Walking in Cornwall
Cornwall is almost entirely coastline, with the South West Coast Path tracing its cliffs, coves and fishing villages, while inland routes cross Bodmin Moor and the wooded valleys of the Fowey and Camel rivers.
Difficulty is shown only where we have graded the route, so choosing a level hides walks not yet graded.
Every walk on this page is plotted on the map above. Zoom, drag or click a pin to explore, or search a town to list its walks.
Choose a starting town
North Coast
South Coast
The Lizard & Helford
Penwith (West Cornwall)
Looe, Tamar & South East
Top walks by area
A starting point for each part of Cornwall: well-documented routes that finish back where they start, between 2 and 12 miles.
North Coast
- Padstow via Crugmeer and South West Coastal PathPadstow · 6.2 mi
- Bude via Menachurch PointBude · 4.8 mi
- Port Isaac via Port QuinPort Isaac · 6.0 mi
- Wadebridge via St Breock and Camel TrailEgloshayle · 3.1 mi
- Trevose Head via South West Coastal PathConstantine Bay · 3.4 mi
- Crackington Haven To CambeakCrackington Haven · 2.6 mi
South Coast
- Fowey via Menabilly South West Coastal PathFowey · 3.6 mi
- Gorran Haven via Dorman Point and South West Coastal PathGorran Haven · 5.0 mi
- Trelissick via Woodlands and EstateFeock · 5.0 mi
- Falmouth via Maenporth and South West Coastal PathFalmouth · 7.9 mi
- Burngullow Loop WalkSt Austell · 4.3 mi
- Lerryn LoopLerryn · 4.6 mi
The Lizard & Helford
- Trewardreva LoopConstantine · 5.5 mi
- Ponsonrath via Coverack and LankiddenHelston · 6.7 mi
- Lizard via Caerthillian CoveLizard · 4.3 mi
- Cadgwith via St RuanCadgwith · 4.5 mi
- Durgan via Helford PassageMawnan Smith · 5.3 mi
- Helford via ManaccanHelford · 5.3 mi
Penwith (West Cornwall)
- Loop Around St. IvesSt Ives · 3.4 mi
- Hells Mouth – Godrevy Circular WalkGwithian · 5.3 mi
- Porthcurno via PorthchapelPorthcurno · 3.5 mi
- Perranuthnoe via Prussia CovePerranuthnoe · 4.0 mi
- Mousehole via Lamorna CoveMousehole · 4.5 mi
- Zenner via Tremedda Farm and South West Coastal PathZennor · 5.2 mi
Looe, Tamar & South East
- Calstock LoopCalstock · 3.4 mi
- Herrodsfoot via West Looe River and Church BridgeLanreath · 4.5 mi
- Doddycross LoopDoddycross · 8.4 mi
- Metherell And Cotehele WalkCallington · 8.7 mi
- Hendersick And Talland Bay LoopPortlooe · 3.0 mi
- St John and Millbrook LoopSt John · 4.6 mi
Bodmin Moor & Inland
- Lanhydrock Circular (National Trust Car Park)Bodmin · 3.6 mi
- Camelford River WalkCamelford · 5.0 mi
- Delabole LoopDelabole · 7.1 mi
- Luckett Horsebridge LoopLuckett · 3.8 mi
- Meadows To Pentewan LoopPolgooth · 6.2 mi
- Canworthy Water via River Ottery Circular WalkCanworthy Water · 6.6 mi
Popular in Cornwall
Know before you go
Practical points for walking in Cornwall. Rules and timetables change, so check the linked sources before you set off.
Dogs
Dogs are banned from around 50 Cornish beaches during the day in summer, usually 10am to 6pm from either 15 May or 1 July until the end of the season. On open access land such as Bodmin Moor, dogs must be on a lead no longer than 2 metres from 1 March to 31 July, and around livestock at all times.
Tides
Many coves and beach links are cut off by the rising tide. Check tide times before walking on sand or rocks and leave time to get back. In an emergency at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Ferries
Some coast path walks rely on a ferry. Padstow to Rock and Falmouth to St Mawes run all year, and Fowey to Polruan runs all year with shorter winter hours. The Helford, Gillan Creek and St Mawes to Place crossings run from April to October, and the Gannel ferry at Newquay is summer only.
Trains and buses
One-way walks are easier with public transport. Five branch lines run off the Penzance to Plymouth main line: the St Ives Bay Line, Maritime Line (Truro to Falmouth), Atlantic Coast Line (Par to Newquay), Looe Valley Line and Tamar Valley Line. Local buses reach most coastal villages.
Maps and signal
Carry the right OS Explorer map: 102 Land’s End, 103 The Lizard, 104 Redruth & St Agnes, 105 Falmouth & Mevagissey, 106 Newquay & Padstow, 107 St Austell & Liskeard, 109 Bodmin Moor or 111 Bude, Boscastle & Tintagel. Phone signal can be patchy in valleys and on the moor.
Cliffs and old mines
Keep to the path near cliff edges, which can be unfenced and unstable after rain. In old mining country such as St Agnes and Botallack, stay on marked paths, as old shafts are not always fenced.
Walking in Cornwall: questions
How many walks are there in Cornwall?
We list 448 walking routes in Cornwall, starting from 174 towns and villages. The typical route is about 7 miles; 69 are under 4 miles and 120 are 10 miles or more. Every route is free to view.
Which towns have the most walks?
Bude (13), Fowey (12), Port Isaac (12), Falmouth (11), Lizard (11) and Newquay (10). Use the town search or the town list on this page to see every walk from a particular place.
Are there short circular walks in Cornwall?
Yes. 38 routes under 4 miles finish where they start, including Cotehele Quay And Mill Walk (1.4 mi), Durgan via Narsidwell (1.9 mi), Tintagel Castle Loop (1.9 mi) and Fowey Day Marker Loop (2.2 mi). Choose Under 4 mi and Back to start in the filters above to see them all.
How many walks follow the South West Coast Path?
188 of our Cornwall routes use the South West Coast Path for some or all of the way, from short headland loops to full-day stretches. Use the Coast path walks quick pick above to show them on the map.
Are there easy walks in Cornwall?
21 routes are graded easy so far, such as St Ives to Carbis Bay (1.3 mi), Cotehele Quay And Mill Walk (1.4 mi) and Bodinnick Ferry To Readymoney Cove, Fowey (2.6 mi). We are still grading the rest, so many other short routes are gentle too.
Can I take my dog on Cornish walks?
Yes, on most routes, but dogs are banned from around 50 Cornish beaches during the day in summer, and on open access land such as Bodmin Moor they must be on a short lead from 1 March to 31 July. 43 of the walks we have checked so far note dogs on a lead or welcome. See Know before you go for details.
Which long-distance trails pass through Cornwall?
The South West Coast Path, Camel Trail, Saints’ Way and Tamar Valley Discovery Trail all run through Cornwall, and each has its own guide on Walking Rambler.