Walk - Boscastle Harbour

0.7 miles (1.1 km)

Boscastle Harbour - PL35 0HE Boscastle Harbour - PL35 0HE

Easy - Grade 2 Trail - One or two features may reduce the accessibility of these trails. It may be a lack of seats, sections of the path with less than perfect surfaces, slight gradients or gates that are difficult to use.

A ramble around the picturesque Boscastle Harbour, North Cornwall. Site of the 2004 floods. The surface is generally good and there are ample facilities in terms of eating, drinking and toilets, there is also a visitor centre and several shops. Visit http://www.cornwallrr.org.uk/

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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.

YHA Boscastle

01840250928

Private and shared rooms available, self-catering kitchen available.

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The Hayloft, Boscastle

07770930027

Lovely 3-bedroom cottage in Boscastle, less than 5 mins walk from coast path and 2 great pubs. A luxurious retreat with comfy beds, woodburner, washer/dryer and parking.

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Trebyla Farm Camping

01840 250308

The site covers two acres on a working farm with smashing views. within easy walking distance of the wildlife watching and hikes of the splendid South West Coast Path

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Lower Pennycrocker Farm Campsite

07967605392

Lower Pennycrocker Farm Campsite is 700 yards from the South West Coast Path with stunning Coastal Scenery.

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Little Clifden Campsite

07901 604755

Basic facilities with amazing views on Cornish Dairy Farm.

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Bosayne Guest House

01840 770514

Bosayne B&B in legendary Tintagel, offers 8-guest bedrooms, a self-catering cottage and is only 300 metres from the sea. A warm welcome awaits guests in our comfortable home.

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Dolphins Backpackers

01840 779053 / 07740 976326

We are a friendly, comfortable, affordable backpackers hostel with 10 person dorm. Bar & Kitchen available. Minutes from the Path. Call or Text WhatsApp

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Cabin Beaver

01840 770378

A beautiful sheperd's hut located 2 fields from the SWCP. Containing a double bed, kitchenette, patio & a separate bathroom/utility/laundry.

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Beaver Cottages

01840 770378

2 dog friendly self catering cottages (sleeping up to 4 and 6) with enclosed gardens, close to SWCP, Tintagel and Trebarwith Strand beach. 0.25 miles from Coast Path. WiFi and car parking available. Also offering one night stays for walkers.

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Chandlers Lodge B&B

01840 554449 / 07486893279

A fresh, modern and cosy B&B situated in the Heart of North Cornwall. The perfect base for exploring! Supper available.

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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.

St Nectan's Glen Waterfall

01840779538

Award-winning café. Homemade food, dog-friendly, perfect Coast Path pit stop. Open year-round.

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Pengenna Pasties Tintagel

01840 770223

Delicous home-made pasties including ncluding vegan & gluten free (pre-order by phone). order by phone). Take-away and restaurant. Open all year round

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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 Boscastle

01840 250965

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Tintagel Visitor Centre

01840 779084

All the information you need about where to stay, eat and drink and visit in the Tintagel area.

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Route Description

The walk starts at Boscastle car park. Here there are toilets with disabled facilities. Walk towards the harbour, crossing at the bridge and keeping to the right hand side of the river.

The charming village of Boscastle is sheltered in the steep sided Valency Valley. From the reign of Elizabeth I, right up until the end of the 19th century, the practise of pressing and preserving pilchards was a vital source of income for the village and was carried out in the building that is now a National Trust gift shop.

Pass the Boscastle Visitors Centre and then cross the bridge over the river. Venture both left and right having crossed the bridge.

Heading towards the sea the path becomes rougher for the last 50 metres before the harbour wall.

Boscastle Harbour is very picturesque. It is very difficult to access from the sea, but it is the only harbour along some 20 miles (32 km) of the North Cornwall coast. There has long been a harbour here. The first record dates from Elizabethan times but it almost certainly pre-dates this time. During the 1800s in particular this was an important harbour, importing coal, salt, bricks and beer for local use and exporting locally quarried slate and minerals, china clay from inland and local agricultural goods.

The path on the right leads a gradient of 5° approximately 1 in 10 leading uphill to a view point. This is the start of a good scenic path. NOTE access to this path is uneven and to great care should be taken.

There are excellent views of Boscastle from here, showing its position at the meeting point of two deep valleys. It was this position which contributed to the impact of the flood of 2004, when 2 million tonnes of water cascaded down the valleys following a severe rainstorm.

The area around Boscastle provided inspiration for one of Thomas Hardy's early books, 'A Pair of Blue Eyes'. It is also where Hardy met and courted his first wife, Emma. He returned to the wild cliffs of North Cornwall in 1913, after Emma had died, and was once again inspired by the landscape, resulting in twenty-one of his most emotional poems.

The cliffs above Boscastle Harbour are frequented by birds such as kestrel, peregrine, stonechat, gannet and fulmar. The blowhole in the harbour booms and spouts water two hours each side of low tide - an impressive site if you're lucky enough to catch it!

When you have finished exploring return to the car park.

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