Walking Holidays
England

South Cornwall Coast

On the last stretch of the Cornish Coastal Path there are high cliff top views, picturesque fishing villages, beautiful estuaries and sandy beaches aplenty to enjoy on route between the historic maritime centres of Falmouth and Plymouth. Although there's plenty to see along the route, this is one of the more quieter sections of the South West Coast Path as well as being one of the more gentle. You can escape from it all around some of the prominent headlands with far reaching views without being too far away from a fishing village and harbour or secluded beach.

This self-guided walking holiday provides an interesting and varied experience which includes witnessing the beautiful estuaries as you cross them by ferries (4 in total.) The cliff top path passes gorse-covered granite headlands and through wooded valleys and along rocky coves. In between you will discover tiny fishing villages, bustling harbours and sleepy hamlets, such as St Mawes with its castle, the unspoilt Portloe, the georgian port of Charlestown, sometimes the location of a tall ship or two, and the busy old port of Mevagissey with its narrow streets, once the haunt of many a Cornish smuggler. You can understand why this part of the coast has featured in films and TV as well as inspiring writers such as Daphne Du Maurier. From Mevagissey it is possible to take an inland diversion to visit the Lost Gardens of Heligan, one of the most popular botanical gardens in the UK. Fowey, where you will take one of your ferry crossings, is a beautiful harbour town with many medieval and georgian buildings. What follows is a steep climb up to Pencarrow Head and one of the toughest sections of the walk, but you are rewarded with delightful views, on a clear day you can see as far as Lizard Point. The profusion of gift shops does not spoil the old Cornish fishing village of Polperro whose narrow streets are free of cars making Polperro an ideal place to explore on foot. Further on you will reach the town of Looe which prides itself on its fresh fish; it is still a working fishing port. Here as well as many places along this stretch of the coast there is a delightful sandy beach.

On Day 7 you will reach Portwrinkle, a wonderful spot on this section of the route, especially for birdwatchers. There are plenty of other places on the coast path that are excellent for birdwatching including St Anthony Head on Day 1 of your holiday. The walk along the top of Whitsands Bay beach then offers stunning views. Your holiday ends in a country park and a ferry journey across the Tamar to Plymouth. Additional nights can be booked in Falmouth and Plymouth to allow time to explore these important maritime centres.

Holiday Profile

8 nights/9 days: 7 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 14km and 22km per day, the amount of ascent and descent is considerable, with an average of over 700m each day. The maximum ascent and descent in any one day is 950m. 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 moderate to challenging. You should have some experience of day walking and be in reasonable health. 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 South 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 ccompanied 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 accommodation, villages or local sites. Our walking notes are very detailed (more information

• From £970
• Prices are per person and based on 2 sharing a room
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