Discovering the Best Coastal Paths and Cycle Routes in Cornwall

10 Easy Coastal Walks & Paths

1: Park Head and Pentire Steps The walk descends to the coast at Porth Mear through a corridor of blackthorn bushes which are white with blossom in spring. The route then follows the Coast Path across Park Head to the cliffs overlooking Pentire Steps beach (where there is an optional diversion for views over Bedruthan steps) and returns across the fields. Read more >>

2: Trevose Head (short version)

The walk begins at the end of the headland near the lighthouse and follows the coastline towards Padstow to reach the Padstow lifeboat station and the sheltered beach of Mother Ivey's Bay. The walk then cuts across the headland to the western side, facing the Atlantic swells, to reach Booby's Bay and then follows the coast path past a collapsed cave before finishing at Dinas Head. Read More >>

3: Botallack Head

The route stretches between West Wheal Owles (filmed as Wheal Leisure and Wheal Grace in the BBC's Poldark), the engine houses on Botallack headland, and Levant mine where a beam engine has been restored to working condition. Read More >>

4: Hayle and The Towans

The walk follows the quays where Harvey's of Hayle once shipped beam engines around the world and enters the dune system of The Towans. The route follows the coast path across the cliffs with views over St Ives Bay to reach Mexico Towans. The route turns inland through the dunes to reach the mediaeval churchyard of Phillack and then descends to Copperhouse Pool which is walled using blocks of slag from the copper smelter. The final stretch of the route is through the King George V Memorial Gardens. Read More >>

5: Bude to Northcott Mouth

The walk passes Bude Castle and heads towards Summerleaze beach to reach the coast above Bude Sea Pool. From here the route follows the Coast Path to the beaches of Maer and Northcott Mouth. The return to Bude is fairly quick and easy, along bridleways and through the town and following the River Neet to complete the circular route. Read More >>

6: Par and Tywardreath

The walk starts by heading inland from Par Beach across land which was under the sea a century ago and along canals created by the Victorians to reclaim marshland. After reaching the railway line, the route winds through the park past the lakes and then follows a footpath past the marshes wetland reserve. The route then follows the Saint's Way through Tywardreath to return to Par Beach, crossing the beach at the end. Read More >>

7: Polzeath to St Enodoc Church

The walk starts at Polzeath beach and follows the coast path, known as "The Greenaway", around past a number of small beaches with purple-and-green pinstripe rocks and many rockpools to explore at low tide. The route continues past remains of shipwrecks on Trebetherick point and descends onto the beach at Daymer Bay before heading through the sand dunes to St Enodoc Church - the burial place of Sir John Betjeman. The route then loops inland, across fields and golf courses, to reach Polzeath. Read More >>

8: Bude Canal and Coast

The route can alternatively be done as two separate shorter circular walks. The first loop is along the canal and returns along the cycle track across Bude Marshes. The second loop of the walk is along the coast past the Sea Pool to Crooklets, returning past the Bude Tunnel and through the town. Read More >>

9: Marazion to Penzance

The walk begins along Marazion beach and then turns inland at Long Rock to join St Michael's Way. From Gulval Church, footpaths and pavements lead into Penzance. The return route is along the South West Coast Path around Mount's Bay. Read More >>

10: Rock to St Minver

The route follows the dunes from Rock to Daymer Bay opposite the Doom Bar, then passes St Enodoc Church - the burial place of Sir John Betjeman - on its way inland to the pretty village of St Minver with its characteristic (and slightly wonky) church spire. The return route passes 3 pubs and Sharp's Brewery, presenting opportunities for the more refreshing kind of Doom Bar and limited edition ales, as it descends from the fields of the St Minver Highlands to the St Minver Lowlands along the Camel Estuary. Read More >>

Top Cornish Cycle Trails

The Camel Trail

Without doubt the best known of the Cornish cycle trails is the Camel Trail. It stretches from the North Coast harbour town of Padstow along the banks of the River Camel before heading inland to Wadebridge, then Bodmin and up on to Bodmin Moor beyond. The trail is often considered as the 11 miles (18km) from Padstow to Bodmin with the 6 miles (9km) up to Blisland on Bodmin Moor considered additional. This makes sense as the character of this last section is somewhat different and more challenging than the genteel section along the banks of the River Camel.

As the longest established of the trails there are plenty of places to hire bicycles and no shortage of stop off points for refreshments. This is a great trail for families as it is traffic free and generally flat. Read More >>

Mineral Tramways Trails

The Mineral Tramway trails are a 37.5 mile network of traffic free routes based on the old transport network of the 19th century mining era. Offering the opportunity of exploring the countryside and mining heritage to all, there are also great views and abundant wildlife.

Coast to Coast Trail (11 miles / 17.5 km) As the name suggests this trail reaches from the harbour of Portreath on the North Coast to Devoran on the South. It more or less follows the old Portreath Tramroad and Redruth & Chacewater railway so is relatively level as well as taking in Cornwall's mining heartland.

Great Flat Lode Trail (7.5 miles / 12 km) This trail is set amongst the mines that worked the Great Flat Lode. It circles the hill of Carn Brea behind Camborne and Redruth taking in some of Cornwall's finest old mine workings.

The Tehidy Trail (2.5 miles / 4km) Set within the confines of Tehidy Country Park this trail is popular with families. It is traffic free and mostly flat. Read More >>

Clay Trails

The Clay Trails are located around the south coast town of St Austell and are a network of routes exploring this fascinating post-industrial landscape. For over 300 years the area was the centre of the China Clay industry and this has left its indelible stamp on the shape of the land around here. Where there were clay pits there are now turquoise lakes and where there were spoil heaps there are now strangely shaped miniature mountains.

The trails themselves are multi use but virtually all are cycle friendly. There are several interlinking trails:

Pentewan Trail (2.5 miles / 4 km) Follows a former railway line from near Mevagissey and continues to the town of St Austell. It is reasonably flat and bicycles can be hired at Pentewan.

The Green Corridor (2 miles / 3.5 km) This route joins St Austell with Wheal Martyn which was at the centre of the china clay industry. It follows the green countryside past Tremena Gardens finishing at the China Clay Country Park.

Wheal Martyn Trail (5 miles / 8 km) Running from Wheal Martyn to the Eden Project this trail is a little rougher than some of the others. The route takes in many of the china clay workings and has some great views over the countryside.

Bugle to Eden Trail (4 miles / 6 km) This is a fairly easy trail covering the open countryside between the village of Bugle and the Eden Project

St Blazey Trail (3 miles / 5 km) A short and varied trail running from the village down to Par beach taking in the industrial landscape and finishing in a nature reserve.

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The Cornish Way

The Cornish Way is slightly different to the previous trails in that only a small percentage is completely traffic free (29 miles). The rest of the route has been designed to avoid major roads and take in as many of Cornwall's best features as possible. This 180 mile (288 km) cycle route runs the length of Cornwall from Bude to Land's End (and back) via 2 routes; one taking in Padstow on the North coast, the other St Austell on the south.

The route is generally split into several sections, including the already mentioned Camel Trail:

The First and Last Trail - Land's End to Hayle (22 miles / 35 km) Not too hilly and taking in the fishing village of Mousehole, town of Penzance, Marazion (home to St Michael's Mount) and Hayle on the opposite coast.

The Engine House Trail - Hayle to Truro (18 miles / 29 km) So named because it includes sections of the Mineral Tramways Trails, the historic industrial heartland of Cornwall. Largely traffic free this route is both beautiful and fascinating.

The Coast and Clay Trail - Truro to St Austell (40 miles / 64 km) Starting off in Cornwall's cathedral city, Truro this route takes in the beautiful scenery of the Roseland Peninsula before reaching the coast near Mevagissey. The trail then takes in some more of Cornwall's industrial heritage, China Clay Country.

The St Piran Trail - Truro to Bodmin (33 miles / 53 km) This is an alternative to the St Austell section and slightly less hilly. The route goes cross country before making the coast at Newquay. It then returns inland before hitting the coast and beautiful beaches around Padstow.

The North Cornwall Trail - Bodmin to Bude (35 miles / 56 km) This route skirts the northern edge of Bodmin Moor with its stunning and rugged scenery. The trail reaches the coast shortly before Bude taking in the coastline around Widemouth Bay.

Read More >>