Penrose and Porthleven

A circular walk through the woodland alongside the Loe to the most southerly port on the British mainland, famous for its huge storm waves.

Get the app to guide you around the walk

App Store

Download iPhone/iPad app from App Store

Scan with your phone to get the Apple app

Google Play

Download Android app from Google Play

Scan with your phone to get the Android app

Download the (free) app then use it to purchase this walk.

Phone showing Google navigation to start of walk

The app will direct you to the start of the walk via satnav.

Hand holding a phone showing the iWalk Cornwall app

The app guides you around the walk using GPS, removing any worries about getting lost.

Phone showing walk directions page in the iWalk Cornwall app

The walk route is described with detailed, regularly-updated, hand-written directions.

Each time there is a new direction to follow, the app will beep to remind you, and will warn you if you go off-route.

Phone showing walk map page in the iWalk Cornwall app

A map shows the route, where you are at all times and even which way you are facing.

Phone showing facts section in iWalk Cornwall app

Each walk is packed with information about the history and nature along the route, from over a decade of research than spans more than 3,000 topics.

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Once a walk is downloaded, the app doesn't need wifi or a phone signal during the walk.

Phone showing walk stats in the iWalk Cornwall app

The app counts down distance to the next direction and estimates time remaining based on your personal walking speed.

We keep the directions continually updated for changes to the paths/landmarks - the price for a walk includes ongoing free updates.

either as a GPS-guided walk with our app (£3.29) or a PDF of directions (£2.79) Example of directions

Fullscreen map

A circular walk through the woodland alongside the Loe to the most southerly port on the British mainland, famous for its huge storm waves.

Highlights

Historic harbour of Porthleven
Cornwall's largest natural freshwater lake
Historic Penrose Estate
Mature broadleaf woodland in the Cober valley
The Loe Bar - a geographical oddity with some rare wildlife
The Stables NT cafÃÂÃÂ© (available to non-NT members)

Considerations

Note that most coastal walks in Cornwall have paths close to unfenced cliffs.

Wheels

The one flight of steps on the route at direction 16 can be bypassed by keeping right at direction 15 and following a short section of the route backwards from direction 32 to continue from direction 18. The section of the route through the woods which isn't surfaced can be bypassed by keeping left to stay on the lower track between direction 7-direction 12. Most of the remaining paths are surfaced with gravel but some sections of the upper path are a bit stony so pneumatic off-road wheels may be required here. There's quite a long climb from the signpost next to the lodge to the top of the hill but the path has been zig-zagged to reduce the gradient somewhat.

Dogs

Beaches where dogs are allowed all year: Loe Bar. There are no stiles on the route. Usually no livestock on the route (most paths are fenced off from fields).

The walk is available through the iWalk Cornwall app for Apple and Android for £3.29 which each include everything listed here.

This removes worries about getting lost by tracking you using GPS, reminding you when you need to follow the next direction and warning you if you wander off the route.

To install on your phone, search the app store for “iwalk cornwall” to download the (free) app. Then either use it to scan the code at the top-right of the page to locate this walk or search for the walk title in Walks Shop > Search All Walks.

Once you've installed the iWalk Cornwall app from the app store, click on the button below to locate this walk:

Open walk in iWalk Cornwall app

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Vital statistics

OS Explorer: 103
Distance: 6 miles/9.6 km
Steepness grade: Easy-moderate
Recommended footwear: Walking boots, or trainers in summer
No stiles: ✓
Pub: ✓
Café: ✓

Beaches

Loe Bar beach

Pubs on or near the route

The Atlantic Inn
The Harbour Inn
The Ship Inn

Points of interest

Links for this walk

Tide times
South Coast Western AONB info
Short URL: https://iwkc.co.uk/w/308

Alternative walks

Shorter circular walk excluding Porthleven

Adjoining walks

Walks nearby