Coastal walks in Cornwall

A circular walk on Park Head, used as one of the filming locations in the Poldark BBC TV series and with spectacular views over Bedruthan Steps and the Trescore Islands.

A circular walk around the rugged coastline of Trevose Head via the iconic lighthouse and golden sandy beach at Mother Ivey's Bay, with spectacular wildflowers in spring and summer and thundering waves in winter that sometimes expose the shipwreck at Booby's Bay.

A circular walk around Cornwall's most iconic mining remains, used for the filming of the BBC's Poldark series

A circular walk on the Towans at Hayle, where Cornwall's beam engines were cast using sand from a prehistoric lagoon when West Penwith was an island.

A circular walk past the Sea Pool to Crooklets beach and along Maer cliff to the beach at Northcott Mouth, where the shipwreck of the SS Belem is exposed at low tide.

A circular walk at Tywardreath where a mediaeval Priory was based and Par where much of the route was once a tidal creek and a wetland nature reserve has been created on some of the reclaimed land.

A circular walk along the coast from Polzeath past a number of small coves to the vast sandy beach at Daymer Bay, returning through the dunes past St Enodoc Church which was once so deeply buried in the sand that entrance for services was through the roof.

A figure-of-8 walk at Bude where the demand for lime-rich sand could not even be met by 4000 horses a day and so a 35-mile canal was built to transport it to the Tamar Valley.

A circular walk around Mount's Bay where the remains of the prehistoric forest that surrounded St Michael's Mount can still occasionally be seen on very low tides after storms

A circular walk from Rock along the sand dunes to St Enodoc church, once buried in the sand, and across fields to the mediaeval church of St Minver, returning via 3 pubs and the brewery where "Doom Bar" was first produced.

A circular walk through the poppy fields of West Pentire to Polly Joke beach, returning over the headland to the pub that was a cowshed until the mid-20th Century.

A circular walk along the Gannel Estuary from Crantock Beach to Penpol Creek, returning though the village of Crantock.

A circular walk around the nature reserve in the sand dunes that was once the National Explosives Works where girls manufactured dynamite from nitroglycerine.

A short circular walk exploring some of the historic sites in Tintagel including King Arthur's Castle and Merlin's Cave, the Old Post Office, and the ancient parish church on the cliffs.

A circular walk overlooking the infamous Doom Bar - from which the internationally popular beer is named - on which hundreds of vessels were wrecked when attempting to navigate into Padstow harbour and many still lie beneath the sands

A walk following the West Looe river from woods to its confluence and then to meet the Atlantic beside one of Cornwall's mediaeval ports.

A circular walk between St Agnes Head and the engine houses of Wheal Coates via St Agnes Beacon, with spectacular panoramic views

A circular walk on quarrymens' trails along the cliffs of Tintagel past the Thunderhole blowhole to the long, sandy beach at Trebarwith Strand from Tintagel's mediaeval clifftop church with relics including the font that once stood in Tintagel Castle's chapel.

A circular walk through Padstow's mediaeval network of streets to the church, the Elizabethan Manor at Prideaux Place and Tregirls Farm, with panoramic views of the estuary, returning along a mile of sandy beaches.

A circular walk alongside the Loe Pool to the Loe Bar and back via the farm on the hill spur, which in Cornish gave the name to the Penrose Estate.

A walk on contrasting coastlines, from the rugged Roseland coast to the sheltered creeks of the Percuil River opposite St Mawes.

A walk on the Roseland coast and then into the Fal estuary to St Anthony Church via the fort St Anthony Head and the golden sandy beaches of Molunan.

A circular walk through three of the wooded valleys to the sheltered coves at the mouth of the Helford River

A circular walk on the highest dune system in Britain to the chapel dating from Celtic times which was lost in the dunes for nearly 1000 years.

A circular walk from Holywell Bay on the dunes and Kelsey Head to the sandy beach of Polly Joke.

A circular walk on the rugged cliffs at the most westerly point of the British mainland with spectacular views and spectacular wildflowers.

A circular walk at Mount's Bay from the largest port town in the bay to the harbour of Cornwall's largest fishing fleet.

A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, from Watergate Bay along the coast path to Newquay, passing the sea caves at Whipsiderry beach, the Iron Age hillfort on Trevelgue head and the beaches of Porth, Lusty Glaze and Tolcarne.

A circular walk from Mylor Harbour along the creeks of Carrick Roads to Flushing which was named after a town in Holland when Dutch engineers built the quays, and where ships' captains would keep a watchful eye over Falmouth Harbour from their tall houses.

A circular walk through the wildlife reserve and bluebell woodland of Tehidy Country Park to Deadman's Cove and the North Cliffs, where many sailing ships were wrecked before the Godrevy Lighthouse was built.

A circular walk along two miles of beaches around Gerrans Bay which were once used by Portscatho smugglers to land contraband and strewn with the wreckage of sailing ships that overshot Falmouth Harbour and ran aground on The Whelps reef.

A circular walk along the River Gannel from Crantock, originally settled by Celtic monks whose chapel is thought may be buried beneath the dunes.

A circular walk from Kennack Sands to Cadgwith Cove via the Poltesco valley where during Victorian times waterwheels and steam engines powered an industry producing large decorative pieces of serpentine but has now been recolonised by nature

A circular walk around the creeks of the Helford River and the small villages settled by Celtic monks from Brittany.

A circular walk along a coast of shipwrecks and smugglers from Deadman's Cove to Hell's Mouth, past the collapse of the North Cliffs that went viral on YouTube, and returning through the nature reserve along the Red River Valley.

A circular walk between Constantine Bay to Porthcothan via nature's swimming pool at Treyarnon beach and a spectacular series of islands, headlands and tiny coves named after wine and pepper smuggled there, and the rock where a customs officer was left by smugglers to drown.

A circular walk from Holywell Bay past the remarkable sacred spring and along the coast to the sandy beaches of Porth Joke and Crantock, returning via the dunes of the Cubert Common nature conservation area.

A mostly circular walk to Perranuthnoe beach from one of Britain's most ancient towns - Marazion - burnt down twice by the French and once more in a Cornish rebellion

A circular walk in tributary valleys of the St Germans River and past the Victorian coastal defences overlooking Whitsand Bay, where one of the forts is still in use today.

A circular walk around the thriving town of Falmouth, which didn't exist until Elizabethan times when Sir Walter Raleigh suggested that the largest natural harbour in Europe would be a good place to build a port town.

A circular walk across the dunes and headland between Rock and Polzeath, returning via St Enodoc Church, where Sir John Betjeman is buried.

A circular walk passing the National Trust's Glendurgan gardens and the equally spectacular submarine gardens of Rosemullion Head where fish dart amongst the brightly-coloured blooms.

A walk along the Roseland coast and creeks opposite St Mawes, passing the preserved fort and Fraggle Rock lighthouse on St Anthony Head and the golden sandy beaches of Molunan.

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

A circular walk on Cornwall's Channel coast where horses carried ore, Victorian fishermen built huts and smugglers sailed to France, but before all this Neolithic people settled and worked flints carried down the English Channel from chalk areas during the Ice Age

A circular walk around the rugged coastline of Trevose Head via the iconic lighthouse and golden sandy bays of Constantine, Booby's, Mother Ivey's and Harlyn, with spectacular wildflowers in spring and summer.

A circular walk around the Loe Pool, the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall, and along the Loe Bar, one of Cornwall's most treacherous beaches on which 100 of those onboard the HMS Anson drowned metres from the shore, motivating the invention of the rocket lifesaving apparatus that saved thousands of lives.

A circular walk from Widemouth Bay along the Coast Path though the Phillips Point nature reserve to The Storm Tower at Compass Point and then along the Bude Canal to Whalesborough, returning across the fields to Widemouth.

A figure-of-8 walk from Daymer Bay thorough the dunes to Rock, passing the once-buried St Enodoc church, before crossing on the ferry to Padstow, and returning along three miles of sandy beaches.

A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, along the Seven Bays coast and around Trevose Head past the lighthouse.

A circular walk to the small coves of Lantivet Bay used in Victorian times for pilchard fishing, collecting seaweed as fertiliser and smuggling barrels of French brandy.

A circular walk via through Tintagel to Tintagel Castle and along the coastline via the headlands of Barras Nose and Willapark to the sandy beach at Bossiney Haven from Tintagel Haven where Merlin's Cave is uncovered at low tide.

A circular walk from Lansallos to the coves of Lantivet Bay where farmers collected seaweed and sand to improve the soil and smugglers landed French brandy.

A circular walk between the sheltered cove at Porthpean and the historic port of Charlestown, originally built to export copper, then China Clay, and now used for filming by Hollywood and Poldark.

A figure-of-eight walk around the fishing village and headlands surrounding Polperro, passing the net loft perched above the harbour, the Victorian sea pool, the site of the mediaeval chapel and the harbourmaster's route to the lighthouse.

A circular walk from the fishing village of Port Quin to the golden sandy beaches of Epphaven Cove and Lundy Bay with spectacular coastal scenery, via the cliff-edge folly on Doyden Point built as a gambling den.

A circular walk on a peninsula protruding into the Hamoaze estuary and where the land was dotted with gun batteries, defending against a potential invasion from Napoleon.

A circular walk through Woodland Trust reserves of the ancient Millook woods, meadows to the former smuggling den and 1920s wild party venue of Trebarfoote, and along the coast from Cancleave Strand to Millook Haven where colliding continents have melted and folded the rocks like toffee.

A circular walk on the coast path and Saint's Way from Par to the fishing hamlet of Polkerris where the pub has retreated into the Lifeboat station after being washed away by a storm in Victorian times, and Napoleonic cannons were built into the harbour wall as mooring posts.

A circular walk with spectacular coastal scenery from Porthcurno to Penberth Cove, passing the famous wobbling boulder of Logan Rock and returning via the escape route from the wartime tunnels which housed one of the world's largest telegraph stations.

A circular walk to the Minack Theatre, via St Levan's church, St Leven's Holy Well and Porthchapel beach, from Porthgwarra where the beach is accessed via a rock tunnel created by local miners.

A circular walk along the stream of Trevellas Coombe where tin ore is still worked using traditional water power, past Stippy Stappy - the row of sea captain's cottages, and down the valley to the sandy beach of Trevaunance Cove with the remains of Victorian harbour which was demolished by Atlantic storms.

A circular walk from Lizard village to Kynance Cove with spectacular views, wildflowers including Cornwall's county flower and wildlife including the Cornish Chough.

A circular walk from Boscastle to Pentargon waterfall and Willapark coastguard lookout with magnificent views of the village and harbour from the headlands where the village women once gathered dressed in red to fool a French ship into fleeing from British army redcoats.

A circular walk in du Maurier country from Readymoney Cove - where she lived in the 1940s - to Polridmouth, where the shipwreck inspired her book Rebecca.

A circular walk from the busy fishing port of Mevagissey into the Portmellon Valley and through the West Bodrugan Woods nature reserve to the beachside village of Portmellon where boats have been built for hundreds of years, and still are.

A circular walk on the northernmost end of one of Cornwall's largest areas of sand dunes that stretch from Crantock to Perranporth, under which one mediaeval chapel was found and another is said to still be lost.

A circular walk on the headland near Fowey where Daphne du Maurier lived and formed the basis for scenes in her books.

A circular walk from the beach and tiny harbour of Portwrinkle to the small village of Sheviock, thought to be Cornish for "abounding in strawberries", with a church abounding in mediaeval tombs.

A circular walk from St Just to the rugged coast of England's only Cape topped by a monument fashioned from a mine chimney, passing mediaeval and prehistoric remains.

A circular walk on The Lizard to the most southerly point from Church Cove, where the Lizard lifeboat is now launched to the old lifeboat station at Polpeor Cove.

A circular walk from the Cot Valley past the beaches of Nanquidno and Porth Nanven where granite boulders polished over millions of years by prehistoric oceans and then buried by the soil are being exposed once again by the sea.

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.

A circular walk via King Arthur's Great Halls and the Old Post Office and along the coastline from Tintagel Castle past towering headlands and island bird colonies to the golden, sandy cove at Bossiney Haven, returning via the labyrinthine carvings and ruins of mills in the woods of Rocky Valley.

A short circular walk through the woods of St Nectan's Glen and canyons of Rocky Valley, past the ruined mills and labyrinthine carvings, and along the coast to the golden sandy cove at Bossiney Haven.

A circular walk at the heart of Cornwall's fishing industry to the village where Stargazy Pie was invented and a candle-lit parade is held each year to celebrate the catch of Tom Bawcock.

A circular walk along Mount's Bay from the large sandy beach at Perranuthnoe to the smugglers' coves at Prussia Cove, returning across the fields with views over St Michael's Mount.

A circular walk from Pendeen via the Geevor and Levant mines to the lighthouse at Pendeen Watch, returning via the white, sandy beach at Portheras Cove.

A circular walk on the Roseland coast where, during the Napoleonic Wars, smugglers would row out to the middle of The Channel in pilot gigs to trade with the enemy.

A circular walk on the serpentine coast of The Lizard from Cadgwith Cove to Church Cove, returning via two ancient churches and the holy well of St Ruan.

A circular walk down Trebarwith Valley to Trebarwith Strand then along the cliffs above the beach, with magnificent views of the bay between Dennis Point and Penhallic Point and the pinnacles of the coastal slate quarries now colonised by birds and wildflowers.

A circular walk across the Iron Age hillfort on the twin headlands of The Rumps and around Pentire Point, with panoramic views of the Camel Estuary and the offshore islands, to the sandy beach at Polzeath.

A circular walk from St Ives through the Steeple Woods nature reserve to the monument overlooking St Ives Bay where the eccentric quinquennial ceremony of John Knill has been performed for over 200 years, returning along the coast via the white sandy beaches of Carbis Bay and Porthminster.

A one-way walk to St Ives along the beaches from Lelant including the vast expanse of Porthkidney Sands, Carbis Bay and Porthminster Beach using the train or bus to make the route almost circular.

A circular walk at St Ives along the granite coastline and white sandy beaches which have inspired so many artists, through some of the most famous parts of the town including the harbour, The Island and The Tate, and via the church and holy well of the Celtic girl Ia who, according to legend, was the first to settle here.

A circular walk on The Lizard from Kennack Sands where some of the oldest prehistoric finds have been made in Cornwall, including an entire lost Stone Age village which was uncovered by a gorse fire in the 1960s.

A circular walk along the Victorian Excursion route from Lizard village to the most southerly point and along the coast path to Kynance Cove with spectacular views, wildflowers, and wildlife including the Cornish Chough.

A circular walk up Gillan Creek from Porthallow via Nare Point where, during World War II, an elaborate decoy for Falmouth Harbour was created by Ealing Film Studios with fake railways, houses and explosive special effects.

A circular walk from Praa sands across Rinsey Head to the engine house of the ironically-named Wheal Prosper, and Trewavas mine where an engine house now forms part of the path

A circular walk from Sandymouth beach, via the Landmark Trust's historic buildings of Coombe and a derelict mill which is one of the largest bat colonies in England, to the remains of the once great manor of Stowe Barton, the interior furnishings of which can be seen in Prideaux Place at Padstow.

A circular walk with spectacular views of the rock stacks at Bedruthan Steps, about which the myth of a giant's stepping stones was concocted for the amusement of Victorian tourists flocking to Padstow and Newquay on the new railway.

A walk to the Victorian harbour of Mullion Cove via two sandy coves either side of where Marconi made history by achieving what was thought impossible by many of the scientific community at the time - the transmission of a radio signal all the way across the Atlantic.

A figure-of-eight walk from Readymoney Cove past the Tudor fort and along the coast where Daphne du Maurier lived to Polridmouth, where the shipwreck inspired the end of her book Rebecca, and then along the mediaeval streets of Fowey.

A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, along the ore-bearing cliffs between Perranporth and St Agnes passing the remains of Nobel's dynamite works, Britain's best preserved spitfire base and the Blue Hills of Trevellas Coombe where tin is still processed on a small scale using traditional methods.

A circular walk from Porthtowan, along the coast, valleys and woodland, passing engine houses and other relics of Cornish copper mining.

A circular walk from Lelant following St Michael's Way along the vast stretch of beach from Porthkidney Sands to Carbis Bay, with views over St Ives Bay on the return route.

A circular walk in the bays of Mevagissey and Veryan from the fishing village of Gorran Haven to the remote, sandy Hemmick Beach via The Deadman's Point of old nautical maps, still marked with a huge cross to warn sailors of the perilous lee shores, and Vault Beach where the wreckage washed ashore.

A circular walk following the coast from Hell's Mouth past Godrevy lighthouse to the sandy beaches of St Ives Bay, returning via a pilgrimage route along the Red River Valley.

A circular walk above the white sand crescent of Lantic Bay and the small coves of Lantivet Bay where a battle was once fought between smugglers and Customs men, and following an ancient cart track along the stream through the woods to the mediaeval church of Lansallos.

A walk on the tracks trodden by the donkeys laden with slate from the coastal quarries of Trebarwith to Tintagel Haven where the slate was loaded onto ships and Tintagel Castle's island, inhabited during the mediaeval period, the Celtic times of King Arthur, and before this by the Romans.

A circular walk through the Lizard National Nature Reserve from Predannack to Kynance Cove along the rugged Serpentine cliffs where the "great silver ship" was wrecked in 1616 and more than 700 Spanish silver coins have so far been found.

A circular walk alongside the pristine beaches of Whitesand Bay, where shoals of mullet are still caught off the beach using the traditional seine nets in the way they have for hundreds of years.

A circular walk along the Cornish Riviera coastline frequented by royalty in the Roaring 20s, from the ingeniously-designed copper port now popular with film directors for its tall ships

A circular walk from the Loe Bar to Dollar Cove passing the wrecks of treasure ships whose cargo still washes ashore, returning via the Halzephron Inn which still has a trapdoor leading to an underground network of tunnels used by smugglers.

A circular walk via the Victorian obelisk overlooking Padstow, the creek-side church at Little Petherick and the tidal enclosure of Sea Mills, returning via the Camel Trail bridge which carried the railway that brought the first Victorian tourists to Padstow and Cornish fish to London.

A circular walk from Pendower Beach to Veryan via Nare Head where, in Victorian times, an unhappily married fisherman lived alone in a cliff-edge cottage, lowering his boat on a rope over the cliff and returning once a week to Veryan to bring his wife fish.

A circular walk from England's only Cape, via the engine houses of Kenidjack Valley and perched on rock ledges at Botallack Head, to Levant Mine which had over 60 miles of tunnels beneath the Atlantic and now has a working restored beam engine.

A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, along the dramatic coastline of islands and arches from Boscastle to Tintagel, rated as one of the top five walks in Cornwall.

A circular walk around Rame Head - the southeastern corner of Cornwall - past the mediaeval chapel and the remains of a huge gun battery, now a nature reserve, on Penlee Point to Cawsand which was once the smuggling capital of Cornwall.

A circular walk from Coverack to St Keverne, past the treacherous Manacles reef, known as the grave of a thousand ships, where at least a hundred wrecks have been recorded and over a thousand people have drowned.

A circular walk though the Mount Edgcumbe Country Park to Kingsand with views over Plymouth Sound including Drake's Island where Drake set sail to circumnavigate the globe, and the breakwater which Napoleon described as an engineering masterpiece as he left England on his prison ship.

A circular walk past the remains of Alfred Nobel's dynamite works to the red-and-yellow ore-rich cliffs above the wreck of the treasure ship Hanover, returning, via the spitfire base, along Perran Coombe where a 2-mile leat once carried water to power a massive waterwheel in a chamber within the cliffs.

A circular walk around the UK's surf capital which was transformed from a tiny fishing village with a few thatched cottages when, in order to export ore from the harbour, a horse-drawn tramway was built across Cornwall which later became part of the Great Western Railway.

A circular walk from Gorran Haven to Portmellon via the sheer cliffs from which Henry Bodrugan leapt to escape execution and sheltered Colona Beach, returning through West Bodrugan Woods Nature Reserve and via Gorran church which now has some of the finest bells in the country.

A circular walk to the remote sandy beach at Tregardock, returning along the coast path with panoramic views of Port Isaac Bay, through the wildflowers of Treligga Downs and via Backways Cove.

A circular walk from the white sandy beach at Sennen Cove along the towering granite cliffs via Land's End to the song of the sea cave at Nanjizal. The best way to see Land's End.

A circular walk on the Roseland peninsula to St Mawes from the subtropical gardens of St Just church, along Carrick Roads where Europe's only fishery entirely under sail catch oysters using the traditional methods that have sustained their stocks.

A circular walk featuring some of the most spectacular scenery of the North Cornish coast including the rock stacks of Bedruthan Steps, the azure lagoon of the Trescore Islands and the sheltered golden sandy beach at Porthcothan.

A circular walk from Boscastle along the dramatic coastline of islands and arches towards Tintagel, following the cascading river up Rocky Valley past the ruined mills and labyrinthine carvings and returning via the mediaeval churches of Trethevy, Trevalga and Forrabury.

A circular walk through Bude and along two miles of sandy beaches to Sandymouth, passing Bude Castle, built on floating foundations by the inventor of limelight, the Victorian Sea Pool, the Half-Tide Cross and the shipwreck of the SS Belem from which the propeller shaft supports the barrel on Barrel Rock.

A circular walk along the coast between the golden sandy beaches of Chapel Porth and Trevaunance Cove at St Agnes via the iconic engine houses of Wheal Coates, perched above the breakers.

A circular walk passing the sandy beach at Polurrian Cove, the storm-beaten Victorian harbour at Mullion Cove, and along the cliffs of the National Nature Reserve overlooking Mullion Island, with vibrant wildflowers in spring and summer.

A circular walk at Par where the land itself was created by the mining industry and is being re-sculpted by nature into sandy beaches, streams and woodland.

A circular walk on the Helford River, where the mild climate and south-facing slopes allow subtropical plants collected by Victorian expeditions to flourish in the gardens of Glendurgan and Trebah.

A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, from Harlyn Bay to Padstow via Trevone, Stepper Point - where a huge stone tower stands as a daymark, the Doom Bar and the sandy coves of Hawker's, Harbour and St George's which join into a single huge beach at low tide.

A (bus-assisted) one-way walk along the coast with spectacular wildflowers and one of Cornwall's most photographed views over the volcanic rock stacks of Bedruthan Steps, which Victorians liked to think of as a giant's stepping stones.

A circular walk from St Ives on the ancient churchway towards Zennor and returning along the rugged coast to Porthmeor, where a Victorian cargo ship and the St Ives lifeboat were both wrecked and the ship's boilers are still visible at low tide.

A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, from Holywell Bay along the coast and Gannel estuary to Newquay, passing the beaches of Porth Joke and Crantock and the headland of West Pentire where there is a spectacular display of red-and-gold wildflowers in June.

A circular walk on The Lizard from the pretty fishing hamlet of Cadgwith Cove, past the Devil's Frying Pan, lifeboat station, restored Marconi wireless hut and the infamous lighthouse, to the most southerly point, returning via two ancient churches and the holy well dedicated to the Celtic Saint accused of being a werewolf.

A circular walk along the coast to the white, sandy beach of Portheras Cove and across the Penwith Moors to a prehistoric tomb the age of the Egyptian Pyramids

A circular walk between the beaches in Falmouth Bay and where one of the most dangerous marine rescues of modern times took place, requiring the rescue helicopter to fly backwards.

A circular walk from Holywell Bay along the rugged coastline to Perran Beach and across the dunes to the mediaeval relics of St Piran's Oratory, Church and Cross, returning via the Penhale Sands nature reserve which is carpeted in cowslips during spring.

A circular walk from St Just to Cape Cornwall and the Cot Valley, where an ancient beach has been eroded from the cliffs at Porth Nanven, releasing granite boulders resembling Dinosaur eggs.

A circular walk to Padstow from Trevone beach, which tracks the route taken by sailing ships along the rugged Atlantic coast to the daymark at Stepper Point, past the infamous Doom Bar and the sandbanks of Hawker's, Harbour and St George's coves before finally reaching safe harbour in Padstow.

A circular walk via some of the mediaeval farmsteads on the west of The Lizard to the ancient churchyard of Cury from the coves of Mullion and Gunwalloe where the wrecks of treasure ships still lie.

A short circular walk from the long, sandy beach of Trebarwith Strand to the rugged rocky cove at Backways in which sea foam tornadoes form in windy weather, and returning over the massive headland of Dennis Point with panoramic views of Port Isaac Bay.

A short circular walk at Morwenstow to the cliff edge hut built from driftwood in which Reverend Hawker smoked opium and composed poetry, returning along the river valley to the ancient Bush Inn where medieval monks would rest the night before continuing their pilgrimage.

A circular walk between Talland Bay and Polperro along an area of coastline so famous for smuggling that there is even a museum on the subject.

A circular walk from the surf beach at Crackington Haven to the mediaeval church at St Genny's via the imposing Penkenna Point, where there are spectacular views of the bay and the secluded landing points used by some of North Cornwall's most notorious smugglers and wreckers.

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.

A circular walk around Veryan Bay between two sandy beaches from Caerhays Castle where the gardens contain nationally-important collections from the expeditions of Victorian plant hunters

A circular walk from Morwenstow along the shipwreck coast to Stanbury Mouth where only nature's by-the-wind sailors now run aground

A circular walk with lovely views of Veryan Bay to the pretty fishing village of Portloe from West Portholland, where one of the last of Cornwall's mediaeval coastal farmsteads has survived.

A circular walk in Trebarwith Valley to beaches and the coastal slate quarries of Backways Cove and Trebarwith Strand, and Dennis Point, overlooking the bay and point opposite where the ships moored to be loaded with roofing slates which were also brought down the valley on a road covered with beach sand to stop the horses being flattened by runaway carts.

A circular walk along the coast from Polruan to the white sandy beaches of Lantic Bay, returning via Lanteglos Church and along the creek with panoramic views of Fowey.

A circular walk along the coast past the towering cliffs of Bosigran Castle via the white sand and huge boulders of Porthmeor Cove to the site of an Iron Age fort on Gurnard's Head, returning from the Gurnard's Head pub via the ancient Zennor Churchway.

A circular walk from Zennor along the coast to the site of an Iron Age fort on Gurnard's Head, returning from the Gurnard's Head pub on the ancient Churchway to Zennor.

A circular walk from Crackington Haven, with panoramic views of the Shipwreck Coast, to the long, sandy Strangles beach, returning through bluebell woodland along the Ludon river valley.

A circular walk through the Millook woodland reserves to the ancient gnarled oak forest of The Dizzard, returning along the coast with panoramic views to Hartland Point, to the chevron-folded cliffs and honeycomb reefs of Millook Haven.

A circular walk following the coast from the historic fishing village of Mousehole through the Kemyel Crease nature reserve and around the towering cliffs of Lamorna Cove with views over Mount's Bay, returning along the route was that taken by the Victorian postman on his round from Penzance.

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.

A circular walk along the volcanic coastline north of Boscastle, including Cornwall's highest cliff and The Strangles beach with its spectacular arch known as the Northern Door.

A circular walk visiting prehistoric stone circles, crosses and tombs and along the granite cliffs from Lamorna Cove to the sea-polished boulders of St Loy's Cove where sailors of a sinking vessel were able to climb to safety onto a large ship which had been wrecked there seven months before.

A circular walk around Nare Head, past the restored Cold War nuclear bunker, to the pretty fishing village of Portloe, with views along the length of The Roseland coast and over The Whelps reef - a graveyard for sailing ships that misjudged the entrance to Falmouth.

A circular walk along the rugged North Cliffs hiding smuggler's coves such as Ralph's Cupboard, to the sandy beach and historic mining port of Portreath, returning via the bluebell woodland of Illogan and Tehidy Country Park.

A circular walk from Pentewan to Mevagissey via The Lost Gardens of Heligan which were discovered in the 1990s after 7 decades of neglect and what followed The Times described as the garden restoration of the century.

A circular walk along the coastline from Boscastle via the Pentargon waterfall and the rugged cliffs at Buckator, returning along the Valency valley.

A circular walk in Morwenstow parish along towering cliffs and through broadleaf woods where a hamlet has been preserved in a joint project between the Landmark Trust and National Trust

A circular walk from Porthcurno, passing the Minack Theatre, St Leven's Holy Well, Porthchapel and Porthgwarra beaches, to Gwennap Head where the English Channel meets the Atlantic and the Runnelstone Reef has claimed so many ships that divers are unsure where the wreckage is from.

A circular walk towards St Ives from Zennor following the Coast Path past the haunts of the legendary mermaid of Zennor to the islets of The Carracks, frequented by seals, and returning on the Coffin Path, along which villagers made their final journey to Zennor church.

A circular walk from Port Gaverne around Port Isaac Bay to Barretts Zawn, where a tunnel leads to the beach, through which donkeys used to haul slate.

A circular walk in an area of Cornwall so off the beaten track that No Man's Land is a real place name and a breeding colony of monkeys live in the woodland, in a sanctuary set up by the father of the classical guitarist, John Williams.

A circular walk near Fowey, from the tiny harbour of Polkerris, past the daymark tower on Gribbin Head and along the coast where Daphne du Maurier lived and based many of her books on, to the sandy beach at Readymoney Cove, returning on the Saint's Way.

A circular walk around Whitsand Bay to Downderry from Portwrinkle, where the ghost of Silas Finn is said to haunt the cliffs.

A circular walk from Porthleven to the cliff-edge engine houses of Rinsey Head and Trewavas where the under-sea mine, set out with tables and food for the annual Tribute dinner, is said to have been breached by the sea just minutes before all the miners were due underground.

A circular walk along the coast from Talland Bay to Looe, passing the pilgrimage site of Looe Island which Jesus was said to have visited as a child, and returning via the ancient Giant's Hedge in Kilminorth Wood and Talland's mediaeval church.

A circular walk on one of the most remote parts of The Lizard from Coverack to the white sand beaches of Downas and Lankidden Coves, where the serpentine underwater landscape provides some of the best snorkelling in Cornwall.

A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, from the fishing port of Mevagissey to Charlestown - one of the best-preserved Georgian ports in the world and an engineering masterpiece which included a seven-mile-long leat.

A circular walk along the granite cliffs and the valleys of St Loy's and Penberth Coves, where colourful gardens flourish in one of the mildest winter climates on the British mainland.

A fairly demanding but rewarding one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, along the rugged coast between St Ives and Zennor, passing Seal Island which may have given rise to the legend of the mermaid of Zennor and - thanks to some imaginative naming - ice cream (Moomaid of Zennor). The walk is in the optimal direction to remove time pressure and for panoramic views across St Ives bay.

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.

A fairly long and demanding but rewarding circular walk along the coffin path and rugged coast between St Ives and Zennor. The walk is organised so that the coastal section is in the optimal direction for panoramic views across St Ives bay.

A circular walk from Poundstock through bluebell woods along the river to the pretty pebbles and chevron-folded cliffs of Millook Haven and along the coast path with panoramic views from Bridwill Point.

A circular walk from Tregardock, passing the long, remote sandy beach, to the ruins of the mediaeval manor of Dannonchapel, and includes one of the steepest and most spectacular sections of the North Cornish Coast path with vibrant wildflowers in spring and summer.

A circular walk from Vicarage Cliff along the coast path to Marsland Mouth at the Devon border, returning through fields to Morwenstow rectory, church and the Rectory Tearooms - the last stand of the Cornish cream tea before the Devon border.

A circular walk at St Gennys from the mediaeval church, via the smuggling routes though bluebell woods along the stream and an Iron Age clifftop fort crumbling into the sea, to some of North Cornwall's most remote coastline.

A circular walk including some of the more remote parts of the coast path around Port Isaac Bay, passing the Donkey Hole at Barrett's Zawn and returning through the abandoned hamlet of Dannonchapel.

A circular walk from the sandy beach at Porthpean, past the brilliant white shingle beaches at Silvermine to the Iron Age fort on Black Head, returning via the site of an Iron Age metal works with spectacular views over St Austell Bay.

A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, along the Shipwreck Coast from Crackington Haven to Widemouth Bay passing the bluebell woodland of ancient twisted oaks at The Dizzard, chevron folded rocks and honeycomb reefs of Millook Haven and fossil beds of Wanson Mouth.

A circular walk from the lost port of Pentewan along the coast to the remains of the Iron Age fort overlooking St Austell Bay on Black Head, returning via the nature reserve that was once the King's wood and the trackbed of the horse-drawn tramway used for china clay and Sunday School outings.

A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, along the Shipwreck Coast from Crackington Haven to Boscastle passing the highest cliff in Cornwall and the long, sandy beach at The Strangles.

A circular walk along the rugged coast from Polperro, where a bell buoy rings out across the waves from the treacherous reef known as Udder Rock.

A circular walk along the rugged coast from Portreath towards Porthtowan passing small coves and remnants of the clifftop mines beside the old RAF base, and returning via the horse-drawn tramway that brought fortune to Portreath harbour, where its "lighthouse" and "monkey house" remain from the shipping activity.

A one-way walk from Port Isaac to Tintagel along towering cliffs, past the long, sandy beaches of Tregardock and Trebarwith, the slate pinnacles of the coastal quarries and via the mediaeval cliff-top church to the castle of Arthurian legend.