Yes, I am going to walk around the coast of the UK mainland. I am going to do it in stages. I am going to do it, despite never having walked long distances before. I am going to do it in stages. I will take my time. And I am going to enjoy it.
I have bought some basic equipment (see my Preparations page for details if this is the sort of thing that interests you!). I have done some research on the internet and discovered a few other people – some crazy and some sane – who have done this before me.
I have my first day planned. Yes, it is only one day and I will be coming home to recover.
And I start tomorrow.
If I survive, I will update this blog on my return.
Dear Ruth,
Thank you for your comment.
What counts is walking not the goal.
I wish you plenty of nice and safe walks.
I am reading your blog: it is interesting to see through other’s eyes what one has already lived.
Kind regards
Sergio
Ruth,
Good luck with your walk, I am considering starting the Bitish coastal walk in July, beginning at Weymouth, going clockwise, as you, in stages over the next nn years.
Regards
Andy
Hi Andy
Weymouth is a beautiful area of the country. I look forward to arriving there in due course! Good luck with your walk. Are you planning a blog? Would be interested to see how you get on.
Ruth
Hi Andy
Wishing you the best of luck with your walk. Enjoy it! And I would be interested to hear of your progress.
When you get going, don’t forget to ask David Cotton to add you to his page. http://www.britishwalks.org/walks/Named/CoastWalk/Links.php
Yours, Ruth
I attach an updated list of all the great places we have visited to eat or sleep..on our coastal walk around the UK
The range from basic cafes all the way up to high end spots
They are sorted by county/ hotel/ and eating spots
We passed 1500 miles at the weekend in hail and lightning in Lincolnshire
Hotels
Lincolnshire Vine Hotel, Skegness great value and just done up!
Norfolk/ Suffolk
The Blakeney Point Hotel, Blakeney
The Imperial Hotel, Great Yarmouth
The Wentworth Aldeburgh
Kent
The Royal Native Oyster House. Whitstable
Fayreness Hotel, Fayreness
The Royal Albion, Broadstairs
Mermaid Inn, Rye
The Cooden Beach Hotel, Norman’s Bay Nr Hastings
Sussex
The Grand, Eastbourne
The Jury’s Inn Brighton
Baillifscourt Hotel Climping
The Langstone Inn, Hayling Island
Dorset
The Harbour Hotel, Christchurch
Bournemouth Marriott
The Harbour Heights, Canford cliffs
The Sandbanks Hotel, Sandbanks
The Haven Hotel, Sandbanks
The Smugglers Inn , Osmington Mills
The Heights Hotel, Portland Bill
Devon
Alexander Hotel, Lyme Regis
Victoria Hotel, Sidmouth
Saunton Sands Hotel, Saunton
Lynton Cottage Hotel, Lynton
Cornwall
The Tresanton, St Mawes
Headland Hotel, Newquay
Watergate Hotel, Watergate Bay
St Moritz Hotel, Polzeath
Eating/ drinking places I remember
Humberside
Crown and Anchor Kilnsea… great views west up the Humber Estuary and food was lovely
Lincolnshire
THE Dunes Café , Mablethorpe.. best service ever
Popas Bar, Anderby Creek.. campsite bar in a lightning storm!
The Vine Hotel Restaurant, Skegness.. great dinner
Norfolk
The Seafood Café Wells next the sea
The Victoria, Holkham
Wells next the Sea Crab Cafe
Blakeney Point Hotel afternoon tea.. and crab sandwiches
Winterton on Sea beach cafe
The Fish Grill, Great Yarmouth
Suffolk
The Warner resort, Caister on sea
Notleys, Lowestoft Quay.. remember the white sofa and gas fire
Southwold Pier Restaurant, Southwold
The Anchor Inn , Walberswick… 36th best gastro PUB IN UK
Waterfront café, Butley
The Ferry Boat Inn , Old Felixstowe
Essex
The Café on the Pier Harwich
The Cherry Tree , Little Oakley
Clacton Pier, Wine Bar
Victory Arms, West Mersea
The Smugglers, Goldhanger.. great pub
Salty Dogs tea room, Goldhanger… need I say more.. THE BEST TEA ROOM we have found so far!
Ye olde White Harte , Burnham on Crouch
South Beach Southend
The Boat Yard, Leigh on Sea
The Lobster Smack, Canvey Island
Kent
The Pier at Gravesend
The Britsish Pilot Pub, Allhallows.
The Sportsman, Seasalter
Royal Native Oyster House, Whitstable
Crab and Winkle, Whitstable
Le Petit Poisson Herne Bay
The Minnis, Minnis Bay
Turner Gallery Restaurant, Margate
Captain Digby Restaurant, North Foreland
Morelli’s Broadstairs
Posillipo’s Broadstairs
The Lighthouse Inn, above Dover
Beach 48, Dymchurch
Dungeness Fish hut,
The Pilot INN Dungeness
Britannia Inn, Dungeness
Webbes at the fish Café Rye
Sussex
Smugglers Inn, Pett Level
Pier Nine Restaurant, Hastings
Tea beside the sea, Bexhill on Sea
The Beachy Head Hotel restaurant (on top of Beachy Head)
Birling Gap Beach Cafe
West Quay Restaurant, Brighton Marina
Alfresco Restaurant , On Brighton beach in a conservatory
Lawns Café , Hove.. for coffee
Sea Lane Café, Worthing Beach
East Beach Café, Littlehampton
Tapas Spanish restaurant Bognor Regis
Crab And Lobster Inn, Pagham Harbour
The Lifeboat Inn, Selsey Bill
The Shore Inn East Wittering
Hampshire
Inn on the Beach Hayling Island
The Ship Inn Langstone
The Old Fort, Seaview Isle of Wight
The Pilot BoaT Inn, Seaview, Isle of Wight
The Beach Shack Sandown Isle of Wight
The Spyglass Inn, Ventnor
Tea room Needles Lighthouse
The George Hotel dining room Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Dorset
Mudeford Beach café
Harbour lights Restaurant Christchurch
Bournemouth beach café.. can’t remember the name
Square and Compass , Worth Mctravers
Smugglers Inn , Osmington Mills
The Cove Inn, Portland
The Lobster Pot, Portland Bill
The Ferryboat Inn, Weymouth
The Hive, Burton Bradstock Inn
The Cobb Arms Lyme Regis
The Seafront café , Lyme Regis
Devon
The Anchor Inn, Seatown
The Sea Shanty Inn at Branscombe
Duke’s Restaurant, Sidmouth
Saunton Sands Hotel Restaurant
Surf Shack Woolacombe Bay
Smugglers cottage , Lee
The Hunters Inn Hele Bay
Ilfracombe Smugglers Rest Fish and Chips!
Cornwall
The New Inn Veryan
The Tresanton Hotel, St Mawes
Hubs Restaurant St Ives
Headland Hotel, Newquay
Watergate Bay Hotel, Watergate Bay
Albergo Italian restaurant, Padstow
Tea Room, Bedruthan Steps Car Park
That’s a great list, Paul. Thank you for sharing.
And well done for getting past the 1,500 mile waypoint! That’s a heck of a lot of miles.
It sounds like Lincolnshire gave you a stormy welcome 🙂
STORMY INDEED.. We are doing Gibraltar Point to Anderby Creek this Saturday and North Somercotes to Grimsby on Sunday