Port Isaac beach - circular walks

Port Isaac beach

The beach at Port Isaac, Cornwall

The beach at Port Isaac is shingly at the top, giving way to sand as the tide goes out. Several factors make it not an ideal place to swim: small boats are launched from the beach, larger fishing boats are moored onto cables running out from the beach and dead fish used as lobster pot bait sometimes wash ashore from the boats.

Walks visiting Port Isaac beach

  • 3.8 miles/6.1 km - Moderate

    St Endellion to Port Isaac

    Port Isaac Harbour

    St Endellion to Port Isaac

    3.8 miles/6.1 km - Moderate

    A figure-of-8 walk from St Endellion to Port Isaac, via the estate of the ancient family of Roscarrock, who survived torture on the rack during Tudor times for being Catholic sympathisers, returning to the parish church, dedicated to the daughter of a Celtic king, on the ancient route which itself influenced the fervent adoption of Methodism in Port Isaac.

  • 8 miles/13 km - Moderate

    Port Isaac to St Kew

    Port Gaverne

    Port Isaac to St Kew

    8 miles/13 km - Moderate

    A circular walk in the valleys of the streams of Port Gaverne and Port Isaac then on to St Kew.

  • 3.3 miles/5.3 km - Moderate-strenuous

    Port Isaac

    Port Isaac Harbour

    Port Isaac

    3.3 miles/5.3 km - Moderate-strenuous

    A short circular walk in Doc Martin Country including the pretty fishing village of Port Isaac and the historic beach of Port Gaverne with birds-eye views over the harbour.

  • 4.8 miles/7.7 km - Moderate-strenuous

    Port Quin to Port Isaac

    Rollercoaster Path to Port Isaac

    Port Quin to Port Isaac

    4.8 miles/7.7 km - Moderate-strenuous

    A circular walk along the rollercoaster path from Port Quin, descending into Port Isaac, with spectacular views of the harbour, via the old houses of Roscarrock Hill including Doc Martin's, one with roof timbers tied on by an anchor chain, and the Sunday School with a bell from a shipwreck.

  • 9.9 miles/15.9 km - Moderate-strenuous

    Port Isaac to Polzeath (via bus)

    Port Isaac Coastline

    Port Isaac to Polzeath (via bus)

    9.9 miles/15.9 km - Moderate-strenuous

    A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, from Port Isaac to Polzeath along the Rollercoaster Path to Port Quin, the golden beaches of Lundy Bay via the Iron Age hillfort on the twin headland of The Rumps.

Download the iWalk Cornwall app and use the QR scanner within the app to find out more about any of the walks above.

The coastline around Port Isaac is very rugged so the coastal walks are reasonably demanding but the scenery is superb. For a walk exploring Port Isaac itself, there's the short circular walk which includes Port Gaverne and Roscarrock Hill (of Doc Martin fame). There are also some longer walks visiting Port Isaac from St Endellion or Port Quin. Starting from Port Isaac, the walk to Barretts Zawn involves the epic climb of Ranie Head which is a perfect way to work up an appetite for a meal in Port Gaverne or Port Isaac afterwards. For a sandy beach, the walk from Port Quin to Lundy Bay is best done at low tide.