Local Walks
Hall Walk - Pont Pill Walk
medium, 2 – 3 hours round trip. Sometimes called King's Walk as it was from here that Charles 1 surveyed the Parliamentarian Army trapped in the Fowey valley in 1664, when he was shot at by Puritan in Fowey. Turn left out of the parks main entrance then when you reach the farm track just a short distance up the road turn left again Public footpath (National Trust North Downs). Follow the footpath through the gate (here a beautiful view of the Fowey estuary can be seen) follow the path down the field and over the stile. A few steps through this wooded area turn right and follow the path all the way to Pont Creek, continuing onwards to Bodinnick. Here you can cross by car ferry, walk through Fowey town, taking the passenger ferry back across to Polruan whence you walk up the hill back to the park. This walk is a grassy terrace with seats at strategic points with some of the most spectacular views of Fowey and the harbour, pathways lead down to the creekside and beaches when the tide is out.
Lantic, Lantivet Bays - Polperro - Polruan village and Headland
Polperro walk hard, about 3 hours (but don’t let this put you off) Take the camping field path out of the park , turn left at the gate go up the road and go through the car park that you reach on your right following the link to coast path sign. At the end of the stone wall on your right, either fork right to follow the path to the village and headland, an outstanding panorama and view of the Gribbin Head reward you here. When reaching the end farm gate, on your left you will see a white cottage that looks as though it will soon tumble into the sea, carry on through the gate then left up the road to the grassy path, this will lead you to the headlands and the ruins of St Saviours Chapel. Follow the path down Battery Lane, turn right into West Street and eventually the village is upon you. Alternatively turn left and take the short walk through the cottages to the castle ruins (fisherman’s paradise). If you bear left at the end of the stone wall and follow the path you will past Black Bottle Rock and South Downs. Here the path descends and rises before descending steeply to Lantic Bay. Keep to the top path for Pencarrow Head and follow the winding descent for the beaches of Lantivet and Lansallos. If you are still feeling energetic continue walking to reach Polperro (here we can highly recommend the Blue Peter inn). This stretch of coastline is one of the most inspiring and unspoiled in the British Isles.
Station Woods
Easy walk A short walk but with a pleasant river view. Leaving Fowey at the northern end follow the road past the entrance to the ship loading jetties until you reach a bridge on the right beyond the first house ‘The Lodge’. Over the bridge take the path round the woods owned by the National Trust. Return the way you came.
Readymoney Cove - St Catherine’s Castle - Pridmouth - Polkerris - Par
Take the camping field path out of the park and down the hill to the quay, taking the passenger ferry to Whitehouse Quay, Fowey. A breath - stopping step up from the ferry, turn left and walk along the road until reaching Readymoney Cove. Cross the beach and climb the steps to Covington Woods. A sharp left turn will take you up to the castle, (the right hand path leads to Love Lane and thence to Rashleigh Lane). From the point there are beautiful views of Fowey harbour and coastline. The 16th Century castle can be visited and a short climb to the top of the headland leads you to Rashleigh Mausoleum. Continue along the cliff path around the headland until you come to the entrance gate to Allday’s Field (formerly the golf course). Here you have the choice of ways to Polridmouth or ‘Pridmouth’ as it is pronounced. You can keep to the cliff path all the way, the old coastguard track, until you come to the woods above Polridmouth. The other way is to turn right on entering Allday’s Field and walk through the fields towards Coombe Farm, built in the 18th century by the Rashleighs at the head of the valley suitable for smuggling. Pass the farm on your left and go along the hedged track until you meet the road. Turn left along another hedged track and descend through a field to Polridmouth. Here you have a choice for return, either of the two ways mentioned above or beyond the house part way along the beach, enter through a field gate onto a track that climbs past Menabilly Farm into Hambland Lane which takes you to the main St Austell to Fowey road. Alternatively, you can continue along the beach through a gateway a little farther-on and climb up to the red and white banded tower on Gribben Head, a Trinity House navigational day mark. Follow the path around the cliff edge to Polkerris where here the Rashleigh Inn right on the beach may halt you for a while! Once suitably refreshed step on for Par Beach - a huge expanse of sand.
Polkerris Via Tregaminion
Take the main road out of Fowey to Lamb's Barn, passing the entrance to the Parade and leave the main road as it bears right, following Lankelly Lane to Lankelly Farm. Enter through a field gate leaving the farm on your left and follow a narrow lane, under the arch of Menabilly Drive, up through a wood, entering Trenant Fields through a gate. Keep by the right hand hedge so that you pass Trenant Farmhouse on the right as you go through the farmyard. Cross over the stile to the right of the pond and continue to Tregaminion Farm. Past the farm you will come into a lane and will see Tregaminion Chapel. Turning left into Hambland Lane will take you to Polridmouth, or right and then left will lead you to Polkerris. If you continue on past Polkerris turning you will arrive on the main Fowey to St Austell road.