With some of the most stunning scenery and natural beauty in Britain Cornwall is the perfect place to plan a walking holiday. The most well known hiking trail is the South West Coastal Footpath which starts in Minehead and trails round Cornwall and onwards to Poole. Many people do a section at a time and two of the most popular are the trails from Botallack to Zennor in West Cornwall, and Kynance Cove to the Lizard in South Cornwall. Some return each year to complete another section.
Take a Pilgrim's Route or an old Mining Path
Cornwall was once one of the wealthiest areas in the world with its tin and copper mines, particularly in the Camborne and Redruth area. Today the legacy of that industrious past forms part of a walk through this area past engine houses and the old mine workings. The Great Flat Lode Trail is a 7.5 mile circular route and is named after the ore bearing lode running through the area.
A disused railway line once referred to by John Betjeman as, “The most beautiful train journey I know”, is now The Camel Trail, and 18 mile long walk or cycle from Bodmin to Padstow along the River Camel Estuary and on the edge of Bodmin Moor.
Some of the scenes in Daphne Du Maurier's novels can be explored on foot in and around St Austell Bay.
Starting at Polridmouth Cove and climbing past St Austell Bay to Polkerris the shipwreck scene from Rebecca and other inspirational scenes from the books are passed on this five mile walk. For a longer walk The Saints' Way is a 30 mile trail from Padstow to Fowey through woods and fields and past small villages named for the Cornish Saints.
One of the most prominent places of Christian pilgrimage on a par with Santiago de Compostela is the St Michaels Way which stretches 12.5 miles from Lelant to Marazion culminating in arriving at the beach and St Michaels Mount. This has been a pilgrim route for centuries and is thought to have helped in converting Cornwall to Christianity with the arrival of the saints from Ireland and Brittany.
From one end to the other
Why not walk from one coast to another on Cornwall's coast to coast trail. Starting in Portreath on the Atlantic coast the 11 mile walk trails through Devoran to finish at Falmouth on the South Coast. This route can also be used by cyclists and horse riders.
Cornwall has many walks on Bodmin Moor to the Brown Willy, Jamaica Inn and other moorland villages. Other walks can be planned around good local pubs and between villages. The ultimate walk that impacts on Cornwall is the long distance John O Groats to Lands End epic that raises thousands of pounds for charity each year.
Fresh air and good exercise
A walking holiday in Cornwall is an excellent chance to see some of the most unspoilt parts of the county and to take time to view wildlife in its natural habitat. It is the perfect opportunity to escape some of the more crowded areas of Cornwall and perhaps discover a beach just for you.
Rachael Rowe is a writer based in the South West of England. She is passionate about travel and has authored walking guides and guidebooks. Her portfolio includes online and print articles.