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

Cornwall · Walks · Port Isaac

Walks near Port Isaac.

The coast path either side of Port Isaac threads through some of the least-tamed scenery on the north Cornish coast — steep valleys, hidden coves, and headlands without a road in sight.

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

Port Isaac · North Coast

Port Isaac's geography makes it an unusually good walking base. The village sits in a deep combe where the land falls steeply to the harbour, which means the surrounding cliffs rise with immediate drama in both directions. The Coast Path east towards Port Quin is one of the most consistently beautiful sections on the north coast — no roads visible, no development, just steep farmland dropping to the sea. West towards Port Gaverne and beyond, the walking opens out onto the big headland country that culminates in The Rumps, arguably the finest promontory on the entire north Cornish coast.

The village's fame as the filming location for Doc Martin has brought visitor numbers that its narrow lanes can barely absorb, but step onto the cliff path in either direction and the crowds thin immediately. The walking here rewards those who push further — The Rumps is a solid five miles from the village, but the Iron Age hillfort on the headland and the views north across Lundy and the Severn Sea justify every step. This is walking that earns its superlatives.

The three-mile Coast Path east from Port Isaac to the ghost village of Port Quin is one of the most rewarding short walks on the north coast. The path climbs steeply above Port Isaac harbour, then follows the cliff edge past Lobber Point and Varley Head with no roads visible in either direction. Port Quin — once a fishing village abandoned in the nineteenth century after a fishing disaster — has an eerie, beautiful quiet. Return via the inland lane through Trelights for a six-mile circular.

Best for

Coastal solitude and a genuinely atmospheric destination

A short but satisfying loop from Port Isaac that takes in the neighbouring cove of Port Gaverne — a sheltered, pebble-and-sand inlet a mile west where pilchards were once cellared in the cliff buildings still standing above the beach. The path hugs the headland between the two villages, dropping briefly to sea level before climbing again. Barely two miles round; add the clifftop section above Varley Head to extend to four. The Pilchard Inn at Port Gaverne is a fine reward.

Best for

Easy coastal walking and historic fishing heritage

The Rumps is one of the great headland walks in Cornwall. The double-pronged promontory — an Iron Age cliff castle with defensive earthworks still clearly visible — sits five miles west of Port Isaac via the Coast Path, or two miles from the National Trust car park at Pentire Farm. The views from the tip are 300 degrees of open Atlantic, with Lundy Island visible to the north on clear days. Walk out from Port Isaac for the full ten-mile there-and-back, or drive to Pentire and do the headland loop in an hour.

Best for

Iron Age archaeology and panoramic Atlantic headland views

From Port Quin, a short extension along the Coast Path west leads to Doyden Point — a small headland topped by a National Trust-owned nineteenth-century folly tower (not open, but picturesquely sited). The path out and back from Port Quin is barely two miles but extremely scenic, with views into the deep slot of Port Quin Bay and across to The Rumps. Combine with the Port Isaac–Port Quin walk for a satisfying eight-mile day.

Best for

Quirky heritage and quiet clifftop scenery

North of the Camel Estuary, the cliffs above New Polzeath and Pentireglaze Haven can be reached via the Coast Path from Port Quin — a six-mile stretch of consistently high-quality clifftop walking. Pentireglaze Haven is a secluded sandy cove accessible only on foot; in summer it sees almost no visitors despite being one of the finest beaches on this coast. The return via inland lanes through Polzeath adds variety. An excellent full-day route from Port Isaac with a bus connection back from Polzeath.

Best for

Hidden beach access and long-distance coastal walking

Practical notes

Getting there: Port Isaac is off the B3267, six miles north-west of Wadebridge. No train; nearest station is Bodmin Parkway (20 miles). Seasonal bus service from Wadebridge. Parking is in the cliff-top car park (pay-and-display) — the village lanes are not driveable for most vehicles.
Difficulty: Moderate. The Coast Path involves significant up-and-down on steep valley sides. Port Gaverne circuit is the easiest option. The Rumps walk from Pentire Farm is moderate; from Port Isaac it becomes a strenuous full-day route.
Distance: Port Isaac–Port Quin circular: 6 miles. Port Gaverne circuit: 2–4 miles. The Rumps from Pentire Farm: 3 miles. Port Isaac–Rumps there-and-back: 10 miles. Port Quin–Doyden Point: 2 miles.
Dogs: Dogs welcome on all coastal paths. The National Trust headland at Pentire Farm is excellent off-lead walking on open clifftop. Keep leads on through Port Isaac village and in fields with livestock. Dogs allowed on Port Gaverne cove at all times.
Best time to visit: April–June for wildflowers and uncrowded paths. The Rumps is spectacular in any season but particularly atmospheric in autumn mist. Avoid August weekends in the village itself; the coastal path is always quieter than the lanes.
What to bring: OS Explorer 106 (Newquay & Padstow). Wind-proof layer — the exposed headlands catch the prevailing south-westerly fully. Good boots for the Coast Path; trainers are manageable on the Port Gaverne circuit only. Flask for the longer routes; no facilities beyond the village.

Walks near Port Isaac.

Port Isaac to Port Quin

Port Gaverne Cove Circuit

The Rumps Headland

Port Quin to Doyden Point

Pentireglaze Haven and New Polzeath Cliffs

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