South West Coast Path in Cornwall

The South West Coast Path is the longest national trail in England - 630 miles from Minehead in Somerset around the toe of the country to Poole in Dorset. Cornwall has 296 of those miles. The full Cornish section takes most walkers 14 to 18 days. Day-walkers and weekenders can pick a stage at a time.

The numbers

• Distance in Cornwall: ~296 miles (476 km)
• Total ascent in Cornwall: roughly 50,000 feet of climb in total - more than from sea level to the top of Everest, twice
• Highest point in Cornwall: Higher Sharpnose Point near Bude (~140m above sea level)
• Stiles in Cornwall: several hundred - the trail uses field-edge paths in several stretches
• Public toilet locations: around 50 along the Cornish stretch, mostly council-run
• Tide-dependent crossings: the Gannel (Crantock-Newquay), the Hayle Estuary, and the Camel (Padstow-Rock) all rely on ferries or low-water foot crossings

Stage breakdown

The Cornish path divides naturally into 17 stages of 11-22 miles each. Stages are anchored on towns and villages with B&Bs, pubs, and bus services, so most walkers complete one stage per day.

From	To	Miles	Difficulty	Highlights
Cremyll (Plymouth)	Looe	22	Moderate	Mount Edgcumbe, Cawsand, Whitsand Bay, Polperro
Looe	Polruan	14	Strenuous	Talland Bay, Polperro, Lansallos, Polruan
Fowey	Mevagissey	12	Strenuous	Polkerris, Par Sands, Polmear, Charlestown, Pentewan
Mevagissey	Portloe	14	Moderate	Gorran Haven, Hemmick, Dodman Point, Caerhays Castle
Portloe	St Mawes	13	Moderate	Portscatho, Carne, the Roseland, St Just-in-Roseland
St Mawes (via ferries)	Falmouth	4	Easy	Two ferries (Place to St Mawes, St Mawes to Falmouth) plus a 4-mile walk
Falmouth	Helford Passage	12	Moderate	Maenporth, Mawnan Smith, Rosemullion, Durgan
Helford Passage (ferry)	Coverack	14	Strenuous	Helford River, Frenchman's Creek, Gillan, Porthallow
Coverack	Lizard Point	11	Strenuous	Black Head, Cadgwith, Lizard Point
Lizard Point	Marazion	16	Moderate	Kynance Cove, Mullion Cove, Poldhu, Praa Sands, Cudden Point
Marazion	Land's End	18	Moderate	Penzance, Mousehole, Lamorna, Porthcurno, Minack, Sennen
Land's End	St Ives	22	Severe	Cape Cornwall, Botallack, Pendeen, Zennor (most demanding stretch)
St Ives	Portreath	16	Moderate	Carbis Bay, Hayle, Godrevy, Porthtowan
Portreath	Newquay	17	Moderate	St Agnes, Trevaunance, Perranporth, Holywell, Crantock
Newquay	Padstow	16	Moderate	Watergate Bay, Bedruthan, Mawgan Porth, Trevone
Padstow (ferry)	Tintagel	19	Strenuous	Rock, Daymer, Polzeath, Port Quin, Port Isaac, Trebarwith
Tintagel	Bude	22	Severe	Boscastle, Crackington Haven, Widemouth (one of the toughest stretches)

Difficulty key

• Easy - level paths, no significant climbs, suitable for walkers of any experience
• Moderate - regular climbs and descents, but recoverable; suitable for fit walkers
• Strenuous - sustained climbing, narrow paths, exposed sections; for experienced hill walkers
• Severe - long, steep climbs in succession; assume 8+ hours for a typical 16-mile day

Baggage transfer services

Walking with a 25-litre day pack instead of a 65-litre backpack changes the experience entirely. Three operators move bags between B&Bs in Cornwall:

Service	Coverage	Cost	Notes
Luggage Transfers Ltd	All 630 miles of the SWCP	£8-£12 per bag per stage	The largest operator. Online booking; bags collected from B&B at 09:00, delivered by 16:00.
Cornish Luggage Transfers	Cornwall sections	£8-£12 per bag per stage	Local operator with detailed local knowledge.
Encounter Walking Holidays	Bookable as part of a guided package	Included in package price	Walking-holiday operator that bundles baggage transfer with accommodation.

You leave your bag at the B&B at 09:00 with a label for tonight's accommodation. The driver collects it through the morning and delivers it by 16:00. Most operators have a single-bag weight limit of around 20kg.

Water and supplies

Public taps are rare on the Cornish coast path. Carry 1.5-2 litres per person per day in summer; less in cool weather. Reliable refill points:

• Pubs - most welcome refills if you order a drink. Few will refuse a polite request even without a purchase.
• Village shops - bottled water; some have a community refill scheme.
• National Trust car parks - several have free water taps (Bedruthan, Godrevy, Lanyon Quoit area).
• Beach cafes - most are happy to refill bottles in summer; some have outside taps.
• Refill app - download "Refill" from the City to Sea charity. Maps cafes, shops, and pubs that accept refills.

Streams crossing the path are not safe drinking water without filtration - many cross farmland.

Ferries on the path

Several Cornish stages cannot be walked end to end without a ferry. All run year-round except where noted.

• Cremyll Ferry (Plymouth to Cremyll) - the entrance to the Cornish path from Plymouth. Year-round, every 30 minutes.
• Bodinnick Ferry (Fowey to Bodinnick) - vehicle ferry; pedestrians free with a small charge for cars.
• Place Ferry (St Mawes to Place / Roseland) - summer only, Easter to October.
• Falmouth-St Mawes - year-round passenger ferry, every 30 minutes in summer.
• Helford Ferry (Helford Passage to Helford village) - April to October only. The path detours inland in winter.
• Padstow-Rock Ferry - year-round daylight hours. Uses different boarding points at low and high water.

Always carry the timetables in print or screenshot - signal at remote ferry points is unreliable. Last sailings are typically at dusk, earlier in winter.

The hardest stretches

Land\'s End to St Ives via Zennor (22 miles, severe)

Often called the toughest stretch in the entire SWCP. Repeated steep climbs and descents on rough granite paths, very few escape routes back inland. Most walkers do this in 2 stages with an overnight at Pendeen or Botallack. The Tinners Arms at Zennor is the only mid-route pub.

Tintagel to Bude via Crackington Haven (22 miles, severe)

The trail crosses several deep coastal valleys here, each one demanding a 200-metre climb out the other side. Allow a full day or split at Crackington Haven. The Coombe Barton Inn at Crackington is a good overnight stop.

Polperro to Polruan (around 8 miles, strenuous)

A short but tough stretch with multiple deep coves and limited stops. The cliff-side path around Lansallos is one of the more dramatic sections.

Planning a Cornish coast path holiday

For first-timers: a 4-day taster

Falmouth to Mevagissey via the Roseland is a classic 4-day starter. Around 50 miles total, mostly moderate, with bus and ferry escape options at every stage. B&Bs cluster at Falmouth, St Mawes, Veryan, Mevagissey, and Charlestown.

For ambitious walkers: full Cornwall (14-16 days)

From Cremyll on the Tamar to Marsland Mouth on the Devon border. Average 18 miles a day with one rest day. Baggage transfer recommended throughout.

For families: short out-and-backs

Park at one end of a 3-5 mile stretch, walk one way, take a bus back. Good options: Polzeath to Pentireglaze (3 miles), Carbis Bay to St Ives (3 miles), Penzance to Marazion (3 miles, fully level seafront).

Safety

• Phone signal is patchy on cliff sections. The What3Words app works offline once installed.
• Cliff edges erode constantly. Stick to the marked path. Several walkers a year are rescued from below cliffs after taking a clifftop selfie.
• Wind on exposed clifftops can knock you off balance. In gales, retreat inland or bus the day.
• Walking poles are useful for the steeper descents on the north coast.
• 999 for emergencies; ask for the Coastguard if you are on the cliffs or have spotted someone in the water.

See our essentials page for emergency contacts and our beach safety guide for tide and water hazards.

FAQs

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Last reviewed 2026-04-30. The official South West Coast Path website (southwestcoastpath.org.uk) is the authoritative reference for current diversions, conditions, and accommodation listings.