Hiking Risk Disclaimer

Please read before using any South West Coast Walk trail information. Last updated: 8 November 2026.

Before you use South West Coast Walk

This is the notice shown in the South West Coast Walk app. It applies equally to this website.

• Nobody is watching. South West Coast Walk does not monitor you or your wellbeing, and it will not alert anyone or send help if something goes wrong.
• Information can be wrong. Routes, maps, GPS positions, distances, timings, weather, water sources, accommodation, and anything written by other walkers, businesses or our AI may be inaccurate or out of date. Follow local signs, closures and official advice.
• Your phone can fail. GPS, signal, battery and the app can stop working at any moment. Carry a paper map and compass and know how to use them.
• You walk at your own risk. You decide whether, where and when to walk, based on your fitness, experience, equipment and the conditions on the day. Walking can lead to serious injury or death.
• Plan for emergencies yourself. Tell someone you trust your route and when you expect to be back, and know how to contact the local emergency services.

1. Inherent risks of hiking the South West Coast Path

These risks are part of the activity itself — they are not caused by South West Coast Walk and cannot be eliminated:

• Exposed cliff tops and the trail's high points (the Great Hangman, 318 m, the highest point on the path; Golden Cap, 191 m)
• Unstable cliff edges, cliff falls and landslips, which can close or move sections of the path without warning
• Tides that can cut off beaches and coves, and estuary crossings that depend on a seasonal ferry or on wading at low tide
• Large waves, strong currents and slippery rocks at the water's edge
• Slippery, loose, or uneven ground, steep steps, and many steep climbs and descents
• Fast-changing coastal weather: strong wind on exposed cliffs, driving rain, sea fog and poor visibility, hypothermia in any season, and heat and sunburn in summer
• Navigation errors in sea fog or on eroded, diverted, or re-routed sections — map, compass, and GPS skills are essential
• Limited or no mobile phone signal on remote stages, with limited emergency access
• Short daylight outside the summer months, leaving little margin if you fall behind
• Ticks in bracken and long grass; foot injuries, blisters, sprains, and fractures
• Crime, theft, or traffic accidents in transit between stages

2. Accuracy of our trail information

South West Coast Walk compiles trail data from several sources, including OpenStreetMap and other public datasets. It is provided for general guidance only and may contain errors or become out of date. In particular:

• Trail conditions change. A route that was clear last season may be overgrown, eroded, flooded, or closed today.
• Distances and elevations are estimates. They may differ from what you encounter.
• Waymarks deteriorate. Not all our stage descriptions may reflect the latest re-waymarking.
• GPS tracks may drift or contain errors. Offline maps are only as current as when we last synced them.
• Point-of-interest data (accommodations, restaurants, water sources, bus times) can be out of date within days.

You must verify critical information locally before setting out, and always carry a paper map (the relevant Ordnance Survey sheets, a printed route map) and a compass, and know how to use them. Do not use our app as your sole navigation tool.

3. Your responsibility

You are responsible for:

• Being honest with yourself about your fitness, experience, and health before each day's stage
• Carrying waterproofs and warm layers, adequate food and water, a charged phone plus a backup battery, a paper map, first aid, and an emergency blanket
• Telling someone you trust your route and when you expect to be back
• Checking the weather forecast the morning of every stage (for example the Met Office at metoffice.gov.uk), and the tide times before any beach section or estuary crossing
• Keeping well back from cliff edges, and following path diversions and closure signs
• Having the navigation skills (map, compass, and GPS) to find your way in sea fog and poor visibility
• Having adequate travel insurance that covers walking, medical treatment and cancellation, and repatriation if you are travelling from abroad
• Knowing your route, turning back when conditions demand it, and never walking alone in remote sections if you can avoid it

4. Tours, guides and other services

Accommodation, guiding, luggage transfers, tours and other services listed on South West Coast Walk are supplied by independent businesses, and your contract for them is with that business. South West Coast Walk is not responsible for the safety practices, equipment or insurance of those businesses. Ask each provider for proof of their own liability insurance and safety procedures before booking, follow your guide's instructions, and tell them about any medical conditions. See our Marketplace Terms and Terms of Service.

5. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Pixelo Mobile Ltd (trading as South West Coast Walk) is not liable for any loss, damage, injury or death arising from your walking activities or your reliance on our website, app or trail information. Nothing in this disclaimer excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

6. Contact

To report an error in our trail information or request a data amendment: safety@walksouthwestcoast.co.uk. This inbox is not for emergencies.

Pixelo Mobile Ltd, company number 10585806. Registered office: c/o Demsa Accounts, 565 Green Lanes, Haringey, London, England, N8 0RL.