Padstow and Stepper Point Boom That Tells of Caves in Nearest Toilet: Rock Quarry Car Park and South Quay, the Rock Below Your Feet
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The daymark tower was along this part of the coast Walks on and around the built, probably in the early were formed in this way; nineteenth century, as a and at Roundhole Point, to maritime navigational aid, the south of this walk, there designed to guide sailors is a tremendous example Olver Photo: Lucy Photo: Julie Horsley into the River Camel. of this. Note the other dramatic rock formations From flint tools found on caused by the wave in North Cornwall the headland it appears erosion here too. that people lived in this part of Stepper Point as far Leave the Coast Path here, Photo: Seb Loram back as 6000 years ago, forking left to the track and possibly even earlier. ahead and turning right on this track, following it Carry on along the around to the left shortly Coast Path as it heads afterwards to join the road south above the sea, at Lellizick. Wildlife: There is plenty of wildlife to see around North dropping downhill, until Cornwall including, Turnstones, Red Admirals and Peregrine you come to the place Turn right on the road Falcons. where it turns sharply left and then pick up the track Other Useful Information around a rocky cove. on your left a moment Photo: Lindsay Philip later, which will lead you Nearest Refreshments: There are numerous restaurants, As you walk along here quickly back to (3), at pubs, teashops and takeaways in Padstow. you will hear the hollow Harbour Cove Padstow and Stepper Point boom that tells of caves in Nearest toilet: Rock Quarry Car Park and South Quay, the rock below your feet. From here, there is a Padstow. Far-reaching views over the mouth of the River Camel These are carved out by choice of routes back to and the Doom Bar, where mermaids wait to lure the sea, which exploits Padstow: either along the Ferry: The Padstow to Rock Ferry www.padstow-harbour. sailors to disaster! Sandy beaches, secluded coves, co.uk/phc_ferry.html, Tel 01841 532239 weaknesses in the rock shoreline, the way you holy wells, a daymark tower and some stunning rock and then enlarges them came; or on the far side of OS Explorer Map: 106 Newquay & Padstow formations, there’s something for everyone, including with the power of its waves the inlet take the track to an abbreviated route for those looking for a shorter as they wash around the right and follow it back walk. the cave. Sometimes to Church Street, past these collapse, leaving Tregirls Farm, as detailed a sinkhole. Pepper Hole, in the shorter route (2) Distance: 6 miles (10KM) Butter Hole and Fox Hole (above). Start & Finish: Padstow Harbour or Rock Quarry car park (if taking the ferry across from Rock). Start Postcode / Grid Ref: PL28 8AF / SW 920 755 (PL27 6LD / SW 928 757) Difficulty Level: Moderate Terrain: The walking is on tracks and footpath on mostly level terrain. Bring a picnic if the weather’s good. 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: by travellers, and the Celts Follow the path and Romans ascribed northwards to Hawker’s For this walk you can healing properties to Cove. drive to Rock and use the their springs and wells. Rock Quarry car park. Saints arriving by sea a The first Padstow From here you can walk few centuries later, would lifeboat, built by the to the Padstow Rock Ferry have had cause to bless Padstow Harbour terminal, which is situated these as welcome drinking Association, was stationed across the road from the fountains. here, before the Padstow main entrance to the car branch of the RNLI was park. There is said to be another formed in 1855. In 1931 a well, dedicated to St John, new boathouse was built Please note the ferry near the daymark tower and a roller slipway, but by runs to Padstow harbour later in the walk. This 1967 silting up became a at High Tide, but stops one is believed to have problem and the lifeboat further up the path been marked by a beacon was moved to Trevose towards Stepper Point at chapel, although nothing Head, a few miles to the Low tide where you can now remains of either. west. join the walk at (2). Rather more recent (from Ignore the road to From the harbour the start of the nineteenth your left and Coast Path take the Coast Path century, in fact) are the way markers between northwards, up the ramp, ruins of a Napoleonic the houses until you are and follow the path gun emplacement and on the footpath on the through the park to the fortification at Gun Point, far side of the settlement. memorial ignoring the a little further on from St Carry on along this steps up to the left. George’s Well. towards the point. At the memorial, Looking out across the At the quarry, a path continue along the Coast estuary, at low tide the joins from your left. Ignore Path and follow it along sand on this side of the this and carry on along as it runs above the beach water extends almost to the Coast Path as it heads to Gun Point. If you want the Doom Bar. According uphill to the point. Carry to go down onto the to a traditional ballad, the on along the path around sand there are numerous Mermaid of Padstow fell the point to the daymark small paths leading to the in love with local lad, Tom From Gun Point the path the tracks leading away for a short distance, until tower. beaches along the way to Yeo, who mistook her for turns slightly inland around on both sides shortly you come to a small gap in Harbour Cove, but for this a seal (or so he said), and the edge of Harbour Cove afterwards. When you the bushes ahead of you, The other path to the walk, stay with the main shot her. In the awful rage until it reaches a small inlet, come to the houses, follow with the Coast Path acorn left at the quarry, heading path around the dunes. of a woman scorned, she where a track joins it from Tregirls Lane around to the way marker in amongst uphill, leads to the lookout called up a mighty storm, you left. left as it becomes Church the vegetation. station and a World War II St George’s Well, wrecking all the ships in Street and then turn right Follow the narrow pillbox beside it. If you supposedly off the path the harbour and throwing (For the short version of Dukes Street to reach the footpath through the walk this way, the path above the beach, is one a huge sandbar across the the walk, turn left onto this centre of Padstow again). bushes, emerging a short continues over the of the many holy wells in river to imperil all future track and follow it back to while later onto another headland and will return Cornwall. In early times, sailors venturing in. Look Padstow, dropping onto For the longer walk, path which again hugs the you to the main path at the sources of water were out for her on the rocks at the road southwards at turn right to follow the shoreline above the sandy daymark tower. highly prized, especially Hawker’s Cove. Tregirls Farm and ignoring track towards the beach beach. .