Self-guided · South West · England
Your walk from
Bude to
St Ives
Bude to St Ives along the north Cornwall coast — past Bedruthan Steps, through Padstow and Newquay, and down to the artists' town that stops most people in their tracks. The South West Coast Path at its most Atlantic.
- Distance
- 182 km
- Ascent
- 3,321 m
- Stages
- 4 – 11 days
- Grade
- Strenuous
Trail Essentials
This stretch is the Cornwall most people picture when they think of the coast path — 182 kilometres of surf beaches, fishing villages and Atlantic cliffs, from Bude down through Tintagel and Padstow to the artists' town of St Ives. It's still proper coast-path walking, but the villages come more often and the pubs are easier to find than further north.
It's a good stage for anyone wanting the classic Cornish scenery without the isolation of the section before it — surf towns, chef-led harbours, and beaches that are worth stopping for.
Build your trip
Customise your South West Coast Path Stage 2: Bude to St Ives.
Pick your pace, party size and dates. The itinerary, distances, nightly stops and the price all update live — no commitment until you're happy.
- Days sized to your walking speed
- Each night ends at a stop with accommodation
- Pricing reflects party size and seasonality
- Save and share the itinerary with your group
Your day-by-day itinerary updates live in the Your itinerary section below.
Build your itinerary above.
This is the itinerary you're building. Change the pace, party size or start date in the planner above and every stage, distance and date updates here.
Where you'll stay
Where you'll sleep
Cornish B&Bs, surf-town guesthouses and harbour hotels line this stretch — Boscastle, Padstow and Newquay all have their share of good beds. We book somewhere that suits a coast walker's evening: close to the path, good breakfast, no fuss about wet gear.
- Harbour B&Bs in Boscastle, Port Isaac and Padstow
- Rooms near Newquay's beaches for a proper rest-day town
- Drying space for boots and waterproofs after cliff walking
- Good seafood within easy reach most evenings
Every trip is planned around your dates and party, so we can't promise you a specific inn — but we can promise the kind of welcome that makes a walking holiday feel like a proper holiday.
What's included?
Self-guided, but properly supported. You turn up, you walk, you eat well, you sleep well. We handle the logistics.
Custom itinerary planned around your pace
Comfortable accommodation booked for you
Daily luggage transfer where available
GPX + day-by-day route notes
Big Trail Adventures app for door-to-door navigation
On-trail route support
Not included
- Travel to Bude and from St Ives
- Lunches and evening meals (we'll recommend the best places)
- Travel insurance
Travelling solo? You're still connected.
Walking the South West Coast Path Stage 2: Bude to St Ives alone doesn't mean being out of touch. We lend you a small GPS tracker for the trail, and a private map link lets the people who care about you follow along from home.
A lightweight GPS tracker
Carry it in your pack and it updates your position as you walk — no phone signal required.
A private live map
See your own progress on a secure map, with your overnight stops visible at a glance.
Share with people you trust
Send the private link to family or friends so they know you've arrived safely each day.
Book your South West Coast Path Stage 2: Bude to St Ives adventure.
- Free cancellation to 60 days
- Confirmation within 24 hrs
- ABTOT financially protected
We'll start planning your trip right away. Not happy with anything? We'll adjust it or refund you — no questions asked.
The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Big Trail Adventures (member 5690). Protection is provided for non-flight packages. Full details in our booking conditions.
Things walkers ask us.
How fit do I need to be?
On the Hiker pace this stage runs to 9 walking days averaging around 20 km a day with steady cliff undulations. You should be comfortable walking a full day with a daypack.
When should I walk it?
May through September is best. May–June is peak wildflower and seabird season. July and August are busy — book accommodation months ahead. September gives long light and quieter beaches.
Do you include luggage transfer?
Yes — bags up to 20 kg are moved between accommodations every walking day. A few remote overnights need a short taxi transfer, which we plan and book for you.
What kind of accommodation do you book?
Small family-run B&Bs, harbour inns and walker-friendly hotels — en-suite where the village allows, breakfast included, drying space for boots.
Not sure this stage is right for you?
Tell Craig your dates, party size and preferred pace. He'll come back with a route that fits — or suggest a neighbouring stage if this one's not the match.
Other trails we run.
West Highland Way
154 km, Glasgow to Fort William. Scotland's most famous long-distance walk.
Great Glen Way
127 km from Fort William along Loch Ness to Inverness. Lochside and forest walking.
Rob Roy Way
127 km through the southern Highlands, following the outlaw's old country.