Bedruthan Steps beach
The beach at Bedruthan Steps is only exposed as the tide starts to go out. Initially several small coves are revealed as the tide falls and towards low tide these join into a large beach.
The beach is accessed by a long flight of steps which lead from a gate just below the viewing area. Note that the gates are closed during the winter when the National Trust café is not open.
Since only one of these coves has a set of steps, care should be taken not to get cut off by the incoming tide (tide times are displayed on a board beside the gate on the way down). Due to the channels between rocky islets across the beach, there are strong tidal currents and swimming is therefore not advisable. It is also a good idea to avoid choosing an area to sit that is directly below the cliffs as these are crumbling in many places: as well as occasional landslips, loose stones may be disturbed by birds.
The steps to the beach are closed until further notice due to a cliff fall.
- Tide times
- Beach info
- Map
- Dogs: allowed all year
Walks visiting Bedruthan Steps beach
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1.9 miles/3 km - Easy
Park Head and Pentire Steps
Park Head and Pentire Steps
1.9 miles/3 km - Easy
A circular walk on Park Head, used as one of the filming locations in the Poldark BBC TV series and with spectacular views over Bedruthan Steps and the Trescore Islands.
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6.2 miles/10 km - Moderate
Bedruthan Steps to Porthcothan
Bedruthan Steps to Porthcothan
6.2 miles/10 km - Moderate
A circular walk featuring some of the most spectacular scenery of the North Cornish coast including the rock stacks of Bedruthan Steps, the azure lagoon of the Trescore Islands and the sheltered golden sandy beach at Porthcothan.
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6.8 miles/11.0 km - Moderate
Porthcothan, Bedruthan Steps and Watergate Bay (via bus)
Porthcothan, Bedruthan Steps and Watergate Bay (via bus)
6.8 miles/11.0 km - Moderate
A (bus-assisted) one-way walk along the coast with spectacular wildflowers and one of Cornwall's most photographed views over the volcanic rock stacks of Bedruthan Steps, which Victorians liked to think of as a giant's stepping stones.
Download the iWalk Cornwall app and use the QR scanner within the app to find out more about any of the walks above.
If you'd like a purely coastal walk, you can park at Mawgan Porth and catch the bus to Porthcothan, then do the one-way walk from Porthcothan to Mawgan Porth via Bedruthan Steps. Alternatively if you'd rather do a circular walk without involving busses, you can park at the (quieter) Pentire Steps car park and do our Bedruthan Steps circular route. There's also a longer circular walk from the main National Trust Carnewas car park to Porthcothan which ends at the tea rooms.