Suggestion for North Cornwall:

London Paddington to Bodmin Parkway station, connection via overnight sleeper train. Bodmin & Wentford Rlwy to Boscarne. Camel Trail LDP to Padstow. SWCP to Boscastle or maybe Bude. Bus(es) back to Bodmin Parkway.

Iain

About the right length, not that touristy, really well waymarked, and in a different part of England- I'd recomment the Sandstone Trail in Cheshire. (It would also give you the opportunity top visit Liverpool at the start or finish.)
I have to admit when I walked this route I was a little sceptical about how good it might be- it was fantastic, and often with very good views for relatively little climbing.

once you get into Cornwall the buses are very useful for most sections of the coast path
https://www.firstgroup.com/cornwall

Thank you all so much! We are exploring all of these options and will make the call. Can't thank you enough tor your expert advice... we walk every year in England and it's fast becoming the thing we most look forward to all year round!

Cornwall is enticing but boy it's tough to get to Bocastle. Does anyone have a sense of whether UBER operates that far out west? Or of whether there are car hire services that will help us make the trip?

Thanks again.

South Downs Way recommended if you are flying into Gatwick ... though you will need more than three days to cover end to end !

Direct train Gatwick to Eastbourne ( Premier Inn in town centre or loads of B&Bs ) .

Foll SDW coastal via Beachy Head & Seven Sisters to Alfriston then 3 mile dog leg on Vanguard Way to Berwick (pub by stn) for trains to Eastbourne . 16 mls ascent 2280ft .

Brighton Bus 12 to alight where SDW crosses A259 at GR TV585985 . Foll SDW inland via Jevington & Alfriston to Southease rail stn . Hourly service to Lewes ( Note Southease stn in middle of nowhere / no facilities) . Premier Inn Lewes . Brewers Arms & Gardener's Arms both recommended for real ale ! 14 mls ascent 1565ft http://www.buses.co.uk/service.shtml?serviceId=6535

Train to Southease . Foll SDW via Iford Hill & Ditchling Beacon to leave SDW at Jack & Jill Windmills & 1.5 mile dog leg via Clayton to Hassocks rail stn (trains to Gatwick/Brighton/Lewes/London etc) 16mls ascent 1900ft .

If you have a fourth day it is worth returning to Hassocks / Jack & Jill Windmills where via New Barn Farm to pick up Sussex Border Path at GR TQ309117 . Foll SBP via Chattri (Indian war memorial) to Devil’s Dyke ( allow an hour to explore around here , around both sides & up the middle , some of the best views in the South East on a clear day – also a chain pub here ! ) . Foll SBP to Old Portslade High St GR TQ 253063 (pub by bus stop!) 12.5 mls ascent 1475 ft , Frequent buses to Brighton http://www.buses.co.uk/service.shtml?serviceId=6527

If you want to find pubs foll this link https://whatpub.com/ . Just add a place name eg Lewes & it will list all pubs in the area . Click on a pub & it will show opening times etc .

Ian

Try the North Downs Way from Charing to Dover. Take the Canterbury loop. Stay at the White Horse in Chilham, Can't recommend any pubs after Canterbury but plenty about. You follow the A2 for a bit, sorry, but it didn't stop our enjoyment of a beautiful county. Leave a bit of time to enjoy Canterbury. If you think this is too short start at Lenham. Pretty flat as well.

Not sure whether viable as some distance from Gatwick but the middle section of the Yorkshire Wolds Way well worth a visit. Very quiet and not too demanding

Hi Nicholas
Some three-day (or therabouts) choices in Southern England:

Norfolk Coast Path (most of)
Suffolk Coast and Heaths (new Cicerone guidebook)
Ridgeway National Trail (Avebury to White Horse section)
SWCP Cornwall Coast Path (Boscastle to Padstow) (not very high but often steep)
South Downs Way (Brighton - Eastbourne including Severn Sisters)

All in the LDWA database (link below is 'Find LDP information').

Iain

Hello, all! Myself and at least two friends (ages 30-38) are flying into Gatwick on July 9 and planning a 3-day long distance walk. We like walks with nice old pubs (not so much with the high-end gastropubs), beautiful scenery and moderate walking (12-14 miles per day, climbs are fine but 1000-foot ascents are a bit much for our slightly aging knees). We plan to stay in pubs/B&bs wherever we go, and to avoid camping this time.

We're willing to go pretty much anywhere in England. We've already done the Cotswolds, the West Mendip Way and the South West Coast Path from Lyme Regis to Worth Matravers. The Costwold path was our least favorite, as it was a bit built-up and touristy, and the SWCP is obviously beautiful but extremely daunting. If you were us, where would YOU go?

- Nick