Climbs 717 m and descends 785 m, topping out at 156 m and dropping to 10 m. Measured along the mapped route.
What you walk on, by distance (from OpenStreetMap way types).
Four axes rated 1–5 — the single rating above is only the headline.
The wild, switchbacking cliffs of the Hartland peninsula past Hartland Point lighthouse to spectacularly folded Hartland Quay.
Places on this leg with a full history, and free audio guides you can read or hear.
Clovelly to Hartland Quay is 10.3 miles (16.6 km). Allow about 5 h 30 min of walking, before stops.
Stage 9 climbs about 717 m and descends about 785 m, with a high point of about 156 m. On the South West Coast Path the ascent, not the distance, is what decides how long a day takes — the route repeatedly drops to sea level and climbs straight back out.
It is graded hard. Rated out of five: physical demand 2/5 (Modest), terrain 3/5 (Moderate), navigation 2/5 (Modest), remoteness 4/5 (High). On the SAC hiking scale it is T2 — some steep, rough or uneven ground.
By distance the surface is footpath 91%, bridleway 2%, track 5%, road & lane 2%. Percentages come from the mapped way types along the route.
March to October is the usual window for this leg. Outside it, daylight is short, some estuary ferries stop running and cliff-top wind and rain make an exposed route much harder work.
Water on this stage is scarce. We map 2 refill points on the leg — mostly pubs, cafés and taps in the villages the path passes through. Shade is minimal: this is open cliff-top walking, so carry more than you think in summer.
Highlights on this leg are Hartland Point, Shipload Bay, Hartland Quay rock strata. It also passes 1 place we cover in depth: Hartland Quay. There is 1 free audio guide between them.
Strenuous switchback combes. Remote — carry supplies.