Exploring South West England
South West England brings together the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol, with landscapes ranging from the Atlantic coastline of Cornwall and Devon to the limestone hills of the Cotswolds, the chalk downlands of Wiltshire and the coastal cliffs of Dorset. The region includes fishing villages, historic market towns, wooded river valleys, open farmland and extensive areas of moorland, with landscapes shaped by geology, agriculture, maritime history and centuries of settlement.
Protected landscapes preserve some of the region's most distinctive environments. Dartmoor National Park encompasses granite tors, open moorland, wooded valleys and historic settlements in Devon, while Exmoor National Park extends across Devon and Somerset, with heather moorland, wooded combes and a dramatic coastline overlooking the Bristol Channel. The Cotswolds National Landscape covers limestone hills, valleys and villages across Gloucestershire and neighbouring counties, while the Cornwall National Landscape protects distinctive sections of the Cornish coast and countryside. Other protected landscapes include the Dorset National Landscape, North Devon Coast National Landscape, Quantock Hills National Landscape, Mendip Hills National Landscape, Blackdown Hills National Landscape and Cranborne Chase National Landscape.
Long-distance trails connect many of these landscapes. The South West Coast Path follows the coastline from Minehead in Somerset through Devon and Cornwall to Poole Harbour in Dorset, passing cliffs, beaches, fishing villages and coastal heathland. The Cotswold Way crosses the limestone escarpment from Chipping Campden to Bath, while the Two Moors Way connects Dartmoor and Exmoor through the countryside of Devon. In Cornwall, the Saints' Way crosses the peninsula between Padstow and Fowey, following countryside paths and historic routes between the north and south coasts.
Other established routes explore the region's inland landscapes, historic settlements and geological heritage. The Wessex Ridgeway follows chalk hills and rural countryside through Dorset, while the Thames Path begins at the river's source in the Cotswolds before continuing eastwards towards London. Along the Dorset and East Devon coastline, the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site preserves an internationally important sequence of geological formations, with coastal paths connecting cliffs, beaches and historic settlements. Inland, the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites UNESCO World Heritage Site encompasses prehistoric monuments and landscapes across Wiltshire, with opportunities to explore the surrounding countryside on foot.
Beyond the long-distance trails, South West England offers opportunities to explore coastal villages, historic towns, nature reserves, moorland and wild places on foot. From the cliffs of Cornwall and the beaches of Devon and Dorset to the landscapes of Exmoor, Dartmoor, the Cotswolds and Wiltshire's chalk countryside, the region provides a varied setting for shorter walks, walking breaks and multi-day journeys, with places to stay across its towns, villages and rural landscapes.