Independent Trails: Fact File.CACN3
Trail Facts
Total distance:
78 miles (125km)
Duration: 9 nights, 8 days walking (hiking)
Minimum/maximum daily distances: 7½ miles (12km)/12
miles (19km)
Average daily distance: 9¾ miles (15.5km)
Waymarking: The route is very clearly waymarked with South
West Coast Path National Trail acorn waymarks and is very easy to follow.
Season: All year
Starting point of holiday: Westward Ho!
End of holiday: Padstow
Code: CACN3
Itinerary
Day 1: Travel to Westward Ho! where your first nights accommodation has been booked.
Day 2: Westward
Ho! to Clovelly. 11 miles (17.5km)
From Westward Ho! the path rises and falls before following Hobby Drive, an
old carriageway built by Napoleonic prisoners of war, that winds through woodland
to emerge above Clovelly. The path then follows the cobbled main street of this
pretty little fishing village as it plunges past whitewashed, flower-smothered
cottages to the tiny harbour that lies at the bottom of a cleft in the cliff
wall.
Day 3:
Clovelly to Hartland Quay. 10.5 miles (17km)
From Clovelly the path continues around Hartland Point, a dramatic headland
with jagged wave-battered black rocks overlooked by a solitary lighthouse, to
Hartland Quay. Once a busy port that was mostly destroyed by storms in the last
century, Hartland Quay comprises a scattering of cottages, the Merchants House,
stores and lime kiln around the remains of the harbour. The Hartland Quay Museum
is well worth a visit.
Day 4:
Hartland Quay to Morwenstow. 7½ miles (12km)
From Hartland Quay the path continues above a rocky shoreline notorious for
its shipwrecks, past the spectacular waterfall that plunges to the beach at
Speke Mill's Mouth, before descending to Welcombe Mouth with its fine sandy
beach. From here the path crosses a series of secluded combes, before descending
to the sleepy little village of Morwenstow. Morwenstow is best known as the
home of eccentric writer and parish priest R S Hawker who built the unusual
mock gothic vicarage beside the church. The churchyard contains the wooden figurehead
of the Scottish brig Caledonia wrecked more than 150 years ago and many poignant
memorials to shipwreck victims.
Day 5:
Morwenstow to Bude. 7 miles (11km)
Leaving Morwenstow the path returns to the cliffs by Hawker's Hut, here in his
driftwood cabin the eccentric priest would sit smoking opium, writing and entertaining
guests including Tennyson and Kingsley. Descending again the coastpath crosses
the valley of Tidna Water and then climbs to Higher Sharpnose Point, which provides
far-reaching views along the coast. From here the path weaves along the coastline
descending to explore a succession of idyllic secluded little coves before reaching
the bustling resort of Bude. Popular with Surfers, Bude is an attractive town
with an interesting little museum on the quay.
Day 6:
Bude to Crackington Haven. 9 ½ miles (14.5km)
From the beach, backed by cliffs of tightly folded bands of sandstone and shale,
the path crosses the sea lock of the historic Bude Canal and climbs to the cliff
top at Compass Point, with far-reaching views back to Hartland Point, inland
to the rocky tors on Dartmoor and ahead to Cambeak on the far side of the inlet
of Crackington Haven. Wonderfully situated between 400ft cliffs of contorted
strata at the mouth of a lush valley, Crackington Haven was once a major port
exporting slate and importing coal from boats that were beached at high tide.
Day 7:
Crackington Haven to Tintagel. 11 ½ miles (18.5km)
Leaving Crackington Haven the path climbs up to the fine viewpoint of Cambeak
and then follows the cliff top path over High Cliff, which at 723ft (223m) is
the highest point on the coast path in Cornwall above dramatic landslips to
the Pentargon inlet where an impressive waterfall plummets into the sea. From
here the path continues around the cliffs to Penally Point, which provides spectacular
views of the sinuous channel between soaring black cliffs that leads to Boscastle's
little harbour. Boscastle is a delightful village with neat little thatched
and lime-washed cottages surrounding the twisty harbour and staggering up the
hillside above. The Cobweb Inn on the quay is so called because spiders were
encouraged to keep down the flies surrounding the barrels of sherry stored there.
Soon after Boscastle, Long Island and Short Island come into view, which have
the largest colony of puffins in Cornwall. The path then goes through Rocky
Valley with its Bronze Age labyrinth rock carvings to the village of Tintagel
with its evocative ruined island castle, the reputed birthplace of King Arthur.
Day 8:
Tintagel to Port Isaac. 8 ½ miles (13.5km)
Rounding Penhallic Point the path passes an incredible rock pinnacle left by
the quarryman behind Hole Beach. Ships were loaded by whim driven by a blindfolded
donkey above Penhallic Point and quarrymen were lowered on ropes to work the
slate beds. Soon after the path descends to Trebarwith Strand, a precarious
little anchorage that shipped locally blasted slate, and then continues along
the cliffs past the sleepy little harbour of Portgaverne to Port Isaac. Wedged
in a gap in the precipitous cliff wall, Port Isaac is an attractive little fishing
village of narrow twisting lanes, slate roofed, whitewashed cottages and a picturesque
harbour surrounded by fish cellars.
Day 9:
Port Isaac to Padstow. 12 miles (19km)
Headland follows cove to the well-protected natural harbour at Port Quin. Port
Quin relied greatly on its fishing industry, as can be seen by the size of its
old fish cellars that were used for weighting and compressing pilchards during
the salting process. On the headland above Port Quin stands Doyden Castle, a
folly built by Samuel Seymour as a place where he and his friends could enjoy
dining, drinking and dicing. The path continues around the Rumps past an impressive
Iron Age Fort to Pentire Point that provides glorious views across the Camel
Estuary. After descending through Polzeath to the golden sands of Damer Bay
and St Enodoc's Church, the path meanders through the sand dunes that once buried
this delightful little church, before returning to the beach to catch the ferry
to the historic port of Padstow. Once ecclesiastical capital of Cornwall built
on a hillside overlooking the Camel estuary, Padstow, with its fleet of trawlers,
netters and crabbers and bustling harbour surrounded by medieval buildings is
a delightful town to explore. Buildings of note include the 15th century Abbey
House, the 16th century court house of Sir Walter Raleigh and Prideux Place,
an elegant Tudor mansion.
Day 10:
Depart from Padstow after breakfast.
Extra nights/Rest days
An extra night gives you a chance to explore some of the villages on the path
or simply relax on one of the sandy beaches for which Cornwall is famous. The
pretty little village of Clovelly is a popular choice. Clovelly is also worth
considering if you would like to visit Lundy Island, which is noted for its
birdlife. There is a lot to see at Bude and Tintagel. Port Isaac is another
good choice for a rest day. Padstow, with its lively harbour is an ideal base
for enjoying the unique atmosphere of Cornwall.
What's included
Travel Information
Detailed instructions on
how to get to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent
to you on booking. A summary is given below.
Most convenient International airport: London
Outward journey from London to Westward Ho!: There is a fast
and frequent service from London Paddington to Barnstaple (4 hours) via Exeter.
From Barnstaple it is a short bus or taxi journey to Westward Ho!
Return journey to London at the end of the holiday: The nearest
railway station to Padstow is Bodmin Parkway. There is a regular bus service
between Padstow and Bodmin Parkway. The journey time to London Paddington from
Bodmin Parkway is 4 hours.