Walk - St Ives to Pendeen

13.7 miles (22.0 km)

St Ives Pendeen

Challenging - Severe. This is one of the toughest sections of the entire Path, due to the rocky and sometimes boggy ground, and so progress is slower than you may anticipate - but the views make up for it.

A fairly gentle walk out of St Ives to Clodgy Point soon becomes a strenuous journey of roller coaster climbs as the Coast Path plunges down towering cliffs into beautiful coves and back up again. This is a particularly difficult section and there is a real feeling of remoteness here, unlike any other part of the Coast Path.

The landscape is beautifully wild and rugged and the area around the parish of Zennor is designated both an Environmentally Sensitive Area and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The path can be narrow and rough in places and all amenities require inland detours, so it is advisable to allow plenty of time and stock up on provisions at the beginning of the day.

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There are a range of wonderful places to lay your head near the Coast Path for a well-earned sleep. From large and luxurious hotels, to small and personable B&B's, as well as self-catering options and campsites. The businesses that support the Path, where you've chosen to visit, are listed here.

The Gurnard's Head

01736 796928

With the South West Coast Path just a 5-minute walk from the back door, the 8-bedroom inn offers "the simple things in life done well”. Part of the EATDRINKSLEEP family.

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Trevalgan Touring Park

01736 791892

Stunning position with easy access from SWCP between Zennor and St Ives. Backpacker pitches, luxury heated facilities, free phone charging and a well-stocked shop.

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Cohort St Ives

01736 791664

Educational Residential Trip Centre. Open to the public over Easter School Holidays and Summer School Holidays. Family rooms. Dorm rooms. Private rooms. Great facilities.

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Trevowhan

07582 853149

Super King bed with twin bed option. Complimentary tea, coffee, milk, kettle, toaster, small fridge. Ensuite shower room with fresh towels and shower toiletries 10 minutes to the SW coastal path. Bus stop across the road

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The Little Holiday Co St Ives

Comfortable and cosy one bedroom, dog friendly with sea views

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You'll be spoilt for choice for where to eat and drink along the Path. With lots of local seasonal food on offer, fresh from the farm, field and waters. Try our local ales, ciders, wines and spirits, increasing in variety by the year, as you sit in a cosy pub, fine dining restaurant or chilled café on the beach. The businesses that support the Path, where you've chosen to visit, are listed here.

Lifeboat Inn

01736 794123

Warm rooms & apartments with free Wi-Fi in a down-to-earth pub featuring harbour views.

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Pedn Olva

01736 796222

Perched on granite rocks above the sparkling waters of St Ives Bay, the Pedn Olva has been beautifully refreshed, with stylish rooms offering breath taking views over the harbour and the ocean.

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What is on your list of things to do when you visit the Path? From walking companies, to help you tailor your visit, with itineraries and experts to enhance your visit, to baggage transfer companies and visitor attractions there are lots to people and places to help you decide what you'd like to do. The businesses that support the Path, where you've chosen to visit, are listed here.

NCI St Ives

01736 799398

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Highlights

Seal spotting from Mussel Point and watching the Atlantic crashing against the offshore Carrack Rocks.

Crossing the stream and looking at the rugged cliffs and giant fingers of granite above Wicca Pool.

Fantastic views from Zennor Head to Pendour Cove below. You may be able to see dolphins from here. The field systems in this area date from the Bronze Age and are still farmed sensitively so as to enhance wildlife and protect historic features.

Pendour Cove, with views beyond to Gurnard’s Head. This cove is also known as Mermaid’s Cove and legend has it that if you sit above the cove at twilight on a summer’s evening you may hear the singing of a man who fell in love with a mermaid and followed her out to sea.

Standing on the windswept rocky headland of Gurnard’s Head. There are remains of an ancient settlement and cliff castle here.

Bosigran Castle: the site of an Iron Age cliff fort. This rocky area is very popular with climbers.

Portheras Cove: there are often seals spotted around this secluded, sandy cove. Although incredibly beautiful and fairly unpopulated, please note that it is inadvisable to swim from this beach, or to walk on it barefoot, due to the possibility that there may still be metal fragments left from the dynamited wreck the Alacrity which ran aground in 1963.

Pendeen Lighthouse opened in 1900 to aid ships along what is said to be one of the most dangerous stretches of coast in Britain. Part of the lighthouse can be rented as holiday accommodation through Trinity House and Rural Retreats.

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