Cremyll - Kingsand - Cawsand - Cremyll

Dave Pawley

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This is a very popular walk for Plymothians as it involves a passenger ferry crossing across the mouth of the Tamar from Stonehouse in Plymouth to Cremyll and the Mount Edgecumbe Country Park and House. Cremyll is the first hamlet you meet on the coast when you go abroad to Cornwall. The first half of the walk to Kingsand and Cawsand is the first stretch of the South Cornish Coastal path you meet when leaving Devon.

The walk takes you from Cremyll Ferry into the Mount Edgecumbe Estate and along the coastal path as it follows the coastline around the estate. There are superb gardens en route and woodland displays with many interesting features to entertain you, including a large lake, beaches at Barn Pool and superb displays of flowers and flowering shrubs in season.

If you are lucky you may even see the herds of deer which roam the estate. The views are of course quite spectacular.

As you emerge from woodland you are met by fine views of the Cornwall coastline around to Penlee Point and the twin villages of Cawsand and Kingsand. Just out to sea there is a magnificent view of Plymouth breakwater and the many yachts frequenting the sound, as well as many naval vessels.

The coast path takes you along to Kingsand and Cawsand, where there are pubs, shops and beaches. After exploring Kingsand and Cawsand you leave Kingsand and head back up over Maker Heights. From the high ground the views are even better and you are soon at Maker Church, with excellent views of the Tamar and the dockyard and Plymouth itself.

You then head back across the sheep-cropped grass and drop down into the Mount Edgecumbe Estate formal gardens and the beautiful country house, which is open to visitors in season. After exploring this area there is an easy path back to the ferry.

Many walkers wait for the return ferry from the comfort of the Edgecumbe Arms, a nice pub on the edge of the Tamar, right beside the ferry.

England - South West England - Cornwall - Coast

Features

Birds, Flowers, Great Views, Pub, River, Sea, Stately Home, Toilets, Wildlife

11/26/2012 - Dave Pawley

I've amended the waypoint descriptions to include the route around the permanent diversion around the land slip and also in the Maker Church area. The route no longer follows the boardwalk route but now passes close by Emma Hamilton's Cottage.

11/15/2012 - Dave Pawley

Thanks for your feedback David. I've just spoken to the Cremyll Ferry company. The departure from Royal William Yard was a temporary measure for a short time when another ferry was used that couldn't come alongside at Admirals Hard. Back to normal operations there now. Re the problems you identified in the area of Emma Hamilton's Cottage and around to above Fort Picklecombe, path improvement work is planned in that area by the SWCP NT aided by SWCP Association part funding the work. I'll re-walk that area when I next get the chance and attempt to give an improved route description around that area. The original description was changed, not by me incidentally, following the landslip ten years ago and probably needs another update. Dave Pawley

11/13/2012 - David Litchfield

A very nice walk for a sunny November day. We even saw a Red Admiral. It was very muddy in places after a wet few weeks. The Cremyl Ferry was running from Royal William yard some 500m south of its normal starting point so allow time for this walk if you haven't checked. The notice said that it is a weekend service only during the winter despite the website giving a weekday winter timetable. Check their website and confirm the information by telephone. The timetable seemed irrelevant and a shuttle service seemed to run every 15 minutes or so at busy times. Edgecumbe Park has a website too and is linked from Cremyll Ferry website There seem to have been a few changes to the walking route although with a 1:25000 map you should not have a problem. We didn't find the slatted walkway mentioned in points 4 and 5 but passed directly in front of Emma Hamilton's Cottage by following the main path. It reached a broken down wire stock fence where steps lead up and back as described. Some time after Waypoint 6 a waymark post (yellow acorn symbols for the SW Coast Path) didn't help much. When you come across this descend to a path below. Tennis courts associated with Picklecombe Fort holiday complex should be visible through the trees. You pass just above the tennis courts but in front of the "viewing house". All is easy thereafter until you are back in Edgecumbe Country Park after Maker Church. The fenceline described and shown on the map is no longer there. You need to follow the grassy tracks passing well to the left of the two clumps of conifers and descend gradually. It was a sunny day and one can wander freely around the Park so we kept to the high ground to enjoy the views and descended into the wood at SX 4551452257. Here there is a gate and you are going almost back on your track but soon come to Waypoint 22.