Polzeath to Porteath

For the longer through the archway Walks on and around the walk from Polzeath and around its walls, to Porteath, carry on far below. There are along the Coast Path a number of these Photo: Lucy Olver Photo: Lucy fascinating formations in Photo: Julie Horsley and follow it around Corn Head to Pen Girt the Padstow area. (See Cove. Ignore the next the Stepper Point Walk). in North Cornwall path heading inland here, and stay with the The secluded beach Coast Path as it starts to here is one of Cornwall’s travel east, and follow it gems, with rocks, sand, Photo: Tim Wayne past Down Hedge Cove surf, cliffs and a little and Carnweather Point tumbling waterfall, and if the weather is good it towards Lundy Bay. Wildlife: There is plenty of wildlife to see around is the perfect spot for a North Cornwall including, Turnstones, Red Admirals picnic. As you approach and Cormorants. Lundy Hole the first path inland travels At Lundy beach you Other Useful Information uphill to the National leave the Coast Path Trust car park on the to take the path which Nearest Refreshments: During the holiday season Photo: Matt Whorlow road. Ignore this path heads directly uphill, there are a number of tearooms in Polzeath, as well as and take either of the towards the road, Carters Café & Bar in the Bee Centre in Porteath. and follow it through Polzeath to Porteath two ahead, both of Nearest toilet: There are public toilets opposite the the fields beyond to An Iron Age promontory fort and some Bronze Age burial which lead to the beach Polzeath Beach car park. below. Porteath, where you mounds, a famous wartime poem and a breath-taking sandy can catch the bus Public Transport: The Western Greyhound 584 bus cove surrounded by gorse and woodland, with a rocky archway to a collapsed sea cave. There are spectacular If you take the left- at Port Quin Cross. runs regularly to Polzeath between Wadebridge views out over Padstow Bay and beyond, as well as a puffin hand of these paths, Alternatively you can and Rock, stopping at the car park by the beach island and volcanic pillow lavas. it will lead you past continue along the at Polzeath as well as Port Quin Cross in Porteath the top of Lundy Hole, Coast Path for another (by the Bee Centre) and Port Isaac. (Central Garage where the roof of a sea four miles to Port Isaac, westbound and the Pea Pod eastbound). Distance: (Long) 5 miles (8KM) / (Short) 2½ miles (4.2KM) cave has collapsed before catching the bus Start: Polzeath Beach Car Park / Ann’s Cottage Car Park both leaving an impressive back to Polzeath. For bus details phone Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 on Polzeath Beach. Finish: (Long) Port Quin Cross / (Short) Polzeath Beach crater with views down OS Explorer Map: 106 Newquay & Padstow Start Postcode / Grid Ref: PL27 6TB / SW 935 789 to the water churning Difficulty Level: Easy / Moderate Terrain: The Path is narrow and stony in places, and the weather can be a bit rough around the exposed headland. Choose between a short walk from the Pentire Farm car park, a longer walk from Polzeath to the Porteath Bee Centre, catching the bus back from Port Quin Cross, or make an even longer walk by continuing along the Coast Path to Port Isaac (see Port Isaac to Porteath walk). This leaflet was produced by the South West Coast Path Team working in partnership with John Bray Cornish Holidays who have helped to fund the improvements on this walk. This is one of the many walks that can be found at johnbray.co.uk www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk DIRECTIONS: path down to the South was built at a later date West Coast Path, and to further defend the From the car parks at join the longer walk (3), inner two, and it was Polzeath Beach, cross leaving it again at (6). probably topped with a the head of the beach wooden palisade. There and pick up the South In 1936 a speculator would have been timber West Coast Path as it bought up a large area bridges across the starts out towards the of land here, parcelling ditches, and a complex headland along the cliff it up into individual gatehouse, which would path above the beach. building plots, which have been of wood were then put up originally, but later Before you leave the for sale; but enough rebuilt in stone, with beach, take a look at the opposition to the plan timber gates. rocks on its southern was found at local and side. These are Polzeath national level for the There have been Slate, an important rock National Trust to be able traces of roundhouses for geologists (see The to raise the money to found between and John Betjeman Walk). buy the whole estate beyond the two inner and maintain it as one of ramparts and evidence Just after Slipper Britain’s most beautiful suggesting that the Point, at Pentire Glaze wildernesses. earliest inhabitants Haven, the path heads here were involved in briefly inland around Look out for the plaque, spinning and weaving, the haven; but turn left just around Pentire as well as trading with with it at the fork to Point, commemorating Look out for dolphins the twin headland ahead path as you descend people from as far away travel around the hill the occasion when and basking sharks here of you. through the small gorge as the Mediterranean. above the beach. poet Laurence Binyon in the summer, and the to The Rumps: see how sat on these cliffs and breeding colonies of Geologists have different the rock looks, From The Rumps the On the far side of was moved to compose sea birds on the islands, suggested that the with its knobbly surface path turns south once the hill, heading briefly “For the Fallen”, which which are especially layers of rock on the and the tiny holes where more, climbing uphill inland again around the was published by the popular with puffins, Padstow area lay on the the hot air was forced around the wall. stream, fork left again Times newspaper in gannets and kittiwakes. bed of the ocean in the out of the volcano far and carry on along the September 1914. The Mid Devonian period below. At its highest point Coast Path as it makes plaque quotes the fourth Before you reach some 397-385 million a path leads off to its way to Pentire stanza of the poem: The Rumps another years ago. At the end Archaeologists have the right, across the Point and around the path leads away to the of this time the Upper found evidence of peninsula, while the headland. “They shall grow not old, right, but ignore this Devonian period began people living in a Coast Path caries on as we that are left grow one too, to carry on to here with the eruption promontory fort here as straight ahead. If you are starting the old the rumps. of volcanoes deep long ago as the second walk from Pentire Farm, Age shall not weary them, beneath the seabed. century BC, and you can Turn right here if you take the path that heads nor the years condemn Note how the rocks The seawater cooled see the remains of the started the walk at south west, to the left the molten lava, causing three lines of ramparts Pentire Farm, and At the going down of the have changed form as you approach the car follow the path around sun and in the morning the thin layers of soft it to form the 200-foot dividing The Rumps park from the road, and slate to the dark, hard pillow lavas at Pentire from the rest of the the wall and back to the just before you reach We will remember them”. basaltic (volcanic) rock Point. Have a look at headland. It is thought car park. it. From here follow the very clearly visible on the rocks beside the that the outermost one .

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