Travel further on from Looe in SE Cornwall and you come to the quaint and oh-so-Cornish village, Polperro. Turning right at its roundabout, a short drive up the narrow lanes will bring you to Lansallos. Further along the coast road is Polruan This circular walk encompasses 13 miles of stunning views and scenery linking these three coastal Cornish villages.
Here is a link to the GPX file for the complete route, complete with any meandering off-piste I may have done along the way when tracing it. If you would like to know more about using GPX files, read my article: Top Tips: Mapping & GPS for Hiking.
It is possible to split this route into two smaller circular walks – Lansallos to Polperro and Lansallos to Polruan. Each is approximately 6 to 7 miles.
Lansallos and Car Park
Lansallos is a small hamlet. There is a National Trust car park along with a nice looking National Trust Campsite. Although the walk I am describing here can be done in a day, having a campsite to-hand opens up some options to eek it out over two days, or more if further excursions in this lovely area can be included.
The car park is free to National Trust members, otherwise, it’s a small charge for the day. I guess this car park could get busy at the height of summer with people visiting the most amazing beaches, so arriving earlier in the day is advisable.
The beaches are stunning but be warned, the climb back up from them is very challenging. They aren’t attended by lifeguards and there are no toilet facilities. They are, however, a paradise for beach lovers.
This walk is a round-trip that I do as a figure of eight around Lansallos. I head off in a clockwise direction towards Polperro on the coast road lanes. I used to cut through a farm just up from the car park, but on more recent visits I found the gates closed. Rather than risking any arguments, I suggest turning left from the car park and taking to the road that goes around to the left further down in Lansallos. Be careful along this lane, as there is traffic and farm vehicles are in operation.
Polperro
Drawing closer to Polperro there is a signposted public footpath. You now have a choice. You can drop down into the village if you wish to take a look around and maybe grab some breakfast or a coffee. Otherwise, stay on the footpath to bypass Polperro and be connected to the South West Coast Path.
If you choose the village route, the walk up to this point from the village is very steep but well worth the effort if it’s your only opportunity to see Polperro. I highly recommend dropping into Polperro if you are doing the shorter circular from Lansallos to Polperro. It can be walked anti-clockwise to enjoy the coast path, and then into the village for lunch before heading back. There are lots of choices.
Polperro to Polruan
On the clockwise route from Polperro, there are now around 7 miles of the most beautiful coastline to cover. In the warmer months from spring through to autumn, the hedgerows are alive with vibrant colours and wildlife. The cliffs are home to many sea birds that all want to out-sing one another. The sea, of course, is amazing, laid out in deep blues, greens and turquoise.
Photography tip: use a circular polarising filter on top of a UV filter if your camera can be fitted with filters. It will really lift the colours and cut down the haze. Here is a list of various circular polarising filters from Amazon. Make sure you match the diameter of the filter to your lens. Don’t worry if you haven’t any filters or can’t fit them – there are so many apps around now that can lift the colours in photos after snapping them.
This stretch of coastline has a lot of ups and downs. They are big ups and downs too! So, walking 7 miles of this shouldn’t be taken lightly. Stop for a rest and drink plenty of water along the way.
Walking tip: when taking to a steep incline or flights of steps, don’t go at it like a wild boar. Take small, slow paces. This isn’t a race, but it is about stamina. So, taking it easy helps the body to go further over many hours of walking.
Look very closely at the photo below and you might just see that there are two people atop a very steep and long flight of steps. Just one climb of many. Of course, what goes up…
There is a point in the path where you can go through a gate back to Lansallos or back onto the Coast Path again. That would complete the Lansallos to Polperro shorter walk.
Lantivet & Lantic Bay
At this point, turning back towards the coast, we start to see the main attraction for many visitors. The beaches! This is Lantivet Bay, comprising mostly of rocky coves. Walk on about half a mile and round Pencarrow Head, you will be delighted with Lantic Bay with the golden sands and turquoise waters of Little Lantic and then Great Lantic beaches.
There is a National Trust car park at Lantic Bay, which presents yet another shorter circular option from Lantic Bay to Polruan.
Polruan
A few miles further along the Coast Path and it descends into Polruan. Walk past the coastguard station and car park down into the village. Turn the corner and you’ll come across the Russell Inn, a very welcome watering hole for the weary walker. Take a look at their website for the history of this lovely pub.
I love Polruan. It’s a quiet village that sees a small number of visitors. There are a few eateries, as well as the Russell Inn. I think it has a strong community bond that I can sense just walking around the village. The views across to Fowey on the opposite banks of the river are stunning.
However, each time I visit on this walk, I get to a point on the way out of the village where I rename it to Paulruined…
Walking further on and turning right into West Street, we start our ascent. It really is an ascent! There are first steps and then a pathway that weaves its way between Cornish cottages. There is a path leading up and out of the village. It’s at this point that my legs simply lock up. I literally cannot move, which can be a little embarrassing when there are people behind me on this narrow path. It’s likely due to the distance walked and the strains of the coast path. Thankfully, it passes.
Polruan to Lansallos
As the path starts to level, continue walking into a high riverside wooded terrain that is enjoyed by walkers, runners and cyclists. There are fantastic views across to Fowey over the River Fower from here.
Enjoy the fairly level going for a mile or so, until there is an incline up to meet the road. Walk on past Churchtown Farm where the road veers southwards to meet Lantic Bay Car Park, Turn left, heading east.
About half a mile or so along the road there is a campsite on the left that is quite popular in the height of summer. It isn’t marked on Google maps, but I imagine it’s a great place to hang out. There was also a lodge-looking property further down the road on the right. Again, not on Google maps.
Walk further along the road to a public footpath that crosses a field and into a copse. As the path emerges into the open you are faced with a field divided by a hedgerow. Keep the hedgerow to your right as you walk along it and up the field to Highertown Farm – the National Trust Campsite – and back into Lansallos.
Get into Walking
In my early days of getting into walking, this was a walk of two halves for me until I built up the stamina to complete it in one. There are many benefits to distance walking, for both physical and mental health and, for me, weight loss and control.
If you want to get into walking or hiking, read my article: A Beginner’s Guide to Hiking and Walks.
