Today I’m taking you on a walk close to my home in St Agnes: the stretch of the South West Coast Path from Newquay to Perranporth.
Jamie and I often choose this route in winter because, unlike some other sections, it doesn’t turn into a full-blown mud-based endurance event. But today the sun is shining, the air feels positively late-August warm, and the coast is looking very pleased with itself.
Compared with some of my recent walks, this section is reasonably kind, or so it seems!
If you follow my hikes, you may remember Perranporth to Portreath threw steep switchback cliffs at me. Perranporth to Portreath – South West Coast Path.
St Ives to Pendeen (taking in Zennor) tested both my legs and my questionable decision to wear sandals on a boulder-scrambling section. St Ives to Pendeen – South West Coast Path.
And Bude to Crackington Haven was so tough that I became convinced someone had secretly moved Crackington Haven six miles farther down the coast. Bude to Crackington Haven – South West Coast Path
Today, we have just over 11 miles ahead of us and around 1,000 feet of elevation gain — gentle by South West Coast Path standards.
There’s no real cliff scrambling, but don’t be fooled by those numbers. The soft sand through the dunes on parts of this walk will work your legs considerably harder than the elevation profile suggests, especially if you go wrong!
And then there’s the River Gannel.
That’s our first challenge, and thankfully, it’s a logistics challenge rather than a fitness one.
Newquay to the River Gannel
Setting off from Newquay Harbour, We’d already checked the tide times for the River Gannel. There’s a very good reason for that, as you discover.
We passed Towan Head and headed towards Fistral Beach, one of Cornwall’s most famous surfing beaches and a regular host to major competitions.
According to my surfing friends, Fistral tends to deliver more consistent waves and is better suited to more experienced surfers than its neighbour, Watergate Bay. Watergate, by comparison, is generally more beginner-friendly and has a lively surf-school scene.
Surfing looks so appealing. These days, though, I’m increasingly selective about sports that involve falling off things!
Quite quickly we reached the trickiest part of the day: the tide-dependent River Gannel. The Gannel is a tidal estuary between Newquay and Crantock, and the timing of your crossing can make or break this walk.
At low tide and either side of it, you can cross on foot. During the summer season, the small Fern Pit ferry also operates from the Fern Pit Café when conditions and timings allow.
Luckily, today we were still in season and everything worked in our favour.
Outside the summer months, though, the tide becomes much more important. If the water is in and the ferry isn’t running, you can’t simply shrug your shoulders and carry on. You have to head inland and cross farther upstream, adding roughly three miles to the walk via Trevemper.
So the practical takeaway is simple: check the tide times before you set off. Get the Gannel right, and it’s a straightforward part of the walk.
Get it wrong, and your gentle coastal stroll suddenly comes with an unwanted three-mile detour.
Crantock and West Pentire
After successfully negotiating the Gannel, we reached one of my favourite parts of the walk, especially if you like seal spotting. I don’t think I have ever walked this section without seeing a seal bobbing up and down in the water.
If you fancy a little detour, Crantock is a lovely village with a small shop for refreshments and a couple of pubs. Today, though, we pressed on towards Crantock Sands before rounding West Pentire.
In spring, this whole area is spectacular.
The paths burst into colour, and the wildflowers are in abundance. Today, after a summer doing its best impression of 1976, even the grass looked as though it had given up and gone home.
We passed West Pentire the views back across Crantock Beach were spectacular. And not to keep going on about spring, but this area puts on an outrageous show of poppies.
On a clear spring evening, you can catch the ultimate photograph: the sun sinking into the sea, the water glowing orange and thousands of red poppies spilling down the fields towards the coast. It’s as though nature has gone full Instagram influencer.
Today, though, all that’s left is dry grassland that looks pretty unimpressed with August. It might not be the most photogenic scene, so I’ve included some photos of what you might enjoy seeing if you visit in Spring instead! A steep descent brings you to Porth Joke, not my favourite beach, and then back up to the stunning cliffs.
Holywell Bay
Around the eight-mile mark, we reached Holywell Bay and one of our favourite winter parking spots.
We often start here for a circular walk along the cliffs and back around The Kelseys. Like Crantock, the car park is National Trust, and the dunes make a lovely place to stop, particularly when you find a sheltered spot.
Today, we found ourselves at the heart of the national surf lifesaving championships. The beach was alive with energy, creating a vibrant and captivating spectacle.
As we continued, we passed the old military buildings at Penhale Camp, an area rich with a sobering wartime history. During the Second World War, the camp served as a military training site. In 1941, a German aircraft bombed it, killing 22 soldiers who had survived Dunkirk. These stories are difficult to think about. We walk through these stunning landscapes, enjoying the views and sunshine, while many carry memories of those who lost their lives here.
More recently, Penhale gained a different kind of fame as a filming location for the excellent series Down Cemetery Road, starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend watching it; it’s likely available on Apple TV+.
At Ligger Point, Perranporth came into view, and today we got lucky. But why? If the tide is out, you can take the easier route along the beach, but make sure you know the tide times and that it isn’t coming in, or you’ll risk being stranded.
The path above the beach, through the stunning sand dunes, features soft sand that can turn a simple walk into a challenging workout. Jamie and I have worked out our preferred route over the years, but I’m sure you’ll find your own way.
It is something of a maze, though.
Pick the easier line, and it’s not too bad.
Miss it, and your calves will remember this section for several days.
At the end of this walk, you can reward yourself. Perranporth is home to the Watering Hole, famously located directly on the beach, the perfect place for a post-walk drink and something to eat if your legs are still speaking to you. It’s also an Instagram favourite at sunset; it’s spectacular, especially when the tide is out, and the sunset reflects on the wet sand and water.
Today we chose tea and cake at the Alcatraz Bar and Cafe, also on the beach. Its balcony is an excellent place to people-watch!
There’s also a regular bus service that can get you back towards Newquay, making this a particularly useful section if you’re walking the Coast Path in stages.
I hope you enjoyed today’s “easy stroll”. The elevation might have been relatively modest, and there was no serious scrambling, but the dunes certainly know how to make themselves memorable.
Today it was sand; next time, I’ll find us something more challenging, but where?
Walking the Cornish Coast Path? See all my walks and my 30-day Bude-to-Plymouth itinerary https://living-with-autoimmune.com/?page_id=3064
