Hiking is an excellent form of exercise and a great way to get to know your surroundings and enjoy stunning views. Not only does it improve your physical health, but also your mental health. A hike is also known to reduce stress and stimulate creativity. Overall it is a unique and positive form of exercise that anyone can enjoy, regardless of their age, and a fantastic way to enjoy your surroundings.
Cornwall offers a variety of hiking trails. Some gently introduce you to the surrounding countryside and Cornwall's dramatic coastline. Other hikes demand a little more in terms of stamina and physical strength.
This blog will look at some hikes available around the Sennen Cove area, including easy, moderate, and challenging walks.
4 Easy Walks In & Around Sennen Cove
All hike times are estimated. It all depends on how physically active you are and how often you want to stop and admire the views - and there are some spectacular views to gaze at and photograph. You can find further details of these walks on the South West Coast Path, 630 miles of stunning Cornish scenery.
Sennen Cove To Lands End ( & back)
40 mins - 1 hour. Using the "First and Last Cycle Trail, the National Cycleway Route 3. This route is a total of 21⁄2 miles. This route is well-surfaced and level enough for wheelchair access and prams for most of its length—some super coastal views to photograph on this route.
Sennen Cove Loop Hike
4.46 miles takes around 2 hours. Paths are easily accessible. This is an interesting walk with stunning sea views, granite cliffs, rock formations, the Mayon Cliff old coastguard lookout post, and the 'First & last House'.
Land's End and Nanjizal
A three-mile trek, taking about 1 hr, through working farms: please keep dogs on the lead. Stick to the footpaths, closing all gates behind you. Don't miss the sparkling Diamond Horse and the narrow archway known as the Song of the Sea rock formations. If you are a fan of Turner's work, you will notice views that inspired some of his famous paintings. Najizal beach is well worth a slight detour and is dog friendly all year round.
Porthgwarra & Gwennap Head
Take a 15 min drive or a 90 min journey by bus from Sennen Cove. This 1-mile walk is suitable for motorised scooters and prams along a metalled path. As the alternative return walk is along a footpath with steps and is uneven in place, you might prefer to return the same way as you came. A great bird-watching area, try to spot the hen harriers, merlins and short-eared owls, and the occasional American vagrant land birds. Do be cautious by the cliff edges as they are not fenced.
2 Moderate Walks In & Around Sennen Cove
Sennen Cove To Lands End
A hop-skip-&-a-jump from the Vallandreath Cottages, this three-mile route takes around 1.5 hours. This route is reasonably flat but has a longish climb up to Mayon Cliffs. A lovely walk filled with wildflowers in Spring and idyllic for bird watchers throughout the year. For historians, there is the 2,000-year-old Pass Maen Castle, an Iron Age cliff castle, and watch out for Bronze Age burial cairns. Return is via the same or the easier route of the National Cycleway Route 3.
Rôskestal & Bosistow
Take a 15 min car drive or a 90 mins bus ride to Porthgwarra car park. From here, you can undertake this moderate to strenuous Heritage trail of 5.1 miles. Around a 2-hour hike, you can take in the famous Minack Theatre, Submarine Telegraphy Museum, medieval stone crosses, Porth Chapel, and the medieval church at St Leven's.
A Challenging Walk In & Around Sennen Cove
The Merry Maidens
Take a 12 min drive from Sennen Cove to Lamorna, slightly longer by bus. The route undulates around the coast and through fields. The going can get rocky and challenging in places. However, this walk is well worth the effort due to the fantastic Cornish panorama and the monuments and stone circles dating back to the Stone Age. You can also see the engine house of Ding Dong Mine and the eighteenth-century Roger's Tower, a folly built on an Iron Age hillfort.
Be Prepared - Basic Hiking Tips
- It makes sense to check out any walk before you set off. Also, a good idea to carry a mobile phone in case of an emergency.
- If walking alone, tell someone where you are hiking and leave an approx time for your return.
- Carry a torch, in case you are still out when the sun goes down.
- Leave No Trace - pick up your rubbish and deposit it in the bins—the same with any dog waste.
- Pace Yourself - especially if this is your first hike or it's been a while.
- Hydrating is especially important if walking in the summer heat and any time of year.
- Have snacks with you, although there are plenty of little cafes around most of the walks.
- Equipment - you may not be climbing mountains, but you need appropriate footwear for some of the walks in Cornwall. Also, consider using walking sticks.
- Check the weather - pay attention to the wind when walking the coastal cliffs. Wear suitable clothing.
Plan your trip - you can install apps on your phone to assist in planning your hikes. iWalk Cornwall is a helpful digital app available for Apple & Android.
Late availability offers
We have some great late availability offers for cottages at Vellandreath Cornish Cottages:
Sheldrake |
Sleeps up to 10 people over 5 bedrooms | |
20% off for Saturday 7th - Saturday 14th December 2024, was £1499. | £1,199.20 - Book now | |
10% off for Saturday 14th - Saturday 21st December 2024, was £1499. | £1,349.10 - Book now |
Tresillian |
Sleeps up to 8 people over 4 bedrooms | |
20% off for Monday 9th - Friday 13th December 2024, was £996. | £796.80 - Book now |