Coastal walks in Cornwall
Enjoy the walks by being guided by the app
These walks all feature the Cornish coast path as part of the circular route. Since the coast in Cornwall is usually rugged, walking speed along the coastal path will generally be slower than the inland footpaths, so take your time and enjoy the coastal scenery as the return route will generally be relatively quick.
-
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.
-
2 miles/3.2 km - Easy
Trevose Head (short version)
Trevose Head (short version)
2 miles/3.2 km - Easy
A circular walk around the rugged coastline of Trevose Head via the iconic lighthouse and golden sandy beach at Mother Ivey's Bay, with spectacular wildflowers in spring and summer and thundering waves in winter that sometimes expose the shipwreck at Booby's Bay.
-
2.7 miles/4.3 km - Easy
Hayle and The Towans
Hayle and The Towans
2.7 miles/4.3 km - Easy
A circular walk on the Towans at Hayle, where Cornwall's beam engines were cast using sand from a prehistoric lagoon when West Penwith was an island.
-
3.4 miles/5.5 km - Easy
Botallack Head and Levant Mine
Botallack Head and Levant Mine
3.4 miles/5.5 km - Easy
A circular walk around Cornwall's most iconic mining remains, used for the filming of the BBC's Poldark series
-
3.5 miles/5.6 km - Easy
Bude to Northcott Mouth
Bude to Northcott Mouth
3.5 miles/5.6 km - Easy
A circular walk past the historic Sea Pool to Crooklets beach and along Maer cliff to the beach at Northcott Mouth, where the shipwreck of the SS Belem is exposed at low tide.
-
3.5 miles/5.6 km - Easy
Par and Tywardreath
Par and Tywardreath
3.5 miles/5.6 km - Easy
A circular walk at Tywardreath where a mediaeval Priory was based and Par where much of the route was once a tidal creek and a wetland nature reserve has been created on some of the reclaimed land.
-
3.7 miles/6 km - Easy
Polzeath to St Enodoc Church
Polzeath to St Enodoc Church
3.7 miles/6 km - Easy
A circular walk along the coast from Polzeath past a number of small coves to the vast sandy beach at Daymer Bay, returning through the dunes past St Enodoc Church which was once so deeply buried in the sand that entrance for services was through the roof.
-
3.9 miles/6.3 km - Easy
Bude Canal and Coast
Bude Canal and Coast
3.9 miles/6.3 km - Easy
A figure-of-8 walk at Bude where the demand for lime-rich sand could not even be met by a reported 4000 horses a day, and so a 35-mile canal was built to transport it to the Tamar Valley.
-
2.2 miles/3.6 km - Easy-moderate
West Pentire and Polly Joke
West Pentire and Polly Joke
2.2 miles/3.6 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk through the poppy fields of West Pentire to Polly Joke beach, returning over the headland to the pub that was a cowshed until the mid-20th Century.
-
2.3 miles/3.7 km - Easy-moderate
Crantock
Crantock
2.3 miles/3.7 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk along the Gannel Estuary from Crantock Beach to Penpol Creek, returning though the village of Crantock.
-
2.4 miles/3.8 km - Easy-moderate
Gwithian and Upton Towans
Gwithian and Upton Towans
2.4 miles/3.8 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk around the nature reserve in the sand dunes that was once the National Explosives Works where girls manufactured dynamite from nitroglycerine.
-
2.4 miles/3.9 km - Easy-moderate
Tintagel, Church and Castle
Tintagel, Church and Castle
2.4 miles/3.9 km - Easy-moderate
A short circular walk exploring some of the historic sites in Tintagel including King Arthur's Castle and Merlin's Cave, the Old Post Office, and the ancient parish church on the cliffs.
-
2.5 miles/4 km - Easy-moderate
Stepper Point and the Doom Bar
Stepper Point and the Doom Bar
2.5 miles/4 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk overlooking the infamous Doom Bar - from which the internationally popular beer is named - on which hundreds of vessels were wrecked when attempting to navigate into Padstow harbour and many still lie beneath the sands
-
3 miles/4.8 km - Easy-moderate
Looe woodland, river and coast
Looe woodland, river and coast
3 miles/4.8 km - Easy-moderate
A walk following the West Looe river from woods to its confluence and then to meet the Atlantic beside one of Cornwall's mediaeval ports.
-
3.0 miles/4.9 km - Easy-moderate
St Agnes Beacon and Wheal Coates
St Agnes Beacon and Wheal Coates
3.0 miles/4.9 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk between St Agnes Head and the engine houses of Wheal Coates via St Agnes Beacon, with spectacular panoramic views
-
3 miles/4.8 km - Easy-moderate
Tintagel Church to Trebarwith Strand
Tintagel Church to Trebarwith Strand
3 miles/4.8 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk on quarrymens' trails along the cliffs of Tintagel past the Thunderhole blowhole to the long, sandy beach at Trebarwith Strand from Tintagel's mediaeval clifftop church with relics including the font that once stood in Tintagel Castle's chapel.
-
3.1 miles/5 km - Easy-moderate
Padstow to Harbour Cove
Padstow to Harbour Cove
3.1 miles/5 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk through Padstow's mediaeval network of streets to the church, the Elizabethan Manor at Prideaux Place and Tregirls Farm, with panoramic views of the estuary, returning along a mile of sandy beaches.
-
3.3 miles/5.3 km - Easy-moderate
Penrose to the Loe Bar
Penrose to the Loe Bar
3.3 miles/5.3 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk alongside the Loe Pool to the Loe Bar and back via the farm on the hill spur, which in Cornish gave the name to the Penrose Estate.
-
3.3 miles/5.4 km - Easy-moderate
Towan Beach to Place House
Towan Beach to Place House
3.3 miles/5.4 km - Easy-moderate
A walk on contrasting coastlines, from the rugged Roseland coast to the sheltered creeks of the Percuil River opposite St Mawes.
-
3.4 miles/5.4 km - Easy-moderate
St Anthony Head (short version)
St Anthony Head (short version)
3.4 miles/5.4 km - Easy-moderate
A walk on the Roseland coast and then into the Fal estuary to St Anthony Church via the fort St Anthony Head and the golden sandy beaches of Molunan.
-
3.5 miles/5.6 km - Easy-moderate
Mawnan
Mawnan
3.5 miles/5.6 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk through three of the wooded valleys to the sheltered coves at the mouth of the Helford River
-
3.6 miles/5.8 km - Easy-moderate
Lost Church and Perranporth dunes
Lost Church and Perranporth dunes
3.6 miles/5.8 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk on the highest dune system in Britain to the chapel dating from Celtic times which was lost in the dunes for nearly 1000 years.
-
3.9 miles/6.2 km - Easy-moderate
Holywell to Polly Joke
Holywell to Polly Joke
3.9 miles/6.2 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk from Holywell Bay on the dunes and Kelsey Head to the sandy beach of Polly Joke.
-
3.9 miles/6.3 km - Easy-moderate
Land's End
Land's End
3.9 miles/6.3 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk on the rugged cliffs at the most westerly point of the British mainland with spectacular views and spectacular wildflowers.
-
3.9 miles/6.3 km - Easy-moderate
Penzance to Newlyn
Penzance to Newlyn
3.9 miles/6.3 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk at Mount's Bay from the largest port town in the bay to the harbour of Cornwall's largest fishing fleet.
-
4 miles/6.4 km - Easy-moderate
Towan Beach to Portscatho
Towan Beach to Portscatho
4 miles/6.4 km - Easy-moderate
A circular walk on the Roseland coast where, during the Napoleonic Wars, smugglers would row out to the middle of The Channel in pilot gigs to trade with the enemy.
-
4 miles/6.4 km - Easy-moderate
Watergate Bay to Newquay (via bus)
Watergate Bay to Newquay (via bus)
4 miles/6.4 km - Easy-moderate
A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, from Watergate Bay along the coast path to Newquay, passing the sea caves at Whipsiderry beach, the Iron Age hillfort on Trevelgue head and the beaches of Porth, Lusty Glaze and Tolcarne.
Download the iWalk Cornwall app and use the QR scanner within the app to find out more about any of the walks above.