TOP 10
Coastal walks
1 MEVAGISSEY AND HELIGAN, CORNWALL 6 miles
Mevagissey is a typical cheerful Cornish fishing village, with a sheltered bay jammed with colourful boats, pasty shops and ice cream parlours. There’s great coastal scenery in either direction, but for this walk take the coastal path north up to the generous beach at Pentewan, then dive inland, leaving the mysterious world of King’s Wood (worth coming back to) to your right. Within a mile or so you’ll be circumventing the 200 acres of the Lost Gardens of Heligan (heligan.com), where even if you don’t want to pay the fee to enter, it is worth stopping at the Kitchen & Bakery for a proper Cornish cream tea. Amble down the hill back to Mevagissey afterwards. iwalkcornwall.co.uk/ walk/pentewan_to_ mevagissey
2 SANDWOOD BAY, SUTHERLAND 8 miles
The most remote, most perfect beach in Scotland is made all the better by difficult access. The boggy walk from the car park at Blairmore is across lochheavy land owned by the John Muir Trust, and is mostly flat until the final rise, with a view up the wild shore to Cape Wrath, and down to the pristine beach below. Bring a picnic, there’s nothing edible for miles. walkhighlands.co.uk/ sutherland/sandwood-bay.shtml
3 SEAHOUSES TO CRASTER NORTHUMBERLAND
10 miles This coastal path is endowed with wildflowers, golden sands and ruined castles. This is a soft shore, with gentle seas, and heading south from Seahouses on the coastal path you’ll encounter butterflies and beaches, particularly at Beadnell, Embleton and Low Newton. Beyond rises the impressive ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. The little harbour at Craster is renowned for its oak smokery.
yournorthumberland. co.uk/things-to-do/walking/ coastpath/stage3
4 ST ALDHELM’S HEAD, DORSET 5 miles
St Aldhelm’s Head, between Swanage and Kimmeridge, is riddled with limestone quarries. This route starts and ends at the stone-hewn quarrymen’s village of Worth Matravers, just inland. Head out across the exposed headland to
St Aldhelm’s Chapel, from where the view, and the wind, will take your breath away. Head on down the coastal path, close to alarming drop-offs, to the disused Winspit quarry. Beyond is Dancing Ledge, where the quarrymen cut a pool in the rock. Double back up the Winspit valley to Worth, to refuel in the Square and Compass.
5 WHITEHAVEN TO ST BEES, CUMBRIA 7 miles
Secreted behind the Lake District, the Cumbrian coast has a forgotten charm. The peaceful backwater of Whitehaven, with its 17th century harbour, was once a coal mining community, so there’s a mining museum, the remains of a colliery and a pit chimney by the path. The latter follows the cliff edge out to St Bees Head, with scrambles down to shingly bays below. The coast then withdraws to the beach at Fleswick Bay and the RSPB reserve at St Bees, famous for guillemots and fulmars. In St Bees itself, there is a little station on the Cumbrian Coast Line. And while you’re waiting for the train back to Whitehaven, stop off at the Manor Hotel for a Cumberland sausage. colourfulcoast.org.uk
6
OLD HARRY ROCKS, DORSET 4 miles
Compared to the rest of the rugged Dorset coast, Studland is a place of beaches and wild-flowered grasslands. This walk starts in the village of Studland itself, with the great sweep of the National Trust’s Knoll Beach to the north. Head out along the grassy track to where Old Harry Rocks have been weathered into giddy shapes. They were apparently named after a pirate who used to lie in wait behind them. Complete the circuit around Ballard’s Down, and head back to the village for a pick-me-up at the Bankes Arms. nationaltrust. org.uk/purbeck-countryside/ trails/old-harry-rocks-walk
7 PITTENWEEM TO CRAIL, FIFE 6 miles
Fife is where the wild Scottish coastline turns calm. Charming stone fishing villages are ranged along the shore of what is called the East Neuk. Villages like Crail, Anstruther and Pittenweem, with views out across the Firth of Forth, independent shops and even a fish market. Crail, with its fishermen’s cottages spilling down the hill to a nest of a harbour, looks like an oil painting. En route, try fish and chips from awardwinning Anstruther Fish Bar. Regular buses connect the villages.
8 DUNWICH, SUFFOLK 4 miles
A combination of storms, coastal drift and sandling – sandy soil – has shaped the Suffolk coast. The biggest casualty is Dunwich, between Southwold and Aldeburgh. Once a thriving port with capacity for 80 ships, Dunwich is now two-thirds submerged, and they say that, at low tide, you can still hear its church bell toll. The little museum shows how things have changed. This circular walk starts in the village and heads out for the Coastguard Cottages before doubling back, with refreshments ahoy in the Ship. shipatdunwich.co.uk/ explore/walks/walk-1
9 STACKPOLE AND BARAFUNDLE, PEMBROKESHIRE 6 miles
There are so
many great sections of this coast path, and this one takes in one of the finest beaches, a headland and bucolic pastures. It circles the Stackpole wildlife reserve, starting in Stackpole Quay, hiking through the fields to pristine Barafundle beach, where there’s a good chance of having the whole thing to yourself. The path then loops around Stackpole Head before heading north to Broadhaven beach, and inland to Bosherston, before circumventing the lakes and famous lily ponds. Try some Welsh cawl (stew) half way round in Bosherston’s St Govan’s Country Inn. nationaltrust.org.uk/stackpole/ trails/stackpole-wildlife-walk
10
DART VALLEY TRAIL, DEVON
9 miles
River and estuary scenery is at its most eye-catching at Dartmouth. Start in the posh village of Dittisham, crossing by foot ferry to Greenway, Agatha Christie’s holiday home. Follow the river down via ancient beech woods to Kingswear, cross the creek to Dartmouth on the ferry, and then come back up beneath the Naval College. The Ferry Boat Inn at Dittisham is how pubs used to be, ready with pies and pints. southdevon aonb.org.uk/explore/walkstrails/dartmouth-to-greenwaythe-dart-valley-trail