Walking Holidays
England

North Cornwall Coast

North Cornwall's Atlantic coast is a dramatic and beautiful section of the south west peninsula of England. The rugged and sheer cliffs, as well as the picturesque fishing villages makes this one of the most enjoyable sections of the South West coast path.

The walking is varied, each day enjoying new experiences from beautiful sandy bays to secluded inlets harbouring quaint villages and from exposed rocky headlands to sand dunes and the wide Camel Estuary. Your self guided walking holiday starts at the bustling seaside resort of Bude before embarking on a journey through wild coastal scenery. Highlights of your walking holiday include some towering sheer cliffs including High Cliff, which at 223m is the highest coastal cliff in Cornwall; a number of well-preserved small fishing ports and villages, such as Port Isaac and Boscastle, located in secluded bays of sinuous inlets, away from the fury of the Atlantic ocean. Their white-washed cottages with slate roofs, line attractive, twisty lanes climbing the narrow coves, making for an idyllic scene. Either side of the attractive and busy medieval fishing port of Padstow on the Camel Estuary is a series of dramatic headlands which provide great views along the coast. Some of these sites such as the Rumps are the sites of Iron Age forts and other historic monuments.

If you choose the option with five walking days you can decide whether to catch a bus to the bustling surf capital of Newquay or return to Padstow for your final night's accommodation. This walking holiday can be enjoyed out of season thanks to the mild Cornish climate, when the tourists have disappeared and you can enjoy the beautiful villages and sites by yourselves.

Holiday Profile

5 or 6 nights/6 or 7 days: 4 or 5 days independent walking moving between guest houses

Dates

Everday of week subject to availability during 1 March to 31 October

Walking Profile & Grade

This independent walking holiday covers a reasonably challenging section of the South West coastal path. The overall walking holiday is graded Moderate to Challenging. Despite the relatively moderate distances involved - between 15km and 20km per day, the amount of ascent and descent is considerable, with an average of over 900m each day. The maximum ascent and descent in any one day is 1230m. The walking ranges from some easy level walking to strenuous ascents and descents on steep ground with paths which in places are narrow or on rough and muddy ground where you need to be sure-footed. Walking experience on hilly terrain is advisable. Although there are no easy days it is possible to catch the bus in certain places to shorten the days.

This walking holiday is graded challenging. See more information about walking grades.

Accommodation & Meals

A range of guest houses, bed and breakfasts, small hotels and inns. They are good quality guest houses often in historic local buildings chosen for their charm and welcome. Where possible we choose bed and breakfasts which have a 4 star AA or Enjoy England rating. All accommodation is on a B&B basis. Please book early to ensure that we can secure our first choice accommodation.

When to Travel

Our self-guided walking holiday on the North Cornwall Coast is available from the beginning of March to the end of October. Cornwall has a typical maritime climate with warm summers and mild winters. Average summer high temperatures are around 20ºC on the coast with winter temperatures rarely falling below freezing. Rainfall occurs regularly but in-between, sunny, cloudless days are also common. In the summer months, temperatures in the region can reach into the high twenties °C however, the climate generally remains comfortable for walking due to sea breezes.

March average daytime temperatures are 11°C, climbing to 13°C in April, 16°C in May and 18°C in June. The weather generally becomes drier and more settled as you go from March to June, with June being the driest month of the year. October is by far the wettest month of the period when the holiday is available.  Cornwall is one of the sunniest areas in the UK, with over 1541 hours of sunshine per year. The sunniest months are May through to August. The coast is exposed to the dominant South west winds. The winds are calmest from June to August.

Navigation, Walking Notes & Maps

Most of this walking holiday follows the long distance South West Coast path which is signposted along its entire length. The symbol for the trail is an acorn and these are often shown on signposts accompanied by the words coastal path or a particular direction and the distance. The walking follows clear paths, tracks and minor roads for its entire duration. The walk will use other footpaths to access accommodations, villages or local sites. Our walking notes are very detailed (more information here) and include intermediate distances for sections of the trail. They also include information about the sites which can be explored along the route. We supply one walking guide per person on this holiday. As well as the detailed walking notes we supply official walking maps produced by OS at a scale of 1:25,000.

Luggage Transfers

On this walking holiday, your main luggage is transferred between guest houses so you only have to carry a day rucksack with picnic lunch (supplied by the guest houses and included in the holiday price), water and spare clothes, waterproofs, camera etc. On this holiday a local company is responsible for transporting your main luggage. Please limit the weight of your bags where possible to 20kg. We only use hotels and small guest houses in historic buildings and some of the rooms are accessible by stairs.

Travel Info

To get to Bude

Train journey from London Paddington or Waterloo to Exeter. Stagecoach run buses betweeen Exeter and Bude

5 or 6 nights / 4 or 5 days walking between guest houses

• 5 nights, 4 days walking: From £620
• 6 nights, 5 days walking: From £730
• Prices are per person and based on 2 sharing a room
• Loyalty scheme reduction applies for returning customers (see terms and conditions)