Portscatho - St Anthony Head - St Anthony - Place Quay - Gerrans - Portscatho

Sam Roebuck

You need to log in as a member of Walkingworld to access the details for this walk and have an active subscription. Please join, or log in above if you are already a member.

The walk starts at the busy little coastal resort of Portscatho, overlooking Veryan Bay and follows the Southwest Coast Path all the way down to St Anthony Head. It's worth stopping a while here to explore the National Trust-owned defence battery, where there is alternative parking. As you continue around the other side of the headland, the vegetation becomes greener, the beaches become sandier and the water becomes clearer and takes on an azure hue.

There's much more to see here, too. On a clear day, you can see Goonhilly and all down the Lizard. There's Falmouth Harbour, Carrick Roads (the world's third largest natural harbour), the Helford River and just across the water, St Mawes. Don't try and count the boats - you'll be here all day.

The locality of St Anthony with its little church and the sheltered cove of Place Quay are both lovely spots, but all too soon we press on into the National Trust's Drawlers Plantation running around into Porth Creek. Keep an eye open for heron wading in the shallows - there are plenty of them this close to their protected breeding grounds on the River Fal.

The path takes us all the way round the creek, until we cross the upper reaches to reach the National Trust's Porth Farm, where there is alternative parking and a short cut over to Towan Beach, allowing you to shorten the walk by doing the upper or lower loops.

The last leg of the walk is over the higher ground using a bridle-track to Gorrans and Portscatho.

The route is on the whole dog-friendly, but a couple of stiles may be awkward and livestock was present in one area at the time of walking.

England - South West England - Cornwall - Coast

Features

Ancient Monument, Birds, Butterflies, Church, Great Views, National Trust, Pub, Public Transport, Sea, Toilets, Wildlife, Woodland
9/1/2021 - Jim Arymar

Walked this in August 2021. It is a super hike with a rich variety of scenery and interest. This one has been up on the website for many years so it is good to report no navigational changes. A few comments: Way mark 3 - as you approach the NT St Anthony compound you reach a gate. The coastal path goes through the gate and brings you to the coastal battery then the car park. Fork right at the gate to follow the description as written. WM 7 - now a kissing gate not a stile. WM 10- there is no gate just a wide gateway with a church and ferry direction sign. WM 14 - I could not see a NT sign, just the ferry information. WM 18 - there is now an excellent café open the whole year. WM 19-sadly there is no longer a directional finger post. WM 23- I took the signed footpath off to the right just past Treloan which brings you straight back into Portscatho and is a good alternative path finishing down some steps.

6/28/2018 - David Coles

This is a glorious walk! We did it in early June - sadly it was a dreadfully wet day but even the constant rain didn't spoil the enjoyment. The coastal beauty is stunning and the paths clear. Sadly there was nowhere to shelter along the way for a picnic, but in better weather you'd be spoilt for choice of pretty spots.