Section: Falmouth to Portloe

Length: 14 miles (22km)

Distance from Minehead to Falmouth: 336.1 miles

Distance from Portloe to Poole: 283.3 miles

Grading: Easy to strenuous.

Height gained (and also lost): 2,399ft (731m)

Summary:

Leaving Falmouth harbour, reputed to be the third largest natural harbour in the world and once the second busiest port of the British Empire, you set off across the Fal to another of Cornwall’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: The Roseland Peninsula. The second ferry from St Mawes to Place only operates from Good Friday until the end of October so it is important to plan ahead in case you need to organise alternative transport. See the Fal River Links website for more information. There are magnificent views back to Falmouth and the River Fal from the windswept stretches around Carricknath Point and St Anthony Head. The Path offers fairly easy walking until the approach to Nare Head and Portloe beyond, where you will find several steep ascents and descents and walking becomes a lot more strenuous. The Path twists and plummets in places through wooded areas and across high open fields until the welcome descent into Portloe.

Highlights along the path:

• Exploring the shops and art galleries of Falmouth and maybe visiting The National Maritime Museum. Open daily from 10am - 5pm.
• The ferry trips to St Mawes and then to Place. The second ferry from St Mawes to Place only operates from Good Friday until the end of October. See the Fal River Links website for more information. There may be an out of season water taxi available, otherwise you will need to take a bus for part of the journey or walk an additional 8 miles around the head of the Percuil River.
• St Mawes Castle: Built in 1538 and now owned by English Heritage, the castle was another of Henry VIII’s defenses against a possible invasion from the combined forces of the Pope, Spain and France. Built in the form of a clover leaf, the castle retains much of its Tudor design. For admission details tel: 01326 270526.
• St Anthony’s Lighthouse : Built in 1835, the lighthouse once had the largest bell in Cornwall until it was replaced by a fog horn in 1954.
• The birds of St Anthony Head and Zone Point. You may see kittewakes, gannets, fulmars, shags and cormorants.
• Fantastic views to Nare Head and the Dodman from Zone Point. You may also see grey seals from here and at Killigerran.
• Rock-pooling on Porthbeor Beach at low tide.
• Views back to the west from Porthmellin Head.
• Spotting the Dartmoor ponies at Treluggan Cliff, (between Porthcurnick Beach and Pendower and Carne). They have been brought here to graze in order to keep the scrub and bracken down and therefore encourage other plants and wildlife.
• Enjoying refreshments in the little village of Portscatho, once famous for its pilchard fishing and more recently seen as the location for the filming of the television series The Chamomile Lawn. Now attached to the village of Gerrans, with its landmark medieval church spire, there are a number of refreshment options available between the two villages.
• The beautiful sands of Porthcurnick Beach.
• The National Trust beaches of Pendower and Carne, which join to make one beautiful expanse of sand at low tide. There are two Second World War pillboxes near the car park behind the beach.
• Watching the birds of Gull Rock from the crags of Nare Head.
• Views on the approach to the unspoilt fishing village of Portloe and its tiny harbour.

Worth a look (interesting places close to the path):

• The 13th century church of St Just in Roseland, which is beautifully situated right by the water. There are many rare sub-tropical trees and plants in the churchyard.
• The Roundhouses of Veryan: These circular, thatched cottages at the entrance to the village were built in the early 19th century by the Trist family. Their shape was said to protect the village from the devil as there were no corners for him to hide in!.
• Veryan Castle: A small Iron Age hill fort with very good sea views.
• Carne Beacon: One of the largest Bronze Age barrows in Britain.

Shorter option:

Portscatho (6.2 miles, 10 km)

Longer option:

It is not easy to lengthen this walk, due to a lack of accommodation close to the Path.

Public transport info:

First Great Western trains run regularly between Truro, which has a mainline station, and Falmouth. The Falmouth to St Mawes Ferry runs throughout the year departing from either Falmouth’s Prince of Wales Pier or Custom House Quay. The same company runs a ferry service between St Mawes and Place which takes about 10 minutes. For information about either of these crossings tel: 01326 313201 (summer) or 01872 862312 (out of hours/winter). The Truronian T51 bus service runs five times a day from Truro to Portloe. The T50 also runs between Portscatho and Truro. For details visit Traveline or phone 0870 6082608.

Refreshments:

You can stock up on refreshments at the beginning of your journey in the shops of Falmouth, which includes the Big Barn Member The Quay Deli. Cafe Chandlers on the Quay in St Mawes is also a Big Barn member and so uses local produce, tel: 01326 270998. Further refreshments are available at Portscatho and Gerrans and there is a tearoom, shop and pub in Portloe.

Nearest Car park:

Falmouth (Postcode for Sat Navs: TR11 3HX) St Mawes, St Anthony Head, above Towan Beach, Gerrans, Portscatho, Porthcurnick, Pendower Beach, Carne Beach, inland from Kiberick Cove, Just before Manare Point and Portloe.

Toilets:

Falmouth, St Mawes, St Anthony Head, above Towan Beach (seasonal), Porthcurnick (seasonal), Pendower Beach, Carne Beach and Portloe.

More information:

Falmouth Tourist Information Centre tel:01326 312300, or the Roseland Visitor Centre in St Mawes tel: 01326 270440.
Fal River Links - visitor information and a real time travel update on ferries.

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