Walks in Cornwall

A short and easy circular walk from Camelford along the wildflower-rich meadows of the River Camel to the clapper bridge at Fenteroon, returning through the fields with views over the Camel Valley.

A walk though a granite landscape mined first for tin, then china clay and now for geothermal power to generate electricity and heat the space-age greenhouses of the Eden Project.

A circular walk around Cornwall's most iconic mining remains, used for the filming of the BBC's Poldark series

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.

A circular walk through the King's Wood Woodland Trust reserve to the lost port of Pentewan, along the trackbed of horse-drawn tramway that once carried china clay to the busy port and via the system of reservoirs and sluices that were used to flush sand out of the harbour.

A circular walk past the 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.

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.

A figure-of-8 walk at Bude where the demand for lime-rich sand could not even be met by 4000 horses a day and so a 35 mile canal was built to transport it to the Tamar Valley.

A short circular walk in the tributary valleys of the River Valency through bluebell woodland beside a stream, and across meadows rich in wildflowers to the ancient Celtic churchyard of Lesnewth.

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.

A circular walk around the nature reserve in the sand dunes that was once the National Explosives Works where young girls manufactured dynamite from nitroglycerine, two tonnes of which detonated causing a shock wave that broke windows in St Ives and Penzance and could be heard on Dartmoor.

A circular countryside walk from the 15th century church at St Tudy through the grounds of the 18th century Manor of Wetherham, returning to the church alehouse where ale brewed by the church was sold to raise funds, and later became the village lock-up known as The Clink.

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.

A circular walk to the Beacon Local Nature Reserve, Jail and through Bodmin's historic centre.

A fairly short and easy circular walk around Warbstow, crossing ramparts of the massive Iron Age hillfort, through fields and along country lanes lined with wildflowers, returning via the mediaeval church which is dedicated to the daughter of a Saxon King who was tutored by the Celtic Saint Morwenna.

A short circular walk from the village of Blisland through the churchyard, two stretches of the Woodland Trust reserve of Lavethan Wood and land which was once the estates of Lavethan and Barlandew manors, returning via the Holy Well of St Hyacinth and St Pratt.

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.

A circular walk from the Bakers Pit nature reserve to an Iron Age hillfort where the remains of prehistoric roundhouses were seen as a convenient source of stone for a folly built in the era when the Poldark novels are set.

A circular walk on quarrymens' trails along 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.

A circular walk between St Agnes Head and the engine houses of Wheal Coates via St Agnes Beacon, with spectacular panoramic views

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.

A circular walk along country lanes, tracks and through fields to Penfound Manor - thought to be the oldest continually-inhabited ancestral home in England - from Poundstock church and gildhouse - the only surviving mediaeval church house of its kind in Cornwall.

A fairly short and easy circular walk through Lanhydrock gardens (note that you will need to pay an entry fee unless you are NT member) with plenty of picnic spots along the River Fowey that you can combine with a visit to the house.

A circular walk through woods and meadows to Porthoustock and Porthallow from St Keverne, settled in the Dark Ages by Celtic monks trading with Brittany

A circular countryside walk around the Saxon area of Jacobstow near Bude where an ancient mediaeval altar was removed from the church during the 16th Century and used as a footbridge over a stream, then used as a churchyard seat in Victorian times, and finally returned to the church in the 1970s.

A circular walk following the leats and horse-drawn tramways through the World Heritage site of the Luxulyan Valley to the massive viaduct which carried the tramways towards Newquay and water to winch the trams up the valley with a huge waterwheel, recommended in guidebooks as early as the 1920s "as one of the most glorious walks in all Cornwall".

A circular walk in the area described in Victorian times as the richest square mile anywhere on Earth

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 beaches of Porth, Lusty Glaze and Tolcarne.

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.

A circular walk from St Newlyn East through the woods of the Lappa Valley where the Steam Railway now encompasses what was one of the most famous mines in Cornwall during Victorian times and the riverbeds are still stained red.

A circular walk along the beach from Watergate Bay to the sea caves of Whipsiderry and Iron Age hillfort at Trevelgue head, returning past the clifftop tombs of Bronze-Age chieftains, with panoramic views of the Newquay coastline.

A woodland and riverside walk at Lerryn - thought to be the inspiration for the book The Wind In The Willows - and the lost pleasure gardens of Tivoli Park

A circular walk in the Kensey valley from the end of the steam railway at Newmills, through the bluebell woods at Trebursye, to the Eliot Arms in Tregadillett and returning to Newmills via the remains of a prehistoric fort, to catch the steam train back to Launceston.

A circular walk through the mature broadleaf woodland in the less well-known areas of the Lanhydrock estate, through bluebell woods and along the River Fowey, past the mediaeval bridge at Respryn, built after numerous prayers for safe passage in the ford-side chapel, had not resulted in the desired outcome.

A circular walk at the confluence of the Truro and Tresillian rivers, once defended by Moresk castle and later where timber for the mines was unloaded and floated as rafts into Truro

A circular walk from St Issey along the river valley, the Saint's Way to the creek-side church at Little Petherick, and along the creek to the tidal enclosure of Sea Mills, returning via two old inns.

A fairly easy circular walk from St Mabyn past the church and through rolling countryside to Pencarrow House and its magnificent gardens.

A circular walk in the parish of Crowan from the church to the Clowance Estate - the mansion of the St Aubyn Baronets until the fifth Baronet failed to produce a legitimate heir due to his 15 children all being born to women not married to him.

A circular walk on the rugged cliffs at the most westerly point of the British mainland with spectacular views and spectacular wildflowers.

A circular walk at Mount's Bay from the largest port town in the bay to the harbour of Cornwall's largest fishing fleet.

A circular walk around Stannon Moor near St Breward with panoramic views of Bodmin Moor, passing stone circles, burial chambers and other prehistoric monuments to a massive granite boulder balanced on Louden Hill which gently rocks if you sit on it.

A circular walk from Mawgan Porth along the Vale of Lanherne, following the river Menalhyl to St Mawgan and returning past the 800-year-old cloistered Convent where the sanctuary light has been burning for hundreds of years.

A circular walk along the Mylor and Restronguet creeks via the Pandora Inn, said to be once owned and renamed by the captain of HMS Pandora sent to capture mutineers from The Bounty, and where a passing-boat was kept to connect the post road between Falmouth and Truro, summoned by a bell on the other side of the creek.

A circular walk via King Arthur's Great Halls and the Old Post Office and along the coastline from Tintagel Castle past towering headlands and island bird colonies to the golden, sandy cove at Bossiney Haven, returning via the labyrinthine carvings and ruins of mills in the woods of Rocky Valley.

A short circular walk from Boscastle through bluebell woodland alongside the River Valency to the ancient Celtic churchyard and sacred spring at Minster, returning along the River Jordan, beside which Bottreaux Castle was once situated, and Boscastle's Old Road.

A fairly short circular walk exploring Trebarwith Valley, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in North Cornwall. The walk includes bluebell woodland, panoramic views from both sides of the valley and the Trebarwith Nature Reserve.

A circular walk from Lansallos to the coves of Lantivet Bay where farmers collected seaweed and sand to improve the soil and smugglers landed French brandy.

A figure-of-eight walk around the fishing village and headlands surrounding Polperro, passing the net loft perched above the harbour, the Victorian sea pool, the site of the mediaeval chapel and the harbourmaster's route to the lighthouse.

A circular walk from the fishing village of Port Quin to the golden sandy beaches of Epphaven Cove and Lundy Bay with spectacular coastal scenery, via the cliff-edge folly on Doyden Point built as a gambling den.

A circular walk from the Saxon village of Week St Mary through Ashbury woods, beneath the Iron Age fort, to the remains of the mediaeval manor of Penhallam which was only rediscovered in the 1960s, returning via the church, repaired after the pinnacle above the door was severed by lightning and crashed through the roof.

A circular walk on a peninsula protruding into the Hamoaze estuary and where the land was dotted with gun batteries, defending against a potential invasion from Napoleon.

A circular walk through Woodland Trust reserves of the ancient Millook woods, meadows to the former smuggling den and 1920s wild party venue of Trebarfoote, and along the coast from Cancleave Strand to Millook Haven where colliding continents have melted and folded the rocks like toffee.

A circular walk with spectacular coastal scenery from Porthcurno to Penberth Cove, passing the famous wobbling boulder of Logan Rock and returning via the escape route from the wartime tunnels which housed one of the world's largest telegraph stations.

A woodland walk alongside the West Looe River where the Giant's Hedge once divided kingdoms of the Dark Ages, centuries before the ancient trees that now tower above it were even seedlings.

A circular walk along the stream of Trevellas Coombe where tin ore is still worked using traditional water power, past Stippy Stappy - the row of sea captain's cottages, and down the valley to the sandy beach of Trevaunance Cove with the remains of Victorian harbour which was demolished by Atlantic storms.

A short circular walk from St Breward through ancient bluebell woods along the valley of the River Camel to the holy well, ending at the mediaeval church and inn.

A circular walk from Boscastle to Pentargon waterfall and Willapark coastguard lookout with magnificent views of the village and harbour from the headlands where the village women once gathered dressed in red to fool a French ship into fleeing from British army redcoats.

A circular walk in the Ruthern and Tremore river valleys following the Saint's Way to Withiel where the award-winning cheese Cornish Yarg was first made from a recipe in a dusty book found in the attic, that is thought to date back to the 13th Century.

A circular walk from the busy fishing port of Mevagissey into the Portmellon Valley and through the West Bodrugan Woods nature reserve to the beachside village of Portmellon where boats have been built for hundreds of years, and still are.

A circular walk around the iconic landmarks at Minions, including The Hurlers stone circles, The Cheesewring and the engine houses of the South Phoenix Mine.

A short circular walk from Padstow harbour to the viewpoints at the War Memorial and Victorian obelisk, the Elizabethan Manor at Prideaux Place, and including some pretty back streets that lie off the main tourist routes.

A circular walk around Delabole past the slate quarry, along back lanes and tracks, and through fields and bluebell woods.

A circular walk on the headland near Fowey where Daphne Du Maurier lived and formed the basis for scenes in her books.

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

A circular walk along prehistoric trade routes in the Lynher valley from the village of North Hill where the granite was quarried to build Westminster Bridge.

A circular walk from St Just to the rugged coast of England's only Cape topped by a monument fashioned from a mine chimney, passing mediaeval and prehistoric remains.

A circular walk from the beach and tiny harbour of Portwrinkle to the small village of Sheviock, thought to be Cornish for "abounding in strawberries", with a church abounding in mediaeval tombs.

A figure-of-8 walk from St Endellion to Port Isaac, via the estate of the ancient family of Roscarrock, who survived torture on the rack during Tudor times for being Catholic sympathisers, returning to the parish church, dedicated to the daughter of a Celtic king, on the ancient route which itself influenced the fervent adoption of Methodism in Port Isaac.

A short circular walk through the woods of St Nectan's Glen and canyons of Rocky Valley, past the ruined mills and labyrinthine carvings, and along the coast to the golden sandy cove at Bossiney Haven.

A circular walk via the quays, woods, engine house and mills of the Cotehele Estate where by Georgian times the house had become a tourist attraction because it was so antiquated, and has changed little since.

A circular walk at the heart of Cornwall's fishing industry to the village where Stargazy Pie was invented and a candle-lit parade is held each year to celebrate the catch of Tom Bawcock.

A circular walk along Mount's Bay from the large sandy beach at Perranuthnoe to the smugglers' coves at Prussia Cove, returning across the fields with views over St Michael's Mount.

A circular walk on the Roseland along both sides of St Just creek to Messack Point where there are spectacular views over one of the largest natural harbours in the world.

A circular walk over the northern tip of Bodmin Moor to the prehistoric burial chamber at the top of Buttern Hill and source of the River Fowey, returning via farm tracks and country lanes to the tributary streams of the River Inny.

A circular walk from Pendeen via the Geevor and Levant mines to the lighthouse at Pendeen Watch returning via the white, sandy beach at Portheras Cove.

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.