Coastal Walking in Cornwall | Porthcurno to Gwennap Head

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Cornwall in the UK is one of my favorite places on earth. And let’s face it, if you want to see the real England then you need to visit Cornwall. There is so much more to the UK than London!

And if you visit Cornwall then you really should do some coastal walking in Cornwall. The coastline has a rugged beauty to it like nothing I’ve seen anywhere else in the world. Don’t believe me? Then just take a watch of Poldark and you can thank me later!

Before I left the UK way back in 2016 I made it my mission to finally visit some of the places that had been on my list for years and I’d just never gotten around to going. The Minack Theatre in Cornwall was pretty much at the top of my places to see in Cornwall for years.

After doing some research I saw that the Minack is on the Porthcurno to Gwennap Head trail. So what better way to visit the Theatre and do some Coastal Walking in Cornwall at the same time!

Coastal Walking in Cornwall | Porthcurno to Gwennap Head

Did You Get Travel Insurance Yet?

The Insurance companies I recommend are Hey Mondo and Safety Wing

Hey Mondo is great if you are looking for a great value flexible policy. They offer single-trip cover, annual multi-trip cover, and long-term travel cover. Safety Wing is great value, with monthly coverage starting at $45.08. It’s super easy to use, and it just renews each month. I currently use them as they offer me free cover for my son as part of my policy.

Read my full travel insurance post here, where I go into detail about all companies. 

Coastal Walking in Cornwall – Porthcurno to Gwennap Head

Walking holidays in Cornwall are very popular as there are many walks in Cornwall. To help you out there is a great app called iWalk Cornwall which you can download. I used this app while on my walk to keep me on track and it was great. Do make sure you download it before you get there though as signal can be a bit sketchy!

If you aren’t into apps then I would recommend buying this Cornwall Coastal Path book or one of these other walking guides.

Walking with Saints and Tinners

50 Walks in Cornwall 

Cornwall Walks 

Short Walks In Cornwall

Because of parking and convenience, skip out the first part of the walk and go straight to The Minack. When you enter the village drive through past the theatre up the hill to the church car park.

Make sure you take cash as there is no machine – Just a friendly person taking the money and offering some local advice. From there walk back to The Minack.

Coastal Walking in Cornwall | Walks in Cornwall Porthcurno to Gwennap Head

Quick Tip: Book accommodation, tours, and transport ahead of time online to save money and stress. 
Best Cornwall ToursClick here to check out the top Cornwall tours
Best Cornwall Accommodation: Click here to check out the best accommodation in Cornwall
Best Cornwall Transport: Click here to book a bus, ferry, or train in Cornwall

Visiting the Minak in Cornwall is every bit the magical place

Coastal Walking in Cornwall | Walks in Cornwall Porthcurno to Gwennap Head

The theatre was a lifelong labor of love, designed and built by Rowena Cade.

The history of the theatre is fascinating, there is an exhibition and short film at the theatre you can view while you are there. I highly recommend it.

From there I fired up my iWalk Cornwall app and began my walk.

Coastal Walking in Cornwall | Walks in Cornwall Porthcurno to Gwennap Head

The app is fantastic. Even will little to no signal it keeps you on track. Each time there is a new direction it will vibrate to alert you.

The directions are great and easy to follow.

The views are spectacular! If you are a fan of Poldark then this is a great walk as they did a lot of the filming along this part of the coast.

Coastal Walking in Cornwall | Walks in Cornwall Porthcurno to Gwennap Head

After some time you turn in from the coastline. Although the sea views were no more I think the last bit was the most fun part of this walk so many turns and huge empty fields to run through.

On my walk, I think I went through 3 of these fields before finally coming out right by the car part.

Coastal Walking in Cornwall | Walks in Cornwall Porthcurno to Gwennap Head

I think this walk was my favorite walk I’ve done in Cornwall in all the years I lived there. What a shame I waited so long to do it! Oh, Cornwall, you never disappoint!

There are so many amazing things to see and do in Cornwall and Devon. You need more than one day to cover it all. If you are thinking of visiting then take a read of Inspired By Map’s Day Trip Guide to Cornwall for some more inspiration!

Quick Tip: View my full UK packing guide here including a downloadable checklist.

Map of accommodation in Cornwall

Looking for accommodation in Cornwall close to this walk?
The Old Success Inn
Saddle and Stable Rooms
The Land’s End Hotel

Cornwall Travel Guide Planning

🧳 Any recommendations on what I should pack for UK?

Yes! I have created a whole packing guide to UK which you can read here and you can also check out my packing list for UK on Amazon here.

🚗 Where can I book bus or private transportation while I’m in Cornwall?

I strongly recommend using Bookaway. You can book almost all transport in the major tourist destinations through them online. They don’t just cover buses they also cover shuttles, ferries, and private drivers.

🎫 Where can I buy tickets for museums, attractions, and tours in Cornwall?

I recommend either Viator or GetYour Guide. They have a lot of options!

👩‍⚕️ What is the best insurance to have while traveling?

I recommend using Heymondo for a great value policy. The app also offers you 24/7 Dr Chat. For Digital Nomads check out SafetyWing digital nomad insurance.

I have also written a blog post covering all my recommended travel insurance here

✈️ Any flight recommendations?

WayAWay offers you cheap flights with cashback. You can use this code CLAIRE22 to get 10% off. Otherwise Skyscanner or Expedia are my go-to flight searching platforms.

📱What do you use for internet connection while traveling?

I’m a big fan of personal WiFi devices and they have saved my ass so many times when traveling. I wrote a full review of the top travel WiFi devices you can read here. I personally use GlocalMe as I can either pop in a physical sim card or use their local carrier.

With regards to my phone connection, I use e-sims while traveling, so rather than having to swap out my regular sim card I can download the app and buy a virtual sim card. I recommend using eitherAirhub or Alosim. Both have great coverage of multiple countries and are very easy to use.

🛏️ What is the best platform to use for booking accommodation?

The 3 best platforms that I normally use are Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Expedia They offer great deals and multiple options. I always check all three to be sure of the best deals.

🛅 Do you have any luggage recommendations for traveling?

I do have a complete list of the best packing and luggage products that I recommend, you can check the list here. I’m currently traveling with this suitcase and this backpack. 

Coastal Walking in Cornwall

Brown Gal Trekker

Sunday 8th of January 2017

The views of this place look amazing! Love coastal walks where land meets the sea. Good to know there's a useful up for walking.

Bruce Schinkel

Saturday 7th of January 2017

This looked like such a fun place to visit, and i love using apps for walking tours. Such interesting and historic places!

Brianna Simmons

Tuesday 3rd of January 2017

What a fabulous walk around the coast, definitely a perfect way to spend a sunny day.

LC

Monday 2nd of January 2017

Argh, so picturesque. I was pretty keen to get to Cornwall while I lived in the UK, yet somehow never made it. Very sad! Hopefully one day in the future, as it looks so gosh darn pretty out there.

Nathan

Monday 2nd of January 2017

Great photos! I knew nothing about this area before this post and now I'd really like to go. I love anywhere near or on the water.