Walks near Tintagel.

The circuit of Tintagel Head is short — barely two miles — but packs in a serious amount of visual drama. The path drops from the village to the castle entrance, crosses the new footbridge to the island itself, and loops the headland above 100-metre cliffs. Merlin's Cave is accessible at low tide below the causeway. Return via the south side of the cove for views back to the mainland stack. English Heritage entry fee applies to the castle interior; the cliff path above is free. Allow two hours minimum.

Bossiney Haven is a small, steep-sided cove a mile east of Tintagel with roadside parking and a scramble path to the beach. The Coast Path north from the cove climbs dramatically to the cliff edge and follows it west to Tintagel Head — roughly three miles of consistently spectacular walking. The path passes above several sea caves and blowholes that are audible in heavy swell. Return via the inland road through Bossiney village for a five-mile circular. The descent to the cove itself is steep and rough.

The National Trust headland immediately north of Tintagel village, Barras Nose is the less-visited counterpart to Tintagel Head across the cove. A short path from the NT car park at Glebe Cliff leads across open clifftop to the nose itself — a grassy promontory with 270-degree sea views and no castle admission fee required. The Iron Age earthworks visible on the approach are among the best-preserved in west Cornwall. An excellent half-hour leg-stretch that most castle visitors entirely miss.