although the wind got up making us struggle at times our spirits were buoyed up by the sun's appearance and the glorious sheen on the seething sea. Back to the hotel, tea, a bath, a meal and pints in the aptly named Wreckers bar completed a splendid day.
Driving to Bude the next day made us realise the wisdom of shortening the distance to be walked by Saturday's extra effort. As we strode southwards the headlands grew larger and graphic evidence of cliff collapse was visible. The steps down to Strawberry Water seemed endless, but were soon forgotten in an exchange of jokes. Summer flowers still bloomed in sheltered spots even Spring Sea Campion and Thrift.
Cornwall beckoned beyond the bridge over Marshland Water and with it another climb and descent. The next ascent was along the second highest cliff in England, and believe me, it looked it! Lunch was taken above a quaint hut that once belonged to the rector of Morwenston, the notorious Reverend Hawker, who apparently compiled his sermons here gazing out to sea and smoking opium. Soon great white discs appeared over the brow of the hills; no Martians alas but MOD's creations.
The path at Steeple Point seemed to want to continue into the sea but eventually drooped and curved around the pleasant named Duckpool. The following climb, through gorse and heather, to Warren Point was thankfully the last stiff climb of e day as thereafter the undulations diminished and sandy beaches appeared. Bude was in sight and on a thrilling and most satisfying walk came to an end.
As we drove home the ache of weary limbs was most forgotten in contemplation of our triumph over this wonderful stretch of rugged coastline – why not join us next time?