Porthcothan, Cornwall to Newquay, Cornwall

Not to demanding a walk, but if you go down Bedruthan Steps it is a long way back up

miles 57 - 60

A lovely piece of coastal walking along the cliffs. There is one steep coombe to negotiate before reaching Park Head. Then continue along the cliffs to Bedruthan Steps, owned by the National Trust. There are fine views of the eroded rocks forming sail-like islands just off shore. And to your left there is Redcliff Castle, an Iron Age Promontory fort

As you look at the coast, with its rocks and (if the wind is blowing) boiling seas, you will appreciate that this stretch of coast caused many a shipwreck in days of old. Probably the most famous of these wrecks was the brig The Samaritan in 1846, whose cargo of silks outfitted the populace for miles around. Trevose Head Lighthouse was built a year later, and the number of wrecks dropped.

Park Head	the steps at Bedruthan	one of the rocks at low tide
like a string of sail boats	And on south	The steps are precipitous

miles 60 - 62

Its on along the cliff top to Mawgan Porth, a scrappy bungalow resort, with a fine sandy beach and a lot of flat roofed hotels.

From Mawgan Porth to Beacon Cove, the next beach , is only half a mile. . And there is a steep path down to the beach

south from Bedruthan		to Mawgan Porth

miles 62 - 64

Just past Beacon Cove is another Iron Age fort, with two ramparts and ditches,at Griffin Point.

There is then a two mile walk along the cliffs above Watergate Bay and its long sandy beach. In the centre of the beach, the path drops down to the sea, and packed into the gap in the cliffs are three hotels and two car parks.

Watergate  Bay		and south of Watergate

miles 64 - 66

You then start to follow the road past the Trevelgue Hotel (the start of Newquay's urban area)  and a number of other tourist hotels. As the road drops down towards Porth Beach it is worth detouring towards the sea , to get to Trevelgue Head, with perhaps the most impressive of the Cornish Iron Age cliff castles (six ramparts and ditches occupied for about 2000 years until Roman times)

At low tide you can cut across the bay and pick up the path on the other side - otherwise its a hike all the way round. You soon reach more Newquay hotels

Newquay and its beaches	Fistral Beach	Lewinnick Lodge Pub

miles 66 - 68

Newquay's seaside reputation rests on its five sandy beaches and fine surfing (particularly Fistral Beach). The path avoids the town as it sticks to the coast. When you reach the harbour, you can can continue out to the headland with the Huers Hut (the Huers watched for the pilchards shoals, and when they spotted the fish raised a "hue and cry") and old lifeboat house with its steep slipway.

Rounding the headland takes you to the surfing beach of Fistral. At the far end of Fistral, there is a choice of going round the Pentire Headland (nice pub Lewinnick Lodge en route) or cutting across the narrow peninsula to the Gannel Estuary on the other side.

Here, right on the path, and right on the sea is Corisande Manor Hotel

View from Corisande of Gannel	Corisande Manor	View from Corisande garden

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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