South West Coast Path: Somerset & Exmoor
The coast path begins at the Start sculpture on Minehead seafront and is on Exmoor within the hour — wooded combes dropping straight into the Bristol Channel, and the highest sea cliffs in England. It is a short section, two stages, but it is not a gentle introduction: the trail leaves Somerset at County Gate partway through Stage 2 and climbs hard on the way.
- 2Stages
- 22 miDistance
- 35 kmMetric
- 1,158 mTotal ascent
- 12 hWalking time
- ~2Days at 12–13 mi
Every stage in Somerset & Exmoor
Stages 1–2 of 52, Minehead to Lynmouth. Ascent is the number that decides these days, not distance — the path drops to sea level and climbs back out many times over. Every row links to the full stage guide with an elevation profile, surface breakdown, water points and what to see.
| Stage | Route | Miles | km | Ascent | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minehead to Porlock Weir | 9.7 | 15.6 | 428 m | Moderate |
| 2 | Porlock Weir to Lynmouth | 12.0 | 19.4 | 730 m | Moderate |
Places on the Somerset & Exmoor coast
2 places along this section have a full history on this site, and 2 free audio guides between them.
Common questions
How long is the South West Coast Path in Somerset?
The Somerset & Exmoor section runs 22 miles (35 km) over 2 of the path's 52 stages, from Minehead to Lynmouth. At a typical 12–13 miles a day that is about 2 days' walking.
How much climbing is there on the Somerset coast path?
About 1,158 m of ascent across the section — an average of 579 m per stage. The hardest single leg for climbing is Porlock Weir to Lynmouth, at 730 m.
Which stages of the Somerset & Exmoor section are hardest?
None of the 2 stages in this section is graded hard — they run easy to moderate. That grading is about terrain and climb, not distance; several are still long days.
When is the best time to walk the Somerset coast path?
March to October is the usual window across these stages. Outside it, daylight is short, seasonal ferries stop and this exposed coast takes the weather full on.
What is there to see on the Somerset & Exmoor section?
We cover 2 places along it in depth, with 2 free audio guides between them: Minehead & the Start Sculpture, Culbone Church.
Walking this section? The free South West Coast Walk app carries all 52 stages offline — GPS navigation, elevation profiles, mapped water points and the audio guides — and the accommodation guide covers where to sleep along the way.