The South West Coast Path near Land's End — open clifftop path above the Atlantic.

Cornwall · Walks · Fowey

Walks near Fowey.

Fowey sits above an estuary of extraordinary beauty and the walking either side of it — the Hall Walk on the east bank, the Gribbin headland to the west — is among the best in south Cornwall.

Photograph — Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Fowey · South-East Cornwall

Fowey is a town that rewards the walker who takes the ferry. Cross to Bodinnick on the east bank and you're at the start of the Hall Walk — a four-mile path above the Fowey estuary that passes through woodland, above creeks, and along the cliff edge with constant views of one of the most beautiful tidal rivers in England. Daphne du Maurier lived at Ferryside in Bodinnick for much of her life and the landscape gave her novels their geography; the Hall Walk makes that geography immediate and legible.

West from Fowey, the Coast Path climbs out of the town and heads for the Gribbin Head — a National Trust headland above Polridmouth Cove, topped by an 84-foot daymark tower that has guided ships clear of the headland since 1832. The path between Fowey and the Gribbin is as good as any short coastal walk in south Cornwall, passing through farmland that tips directly to the cliff edge with the deep blue of the Channel visible throughout. The combination of the estuary walk and the coastal walk makes Fowey one of the county's most satisfying walking bases.

Hall Walk: Bodinnick to Lerryn

The Hall Walk is one of the classic short walks in south Cornwall — four miles from Bodinnick (ferry from Fowey) along the east bank of the Fowey estuary to the tidal village of Lerryn. The path passes through ancient oak woodland above Pont Creek and Lerryn Creek, with the estuary visible through the trees at intervals. Lerryn itself feels entirely hidden — a cluster of cottages around a tidal ford with stepping stones. Return to Fowey by taxi or retrace to Bodinnick.

Best for

Estuary woodland and a secret tidal village destination

Gribbin Head and Polridmouth Cove

West of Fowey, the Coast Path traverses the clifftops to the Gribbin — a National Trust headland topped by a red-and-white striped daymark tower (open on summer Sunday afternoons). Below the head, Polridmouth Cove is a sheltered sandy beach backed by a small lake; Daphne du Maurier used it as the setting for the opening of Rebecca. The four-mile circular from Fowey via Menabilly Woods is particularly good in spring when the rhododendrons are in flower.

Best for

Du Maurier literary landscape and a striped daymark tower

Polruan and Lantic Bay

The small ferry from Fowey quay to Polruan takes three minutes and delivers walkers to the village opposite. From Polruan the Coast Path south leads to Lantic Bay — a spectacular sandy beach in a deep cove accessible only on foot. The two-mile descent and return is steep but rewarding; the views from the cliff above the bay back across Fowey harbour entrance are exceptional. Return ferry from Polruan quay.

Best for

A hidden sand beach accessible only on foot

Fowey Estuary to Golant

North from Fowey along the west bank of the estuary, a path follows the water's edge through woodland to the hamlet of Golant — three miles of quiet walking through the Mixtow woodland. Golant has a small church beside the river. Continue north to Castle Dore — an Iron Age hill fort associated with the legend of Tristan and Iseult — for a six-mile one-way route from Fowey into the Cornish Arthurian landscape.

Best for

Estuary woodland and Arthurian legendary landscape

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