Walking the South West Coast Path in Cornwall: 6 Best Stretches

There is a moment, somewhere on the South West Coast Path, when you stop thinking about your feet. The breath settles, the rhythm takes over, and it’s just you and the long green edge of the land — gulls below you, gorse at your knees, the Atlantic working away at the cliffs as it has for longer than there have been people to watch it. Walk far enough and the path becomes less a route than a state of mind.

The full trail runs for hundreds of miles around the south-west peninsula, from Somerset all the way round to Dorset, and a generous slice of it belongs to Cornwall — arguably the wildest and most beautiful slice of all. Its origins are surprisingly practical: much of the route began as a patrol path, walked by coastguards watching for smugglers, which is why it so faithfully follows every indentation of the coast, dipping into each cove and rounding each headland rather than cutting the corner. The result is a trail that misses almost nothing.

You don’t need to walk the whole thing. The joy of it is that you can drop on for a morning, a half-day, a single glorious stretch between two coves, and come away feeling you’ve touched something elemental. The path is well looked after and well signed: keep an eye out for the little acorn waymarks of the National Trail and you’ll rarely lose your way. It’s worth saying, too, that there is no such thing as a flat day on this coast — the cliffs rise and fall constantly, and even a short stretch can involve a surprising amount of climbing. That’s part of the bargain, and part of the reward.

What follows are six of our favourite stretches in Cornwall — chosen for drama, for variety, and for that particular feeling of being gloriously, happily small against a very big view. Some are gentle; some will have you working. All of them earn their keep.

1. St Ives to Zennor — wild and rugged

This is the West Cornwall coast at its most untamed. Leaving St Ives behind, the path strikes out along a stretch of cliff that feels genuinely remote — heather and bracken, granite boulders, the sea a long way down and never still. It’s rough underfoot in places, with plenty of up and down, and it rewards a reasonable level of fitness. The destination is half the point: the tiny hamlet of Zennor, with its ancient church and the famous Mermaid carving — a worn medieval bench-end said to depict the mermaid who lured a local chorister into the sea — and a pub that has been slaking walkers’ thirst for a very long time. This is also D. H. Lawrence country; the writer lived nearby during the First World War, drawn by exactly the brooding wildness you’ll feel on the cliffs. Many people walk one way and catch a bus back, which turns a committing linear route into a manageable day. Wear proper boots; this is not a stroll, and the going can be slow.

2. Pentire Head and the Rumps, near Polzeath

Out on the north coast near Polzeath, the headland of Pentire Point and the twin promontories known as the Rumps make one of the loveliest circular walks in Cornwall. The going is kinder here than the St Ives cliffs — grassy, rolling, well suited to a relaxed morning — and the views are enormous, sweeping across the Camel Estuary towards Stepper Point and out to the open sea. On the Rumps you can trace the earthworks of an Iron Age cliff castle, and in early summer the headland is famous for its wildflowers. It’s a walk that gives a great deal for relatively little effort, which makes it perfect for mixed-ability groups.

3. Tintagel to Boscastle — myth and high cliffs

This is a stretch heavy with story. Tintagel, with its dramatic island castle, has been bound up with the Arthurian legend for centuries, and the coast path north towards Boscastle threads along some of the highest, most theatrical cliffs in Cornwall. The walking is strenuous and the drops are real, but the rewards are immense — waterfalls spilling to the sea, slate-dark headlands, and the approach to Boscastle’s extraordinary natural harbour, a narrow zigzag inlet cut deep into the rock. It’s a serious half-day’s walk; take your time, take water, and leave room to explore Boscastle itself at the end.

4. The Lizard — Kynance Cove and Britain’s most southerly point

The Lizard peninsula is a world of its own, geologically and otherwise. The serpentine rock here gives the cliffs strange greens and reds, and the path delivers two unmissable set-pieces. Kynance Cove is, quite simply, one of the most beautiful beaches in Britain — turquoise water, white sand, dark stacks of rock rising out of the sea — and it is at its most magical at low tide. A little further round lies Lizard Point itself, the most southerly point of mainland Britain, where the sea meets the land at the very bottom of the country and the lighthouse stands watch over notoriously treacherous waters. The walking between them is moderate and endlessly photogenic. Check the tide times before you go: Kynance is transformed by them.

5. Porthcurno and the Minack to Lamorna

If you walk only one stretch in the far west, perhaps make it this. Above the white sand and impossible blue-green of Porthcurno beach sits the Minack Theatre, carved into the cliff face and open to the sea — a sight unlike anywhere else on the coast. From here the path winds east towards Lamorna through a landscape of granite and gorse, past hidden coves and old fishing inlets, with the light doing extraordinary things to the water below. It’s a moderate walk with some climbs, and it strings together so many beautiful things in a short distance that you’ll want to allow far longer than the mileage suggests.

6. Rame Head — the forgotten corner

Far to the south-east, where Cornwall slips quietly towards the Devon border and the mouth of the Tamar, lies Rame Head — sometimes called Cornwall’s forgotten corner, and all the better for it. There are no crowds here. A small medieval chapel crowns the headland, the views reach across Plymouth Sound, and the walking through this peaceful, pastoral stretch of coast feels a world away from the busier honeypots of the west. It’s a gentle, soulful sort of place, ideal for a reflective afternoon, and a reminder that the coast path still holds quiet secrets if you’re willing to seek them out. Nearby Whitsand Bay unrolls a long sweep of sand beneath the cliffs, and the whole corner has a slower, softer character than the dramatic west — pasture running almost to the cliff edge, the wide blue mouth of the Tamar opening towards Devon, and the sense of having the place largely to yourself.

Walking the path well — a few practical notes

The South West Coast Path is welcoming, but it’s a coastal trail with real cliffs and real weather, and a little preparation goes a long way:

• Follow the acorns. The path is waymarked throughout with the National Trail’s acorn symbol — once you learn to spot them, navigation is straightforward.
• Respect the difficulty. Stretches vary enormously, from easy grassy headlands to steep, rugged scrambles with significant ascent. Check what you’re taking on and match it to your group.
• Mind the cliffs and the tide. Keep to the path, stay well back from crumbling edges, and check tide times if your route touches a beach — some coves cut off completely at high water.
• Use buses and ferries to make circulars. Many of the best walks are linear, but local bus routes and seasonal ferries let you walk one way and ride back, turning a committing day into an easy one. It’s worth checking timetables before you set off.
• Dress for the Atlantic. The weather changes fast out here. Layers, a waterproof, sturdy footwear and water are non-negotiable, even on a fine morning.

Where the path leads

Part of the magic of the coast path is how it stitches Cornwall together — one headland leading to the next, each fishing village and hidden cove appearing round a bend as if for the first time. Walk enough of it and you’ll understand why people fall so completely for this coast. You’ll also pass through some of Cornwall’s prettiest villages along the way, from the harbour huddle of Polperro in the south to the surf towns of the north — places where the path drops down to sea level, a pasty and a pint await, and the climbing can wait until you’re ready.

Make the coast your doorstep

The best way to walk the South West Coast Path is slowly, over several days, with somewhere lovely to come home to each evening — boots off, fire lit, the day’s miles in your legs and tomorrow’s stretch waiting. A base near the trail changes everything: step out of the door and onto the path, no driving required.

When you’re ready to plan it, take your time and browse cottages with sea views that put the coast on your doorstep, or settle a little inland with a cottage in the countryside for the quiet evenings between walks.