I think the phrase, recollections may vary, is usually used to describe how different people might remember the same event. However, I came up with the title because I wanted to write a summary post for my time walking the South West Coastal Path and I realised how my thoughts and feelings about it have changed. How sitting here, writing this now, my memories have changed and parts of the experience have been filtered by time. In some of the more extreme changes, parts of the walk that were unpleasant, sometimes even bordering on traumatic, have actually become fond memories. Or, maybe if not fond, memories that I enjoy to look back on and feel a sense of achievement or pride that I overcame adversity or discomfort and, then came back for more. I suppose I think more of the outcome rather the anxiety of the moment which enables a more positive recollection after the event.

I really wanted this post to be about my favourite parts of the coastal path walk. To have a think about some of the places that really stood out to me and maybe even talk about areas that I wasn’t so keen on. But thinking back, I realise that this is quite a difficult thing to do. I think this is because the coast path is long, really long. I know that others have walked the whole coast of the UK, and there are people who have achieved even greater feats, but even so, with over 600 miles of coastline just on this small section alone, there is just too much to take in. And most of it, with very few exceptions, is worth a visit. Thinking this way forces me to realise how lucky I was to have had the opportunity to walk the entire length. I was fortunate that I had the strength and determination along the way to carry on so that I could eventually look back on my achievement. But it was more than that. There really is nothing special about me, I’m pretty average at most things, so hopefully, if I’ve given my friends and family (and anyone unfortunate enough to be reading this) just the spark of an idea that they could do something a little different from their usual day to day activities, then it make this walk even more worthwhile.

So, I’ve now explained what this post won’t be. I suppose I shouldn’t be too disappointed that I can’t go into the virtues of each part of the path and give a kind of review of each section because I am not an author nor a travel correspondent. I think if I was asked ten times which was my favourite part I’d probably come up with a different answer each time. It would depend on my mood or what I was specifically missing at the time I was asked. The good news is that I did record each day on the trail as I did it so that may point towards some of the nicer, and less nice, parts. I’ve put together a sort of chart for each day with some data and with a link to the relevant blog post.

To make up for this lack of review of the coastal path itself I’ve done two things. The first is that I’ve thought about the adventure and written about how I feel about it, about how I would do it differently if I was to do it again, and some of the highs and lows. About how I feel about it now looking back compared with how I was feeling at the time.

The second part is good because it has involved me going on holiday again. Myself and Jenny have gone on a little road trip and have spent 5 days visiting and walking on various parts of the coastal path. We’ve stayed in hotels so it’s a very different experience but it’s been funny and thought provoking returning, and especially nice this time having some company. I’ll write a separate post about that. 

Before I go on, I’ve collated some stats from my hiking on the SWCP. I was talking to Jenny while we were away about how, even though some sections of the path were quite relentless, where as soon as you completed a steep difficult climb, you were quickly presented with another, I tended not to focus on the whole but to tackle each section as it came up. Slow and steady. So if I’d seen these statistics maybe I would have been more nervous approaching the walk but I like to think that I’d have kept the same approach. I find trying not to worry about the difficult sections coming up, just trying your best on the current section is the best approach, and most of all, and I’m really bad at this, just trying to enjoy yourself.

I’ve been wanting to write this summary for some time now but never got around to it. The longer I left it the harder it was to motivate myself to write something, but that was really because I didn’t know where to start. That’s where the idea of going on a holiday, visiting parts of the trail, and hopefully reminiscing came from. Plus, who doesn’t like a holiday. Especially when I get to talk about myself and what I’ve done the whole time. Even I got bored of pointing at a bit of coast path and explaining that I’d walked on it and going on about the trials and tribulations.

However, it worked. Also, whilst compiling the summaries of each day, it reminded me of how great this walk was. How much I’d seen, how far I’d walked. The different emotions I’d experienced. It’s been a really useful exercise and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. Now, I’m going to be a bit cheeky here but I’m going to jump to the end, the conclusion if you like. And that is that, if I could, I’d do it all over again. I’d probably try to avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made, and maybe remove some of the times when I felt uncomfortable or stressed, but even if I couldn’t do that, I would definitely do it all over again. I’d do it tomorrow if I could. There is something really quite special about walking a long trail. And I honestly can’t explain what that is. Sometimes it’s really quite unpleasant but it keeps on dragging you back for more.

My first regret

I wish I could have walked the path all in one. Even when I set off in September 2023 I had a hope that I’d be able to complete it in one go. Unfortunately my start and end dates had been squeezed by events out of my control to such an extent that I would have had to walk 30 miles a day. I’m sure a stronger person could have managed it but it was definitely too much for me. The coastal path is not an easy path, in fact in some places I found it quite tricky, and there are some seriously steep climbs, so being overly ambitious was probably my first mistake. I was always quite keen to push on, sometimes at the sake of my enjoyment, and if I’d had a different mindset when I’d started the walk then I would have reduced the pressure on myself. This really is a lesson I never learnt as I continued to try and push myself to do too many miles, and when I couldn’t, I would feel bad about it. This is definitely not how you should feel about yourself.

I even did it for the last three days on the trail. In fact that was probably one of my more silly decisions. I was at a campsite near Barnstaple where a fellow camper advised me to take five days to get to Minehead. Unfortunately, I’d got it in my head I wanted to finish in three days. And that’s what I managed. But it was really hard work and I should have listened to him.

I suppose I should be pleased that my determination got me through, but I made it really hard for myself, and just taking those extra couple of days would have made it a much more pleasurable experience. I ended up walking over 12 hours a day and rushing. I had no time for anything. I didn’t update my blog for three days because I had no spare capacity. And then that became something I worried about. I really was so foolish. I can think back to numerous times when I could have stopped and spent the night at a nice location, but instead carried on, and in some cases, put myself in a situation where I was losing light with nowhere to camp.

However, I still do wish I could have completed it in one go. I’ve split up the sections below that contain details of each day on the path into three parts to reflect how I completed the SWCP as I don’t want to imply that I did manage it without any gaps. When I go back, I’ll definitely try to do it all without a break, if only so when I meet people on the trail, I don’t have to explain how I’ve split it up. I could just say when I’d left Poole and leave it at that.

The people you meet

Another regret. I don’t stay in touch with people. Maybe this is a good thing as I wouldn’t necessarily know what to say. But, a massive, huge, amazing part of walking the SWCP is meeting people. I’ve not met a single person when I’ve been on a hike that I didn’t like when I spoke to them. They are all so nice. A lot of people are interested in what you’re doing, or comparing notes it they’re doing the same. With fellow backpackers we can talk for hours about what we’ve experienced, tips for what’s coming up (if we’re going in different directions), and numerous other things. I always feel like I talk too much, and get paranoid about it, but it’s not so bad when I’m on the trail.

I think, living in built up places, we can get a feeling that people are unfriendly and sometimes even rude, but on the path this is not the case. It gives you hope that most people are good and nice. I always come back from my trips feeling happier about the world and always much more optimistic.

Being a snail

There is a YouTube channel I sometimes watch in which a couple decided to buy a canal boat and tour the whole of the UK canal network. This is definitely something that I could see myself doing but, unlike hiking, there are currently too many barriers for me to realistically be able to realise that dream. However, I can sort of do it vicariously through them.

They’ve actually completed this challenge now but continue to live and travel on their boat and one of their viewers asked if they’d ever live in a house. I can’t remember the exact answer but the gist was that they would, but only if you could lift the house up every week or so and move it to a different location. I very much understood where they were coming from. I think I’m the same. And that’s what hiking gives me.

It’s two things really. One is that you’ve got everything you need on your back. Life does become quite difficult in terms of survival but also so much simpler. You have everything you need and that is all. My house is full of stuff and sometimes that stuff gets out of control. When backpacking there isn’t much stuff, and if you don’t need something you’re carrying, then don’t carry it, it weighs something, and the backpack is heavy enough. Having that simple existence is very refreshing – it’s like a detox.

The other is always moving on. I’m sure I’ve said this many times before, but when you move from place to place, time seems to slow down. And when you look back it feels like yesterday, or even the start of the day, was a long time ago. I really love that about walking and travelling. That’s why, even when it’s giving me a good beating, I just come back for more.  

Appreciation

My friend Tom told me that hiking changes people. It’s certainly changed me. All my hikes have made me different but the SWCP has really been something special. It’s slowed down time. It’s made me realise how you can wish your life away. How the mundane eats away time and you don’t even notice it’s gone. I love looking back on my time on the path and how long it took, how I’ve got so many memories, the things I’ve experienced and how it’s made me stronger, more confident.

I do feel I’ve let myself down a little. I did spend a lot of time whilst walking not enjoying myself. Finding it difficult. Worrying about where to sleep or where to get food. Having painful feet or getting frustrated by the wind and rain pummelling me. Sometimes in fear, actually being scared by a situation. I feel I should have enjoyed it all the time. But all this makes you appreciate things more. I never thought I’d be so pleased to see a public toilet, or a shop, or the sun come out. I think that’s what walking can do. It gives you time and broadens your ambition and makes you realise anything is possible. You don’t have to stick with the mundane, or what you think you should be doing.

I met a young lady just after I passed Harland Point. She was really struggling. She was upset that the walk wasn’t really what she wanted it to be. She expected to be walking in nice sunshine on an idilic path on the coast. She wasn’t expecting it to be so hard and, to be fair, the weather was not being kind to us. But I really hope she persevered, because even though it might have been tough in that moment, when she eventually looks back on each day, even the difficult ones would feel worth doing.

Like I said before, I found it hard, sometimes scary, often uncomfortable. But if I could go back to Poole, and do it all over again, I would not hesitate.