Walks in Cornwall with a lighthouse or daymark
Enjoy the walks by being guided by the app
Walks with a lighthouse or daytime navigation markers (daymarks) which vary from lighthouse-like towers to obelisks, cones and pyramids. Also see the list of walks with shipwrecks.
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2 miles/3.2 km - Easy
Trevose Head (short version)
Trevose Head (short version)
2 miles/3.2 km - Easy
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.
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2.5 miles/4 km - Easy-moderate
Stepper Point and the Doom Bar
Stepper Point and the Doom Bar
2.5 miles/4 km - Easy-moderate
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
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3.4 miles/5.4 km - Easy-moderate
St Anthony Head (short version)
St Anthony Head (short version)
3.4 miles/5.4 km - Easy-moderate
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.
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5.9 miles/9.5 km - Easy-moderate
St Anthony Head
St Anthony Head
5.9 miles/9.5 km - Easy-moderate
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.
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6.1 miles/9.7 km - Easy-moderate
Trevose Head
Trevose Head
6.1 miles/9.7 km - Easy-moderate
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.
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6.8 miles/10.9 km - Easy-moderate
Seven Bays (via bus)
Seven Bays (via bus)
6.8 miles/10.9 km - Easy-moderate
A one-way coastal walk, made circular via an initial bus journey, along the Seven Bays coast and around Trevose Head past the lighthouse.
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2.9 miles/4.7 km - Moderate
Polperro harbour and headlands
Polperro harbour and headlands
2.9 miles/4.7 km - Moderate
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.
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3 miles/4.9 km - Moderate
Porthcurno to Penberth Cove
Porthcurno to Penberth Cove
3 miles/4.9 km - Moderate
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. The clifftop hut where the cable from France came ashore became so important for navigation that it has been replaced by a large white pyramid.
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3.1 miles/5 km - Moderate
Porthgwarra to Minack
Porthgwarra to Minack
3.1 miles/5 km - Moderate
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.
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3.4 miles/5.4 km - Moderate
Mevagissey to Portmellon
Mevagissey to Portmellon
3.4 miles/5.4 km - Moderate
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. The lighthouse on the end of the quay was once powered by burning pilchard oil.
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3.6 miles/5.8 km - Moderate
Gribbin Head
Gribbin Head
3.6 miles/5.8 km - Moderate
A circular walk on the headland near Fowey where Daphne du Maurier lived and formed the basis for scenes in her books.
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3.8 miles/6.1 km - Moderate
Church Cove and Lizard Point
Church Cove and Lizard Point
3.8 miles/6.1 km - Moderate
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.
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4.0 miles/6.5 km - Moderate
Pendeen to Portheras Cove
Pendeen to Portheras Cove
4.0 miles/6.5 km - Moderate
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.
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4.3 miles/7 km - Moderate
St Ives
St Ives
4.3 miles/7 km - Moderate
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. The walk passes Smeaton's Pier which has two small lighthouses; the second was added when the pier was extended in 1890.
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4.4 miles/7.1 km - Moderate
The Lizard and Kynance Cove
The Lizard and Kynance Cove
4.4 miles/7.1 km - Moderate
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. The walk ends at the lighthouse heritage centre where tours of Britain's most powerful lighthouse are available.
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4.9 miles/7.9 km - Moderate
Gorran Haven to Dodman Point
Gorran Haven to Dodman Point
4.9 miles/7.9 km - Moderate
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.
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5.0 miles/8.1 km - Moderate
Hell's Mouth to Godrevy
Hell's Mouth to Godrevy
5.0 miles/8.1 km - Moderate
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.
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6.7 miles/10.7 km - Moderate
Harlyn Bay to Padstow (via bus)
Harlyn Bay to Padstow (via bus)
6.7 miles/10.7 km - Moderate
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.
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6.8 miles/11 km - Moderate
St Ives to Carn Naun
St Ives to Carn Naun
6.8 miles/11 km - Moderate
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. The walk passes Smeaton's Pier which has two small lighthouses; the second was added when the pier was extended in 1890.
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7 miles/11.3 km - Moderate
Cadgwith Cove to The Lizard
Cadgwith Cove to The Lizard
7 miles/11.3 km - Moderate
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.
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7.4 miles/12.1 km - Moderate
Trevone to Padstow
Trevone to Padstow
7.4 miles/12.1 km - Moderate
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.
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2.5 miles/3.9 km - Moderate-strenuous
Talland Bay to Polperro
Talland Bay to Polperro
2.5 miles/3.9 km - Moderate-strenuous
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.
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5.1 miles/8.2 km - Moderate-strenuous
Lamorna and St Loy
Lamorna and St Loy
5.1 miles/8.2 km - Moderate-strenuous
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. The walk passes Cornwall's most recent lighthouse at Tater Du, built in the 1960s after a Spanish coaster capsized with the loss of 11 lives.
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5.4 miles/8.7 km - Moderate-strenuous
Porthcurno, Porthgwarra and Gwennap Head
Porthcurno, Porthgwarra and Gwennap Head
5.4 miles/8.7 km - Moderate-strenuous
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. The walk passes the very large, and somewhat surreal, conical navigation markers indicating the position of the Runnelstone reef.
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6.7 miles/10.8 km - Moderate-strenuous
Polkerris, Gribbin Head and Readymoney Cove
Polkerris, Gribbin Head and Readymoney Cove
6.7 miles/10.8 km - Moderate-strenuous
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. The National Trust open the tower to the public at weekends in the summer holidays.
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7.3 miles/11.7 km - Strenuous
Portreath to Wheal Tye
Portreath to Wheal Tye
7.3 miles/11.7 km - Strenuous
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.
Download the iWalk Cornwall app and use the QR scanner within the app to find out more about any of the walks above.