The Most Beautiful Coastal Walks in Cornwall

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A short walk of 3.5mi (6km), this relatively level coastal stomp starts at the Driftwood Spars pub, with an ale brewed onsite, then follow the path to the clifftops. The ascent takes you out of the valley, when Trevaunance Cove bursts into view. With just one steep up-and-down, amble along turquoise coves accessible only to kayaks and surfers. Your final view as you enter Perranporth will be line after line of waves breaking on the beach.

Clinging to the edge of southeast Cornwall and just a seven-minute boat trip from Plymouth, Mount Edgcumbe boasts gardens that are a heady-scented wonderland of flowers. Entry is free, but there’s an admission fee for the manor house. With stunning views of Plymouth Sound and the South Devon coast, follow the pathway until you reach a stretch of grassland known as Minadew Brakes. After a breather, zigzag through woodland and across beaches until you reach the twin villages of Kingsand and Cawsand. The Cross Keys Inn in Cawsand has an excellent range of local ales, with outside seating and live music on Sundays.

The pretty fishing village of Mousehole is the perfect starting point for a sunny walk along Cornwall’s south coast. Join the South West Coast Path and follow it along weather-beaten cliffs, over exposed fields and round Carn Du headland into Lamorna Cove, where the sparkling sea borders a wooded nature reserve. The Lamorna Wink Pub and Restaurant is a great pitstop for a pint of ale before the return trek.

Start your hike with a dip off Porthcurno beach, where the water is so blue, it could almost be the Caribbean. Once dry, head up the crag past the Minack Theatre, carved out of the rock, and onwards to Porthchapel beach. The route will take you through tiny villages, across sandy beaches and clifftops. Climb out of Nanjizal beach, and the home stretch to Land’s End is an easy walk past dramatic rock formations. The pub at Land’s End comes with a premium for being the first and last in the country.

Through woodland and creek, and by ferry boat, this circular walk from Fowey to Polruan and back again is a truly tranquil trek. Take the passenger ferry from Fowey to the Old Ferry Inn, walk up the steep hill and veer right to follow the footpath. The route undulates through the Fowey Estuary, over wooden bridges and through woodland shade. Arrive in the village of Polruan and wander to the quay to pick up your return ferry.

England’s most southerly point is a huge hunk of land jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, battered by the elements. Start your hike at the National Trust’s Kynance Cove, where giant rock formations and pretty beach collide. Stride along the edge of England with sea spray in your hair and the wind at your heels, at what feels like the end of the world. Dramatic cliffs and unpredictable weather make for a beautifully wild stroll.

This stretch of coastline offers some of the best views in Cornwall, and from Tintagel Castle to Boscastle’s witching links, it offers an impressive hike steeped in history. Start at the castle, where King Arthur is said to have been conceived, and head north past breathtaking rocky islets and seabird colonies and through an Iron Age settlement before reaching the charming town of Boscastle. The millionaire shortbread in the National Trust cafe comes highly recommended.

Probably the most spectacular walk in Cornwall, this hike is for the strong of heart and sturdy of foot, so watch your step as well as the view – some scrambling is needed, and the path itself is a trip hazard. As you depart from Porthmeor beach, in St Ives, say hello to the Man’s Head rock and look out for the ruins of the sick-house and old leper colony. Seal Island sits off the coast, and you can marvel at the view. Stop for a well-deserved drink at the Tinners Arms in Zennor, before taking the bus back to bustling St Ives.