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Land's End & Sennen Cove from Porthcurno

Cornwall AONB Walk

Region - Cornwall AONB

County/Area - Cornwall

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 6.5 miles / 10.6 km    Ascent - 1355 feet / 411 metres

Time - 4 hours 40 minutes    Grade - moderate

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Ordnance Survey Explorer 102Sheet Map1:25kBUY
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Ordnance Survey Landranger 203Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 203Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Land's End & Sennen Cove from Porthcurno
Click image to visit gallery of 9 images.

This walk includes a visit to Land's End and the spectacular Gwennap Head with its amazing rock architecture. As with many of the coastal walks featured on the "Walking Britain" website, it has been designed to make the best of local public transport so you can concentrate on the delights of coastal walking on the South West Coast Path. As with any coastal walking, do not underestimate the time taken as there are many ups and downs and the path is never straight!

It is suggested you park at Sennen Cove and catch a bus to Porthcurno. This service is relatively frequent but is quite complex and it is important that you make sure the bus you catching goes to Porthcurno on its way to Penzance. Assuming you have got your homework right, alight at the main bus stop in the centre of Porthcurno village (grid ref. SW383225)and head through the main car park down to the beach.

The onward route could easily be described as "follow the South West Coast Path back to Sennen Cove" but the route is worthy of a more detailed description. The SWC Path climbs steeply up the cliffs on leaving Porthcurno beach and skirts round the inland side of the world famous Minack Theatre, which you sadly don't get to see, to enter the theatre's car park. Cross this and exit at the western end to regain the coastal footpath, which stays at cliff top level before dropping down to go across the back of Porth Chapel beach.

The next section through to Porthgwarra is pleasant and you make good progress to reach this hamlet with a small, sandy beach. The temptation on the next section is to take the short cut across the back of Gwennap Head to Porth Loe but to do so would mean that you have missed one of the highlights of the Cornish Coast. Instead stay on the path nearest to the sea, passing the Landmarks on your right, and enjoy the rocky cliffs, which act as a magnet for rock climbers. Rock stacks and an arch add an extra dimension to this spectacular section of coast. In wet weather care is needed on some sections as a slip could be fatal.

Continue on the main footpath always staying as near as you can to the sea. Most of the minor headlands are worth visiting even though a short diversion from the path is necessary. Leaving Gwennap Head Land's End seems a short walk away but remember coastal walking always take longer. Continuing west, Nanjizal is the next highlight being a beautiful bay edged with rocky cliffs and shortly after the buildings on Land's End start to become more obvious.

Despite the large numbers of visitors to this most westerly point of the English mainland, few venture very far from their transport and you can walk undisturbed to within a half of a mile of the theme park. Notices abound warning visitors of the dangers of getting too close to the cliffs. Passing Dr Syntax's Head (the true most westerly point) the number of people suddenly decreases and you are back to typical Cornish coastal walking for the remaining stretch to Sennen Cove.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2298 Porthgwarra & St Levan Circulareasy4.8 miles
Walk 2614 St Loy's Cove & Logan Rockmoderate8.5 miles
Walk 2354 Merry Maidens & Lamorna Coveeasy4.1 miles
Walk 1225 Sennen Cove & Botallack from St Justmoderate7.5 miles
Walk 2616 The moors and hills of Penwithmoderate14.0 miles
Walk 2205 Newlyn - a village traileasy1.0 miles
Walk 1028 Chun Quoit and Botallackmoderate8.0 miles
Walk 3325 Chun Quoit & Carn Kenidjack easy4.0 miles
Walk 2207 Penzance - a town strolleasy1.5 miles
Walk 3501 Penzance to Porthcurno via Mousehole and Lamornamoderate11.0 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

The South West Coast Path

The South West Coast PathGuidebook to walking the entire South West Coast Path National Trail. The route runs for 630 miles from Minehead to Poole along the north Devon, Cornish, south Devon and Dorset coastline. Divided into 45 stages, this long-distance coastal trek could be completed within 4 weeks, or walked in sections. Guide includes maps and essential information.
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Walking in Cornwall

Walking in CornwallThis guidebook includes routes to 40 day walks in Cornwall. From short, easy strolls to longer, wilder routes, there is plenty to appeal to both families and experienced walkers. The walks explore the interior and coasts, including walks through picturesque villages, old tin-mining areas and the Lizard and Land's End Peninsulas.
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