United Kingdom

Walking the Western Tip of Cornwall

Trip code: W06IM 4.9 (17 reviews)

Self-guided walking

6 nights,
hotel-to-hotel

Level: 2+
Moderate plus

10.0Kg CO2e

Printed route
directions

SUMMARY

  • Spectacular scenery throughout as you follow the coastal path around the most westerly part of Cornwall
  • Crystal clear waters with flora and fauna in abundance, wild flowers and sea birds a plenty
  • Lands End; the most westerly point in Britain and the incredible Minack outdoor theatre
  • Beautiful beaches, gorgeous fishing villages and excellent sea scapes

WHAT'S INCLUDED?

  • 6 nights accommodation
  • Breakfasts daily
  • Briefing at the start of your holiday
  • Comprehensive route directions
  • Luggage transfers between hotels

TRIP DESCRIPTION

Cornwall has the longest coast in the UK and much of it is designated as 'An area of Natural Beauty (AONB)' This stunning walk follows the coastal paths, from wild cliffs and heathland to golden sands and charming harbours, these are five days of exceptional walking in one of the UK's most spectacular and unique regions. The coast is wild in this area with stunning scenery and this holiday takes in Cape Cornwall, Sennen Cove, Land's End, the Minack Theatre and Mousehole.

Starting in picturesque St Ives, a beautiful town which seems to have it all, sandy beach, charming harbour and narrow streets full of interesting craft and art shops and galleries, not to mention the restaurants and cafes with their tempting treats, the trail heads West following the coast each day. The natural scenery often competes with human history for your attention, stunning beaches and impressive cliffs are punctuated by hill top forts, bronze age burial chambers and reminders of Cornwall's tin mining history along the way. As you reach the most westerley tip of mainland UK the geological feautures surround Lands End with its arches and stacks and the pink hued cliffs of Porthcurno Bay are a beautiful sight. Flora and fauna are visible at every turn on this impressive coastline, wonderful wild flowers, including sea pinks line the coast, look out for the sea birds and if you are really lucky you may see grey seals bobbing about in the waters below.

Staying in pretty villages all along the coast, starting in St Ives and continuing to Pendeen with excellent views across the coast. Stay in Sennen Cove, one of the finest stretches of sand in Cornwall and Porthcurno, the home of the Minack theatre (our B&B is only 400 yards away) before concluding your holiday in the charming fishing village of Mousehole.

Why not enjoy an extra night at the end or the beginning of you holiday to fully explore St Ives or Mousehole?

READ MORE

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

 

Day 1: Arrival in St Ives

Arrival in St Ives

You stay at Pedn Olva.

hotel details

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Pedn Olva, St Ives

HOTEL WEBSITE      TRIP ADVISOR

Pool
Hairdryer
WiFi
TV
Minibar
Aircon
Tea/coffee


A fabulous hotel with only 30 rooms and commanding an enviable position overlooking the sea below. It is contemporary in design, with its own restaurant, bar, terraces and outdoor heated swimming pool, although its walking distance to St Ives and all its attractions.

The rooms are extremely comfortable and upgrades are available at an extra cost. Better still is the fantastic breakfast which is included and the fact that all rooms overlook the sea and St Ives harbour.

Extra nights: Please contact us for details.

Day 2: St Ives to Zennor (11km/6.8mi)

A dramatic introduction to the Cornish landscape today; beyond the narrow, sheltered streets of St Ives the path soon leads out onto one of the wildest sections of the entire Southwest Coast Path. Rugged granite moors rise inland, while the narrow strip of land between the windswept cliffs and the hills is studded with tiny farming hamlets and stitched with stone walls dating back to prehistoric times. The views are spectacular from the craggy headlands, with buttresses of weathered stone dropping dramatically to an often restless sea. In sheltered spots flowers find sustenance in the thin soil, while myriad seabirds make their homes on the cliffs, facing the full brunt of the Atlantic Ocean.

You stay at Tinners Arms.

hotel details

 equivalent

Tinners Arms, Zennor

HOTEL WEBSITE      TRIP ADVISOR

Mastercard
Visa


Built in 1271, The Tinners Arms has been at the heart of village life in Zennor for over 700 years. Originally built to accommodate the masons who constructed St Senara’s Church, famous for its mermaid, you’ll find little has changed over the years. Modern life slips away as you step inside.

Day 3: Zennor to Pendeen (12km/7.5mi)

Todays route passes along rocky paths and moorland fringes, through hard countryside littered with blocks of granite, towards the Pendeen and St Just mining districts. The harsh landscape maintains a beauty in its wildness, one that inspires countless stories of piskies and giants (how else can you explain the lumps of granite thrown across the land?).Sections of the path take you away from the sea edge and there are grand views of the granite hills (carns) that back the coast. Particularly impressive are the Carn Galvers and Watch Croft. Finally, passing by beautiful Portherras beach, the coastal path winds past Pendeen Watch lighthouse before reaching Pendeen.

You stay at The Field House.

hotel details

 equivalent

The Field House, Pendeen

TRIP ADVISOR


The Field House is a contemporary guest house with modern guest rooms and views across fields to the ocean. There are fantastic views to Poldark country, as the property is set just above the cliff tops of Levant and Botallack mines where much of the filming took place. Delicious breakfasts with finest local produce and a welcome Cornish cream tea on arrival.

Day 4: Pendeen to Sennen (15km/9.3mi)

Along this exceptional stretch of coast, the natural beauty competes with human history for your attention. Proud headlands are crowned with Iron Age hill forts, towering cliffs are home to Bronze Age burial chambers and at every turn there are reminders of Cornwall's mining heritage. The end of the north coast is rugged and impressive, with high cliffs cut by steep inlets and moorland hills rolling away in land. This is the St Just mining district, perhaps the birth place of the Cornish tin mining industry and a world leader in tin production in its heyday. Engine houses perch in the most precarious of positions and the remains of stamping mills and arsenic works are found in sheltered valleys. Moving on to the West coast, the scenery remains grand and impressive. From the treacherous Brisons reef to the golden sands of Sennen beach, the sea scape dominates. With lovely sheltered valleys and a path that constantly rises and falls, one minute you are at sea level and the next way up above, looking down on the gulls as they circle below.

You stay at Old Success Inn.

hotel details

 equivalent

Old Success Inn, Sennen

HOTEL WEBSITE      TRIP ADVISOR

Shops
Mastercard
Visa
Hairdryer
WiFi
TV


The Old Success inn is situated in Sennen Cove, one of the finest stretches of sandy coastline in Cornwall. This charming bed and breakfast combines the contemporary with the characterful, providing somewhere to eat, drink or stay with magnificent views. The modern rooms make a comfortable base. The unrivalled location in Sennen Cove offers a slice of authentic Cornish culture!

Day 5: Sennen to Porthcurno (11km/6.8mi)

A short walk packed full of incredible scenery today. From the vaulted cliffs and sea arches of Lands’ End to the outstanding pink hued cliffs of Porthcurno Bay. Add to this crystal-clear water and a profusion of wild flowers and the region’s popularity is easily understood. The coast path can be busy at either end of this walk but remains relatively quiet in between. With Lands End and the Minack Theatre, it is a region that draws many visitors but it doesn’t take long to get away from the commotion. With just over six miles to cover, it is an easy walk with plenty of time to stop off and enjoy the incredible views.

You stay at Old Success Inn.

hotel details

 equivalent

Old Success Inn, Sennen

HOTEL WEBSITE      TRIP ADVISOR

Shops
Mastercard
Visa
Hairdryer
WiFi
TV


The Old Success inn is situated in Sennen Cove, one of the finest stretches of sandy coastline in Cornwall. This charming bed and breakfast combines the contemporary with the characterful, providing somewhere to eat, drink or stay with magnificent views. The modern rooms make a comfortable base. The unrivalled location in Sennen Cove offers a slice of authentic Cornish culture!

Day 6: Porthcurno to Mousehole (13km/8.1mi)

Leaving behind the beaches and windswept cliffs of the West coast, there is a significant change upon reaching the more sheltered South coast. Numerous deep valleys here are filled with palms, fuscia and gunnerera and even the highest cliff tops proudly display a good selection of wildflowers. The rocky sea line between Lamorna and Mousehole is lovely and the last section of open countryside until after Marazion. Mousehole is a working fishing village every bit as picturesque as the post cards suggest. Narrow streets run down to the tiny harbour where visitors enjoy the sea breeze.

You stay at The Ship Inn.

hotel details

 equivalent

The Ship Inn, Mousehole

HOTEL WEBSITE      TRIP ADVISOR

Mastercard
Visa
WiFi
TV
Tea/coffee


The Ship Inn is the perfect place to stay in the heart of Mousehole. Explore the narrow winding streets of this fishing village and historic harbour, the bijou boutiques and chocolate box cottages before returning to your comfortable bed and breakfast base and relaxing next to the stunning harbourside view.

Day 7: Departure from Mousehole

Departure from Mousehole

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These tour only prices are based on two people sharing. Single supplement from NZ$693.

TRAVEL DETAILS

Call now to speak to our specialist team at 0044 1606 720199 or email us at sales@headwater.com for enquiries or to book your trip.

REVIEWS

The communication with Megan for the trip set up was professional and timely with fast responses my questions.

Joanne was very helpful with getting us off to a good start to our trip after we arrived and Russ kept in touch to make sure things went well.

Elizabeth Barrer, 29 May 2024

 

I was really happy with all aspects, staff always helpful

Susan Walker, 13 May 2024

 

We had a great time. We got lost once but recovered ok. We were unable to download the map app. One hostess was not advised Re food allergies but she accommodated us nicely.

Mary Bushey, 21 Sep 2023

 

Helpful and efficient for independent travel. Very Good routes and accommodation

FULLER TONG, 18 Jun 2023

 

Fabulous - thoroughly enjoyed all parts of the trip

CAMPBELL, 5 Jun 2023

 

A great way to introduce yourself to a different type of holiday, especially if you are unsure of how to plan things and the best route.

Mr Selby, 11 May 2022

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday, and found all the accommodation very comfortable. You definitely need walking boots on the route as there are some stretches of scrambling over rocks, and some very muddy parts. The generous breakfasts set us up for the day, so we found that we didn't need a packed lunch,but just took a cereal bar and some fruit each. However, we did on some days find a café en route or at the end of the walk for the odd cream tea etc! The only place where we found that there was no pub or restaurant for an evening meal within walking distance of the accommodation was Porthcurno. Overall a very inspiring holiday.

Mrs MORTON, 22 Sep 2021

 

A very enjoyable holiday, but quite challenging walking at times, both because of the boulders on some of the paths and the length of walks. We were very lucky with the weather, and the scenery was stunning. We really felt we got to know Cornwall in depth by walking along this beautiful coast.

Mrs JONES, 20 Sep 2021

 

A beautiful walk over 5 days on the coastal footpath. A little more challenging than we had expected. The terrain is quite difficult in places and we are experienced walkers. The last day from Porthcurno to Mousehole was especially hard. The accommodation overall was great, a mixed bag but no complaints.. The St Austell Brewery pubs at Sennen Cove and Mousehole are lovely, very comfortable rooms with wonderful sea views.

We would do it again.

We needed more cash than we had anticipated so would recommend people take at least around £50 per person. There is a cash point in Lands End which the walk passes but it was out of order.

Mrs DIBBEN, 20 Sep 2021

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday but considered it an expensive holiday as our travel was not included - even travelling to and from accommodation that was not located at the route end, particularly when we had two nights at the Old Success Inn.

The level of difficulty was more extreme/dangerous than we had anticipated. We were very glad that our weather conditions were excellent! Some of the route instructions weren't very clear and Coastal Path way signs were lacking in some areas - almost non-existent on Day one.

We were delighted with all of our accommodation until we reached our last destination in Penzance where we had booked an additional night. The accommodation was clean but fell far short of our previous hostelries. How disappointed we were!

Russ couldn't have been more helpful particularly when our initial flight from Edinburgh was delayed.

Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our challenging holiday and would certainly like to return to see more of Cornwall.

Mrs THOMSON, 8 Sep 2021

 

Accommodation was well spaced to allow moderate day walks. Path was slightly more difficult than we had anticipated, so we found we were at the slow end of the timings suggested. The South West coast path is poorly signposted in places - it is important not to be side-tracked by public footpaths. Bag collection and delivery was excellent.

Mrs BOWKER, 7 Sep 2021

 

Very enjoyable, but the walking was challenging

Mr HARRISON, 12 Jul 2021

 

Well organised, good comms and very good service with no hiccups. All the accommodation was very comfortable and close to our walking route. We were very happy with it all.

Miss ATTER, 11 Jul 2021

 

Overall enjoyable and a helpful local representative. One B&B was below the standard expected, and there was a problem on our last day with our luggage going astray.

Mr CONNOLLY, 23 Jun 2021

 

Beautiful walking, wish we had been able to complete the south coast elements, but zennor to sennen was on a par with Dolomites and Swiss walking for challenge and views

Looking forward to doing something similar in the uk again

Miss PORTER, 21 Jun 2021

 

Fantastic week away - we were blessed with perfect blue skies. The landscape is stunning. We are regular walkers and found the walks were strenuos in parts (particularly St Ives to Zennor and Portcurno to Mousehole) However that certainly didn't spoil the holiday. Accommodation was good. The local representative Russ couldn't have been more helpful. We definitely would recommend this holiday! Only criticism was the route notes were not very detailed and didn't really add much value.

Mrs BUTLER, 14 Jun 2021

 

This was an excellent holiday exploring some stunning countryside along the Cornish coast. The routes necessarily involved quite a few ascents and descents, but I don't think they would pose any problems for anyone who enjoys walking. The local guide was really helpful and attentive and the accommodation throughout was at very nice B&B's and pubs. Would definitely recommend.

Mr FLOWER, 17 May 2021

 


Self-guided walking

6 nights,
hotel-to-hotel

Level: 2+
Moderate plus

10.0Kg CO2e

Printed route
directions

6 nights from NZ$2180

CHOOSE A DEPARTURE

Call: +44 1606 720199