My next long distance path: South West Coast Path

Somewhere along the way of researching long distance paths, I learned about the South West Coast Path. And then in the last two years I read two Thomas Hardy novels (Tess of the D'ubervilles and Return of the Native) and discovered that Hardy based all his writing in Dorset, including some places right along the SWCP.

Long distance walking AND visiting literature related locations? When can I start?

The SWCP is one of the longest in the UK, at 630 miles, and takes the fastest/most resilient walkers about 5 weeks to finish, so most people just walk one part or plan to finish it in stages. Since I would like to mix in some Thomas Hardy locations in Dorset, I've decided to concentrate on the Jurassic Coast section, which is actually the last leg of the path.

Because of (or thanks to?) the university's annual closure in August, I will again be walking in early August. For the West Highland Way this worked out pretty well weather wise, but accommodations were a bit tricky since so many other people were on the trail.

I think I will also go with the winning formula I tested with the WHW of using a baggage transfer. It was so nice to have just the essentials while walking, and to also have the freedom to purchase some small items along the way without stressing about how much they would weigh me down while walking.

Things are still in the early planning stages, but I would like to start booking some of the trip now since the cheap hostels and B&B's tend to fill up first. Last year I approached a college friend about joining me, but as she wasn't available I ended up doing the Scottish trip. As lovely as it would be to have someone join me, I'm really tempted to organize a solo trip like I did in Yorkshire and Scotland.

Hopefully this weekend my mailbox will have my reading for the next couple of weeks:
Thomas Hardy and the Jurassic Coast - A Guide (a bit ridiculous that I paid 2£50 for the book and I think 12£ for shipping, but not exactly the kind of book you find in Toulouse)
and The Complete Guide to the South West Coast Path 2017/2018 

I've begun searching for blogs of people who've walked the path, and the amazing pictures of the coastline keep confirming my decision to discover South-West England. For anyone who doesn't know what SW England looks like, check out the links for the path and the Jurassic Coast: the area is amazing!