Walking in Cornwall

Walking the Lizard Peninsula

The Lizard Peninsula is the southernmost part of Britain and an area of astounding beauty. From the start you enjoy views of the well known silhouette of St. Michael's Mount, and go on to see marvellous wild flowers and birds, perhaps catch a glimpse of a Basking Shark, or eat delicious ice-cream at Coverack – not to mention endless views of romantic creeks and breathtaking cliffs and the busy port of Falmouth. A rewarding moderately strenuous self-guided walking holiday.

Day 1: Arrival Penzance – enjoy this small busy town with long promenade and views to St Michael's Mount.

Day 2: Penzance to Porthleven. 13 miles (21 km) The first stage of today's walk is fairly easy leaving you with enough time to enjoy the views, visit St Michaels Mount until the Path begins to narrow and rollercoaster over the cliffs up to and beyond Praa Sands. St Michael’s Mount dominates as you walk first to the ancient town of Marazion, passing Marazion Marsh with its rich wildlife. Once a Benedictine Priory, a fortress and tin mining port, the Mount can be accessed by a causeway at low tide or by ferry. The Path continues through a landscape with obvious evidence of a mining history passing sandy beaches followed by a more rugged landscape the granite cliffs turn to Slate where you will find some dramatic vertical cliffs before walking down to the pretty fishing village of Porthleven for overnight.

Day 3: Porthleven to Lizard. 13 miles (21 km) The path is fairly level beyond Porthleven but then becomes narrow in places with some steep ascents and descents. There is a sense of remoteness and wildness on the Peninsula, especially along Mullion and Predannack Cliffs which are part of the Lizard National Nature Reserve where the colour of the rare heathers and wildflowers make for spectacular views. Pass the Loe, largest body of fresh water in Cornwall and separated from the salty sea by the mixture of fine gravel and sand called Loe Bar. Continue past coves and steep cliffs to the white sand and turquoise sea of Kynance Cove – an area of outstanding natural beauty – onto Lizard Point with its beautiful lighthouse and wildflowers. Overnight The Lizard.

Day 4: Lizard to Coverack. 10.5 miles (17.5 km) From Lizard Point you walk to the picturesque fishing village of Cadgwith to Coverack. The walk today is through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You will come across different types of rock from Serpentine (dark green rock with red and white veins) to granite and schist. Pass Kennack Sands, once famous for shipwrecks it is now a National Nature Reserve with beautiful cliffs of layered rock and displays of wild flowers. An uphill climb to Beagles Point brings you to a point with far-reaching views of the Coast Path ahead and the possibility of a glimpse of a whale from Black Head. Continue down to the lovely village of Coverack.

Day 5: Coverack to Helford. 13.5 miles (21.6 km) Today's walk follows a variety of landscapes, from clifftops to fishing villages to lush woodland. The walk begins with an easy walk around the edge of the Bronze Age field systems of Lowland Point, then an uphill climb out of Porthoustock begins the inland route to Porthallow, where you then join the sea again and walk round Nare Point to the beautiful Gillan Creek. From here on some sections of the Path are wooded and others offer fine views ahead extending to the lighthouse at St. Anthony Head, the Roseland and the headland of Dodman Point. Then cross the Creek past St Anthony Church, which is as beautiful as its surroundings, before continuing along the shores of the Helford River to the delightful village of Helford, an old Smuggler's haunt. Just upstream is the village of Frenchman’s Creek: This beautiful, wooded creek gave its name to one of Daphne du Maurier’s most popular novels, which tells the story of a love affair between an English Lady and a French pirate.

Day 6: Helford to Falmouth. 10 miles (16 km) The day begins with a ferry across the Helford River. Once on the other side you will cross the openings of lush valleys with subtropical gardens. The walking is gentle easy walking through fields and along wooded clifftop paths to Pendennis Castle and on to the interesting and delightful town of Falmouth with its shops and art college and the 3rd deepest natural harbour in the world.

Day 7: Depart from Falmouth after breakfast.

Cost per person: £395 sharing a room. Single room supplement: £90.00.   Supplement person walking alone: £60.00

Included:

• 6 nights accommodation and breakfast in rooms with private bathrooms in selected B+Bs, inns and hotel, luggage transfer from accommodation to accommodation, Maps and route notes, Emergency back up.

• Total Distance 60 miles / 96 kilometres

• Getting there: Regular bus and trains to Penzance (from London 5.4 hours by train). Nearest Airport – Newquay (flights from Gatwick and Stansted), Exeter, Bristol. Please ask us and we will let you know about onward connections from the airports.

• Return: Falmouth Train and Bus Station (London 5 hours)

Highlights
St Michaels Mount, variety of landscapes, flowers, Daphne du Maurier associations.

MYSTERY OF CORNWALL - A Walk from St Ives to Penzance along the Coast Path.
The north and west coasts of Cornwall has a unique atmosphere – a mixture of the charm of St. Ives, famously beloved of artists and home to a branch of the Tate Gallery, to some of the wildest and most dramatic scenery along the entire English coastline. Add to this the wildlife, from peregrine falcons to dolphins, the fascinating mining heritage, the exhilaration of standing at Land's End, the magnificent open-air Minack Theatre, and the pretty fishing villages of Mousehole and Newlyn, and you have a magnificent moderate to strenuous walking holiday.

Day 1: Arrival and first overnight St Ives. This seaside town offers steep streets, great views, good surf and a beautiful light that has attracted artists for centuries. The St Ives Tate Gallery, The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden are just some of the reasons why St Ives is called the cultural capital of Cornwall.

Day 2: St Ives to Zennor. 7 miles (11km) The walk starts out as an gentle walk out of St Ives to Clodgy Point soon becoming a strenuous hike of roller coaster climbs as you walk down towering cliffs into beautiful coves until you reach Zennor, described by D.H. Lawrence as “the most beautiful place, lovelier even than the Mediterranean”. The area around Zennor is designated both an Environmentally Sensitive Area and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Day 3: Zennor to St Just. 11 miles (17.5km) The path continues its rollercoaster journey along the coast passing the remains of an ancient settlement and cliff castle at Gurnard's Head and the site of an Iron Age cliff fort at Bosigran Castle. Seals are often spotted at the secluded sandy cove of Portheras Cove and from Pendeen Lighthouse you can look out at one of the most dangerous stretches of coast (for ships!), in Britain. The coast path continues to Cape Cornwall, the most westerly point of Cornwall where the Atlantic currents split. This area was is also dotted with the ruins of the once thriving tin mining industry and you can visit Geevor Tin Mine Museum and Heritage Centre at Pendeen along the route before heading inland to St Just for overnight. St Just has a history of farming and mining. It attracts painters and potters and has some great cafes and pubs and a fifteenth century church.

Day 4: St Just to Porthcurno. 12 miles (19km) The first part of the walk is a mixture of easy open walking along high cliff-tops and short ascents and descents. Walk from St Just to Whitesand Bay enjoying spectacular views, perhaps a view of seals as well as a variety of seabirds such as peregrine falcons, shags, herring gulls and rock pipits, to the lovely fishing village of Sennan Cove with a beautiful beach and great surf. Continue to Land's End, the most southerly tip of Britain. Continue along the clifftops as far as the open air Minack Theatre (performances May to September). Finally a steep climb takes you down to the idyllic beach at Porthcurno. The path continues - fairly steeply downhill – to the magnificent sands of Porthcurno

Day 5: Porthcurno to Penzance. 11 miles (17.5km) A strenuous walk from Porthcurno to the sub-tropical cove of Lamorna. Passing through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Path changes quite dramatically as it crosses rugged cliffs, with some difficult ascents and descents, and then turns to easy walking on tarmac through Newlyn to Penzance. The historic association of artists with both Lamorna and Newlyn continues today as the area attracts painters, writers, potters and craftsmen. Overnight Penzance.

Day 6: Depart from Penzance after breakfast.

Cost per person: £335 sharing a room. Single room supplement: £75.00

Supplement person walking alone: £50.00

Included:

• 5 nights accommodation and breakfast in rooms with private bathrooms in selected B+Bs, inns and hotel, luggage transfer from accommodation to accommodation, Maps and route notes, Emergency back up.

• Total Distance 40 miles / 64 kilometres

• Getting there: Regular bus and trains to St Ives (from London 6 hours by train). Nearest Airport – Newquay (flights from Gatwick and Stansted), Exeter, Bristol. Please ask us and we will let you know about onward connections from the airports.

• Return: Penzance Train and Bus Station