The South West Coast Path: North Cornwall The South West Coast path is England’s longest waymarked long-distance footpath and National Trail. The area is full of interesting wildlife and birdlife, and you may even spot dolphins and seals. There are lots of historical points you pass along this route and museums highlighting North Cornwall’s hidden past. The North Cornwall Coast Path takes in tiny fishing villages, rocky headlands, remote coastal landscapes and golden surf-washed beaches. We offer two sections that cover North Cornwall along the South West Coast Path (SWCP) National Trail. These sections pass through a mixture of idyllic coastal villages with the most rewarding views over clifftops and beaches. Our holidays along this section of the South West Coast Path include stopover nights in the popular towns of Padstow, St Ives, Port Isaac and Tintagel. Why do this walk? What’s it like underfoot? Generally essential, but don’t forget your good paths and tracks, although a sunhat, sunblock and shorts! • Walk along one of Britain's most few sections can get muddy after dramatic coastlines. heavy rain. • Explore the exquisite tastes behind How much up & down? – More than Route Padstow’s delightful seafood you’d think! Although you never Westward Ho! to Clovelly restaurants. Steep cobbled streets and fishing • Unspoilt countryside with abundant reach more than 400m above sea villages. Westward Ho! is the only wildlife. level (and most of the time not more English place name with an • Discover the history of Cornwall. than 200m) there are many short exclamation mark in its title and the • Stay in delightful seaside towns and steep sections. Most days involve name came from the novel of the old fishing villages ascents of 200-400m metres, same name by Charles Kingsley. although no section is very steep for Upon leaving Westward Ho! you are very long. Essential Info treated with glorious views where, on a sunny day, you may spot Length 5 – 10 nights Signposting: Good – the path is well Clovelly in the distance. After Full Route Length 142 miles/ 229 km waymarked. following a disused railway track that used to run inland to Bideford, Navigation: Pretty straightforward – Grade the trail then heads south along the good signposting, and generally well coastline where you trek upwards defined tracks. on to the clifftops passing Moderate to Abbottsham and Green Cliff. From Weather: You may be lucky enough Peppercombe the trail changes quite Challenging to encounter warm, dry weather suddenly as the terrain is set in a over the whole route and enjoy dry woodland environment. The trail Grade This is not a technically difficult paths and tremendous views, but then slopes through Sloo and walk and should be easy to tackle for you must be prepared because the Worthygate woods and then drops most reasonably fit people. weather can change quickly. Good down into Buck’s Mills and into Terrain - The paths are good, and there clothing and waterproofs are cobble-streeted Clovelly. are no major route-finding challenges. Clovelly to Hartland Quay beaches of the Atlantic, the ‘Kernow’. You must stop at the Lighthouses and woodland terrain wildflowers and seabirds also smallest property owned by the Clovelly is one of the loveliest contribute to this secluded and National Trust in the UK, which is villages on the South West Coastal rough section on your way down known as Hawkers Hut. This next path with its four-hundred feet of into Hartland Quay. section gives you a real sense of cobbled streets and its narrow cleft isolation here and the views are in the coastline of North Hartland Quay to Bude beautiful – in particular the views Devon. There aren’t many cafés or Striking waterfalls and remote from Higher Sharpnose Point and places to stop on this section so it is coastal landscapes This section Steep Point. The next section is less best to stock up on supplies in starts easier than the previous day, strenuous leading you into the Clovelly. Leaving the steep, cobbled as it eases you back along the surfer’s paradise of Bude streets of Clovelly behind the trail coastline. But don’t take too much begins with a stroll through the time to begin today’s walk as this Bude to Crackington Haven woods of Gallantry Bower and onto part of the trail is arguably one of Surfers paradise and sandy beaches Snaxland. If you’re a keen bird the hardest with its long ascents. After your night in Bude your day’s watcher you’re in for a treat when There are roughly ten ascents and walk begins along an easy grassy cliff you reach Gallantry Bower, with a descents on this section, which can path from the beaches of Bude. You chance of seeing stonechats, linnets be tough at times, so remember to might be lucky enough to spot grey and meadow pipits. Once you leave stock up on supplies to get you seals from the glorious cliffs at the ancient woodland the landscape through as there aren’t many places Phillip’s Point Nature Reserve. This becomes less sheltered and you’re to stop. The trail passes the section provides you with wide and more exposed to its elements. outstanding waterfalls at St open views of the Atlantic from high Following on the clifftops you reach Catherine’s Tor and Speke’s Mill clifftop paths. The trail then takes the lighthouse which marks Hartland Mouth which cannot be missed. you over the top of Widemouth Bay Point. From here the trail takes a With a slow climb up towards (pronounced ‘Widmouth’). The path sudden Southerly turn where the Sandhoe Cliff you are rewarded with then changes and can be rough in trail takes you along the wildest and terrific views of this secluded area. places with a punishing ascent onto remotest part on the whole of the The trail then descends the steps to Penhalt Cliff between Foxhill Point South West Coastal Path. The the floor of the valley and you cross and Dizzard Point. The path dramatic landscape here is an awe- the border into Cornwall, the exact eventually winds downhill with inspiring experience with its boundary marked by a bridge and a some steep descents into waterfalls cracking into the rocky signpost welcoming you into Crackington Haven. Crackington Haven to Tintagel before Bossiney, which has a narrow town of Polzeath you leave the High Cliff, buzzards and the myth of gorge for some much needed clifftops behind and follow an easy King Arthur. From the sheltered sheltered on a sunny or windy day. footpath to Trebetherick and then village of Crackington Haven you You then reach the end of this onto the village of Rock. From Rock begin this section with some steep section in the legendary village of you can take the passenger ferry climbs, including the aptly named Tintagel. Look out for the ruins of across to Padstow which runs very High Cliff (731ft) at the highest point Tintagel castle – famous for being regularly. Padstow has a lot to offer and the cliff of Buckator towering the mythical birthplace for King the hungry walker and you’re spoilt over Gull Rock. After a long descent Arthur. from the clifftops you arrive at the for choice for eateries. You’re in for famous Pentargon high waterfall, Tintagel to Padstow a treat after completing this wild and rugged part of the South West made famous by the English author Tin mines, seafood restaurants and Thomas Hardy who wrote a poem sandy beaches. Upon leaving the Coast Path from his time here called ‘Under the fascinating village of Tintagel the Waterfall’. You can usually spot path begins with an easy stroll past some impressive birdlife on this part an old slate quarry and tin mine Additional Days of the trail so look out for peregrine workings. Once you pass the We can arrange extra nights at any falcons, buzzards and kestrels. There attractive hamlet of Trebarwith of the overnight stops, allowing for are some beautiful rugged coves and Strand the path becomes more rest days, or giving you more time to clefts on your approach to Boscastle challenging with several ascents and explore the locality. We recommend – a stunning fishing village filled with descents along the coastline. After Cornish charm and great place to Westward Ho!, Bude and Padstow. reaching the idyllic village of Port stop for a cup of tea and a Cornish Gavern and its neighbouring village scone! Over the next 5 miles you’ll of Port Isaac the path becomes a lot Westward Ho! leave the high cliffs behind as you less demanding. Port Isaac has Westward Ho! is famed for its are eased back along the trail, sprung to fame in recent years as a surfing beaches and the long passing by the Willapark Iron Age filming location for the English expanse of clean sand backed by a fort which is now a National television drama ‘Doc Martin’. From pebble ridge and grasslands. The Coastwatch tower. The walking from here the next 3 miles take you on a village was developed by Victorian here is not too taxing and there are winding trail up and down the entrepreneurs in response to the plenty of places for a break, not clifftops with views of Padstow in bestselling novel 'Westward Ho!' by least the sheltered Rocky Valley just sight. Once you reach the holiday Charles Kingsley. Bude To view train times please visit qjump Arrivals (journey time approx. 1 ½ Bude is a compact seaside town with where you can also purchase tickets in hours). plenty of character and a fine beach.