Britain's most stunning coastal walks

Explore the UK's shores with our round-up of the islands' most spectacular coast walks

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Published: February 1, 2021 at 3:12 pm

According to Ordnance Survey, Great Britain's coastline is 11,073 miles (17,820 km) in length. With so much shoreline to be explored, we're spoilt for choice with places to walk. To help you out a little, we've put together a selection of spectacular walks, from Cornwall and Devon's well-trodden shores to the rocky headlands of northern Scotland.

Our guide to the best coastal walks in the British Isles, including route descriptions, maps and wildlife to spot.

England

St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall

MARAZION, ENGLAND 04TH JULY 2018 - Landscape of St Michael's Mount tidal island at high tide with reflection in rock pool and Church and Castle in view, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
St Michael's Mount at high tide with its church and castle catching the last rays of evening sun. Credit: Getty

This nine-mile coastal walk begins at Lamorna Cove, winding along the South West Coast Path past the 'prettiest village in England’, the coastal town of Newlyn and bustling Penzance, ending at iconic St Michael’s Mount.

The route

  • 14.6km / 9 miles
  • 5 hours
  • moderate

Route and map

Falmouth to Mylor, Cornwall

Mylor Bridge Cornwall
Canoe at the picturesque village of Mylor Bridge, Cornwall ©Getty

Enjoy clifftop views over the moody English Channel with a short coastal walk before warming up at one of Mylor Yacht Harbour’s eateries.

The route

  • 6.8km / 4.2 miles
  • 2.5 hours
  • Moderate

Map and route

Mount Edgecumbe and Rame Head, Cornwall

Rame Head in summer
Rame Head at the start of Whitsand Bay as seen from the coast path. Credit: Getty

Escape the bustle of Britain’s Ocean City on a centuries-old ferry service to a landscape of quiet coves, birdsong, woodland and charming fishing village.

The route

  • 10.8 / 6.7 miles
  • 3.5 hours
  • Moderate

Map and route

Valley of Rocks, Devon

Hiker on the headland in Valley of the Rocks on South West coast path near Lynmouth
The valley has inspired writers including Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth ©Getty

On a quiet day, there’s a lost world feel to North Devon’s enigmatic Valley of Rocks. Here, ancient fossil-rich fingers of Devonian stone form shadow puppets against the sky, framing one of south-west England’s most dramatic views, as Exmoor stampedes off the edge of towering cliffs and down to the churning sea.

The route

  • 11.3km / 7 miles
  • 4 hours
  • Moderate

Route and map

Coleton Fishacre, Devon

Kingswear, Devon
View of the colourful houses of Kingswear from Dartmouth, Devon ©Getty

Step off the ferry and take a stroll along Devon’s South West Coast Path to the lush gardens of a 20th-century estate, home to exotic ferns, trickling water features and woodland glades.

The route

  • 10.3km / 7 miles
  • 4 hours
  • Moderate

Route and map

Branscombe to Beer, Devon

Panoramic view over Beer, Devon, Alamy
Getty

If you’ve built up a thirst walking from Branscombe along Devon’s coastal cliffs and beaches to Beer, then you’re in luck – the tiny seaside village has a handful of traditional pubs, perfect for a well-earned pint.

The route

  • 4.9km / 3 miles
  • 2 hours
  • Moderate

Map and route

Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door and Bat’s Head, Dorset

durdle door
Durdle Door – a natural limestone arch, created as a result of softer rocks being eroded behind a hard limestone cliff ©Getty

Visit one of England’s most striking natural wonders, then slip away from the crowds and explore the cliffs and coves beyond.

The route

  • 9.9km / 6.1 miles
  • 4 hours
  • Moderate

Map and route

Seven Sisters, East Sussex

Sussex, England, UK
The famous coastguard cottages with the white cliffs of Seven Sisters behind. Credit: Getty

Walk atop the magnificent chalky cliffs of the Seven Sisters in the South Downs, where kittiwakes and fulmars can be seen alongside Brimstone butterflies and flowering cowslips.

The route

  • 6km / 3.7 miles
  • 2 hours
  • Easy/moderate

Map and route

Mersea Island, Essex

Coastline and marshes
This east-coast island, tethered to the mainland of Britain by a haunted causeway ©Getty

Mersea is a land of two halves: you’ll find restaurants and cafés in West Mersea, offering the oysters and shellfish that the island is famous for, as well as a vineyard selling locally produced wine. While East Mersea is all salt marshes and farmland, fantastic for a stiffly breezy, cobweb-clearing walk.

The route

  • 5.6 km / 3.5 miles
  • 1.5 hours
  • Easy

Map and route

Holkham Beach, Norfolk

Beach at sunrise
Sunrise on a misty morning at Holkham Bay on the North Norfolk Coast ©Getty

Take a hike through creaking pinewoods, beside wildlife-rich marshes and along one of Britain's most beautiful beaches on the North Norfolk coast.

The route

  • 7.8 km / 4.8 miles
  • 3 hours
  • Easy/Moderate

Map and route

Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire

Robin Hood's Bay
Robin Hood's Bay was once a smuggling village ©Getty

Steep stairwells, pitched roofs, an intriguing past and windy clifftop walks make this village in the North York Moors National Park the perfect starting point for a refreshing coastal walk.

The route

  • 4.3km / 2.7 miles
  • 1.5 hours
  • Easy/moderate

Map and route

Embleton Bay, Northumberland

Beach and dunes on coast
Embleton Bay, Northumberland © Tim Hurst

Walk over ruddy-gold sands, across babbling coastal rivers and through wind-shaped dunes to the dramatic ruins of a 14th-century castle – welcome to Embleton Bay, one of Britain's most beautiful beaches.

The route

  • 17.6 / 10.9 miles
  • 5 hours
  • Moderate/hard

Map and route

Hilbre Island, Wirral

Looking towards Hilbre Island with blue sky and beach
The view towards Hilbre Island/Credit: Getty

The Dee Estuary is among the top 10 sites in Europe for overwintering wildfowl, such as wigeon, teal and various species of goose. Surrounded by mudflats, marshes and sandbanks, the islands – Little Eye, Little Hilbre and Hilbre – are an important roosting site and rest point for migrating birds.

At low water, the easy walk from West Kirby to the islands, two miles offshore, takes around an hour each way, however it is essential to follow the safest route and timings posted on the Dee Lane slipway noticeboard to avoid quicksand and being cut off by the tide.

The route

  • 4.5 miles/7.2km
  • 2.5 hours
  • Easy

Map and route

Scotland

Handa Island, Sutherland

Rocky island and sandy beach
Looking towards mainland Scotland from Handa Island ©Jake Graham

Wrapped by brutish Atlantic swells and biting winds, this remote island off the west coast of Scotland makes for harsh living. But in spring, enduring these forces is one of north-west Europe’s largest seabird colonies.

The route

  • 6.4km / 4 miles
  • 2 hours
  • Moderate

Route and map

Ardmeanach, Mull, Inner Hebrides

Looking over to Ben More caught with the evening light on the island of Mull In Scotland
Ben More, the tallest peak on Mull, softened by evening light. Credit: Getty

On the western coast of the Scottish island of Mull, beneath the brooding volcanic massif of mighty Ben More, lies one of the wildest environments in the British Isles. A single-track road gives way to a logging track at the hamlet of Tiroran, navigating the southern side of the peninsula along Loch Scridain. The six-mile stretch of headland between here and the sea is known simply as ‘The Wilderness’.

The route

  • 18km / 11.2 miles
  • 6 hours
  • Challenging

Route and map

Rockcliffe to Kippford, Dumfries and Galloway

From The Muckle overlooking Rough Island and Rough Firth
From The Muckle overlooking Rough Island and Rough Firth ©Simon Whaley

Explore Dumfries and Galloway’s blooming Rough Firth, a Scottish inlet dotted with tidal islands, gorse-clad hills and woodlands in this four-mile walk.

The route

  • 6.4km / 4 miles
  • 2 hours
  • Moderate

Route and map

Wales

South Stack, Anglesey

Holyhead, north Wales, UK
South Stack Lighthouse near Holyhead, Anglesey. Credit: Getty

Take to the cliffs of north-west Wales, a dramatic coastline where great northern divers surf wild waves and Arctic skuas bravely soar.

The route

  • 8.2km / 5 miles
  • 3 miles
  • Moderate

Route and map

Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire

Ramsey Island, Wales
Ramsey Island Ramsey lies just a mile from the St. David’s peninsula ©Geograph

St. Justinian the hermit sought sanctuary on Ramsey Island in the 6th Century and, if it’s peaceful solitude you’re searching for, then this secluded outcrop is still the perfect place for a day’s retreat.

The route

  • 4.2km / 2.6 miles
  • 1.5 hours
  • Easy

Map and route

Skomer, Pembrokeshire

Atlantic puffin island colony
A colony of Atlantic puffins on Skomer Island , Pembrokeshire. Credit: Getty

A protected National Nature Reserve since 1959, Skomer Island is one of the most important wildlife sites in Europe. In one day you can see puffins, grey seals, rare wild flowers, stunning views and much more.

The route

  • 5.6km / 3.4 miles
  • 2 hours
  • Easy

Route and map

Marloes Peninsula, Pembrokeshire

Rainbow above Wooltack Point on the Deer Park in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK
Alamy

One of the finest stretches on the Pembrokeshire coastline, the Marloes Peninsula takes in a long sandy beach, dramatic rock formations and clifftops of wildflowers. Charismatic choughs whirl through the air, kestrels hover and, out at sea, grey seals and porpoises play alongside diving gannets.

The route

  • 8.8km / 5.4 miles
  • 3 hours
  • Moderate

Route and map

Tenby, Pembrokeshire

Picturesque view of boats in Tenby Harbour, with its clusters of colourful painted houses, and Castle Hill. Credit: Getty

Perched on the western fringes of Carmarthen Bay, the charming seaside towns of Tenby and Saundersfoot are designated conservation areas that offer superb Blue Flag beaches and picturesque harbours. Take a hike along the coast and then return inland with our 8 mile walking route.

The route

  • 12km / 7.5 miles
  • 4 hours
  • Moderate

Route and map

Cwm Nash and Traeth Mawr, Glamorgan

The stones and cliffs of Monknash Beach, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK
The stones and layered cliffs of Monknash Beach, Glamorgan. Credit: Getty

The Glamorgan Coast is just a short drive from the largest city in Wales, yet despite its proximity to the urban world, few landscapes exude such a profound sense of wilderness.

The route

  • 7.2km / 4.5 miles
  • 2.5 hours
  • Moderate

Route and map

Northern Ireland

The Causeway Coast, County Antrim

A rugged coastal landscape along the Causeway Coast in Antrim, Northern Ireland
A rugged coastal landscape along the Causeway Coast in Antrim. Cresdit: Getty

The undeniably impressive Giant’s Causeway is Northern Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction. But step off the beaten track and you’ll be able to marvel at this coast’s geology, myths and breathtaking views in virtual solitude

The route

  • 9.6 km / 6 miles
  • 4 hours
  • Moderate

Route description

Carrick-a-Rede, County Antrim

Carrick-a-Rede boasts an exhilarating rope bridge experience. Traditionally fishermen erected the bridge to Carrick-a-Rede island over a 23m-deep and 20m-wide chasm to check their salmon nets. Today visitors are drawn here simply to take the rope bridge challenge!
Carrick-a-Rede boasts an exhilarating rope bridge experience. Traditionally fishermen erected the bridge to Carrick-a-Rede island over a 23m-deep and 20m-wide chasm to check their salmon nets. Credit: Getty

Step across a swinging rope bridge high above the Atlantic and on to a rocky offshore island, once a salmon fishery. In spring and summer, the walk down to the beach offers visitors the chance to see a range of unique flora and fauna – don’t forget your camera

The route

  • 1.4 miles
  • 1 hour
  • Easy/moderate

Route and map

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