Walk - Whalesborough Farm -The Tramper Route

Route Description

1. From the cafe and wildlife centre at The Weir follow the track towards Whalesborough Farm, signed to Widemouth Bay. 
2. Approaching Whalesborough Farm take the track on the left.

The farmhouse at Whalesborough can be seen over to the right. Most of the outbuildings have been converted into high quality holiday accommodation. This is an ancient settlement, being mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as “Walesbrau”. It seems likely that the settlement dated back to the times when this was a border area between Anglo Saxon England and Celtic Cornwall, as the name probably means “foreign (ie Cornish) hill”.
Climb the hill then go left on the gravel track and follow this.

1. The gravel path arrives at a concrete track at the far side of Whalesborough. Continue ahead on the track. Keep on this track, which in a while turns sharp left then right.

Wide views now open up and Widemouth Bay and the coast become visible. There are also good views back inland, with the village of Marhamchurch prominent. The village gets its name from St Marwenna's church; she was a 5th century Celtic saint, one of 24 brothers and sisters who sailed from Wales to establish religious centres along the coast of North Cornwall.

1. Immediately before the track arrives at the coast road (Marine Drive), turn left along the track which runs parallel to the road. At the far end go right then VERY CAREFULLY cross the road to the car park opposite.
2. Go to the seaward side of the car park and follow the track out to the end of the headland, Lower Longbeak.

This is an excellent viewpoint, with a panoramic view over Widemouth Bay and along the North Cornwall coast. Widemouth Bay (pronounced “widmouth”) is very popular with surfers. Until the 20th century this was a relatively remote location of dunes and reeds, with only one building in the area shown on the OS map of 1919.
Beyond Widemouth Bay the view along the coast takes in Penhalt Cliff with the flat-topped Dizzard Cliff behind and on to the distinctive triangular shape of Cambeak, a headland near Crackington Haven.
Return to Whalesborough and The Weir by following the outward route in reverse.

Parking

The Weir