Picturesque Cornish Walks
Walking in Cornwall is a superb recreational activity and you are never far from something special.
The South West Coast Path (www.southwestcoastpath.com) in its entirety covers 630 miles right from Somerset on the north coast to Dorset on the south coast. You can pick up a walk at any point around the Cornish coast to take in some of the most breathtaking scenery in the British Isles.
Our favourite Coast path walk is:
St.Ives – Zennor
The walk from St Ives to Zennor in North Cornwall uses a demanding but spectacular section of the South West Coast Path. You start the walk above Porthmeor beach, taking approximately 3 hours to reach Zennor. At Zennor you can enjoy lunch and a pint at The Tinners Arms whilst deciding your route home. You have three choices depending on your energy levels: walk back the way you came; a short cut across the fields or hop on the local bus back to St Ives!
St.Ives – Porth Kidney Beach (Lelant)
There is a fabulous walk from St.Ives, via carbis bay along the stunning coast path which then drops down to Porth Kidney, a stunning beach and RSPB nature reserve with lovely sand dunes along its entire length, with views out to Godrevy light house. You can carry on to Lelant, up through the golf course, past the church and head up to the local pub (The Badger ) for lunch or a pint before returning to St.ives (Allow 3-4 hours including lunch).
Again, if those legs are weary, just hop on a bus back to St.ives!!
Penrose Estate (Starting in Porthleven)
Another Cherished favourite. This lovely National Trust owned estate near Porthleven (approx. 30 min. drive from St Ives) has a number of excellent cycling and walking trails around a large coastal lake. The Loe or Loe Pool is the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall. It is separated from the sea by a shingle bar. The lake is surrounded by attractive farmland, woodland and coast. It’s a great place for a safe family cycle with miles of bridleways around the estate. Walkers can also enjoy miles of woodlands and lakeside trails.
We suggest parking in Porthleven harbour town main car park, follow the harbour round to the left, passing Bay View Terrace towards the end of the harbour wall. Turn left at The Institute and follow signs to Loe Bar. Cross Loe Bar beach to the far side of the lake where you will find the path which takes you around the lake. A long but flat walk (approx 7 miles), which ensures your four legged friend is well worn out. In need of a drink afterwards, head back into Porthleven and to the far side of the harbour you will find The Ship Inn. Beer mats and brasses adorn the ceiling and walls in this old fisherman’s haunt and in the winter you can be welcomed by a roaring fire. We recommend a pint of Skinner’s Porthleven – when in Porthleven..!
Find a map of the trails around the lake here:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/penrose
Tehidy country Park
Just a short drive from St.Ives. A large sheltered woodland, sits on the edge of the North Cornish coast near Portreath. Tehidy is the largest area of woodland in West Cornwall. Now owned and managed by Cornwall Council as a Country Park, Tehidy has over 9 miles (14.5km) of paths and 250 acres of peaceful woods and lakes to explore, together with a café and a picnic area. There are 5 main access points including North Cliff car park, and South Drive car park.
It is a great spot for walking along the clearly marked trails and kids will love playing hide and seek along the way!
www.cornwall.gov.uk (Then type in Tehidy park on search)
iwalkcornwall app
For the keenest walkers we recommend downloading the iwalkcornwall app on your phone. The app features 227 walks in Cornwall, ranging from 2 to 10 miles, totalling 1102 miles. Each walk has a map of the route, detailed directions, photos and notes on the heritage and natural history. The walks are classified by length, steepness grade, type of scenery (coastal, moorland, riverside etc) and, of course, whether there’s a pub. This app is free of charge to download and the walks are individually priced within the app.