Enjoying Cornwall - walking Mousehole to Newlyn

Walking Mousehole to Newlyn - 1.5 miles

OS Explorer 102: grid reference SW470263 to SW464286 View Map

Walk Duration 50 minutes

Memorial to the crew of the Penlee Lifeboat

Park your car near the Old Coastguard Hotel at Mousehole. With the sea on your right, head along the pavement as far as the Old Penlee Lifeboat Station. Stop here to read the inscription on the Penlee Lifeboat Disaster Memorial to the crew of the RNLI Lifeboat 'Solomon Browne' lost 19th December 1981.

A short film on The Penlee Disaster from the BBC Archives. [18.5MB]

A new Atlantic 75 Class lifeboat, the 'Paul Alexander' was inaugurated at Newlyn harbour in May 2003. The Inshore vessel replaces the larger but slower Offshore lifeboat the 'Ivan Ellen'. Now about 20 minutes from the start, look for steps down to the sea wall above Skilly Beach. As you walk carefully along the wide sea wall, take the time out to look across Mount's Bay to the Lizard - give yourself a little test...how many places and landmarks can you correctly name? On a clear day the Bay seems to stretch forever, over 300º, from Mousehole behind you through Newlyn, Wherry Town, Eastern Green, Long Rock, Marazion and on past Perranuthnoe, Cudden Point, Praa Sands, Trewavas Head, Porthleven, Loe Bar, Gunwalloe, Mullion, Kynance and finally Lizard Point. All this coastline seems rather daunting now! Follow the sea wall to its end, a further 15 minutes, then climb up steps through a tunnel made through the bushes to reach the road once again. Walk down the pavement towards Newlyn for about 100 metres. Keep looking out for a blue Cycle Route marker leading away to your right. Take the indicated path down the wide asphalt track, this will allow you to walk most of the way into Newlyn away from the traffic. It may not be the prettiest walk around but it is level and relatively quiet. Keep heading along the track, a small lighthouse on a pier indicates Newlyn Harbour. Walk up the slope back onto the road. Pass the Fisherman's Arms public house. Look below right to see the harbour open up in front of you. How many different boats can you see, and from which ports?

Newlyn trawlers from the Fish Market

Previous walk: Penberth to Lamorna Cove
Next walk: Newlyn to Penzance Harbour