Teachers' Travel                        Sherpa
Independent Walking Holidays 
in Britain and Europe  
2010
Cornish Coastal Path, Cornwall England



Independent walking holidays - The Cornish Coastal Path
 England's longest and many say finest footpath is the South West Peninsula Coastal Path. This one week walk explores the most scenic part on either side of Lizard Head, the most southernmost tip of Britain. The great thing about Cornwall is that it enjoys the mildest climate in Britain. On the west coast are the coves of Kynance and Mullion, cut jaggedly into the dark serpentine rock. Further east, while still rugged, the coast is more sheltered, with picturesque fishing villages such as Cadgwith and Portloe. Helford River was the romantic setting for Daphne du Maurier's novel "Frenchman's Creek". She loved Cornwall and so will you.

No of Nights :           7
Starts at:                  Mevagissey (near St Austell)   Ends at:    Marazion
Grade:                     Moderate
Dates available:      Start any day from March to October                      
Accommodation:    Cornwall has long been a favourite holiday destination because of its beautiful coastline. Among the old fishing villages of south coast we have found some pleasant accommodation. The sea is never far away, a highlight is the fine fresh seafood at the restaurants and bars of our waterside inns and hotels. Our first nights stop is at a quiet guesthouse at Mevagissey. Our preferred place is an elevated modern house that overlooks the sea and harbour. This is however a busy fishing village and alternatives may have to  be used. At Portloe, a fishing village sandwiched in a cleft in the cliffs, a homely bed and breakfast awaits. St. Mawes offers a busier location with views into the harbour and across the Roseland peninsula. We stay in a small B&B in Porthallow, where your hosts will make you very welcome. On the Lizard Peninsula we stay in a Georgian guesthouse which is located only half a mile from the lighthouse. From the Lizard we continue to Porthleven where our inn, built of local stone, is right by the fishing harbour. It is an old fisherman’s pub, and the bar is a meeting point for locals to chat about the sea and ships over a pint. The tour ends at Marazion, where our hotel overlooks the famous pilgrimage island of St. Michaels Mount, linked to the mainland at low tide. 
Meals included:      Breakfast daily.
Price:                      605 UK (based on double)  25 UK supplement for July and August
                               Single supplement 170 UK 

Itinerary:      

q       Day 1 Mevagissey: Travel to the start point and enjoy  a peaceful evening next to the coastal path.

q       Day 2 Portloe: Included tranfer to  Mevagissey, then walk to Portloe via Dodman Point and Portholland Cove (12 miles)

q       Day 3 St Mawes: Portloe to St Mawes: A remote pleasant little yachting harbour at the end of the Roseland peninsula, which boasts a clover leaf castle built by Henry VIII in 1542. En route we pass through Veryan noted for its thatched round houses, and Caerhays Castle, designed by John Nash, and its beautiful gardens. The tumulus at carne is reputed to be the burial mound of St Geraint.  (11 miles  5.5hours)

q       Day 4 Porthallow: St Mawes to Porthallow. The day starts with a ferry ride over to Falmouth (approx £4.50), the principal resort of the region. We then follow the coastal path to the impressive Trebah gardens before following the beautiful Helford River to our pub lunch stop near the Frenchmans Creek made famous by Daphne Du Maurier. The ferry will take us across Helford passages to continue our walk to Nare point  and Gillan. Our suggestion is to walk to Gillan and then take a taxi to Porthallow otherwise this day can be extremely long. Fantastic scenery throughout the day.  (13.5 miles, 6 hours, walking time)

q       Day 5 Lizard: Porthallow to The Lizard. You may wish to make a detour from the coast to St Keverne to view its pleasant village square and remarkable churchyard where over 400 shipwreck victims of the nearby Manacle Reef are buried. Just beyond the reef is Coverack, a fine example of a totally unspoiled traditional fishing village.  (16 miles, 6 hours)

q       Day 6 Portleven:  The Lizard to Porthleven. Still very much a working harbour, that is closed by wooden baulks during storms, via the stunningly beautiful Kynance Cove and the pretty village of Mullion, which is at the heart of the finest walking country (13 miles 6.5 hours)

q       Day 7 Marazion: Porthleven to Marazion (8 miles) our final day takes us along some interesting sections of cliffs, with the remnants of tin mines. There are some beautiful bays and inlets associated with smuggling and then you will see St. Michael's Mount emerging around the corner. This old abbey now a manor house has an ageless appeal and was traditionally linked to Mont St.Michel in Brittany.

q       Day 8: End of tour after breakfast and a taxi (approx £10.00) will take you  to Penzance railway station  for mainline services to London etc.
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