Helford and Frenchman's Creek

A circular walk through the wooded valleys of the Helford River including the most famous - Frenchman's Creek - which is still as pristine as when it inspired Daphne du Maurier's novel

Get the app to guide you around the walk

App Store

Download iPhone/iPad app from App Store

Scan with your phone to get the Apple app

Google Play

Download Android app from Google Play

Scan with your phone to get the Android app

Download the (free) app then use it to purchase this walk.

Phone showing Google navigation to start of walk

The app will direct you to the start of the walk via satnav.

Hand holding a phone showing the iWalk Cornwall app

The app guides you around the walk using GPS, removing any worries about getting lost.

Phone showing walk directions page in the iWalk Cornwall app

The walk route is described with detailed, regularly-updated, hand-written directions.

Each time there is a new direction to follow, the app will beep to remind you, and will warn you if you go off-route.

Phone showing walk map page in the iWalk Cornwall app

A map shows the route, where you are at all times and even which way you are facing.

Phone showing facts section in iWalk Cornwall app

Each walk is packed with information about the history and nature along the route, from over a decade of research than spans more than 3,000 topics.

Person looking at phone with cliff scenery in background

Once a walk is downloaded, the app doesn't need wifi or a phone signal during the walk.

Phone showing walk stats in the iWalk Cornwall app

The app counts down distance to the next direction and estimates time remaining based on your personal walking speed.

We keep the directions continually updated for changes to the paths/landmarks - the price for a walk includes ongoing free updates.

either as a GPS-guided walk with our app (£3.29) or a PDF of directions (£2.79) Example of directions

Fullscreen map

The walk begins at Helford and after passing through the village follows the valley from Penarvon to a tiny chapel before descending to Frenchman's Creek. The route follows a path along the length of the creek and to Withan Quay on the other side before reaching Kestle Barton. The final stretch is along the valley through Under Wood.

Highlights

Historic creekside village of Helford
Tiny chapel of St Francis at Pengwedhen
Views over Frenchman's Creek
Mature broadleaf woodland with bluebells and wild garlic in spring

Considerations

The short woodland loop at Pengwedhen includes a section of narrow path cut into a fairly steep bank.

Dogs

One stile (flight of wooden steps) reported as tricky for large dogs. Just after Penarvon Beach, ensure dogs are on leads until you reach the loop by the chapel as there may be free-range chickens in between.

The walk is available through the iWalk Cornwall app for Apple and Android for £3.29 which each include everything listed here.

This removes worries about getting lost by tracking you using GPS, reminding you when you need to follow the next direction and warning you if you wander off the route.

To install on your phone, search the app store for “iwalk cornwall” to download the (free) app. Then either use it to scan the code at the top-right of the page to locate this walk or search for the walk title in Walks Shop > Search All Walks.

Once you've installed the iWalk Cornwall app from the app store, click on the button below to locate this walk:

Open walk in iWalk Cornwall app