Something for all ages to enjoy

Distance: 21 miles over 2 days  Difficulty: Challenging

From the popular holiday destination at Bude to the legendary Tintagel, this walk offers something for all ages to enjoy. There are options for short circular walks from both the start and end destinations suitable for young families, while the two day stretch of Coast Path is quite strenuous. There are some dramatic headlands that contrast with numerous picturesque river valleys, making this one of the most diverse sections of Coast Path. As it reaches Tintagel Head, the land of myths and legends comes to life in the majestic castle ruins.

Highlights

The first day’s walk begins with an easy cliff path above the beach at Bude to Widemouth Bay. It then becomes quite strenuous with a series of climbs and descents, one of which takes you along one of the deepest and steepest valleys on the Cornwall coast.

The hard work has its rewards, including great views over the Atlantic and inland to the tallest tors of Dartmoor. There are plenty of opportunities for wildlife watching from the high windswept cliffs. Look out for grey seals from the magnificent Philips Point Nature Reserve.

The second day is equally strenuous and rewarding, including a 120ft high waterfall at Pentargon. You pass the beautiful fishing village of Boscastle with its ancient harbour almost invisible from the sea, before reaching Tintagel, where you cannot fail to be impressed by the majestic castle ruins.

There has been more Roman pottery excavated from Tintagel than the whole of Britain put together. This fact alone highlights its importance. It is also thought to be the birthplace of King Arthur. A variety of short walks surrounding the legendary site are ideal for families.

Suggested Itinerary

Relevant section guides

We have split the path into 52 sections, and for each one have produced a section guide. These pages do not aim to replace the guidebooks, but aim to give a flavour of what each section is like, and show you about the highlights and places of interest along the route, along with links to accommodation information and much more. The relevant section guides for this walk are:

Travel

Bude is not that easy to reach by public transport.

The First North Devon x9 bus runs every 2 hours from Exeter bus station to Stratton and Bude. From Tintagel, there are regular buses that return along the coast road to Bude (changing in Boscastle).

For further information visit Traveline or phone 0870 6082608.

Short breaks

Accommodation Finder