The Land’s End Trail and the Mary Michael Pilgim’s way are a great alternative to long distance walking in the West Country to the South West Coast Path.
Both routes start at Land’s End and finish at Avebury (although there are plans to extend the Mary Michael Pilgrim’s Way to Norfolk) taking slightly different routes up the spine of the west country.
The routes have been well documented and parts are waymarked.
Independent Hostels are a great source of accommodation can can be combined with YHA hostels, Camping or B&Bs to create a route itinerary.
Land's End Trail and Mary Micheal Pilgrim's Way
Click markers to view hostels and bunkhouses
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View hostels & bunkhouses by region
Cornwall, Devon & the West Country
South West Coast Path
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Lower Penderleath St Ives Farm Hostel
Just three miles from St Ives' beaches & 5 miles from Penzance, Lower Penderleath Farm Hostel provides self-catering accommodation in four twin rooms and one alpine dormitory for 12. Plus a self contained family maisonette with small kitchen and private shower & toilet. BYO sleeping bags. Pub food in two local villages is within walking distance. Bedding not provided.
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Mendip Bunkhouse
Larkshall (Mendip Bunkhouse) is the Cerberus Spelaeological Society’s headquarters and offers well appointed, modern and comfortable accommodation on The Mendips. It is an ideal base for caving, walking, cycling, climbing, diving at Vobster Quay and for exploring the Somerset countryside. Popular tourist attractions, including Wells, Wookey Hole, Cheddar Gorge and the city of Bath, are all within reach. Camping available. Ample parking.
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Sparrowhawk Backpackers
A small, friendly eco-hostel in the centre of Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor National Park. Popular with cyclists, hikers, bikers, wild swimmers, artists and photographers, A beautifully converted stone stable, with solar-heated showers, kitchen, courtyard, BBQ and secure bike shed. High open moorland, rocky tors, ancient burial sites, stone circles, woods and clear rivers close by. Moretonhampstead has shops, cafés, art galleries and pubs. Cicerone LEJOG & Dartmoor Way cycle routes pass by.
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Chitcombe Farm Camping Barns
A small family farm in West Somerset on the edge of Exmoor, Chitcombe Farm provides inexpensive, basic, warm & dry accommodation. Perfect after a day hiking on Exmoor, or training for an event. The Hay Barn, is a dormitory style open plan barn whilst The Cart Shed is an open plan chalet. Both have well equipped kitchens, bathroom with showers, seating areas and central heating. Beds are in bunks. BYO pillows and sleeping bag.
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Lands End Hostel and B&B
Land's End Hostel, in the hamlet of Trevescan, is 1/2 mile from Land's End. Double glazed & centrally heated it has a fully equipped kitchen & dining areas inside & out. Modern bathrooms and bedrooms with TV's & WiFi. New bunk beds with USB ports & LED lights. Bedding / towels supplied. Bicycle storage, parking & small on-site shop. Separate double/twin en suite B&B room with own entrance & outside dining area.
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Rock and Rapid Bunkhouse
Perfect for an adventurous or relaxing break. The Rock and Rapid Adventure Centre offers activities such as climbing (climbing wall on site for lessons or use by experienced climbers) coasteering, raft building and canoeing. The bunkhouse can be rented out for sole use. Or an activity package can be put together for your group. This can vary from a few activities to a full programme, including food. Just 20 mins from the North Devon coastline. Hen and stags welcome as are family and school groups.
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Northcombe Camping Barns
A mile outside the town of Dulverton on Exmoor, Northcombe Camping Barns nestle in the Barle river valley with good canoeing, walking and bridleways. A perfect base for groups on Exmoor. The barns sleep 16 and 28 in partitioned dormitories. Smaller groups can be catered for. Heated by wood-burning stoves with a well equipped kitchen, you just need to bring your own pillows, sleeping bags or duvets.
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Penzance Backpackers
Whether you’re looking for sandy beaches and sheltered coves, the storm lashed cliffs of Land’s End, sub-tropical gardens, international artists, the remains of ancient cultures, or just somewhere to relax and take time out, Penzance Backpackers is for you. Situated close to the sea front and the town centre. Accommodation is mostly in small bunk-bedded rooms. Linen is provided. Lots of local information and a warm welcome all included.
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Cohort Hostel
Located in the centre of St Ives, Cohort is a stylish, friendly hostel. Great facilities include a hot shower in the courtyard for surfers, through to a laundry and dry room. The on-site bar is cheap; there’s free WiFi, a TV room and comfortable pod beds - all with USB ports, lights, curtains & under-bed storage and a big guest kitchen. Free tea and coffee before 10am. Walk outside to find
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Exmoor Bunkbarn
Formerly a granary on a working farm, this eco-friendly bunkbarn is just 1km from Winsford Hill. Perfect for exploring Exmoor on foot, bike or canoe. Hot water, central heating & good WiFi included in price. Well equipped, open-plan kitchen/dinning with room for all. Large drying room & BBQ area. BYO bedding & towels plus shoes/slippers to protect feet from rough barn floor. Sole use at weekends (2 nights min). Rooms can be booked individually in the week.
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The Land’s End Trail and Mary Michael Pilgrim’s way are two great long distance walking routes which take walkers up the spine of the west country. Both begin at Land’s End and finish at Avebury but take in different parts of the area with the Mary Micheal Pilgrim’s way specialising in connecting significant Christian and Pre- Christian sites.
The Land’s End Trail is a great alternative for walking in the west country to the South West Coast Path. Heading from Land’s End right up the spine of the west country it finishes in Avebury on Salisbury Plain. The 303 mile route was conceived by local cornishman Hugh Miners in and developed and published by Robert Wicks, Robert Preston and Robin Menneer in the 1990s. It is hard to find a published route now but there is a lot of information on the route on the land’s End Trail section of the Oliver’s Cornwall Website and on the Long Distance Walkers website. The route takes the walker from Land’s End, via the Tinners Track over countride and the Camel Trail to Bodmin Moor. It climbs “Brown Willy” Cornwall’s highest point with the Cornish section ending in Tavistock. The Land’s End to Tavistock section is over 13 stages of between 7 and 15 miles. From Tavistock the Lands End trail crosses Dartmoor via a choice of high or low routes, it then takes the Tarka Trail to southern Exmoor before crossing the Quantocks and Somerset Levels to Glastonbury. From then on the route crosses Pewsey Vale and Salisbury Plain until it finishes at Avebury.
The Mary Michael Pilgrim’s Way is a vision created by the Mary Micheal Pilgrim Way non profit organisation. The idea is to create a pilgrimage which connects significant Christian and Pre-Christian sites across the south of England from Land’s End in Cornwall to Norfolk. So far the section from Land’s End to Avebury has been documented in two guidebooks available from the organisation’s website. The section from Brenton (west Dartmoor) to Glastonbury has also been waymarked. The Mary Michael Pilgrim’s Way takes a slightly more southern route than the Land’s End Trail at least until it gets to Dartmoor, it then skirts the northern edge of the moor before taking a more southern route again. At Glastonbury the two routes cross and the Mary Michael Pilgrims way heads to Avebury via Shepton Mallet and Trowbridge. Details of the full route are available on the LDWA website.
You can choose accommodation in independent hostels on some of the sections of both routes. Walkers can combine nights in independent hostels with camping or staying at YHA or B&Bs and can find more accommodation options in the Long Distance Walkers website.