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Welcombe is a village and civil parish on the coast of North Devon, England, just north of the border with Cornwall. It is part of the District of Torridge.

It is easily reached from the A39 and has a popular beach called Welcombe Mouth, which is a challenge to get to but worth it. Its parish church is one of only four ancient dedications to Saint Nectan. Welcombe comprises several smaller communities including Welcombe Cross, Darracot, Upcott and Mead. There is a local pottery, pub and village stores. There are two small campsites in the area and the South West Coast Path offers stunning views to Lundy.

The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for 630 miles (1,014 km), running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more challenging trails. The total height climbed has been calculated to be 114,931 ft (35,031 m), almost four times the height of Mount Everest.

The final section of the path was designated as a National Trail in 1978 Many of the landscapes which the South West Coast Path crosses have special status, either as a National Park or one of the Heritage Coasts. The path passes through two World Heritage Sites: the Dorset and East Devon Coast, known as the Jurassic Coast, was designated in 2001, and the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape in 2007.

In the 1990s it was thought that the path brought £15 million into the area each year, but new research in 2003 indicated that it generated around £300 million a year in total, which could support more than 7,500 jobs. This research also recorded that 27.6% of visitors to the region came because of the Path, and they spent £136 million in a year. Local people took 23 million walks on the Path and spent a further £116 million, and other visitors contributed the remainder.

The path originated as a route for the Coastguard to walk from lighthouse to lighthouse patrolling for smugglers. They needed to be able to look down into every bay and cove: as a result, the path closely hugs the coast providing excellent views but rarely the most direct path between two points. The South West Coast Path is no longer used by the Coastguard but it has been transformed from a practical defence system into a resource for recreational walkers. The path is covered by England's right-of-way laws, as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, that keep historic foot paths open to the public even when they pass through private property. Sections of the path are maintained by the National Trust, which owns parts of the coast.

The path is a designated National Trail, largely funded by Natural England. It was created in stages, with its final section, Somerset and North Devon, opening in 1978. It is maintained by a dedicated South West Coast Path Team.

The South West Coast Path Association, a registered charity, exists to support the interests of users of the path. The Association was formed in 1973 and since then it has campaigned for improvements to the path. Its services include accommodation guides and completion certificates.