recommended route
Padstow to Porthcorthan
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Padstow HarbourPhoto: Macs Adventure, Macs Adventure
Track types
Rest stops
Hawker's CoveTrevone Bay
Food for Thought
Constantine Bay
Treyarnon Beach
Porthcothan
Safety information
Please take care while walking along the coastal path as some sections can be narrow and may have exposed cliff-edge walking. If any erosion has taken place a diversion will have been put in place so please follow these diversion details and signs where necessary.
Guidebook/ Map
If you wish to carry a hardcopy map, you can print off the daily maps directly from our app. However, if you wish to look at a map, we would recommend purchasing the guidebook Trailblazer's Cornwall Coast Path: SW Coast Path Part 2 - Bude to Plymouth by Henry Stedman & Joel Newton - this has daily maps with added information and guidance on the trial and the surrounding area.
Macs Adventure Blogs
Using our decades of experience we have written several blogs containing helpful tips, FAQ,s and more on all of our trips. Please follow the link below to access our blogs, where you can search for the south west coast path:
https://www.macsadventure.com/walking-holidays/
Tips and hints
Food and Drink
Please check ahead/ online for opening times and availability, there are options at:
Hawker's Cove
Trevone Bay
Constantine Bay
Treyarone Beach
Porthcothan
Points of Interest
Please see the interactive map for notable points of interest. Click the icons on the map for more information.
Start
Destination
Turn-by-turn directions
*** To help you follow the route with confidence we have provided these route notes to help you. The South West Coast Path is well waymarked, but we strongly suggest that you follow the GPS tracks in the Macs Adventure smartphone app to ensure you have a safe, enjoyable, and problem-free day. The daily maps can also be printed from the web version of the app should you wish to take paper copies with you. ***
The first 5-mile stretch is an easy and enjoyable walk with cliff-top scenery at its best without the sharp ascents and descents characteristic of the path.
Past Stepper Point your head for a 19th century stone Daymark Tower, an early aid to navigation, and a pause here gives time to take in the Camel estuary behind and the rugged coastline ahead.
The next 5-mile stretch is mostly fairly flat with a lovely spot of beach walking at Harlyn Bay, then out to Trevose Head past the lighthouse. The cliffs above Mother Ivey’s Bay are great for a picnic.
Booby’s Bay and Constantine Bay are popular surf beaches with a scattering of houses along the low-lying foreshore. Constantine Bay in particular has a reputation as one of the best surf-pullers in North Cornwall.
The last 7 miles of cliff-top walking is relatively easy with plenty of opportunities to enjoy impressive scenery. You first pass Warren and Pepper coves where the weather and sea have effectively split an iron-age fort into three parts.
The next town you will arrive at is Porthcothan - depending on what variation of the Padstow to St. Ives itinerary you are walking, Porthcothan may be the end of your walk today. You will likely be taking a transfer to your overnight accommodation in Newquay. The following morning a taxi transfer will return you to Porthcothan to continue your walk.
*** This is the end of our Padstow to Porthcothan route. Please use your included documentation to find your overnight accommodation. For those doing a shorter variation of our Padstow to St. Ives tour, you may be walking onward (as opposed to getting a transfer) to overnight in Mawgan Porth - Please move onto the next route in the Macs App which is Porthcothan to Mawgan Porth***
Note
Coordinates
Equipment
Sturdy hiking boots, layered clothing items, and a waterproof/wind-break layer may all be required. The weather in the south is usually better than the rest of the UK and temperatures can sore, especially in the summer months. Make sure to check the weather before you go to see if you need suncream or a waterproof layer, as the weather can change quickly.
Ensure your phone is fully charged; if you doubt the battery will last throughout the hike, it could be beneficial to bring a power bank.
Take plenty of water for the day's walk - especially if a high temperature in the summer.
Statistics
- 8 Waypoints
- 8 Waypoints
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