Portloe to Caerhays Beach (Porthluney) - 2.0 miles

OS Explorer 105: grid reference SW937395 to SW975411

Walk Duration 2 Hours 20 minutes  

Park your car at the 'Carrick Community car park' above Portloe - Grid reference SW938396, only 20p for parking for a whole day - fantastic. Our route followed Walk 3 in Bob Acton's excellent guidebook From the Roseland to St. Austell Bay: 18 Round Walks from Portscatho to Par. At a wooden signpost, bear left down the tarmac path signed as 'West Portholland 2m'. Climb up the steepish steps and pass the NT omega of 'The Flagstaff'. Pass the disused coastguard lookout and continue on the path as it rises and falls quite a lot on its way to Hartriza Point. Now about 30 minutes into your walk, cross the gully over a stream and then proceed up steps to Caragloose Point - Grid reference 947399. The rocks are as expected quite grey here [Carrag Lûz - Rocks, Grey]. The rock just offshore is Shag Rock.

Pass a coastpath marker before dropping down again as you pass between Caragloose Point and Carn Pednathan. Climb a stile to enter the NT property of Tregenna. A further set of steps is encountered as the path steepens and zigzags its way back up to high level once more. Take a breather at the crest and continue through a kissing gate as the route levels off. The small beach ahead is the (almost) inaccessible Perbargus Beach while the cottages and beach ahead in the distance is East Portholland. Go through another kissing gate as the path becomes a lot easier. Leave Tregenna and climb a rather rickety stile, as you pass the hour mark. Continue down to another stile before reaching a strange double footbridge with central stile. Look behind you at this point to see the small twin headlands of May's Rock and Cellar Rock at Grid reference SW951406. Next climb to the summit of Perbargus Point. Pass through an area of Japanese Knotweed, with its warning signs, before reaching a signpost. It reads 'Morvah public bridleway' and 'West Portholland ¼m'. Bear right as signed and drop down to sea level now through gates and footbridge and into the small village of West Portholland.

Now about 90 minutes into your walk, use the seats, beach or rocks as a place to rest if you wish. Refreshed, leave your resting place and look for the coaspath signs at the back of the beach behind the lime kilns. Walk over to East Portholland using the road or along the beach at low tide. Pass behind the sea defences and towards the left hand side of the village. At the end of the row of houses, beside 'Port Holland Pantry', follow the marker up the narrow tarmac path as it climbs steadily and consistently for about 10 minutes. Next proceed up the flight of wooden steps above Perbean Beach passing a wooden seat as the path levels off. Walk through a wooden gate and on to Countryside Commision land. Look left for the marker indicating that the coastpath runs along the right hand side of the sloping field. Drop down through the field to a path above the coast. Cross a stile and keep right into a second field passing Long Point and Watchhouse Point. Take note of any electric fence here before continuing to the corner of the field. Leave the field by a stile before following the signposted route down the road to Porthluney Beach and Caerhays Castle (¼m). There is a large car-park here - Grid reference SW975414, with a good shop and sandy beach. A fine place to start our next walk up to the dark and imposing Dodman Point

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