The Loe circular walk

The Loe

A circular walk around the Loe Pool, the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall, and along the Loe Bar, one of Cornwall's most treacherous beaches on which 100 of those onboard the HMS Anson drowned metres from the shore, motivating the invention of the rocket lifesaving apparatus that saved thousands of lives.

Get the app to guide you around the walk

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Download the (free) app then use it to purchase this walk.
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The app will direct you to the start of the walk via satnav.
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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.
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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.
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Once a walk is downloaded, the app doesn't need wifi or a phone signal during the walk.
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The app counts down distance to the next direction and estimates time remaining based on your personal walking speed.
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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

The walk begins on a track past the engine house of Wheal Pool and then follows paths through the woods. The walk follows the edge of the Loe Pool to the Loe Bar and crosses this towards Porthleven. The return route is on the tree-lined bridleway through the Penrose Estate.

Highlights

  • Cornwall's largest natural freshwater lake
  • Historic Penrose Estate
  • Mature broadleaf woodland in the Cober valley
  • The Loe Bar - a geographical oddity with some rare wildlife
  • The Stables NT café (available to non-NT members)

Considerations

  • The unsurfaced paths on the eastern side of the lake get very muddy in winter (around 4 inches deep of liquid mud in places). As the seaward end of the western path is quite stony, wellies with well-cushioned soles are advisable.
  • After prolonged heavy rain, the water level in the Loe Pool can rise to the point where it floods a couple of stretches of path. When this happens, most of the time it's possible to bypass the affected section via small paths higher up the banks but after an extreme period of heavy rain it may be impassible for a few days until water levels drop.

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Vital statistics

  • OS Explorer: 103
  • Distance: 6.2 miles/10 km
  • Steepness grade: Easy-moderate
  • Recommended footwear: Walking shoes in summer, waterproof boots after wet weather
  • No stiles: ✓
  • Café: ✓

OS maps for this walk

Click or tap on map for more info (blue=laminated)

Beaches

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

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