Carne Beach to Portloe - 3.6 miles

OS Explorer 105: grid reference SW906383 to SW937395

Walk Duration 2 Hours 30 minutes  

Park your car at Carne Beach. Facing the sea walk to your left up the hill. After a few metres on the road then follow the sign up the steps onto the coastpath. Walk through the fields along the low cliffs, running parallel with the contours. Pass above a small cove and over a couple of stiles as the fields give way to bracken. Climb gradually, negotiating more stiles as you near Pennarin Point. Follow the path up and around the inlet, cross the wooden stile into a field before dropping down to the stream at the valley floor by wooden steps. This is Paradoe Cove [pronounced Parada]. If you are lucky, you may be able to make out the cave known as Tregagle's Hole at the foot of the cliffs behind you. Cross the simple footbridge and ascend again passing the ruined building of Mallet's Cottage - a local 19th century fisherman.

You should now come to a crossing of paths. Keep straight on up. Climb sharply up to a waymark post and into a field. Now about 30 minutes into your walk, the summit of Nare Head, 95m (310 ft.) is now directly ahead of you. Proceed over another wooden stile and past a wooden bench before climbing to a waymark post. Take 5 minutes out to look at the spectacular views of much of Cornwall. Bear to the right hand side of the field and look for the path ahead through the gorse. The flat top of Nare Head grid reference SW917371 offering loads of places for picnics and to relax. The large rock offshore is Gull Rock, if you look carefully you should be able to see the Inner Stone, Middle Stone and Outer Stone rocks also. Bear right where signed towards the coastpath. Look ahead to see a wooden stile above the gouged out structure in the grey cliffs at Rosen Cliff. Once over the stile, walk along the rather indistinct path down the right hand side of the field . Another stile leads you down to the valley overlooking Kiberick Cove.

Now just over an hour into your walk, bear inland to the head of the valley as instructed before crossing the stile into a field that leads up to Blouth Point. A short climb takes you up to the top where the level path offers you a chance to catch your breath. Keep to the right of the sloping field and look for a rather poorly placed signpost under a spreading tree. Cross the stile and proceed down the path, taking great care above Parc Caragloose Cove. Walk along the cliff as it drops almost to sea level. A double footbridge crosses a stream as you pass the area known as The Straythe. Zig-zag your way up to a marker and then up to pass small signs and a granite NT contribution box on top of Manare Point - the last big climb of the walk. Bear right where signed to enter mature pine woodland and rhododendron bushes. Two hours should now have passed as you walk by 'Broom Parc' house and up steps to a series of stiles in a field. Shortly the buildings of your destination come into view as you proceed down the cliff known as The Jacka grid reference SW938392 and into Portloe. Retrace your steps or use available footpaths and roads for the hour-long walk back to your vehicle. Our route can be followed in Bob Acton's excellent guidebook From the Roseland to St. Austell Bay: 18 Round Walks from Portscatho to Par. Portloe was the actual location of the series 'Wild West' shown on television in October 2002 starring Dawn French where it was given the name 'St. Gweep'.

Previous walk: Portscatho to Carne Beach
Next walk: Portloe to Porthluney (Caerhays) Beach