Coverack, Cornwall to Helford, Cornwall

miles 173 - 176

Past the harbour at Coverack, and past the shingle beach, the path runs for two miles out to Lowland Point at not much above sea level. The original cliffs, are a few hundred yards inland., and this is what is called technically a raised beach, believed to be a product of  a movement of the land upwards once the ice melted at the end of the last Ice Age

From Lowland Point to Dean Point, with its active quarry workings is another half mile. And from the quarry you drop onto Godrevy Cove

If you look out to sea from here, the Manacles Reef is a mile offshore. Many ships have floundered on these reefs as they lie close to the shipping lane into Falmouth. Two naval ships HMS Primrose and HMS Dispatch were wrecked here on the same night in 1809. Two ships packed with emmigrants to America, the John in 1855 and the Mohegan in 1898, went down with huge losses of life.

miles 176 - 178

From Godrevy Cove, follow the stream to Rosenithon Farm, then the road to Porthoustock hamlet and on along the road to Porthallow village, once more on the coast. The village pub, the Five Pilchards, has photographs and paintings of wrecks that have occured in the locality

The coast path climbs steeply out of the village on the other side to get back onto the cliff

Porthallow has a working quarry, though the old port workings	are no longer used

miles 178 - 180

Passing Nare Cove, you get to first Nare Head, then Nare Point (with a coastguard lookout). From Nare Head there are grand views over Falmouth Bay and over the Helford River estuary.

Past the Head, the path runs past Parbean Cove and a slipway , to the next promintory, Men-aver Point

miles 180 - 182

The path drops down to sea level at Gillan Creek. Gillan Creek does not have a ferry, but you can paddle across within an hour of low water. If you miss low tide (or do not fancy the water) the detour to the head of the creek and back adds about two miles to your journey

At the other side of Gilan Creek from the hamlet of Gilan, is St Anthony's Church, dating back to Norman times. Past the church you can follow the path out to Dennis Head (from Dinas, and meaning Iron Age fort

	Gillan Creek - above from Flushing, on the left are the boats and church you can see over the water at St Anthony. And  if you do have to walk round, it is a long way to the haed of a muddy creek

miles 182 - 184

The countryside starts to change quite markedly now as you get into more sheltered surroundings that are not exposed to gales in the same way as most of the walk to date.

There are thick woods to walk through along the south bank of the Helford River, but the path is quite clear. The hamlet of Helford is a very attractive little village, that was (again) a smuggler's haunt. Pause for refreshment at the Shipwright's Inn, before venturing on to the ferry across the Helford River. Note the ferry operates only in summer. In winter try phoning the Ferry Boat Inn on 01 326 250116 to see if you can arrange a ferry to take you over (do phone ahead if you are travelling in winter, as the demand for a ferry is somewhat limited!)

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Corisande Manor Hotel, Cornwall Corisande Manor Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall - the place to stay to explore the Cornish Coast

And if you want to learn more about Cornwall, then try our Cornish information site, Cornwall Calling

Cornwall Coast - your guide to the Cornish Coastal Path