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This is a great circular walk that takes you on a spectacular journey showcasing the Roseland Peninsular, including Nare Head, Cornwall. It has a massive variety of things to discover from golden beaches, clifftop paths, interesting ruins, woodland and quaint Cornish villages.
It is a 6 mile walk that we were lucky enough to do in glorious summer sunshine. It made the sea views and wildlife encounters very special but it can be a walk that is spectacular in any season due to the changing atmospheres.
To say we were in Cornwall during the summer holidays we hardly saw any other people on the walk except for the beach sections. I find many of the walks in the Roseland Peninsular lovely and quiet to be honest, it feels removed from the honeypot locations yet just as beautiful.
For refreshments this walk has options too. Right at the beginning, near the car park is the quirky Shallikabooky Beach Hut by Pendower Beach. Then over half way around, inland, you can stop by the grocery store or pubs in Veryan.
Let’s take a look at the walk and all the interesting things to discover en route.
Walk Overview
A walk full of variety with coastal and inland sections. Mainly level apart form the coastal sections that has drops and climbs.
Walk Route Info
Distance: 6 miles (9.6 km)
Total Ascent: 525 ft (160 m)
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 2-3 hours
Parking
There are 2 car parks to choose from at Pendower Beach. There is a larger National Trust Car Park behind the beach at postcode TR2 5PE.
We parked on the other car park that is right by the beach on the clifftops. This car park is free but my advice is go early as there is space for around 20 cars or so.
Shallikabooky Beach Hut
Right by the start at Pendower Beach is Shallikabooky Beach Hut. You cannot miss it with its colourful pink and blue.
You can keep your flask of coffee for later and fill yourself up before you start with coffee, tea, an ice cream or a light meal. They have plenty of dog bowls full of water around too so the dogs can get refreshed before heading off onto the beach.
Pendower Beach and Gerrans Bay
Depending on the tide level you now have a choice to start with. Either wander along the sandy Pendower Beach or head up onto the clifftops and take in the nature and sea views with the beach down below.
If you walk along the sand it joins onto and turns into Carne Beach and this creates a mile long south facing bay, Gerrans Bay.
We took the clifftop option to get the views and to keep the dogs from causing chaos on the beach. Up here though you are surrounded by nature with birds, flowers and butterflies all around.
Ahead you see an objective of Nare Head poking out to sea long the coast.
Half way along the tops you come to The Nare Hotel. The path takes you all around the back of it before a small road takes you back down to the coast and beach area.
From the beach it is time to get back up onto the cliff tops.
The Cliffs To Nare Head
As you come away from the beaches and bay the landscape ahead changes. You can see the undulating cliffs ahead with the down below.
I found this a great section of the walk. You start to move away from the busier section with people enjoying the beach and sand areas. Then into a more rugged landscape of cliffs, sea, nature and fresh air.
You start to get a great view back along Gerrans Bay too.
Mallet’s Cottage
As you follow the cliff path towards Nare Head you will drop down into a coastal valley and ahead of you, overlooking the narrow bay, see some ruins, known as Mallet’s Cottage.
The cottage ruins have a gorgeous positioning, perched on the cliff edge, looking over a small cove below and the sea.
Of course there has to be a story to go with a ruins like this. It is said to have been built in the early 19th century by a fisherman named Mallet.
He married a woman from nearby Veryan but instead of going home each day he spent the weeks here, alone, fishing and then went home just for the weekends.
He left his wife eventually and emigrated to Australia to make a new life. The cottage of his tranquil life then fell into ruin.
It is a great spot to enjoy a snack and refreshments on your walk. Zoe took the opportunity to draw the scene from the cottage in her sketchbook.
Nare Head and Gull Rock
Further along the cliffs from Mallet’s Cottage the sea views et more expansive and you are at Nare Head. A headland that offers views in all direction.
The name Nare Head has come over time from its original name. We know that in the 1500s it was called Penare Point. This itself came from old Cornish for Prominent Headland – ‘pen ardh’
A little out to sea you cannot miss Gull Rock, rising from the water.
A nightmare for shipping but a haven for sea birds you can see the gulls and gannets swooping around.
Gull Rock has a claim to fame. It was used as a filming location for Disney’s live action film Treasure Island in 1950.
The Bunker
As you move to the other side of Nare Head you will see a set of old military installations. The bunker, with its camouflage grass covering stands to your left. There is a history of all kinds of bunkers and observation posts on Nare Head.
During WW2 an observation post was placed here to monitor enemy aircraft coming in overhead. The bigger bunker was built as a decoy to help keep bombers away from Falmouth docks. The people stationed there even went so far as creating light and fires to make it look like railways and docks.
In the 1960s it all went underground with a nuclear bunker to monitor for nuclear attacks in the Cold War. This was the first of many up and down the country and hence all the bunkers became known as Veryan Bunkers.
Kilberick Cove
Ahead on the walk as you coem aroundf rom Nare Head you are back into spectacular views along the shoreline to the East.
Down below you will see the gorgeous Kilberick Cove. Those that know it will know that it is a special place that can only be accessed on foot so avoids the masses of other beaches in the area.
It is known as a quiet place for open water swimming, at low tide. But be careful at higher tides as there are rocks under the water and the waves crash into the cliffs.
On the walk you keep the cove down to your right as you head up to a car park. Then head along the lane.
Inland To Veryan
Now it becomes a different kind of walk as you head inland. Keep an eye on the GPX you are following or the map as you cross fields and farms.
It is a beautiful contrast to the sea views and cliffs as you go through undulating fields and with big Cornish views as you head towards and into Veryan. Where you can grab a refreshment at one of the pubs or the local shop.
Woodland Return
From Veryan you walk out the other side along the lanes and then down into trees. If you are hungry you pass by a glorious place called Melinsey Mill. A lovely little cafe/pizza place at an old Corn Mill.
They have amazing pizza nights.
From here you go upwards, leave the lanes and head along through the trees. Passing by streams and glorious nature.
At the end of the woods you suddenly enter the sunshine and views again and suddenly you are back at Pendower Beach.
Conclusion
This is a fantastic walk in a fantastic area of Cornwall. Once you get away from the beach areas you hardly meet others and you feel far away from the crowds.
It has so much variety and interesting landmarks and history. Very much worth the miles.
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