West Pentire and Porth Joke Circular Walk
Walks in Cornwall

Cornwall Information & Accommodation Guide

This walk gives you a wonderful view of Crantock Beach, the opportunity to spend time enjoying Porth Joke Beach and if walked in the Spring or Summer, an amazing display of wild flowers can be seen along the route. The whole route is dog friendly at all times of the year.

Photographs of the walk can be viewed from the Photos menu on this page.

There is a choice of parking at West Pentire. Two large pay and display car parks. Both car parks are shown on the map.

The starting point for the walk is at the lane marked on the map.

1. Walk along the level track past a few cottages and bungalows on your right and with Cornish hedges on the left.

You will walk through a wooden kissing gate. After the few cottages the path opens up with stunning views across the West Pentire headland across Crantock Bay to the small island, known as The Goose, off East Pentire Point.

During the Summer these fields are filled with a glorious display of poppies, corn marigolds and other corn field wildflowers, not often seen nowadays in their traditional setting.

If you wish to make a small detour to photograph the wildflowers continue walking straight along the track otherwise, you should leave the footpath, turning left to begin the descent to Porth Joke.

2. Follow the path down through the field. After a short distance, the delightful Porth Joke Beach comes into view. The headland beyond the beach is Kelsey Head.

The path becomes reasonably steep for a while as you descend to a wooden gate just above the beach.

3. A small footbridge crosses the stream and you are now on Porth Joke Beach, known locally as Polly Joke.

It's well worth spending some time here to explore the beach and enjoy this delightful location. If you have your four-legged friend with you they can enjoy it too as Porth Joke is dog friendly all year round.

4. When you're ready to continue the walk, return to the back of the beach and walk inland up the valley towards Cubert Common.

You will pass through a small wooden gate. The path now becomes more enclosed. To your left the valley drops away steeply to the stream. You will often hear the distinctive call of a pheasant in the fields across the valley, beyond the stream.

During springtime, the many Blackthorn trees here are adorned with a mass of snow white blossom. Rabbit holes can be seen beside the path. There are hundreds of them living here and you may glimpse them from time to time. Tamarisk trees grow beside the path.

5. After a while you will reach another wooden gate. You are now in the National Trust car park on Cubert Common.

Leave the car park through the next wooden gate and cross the little stream. Walk to the left following the track. After a short distance you will see a track on your left, behind the farm buildings, climbing up the side of the valley.

Walk along the footpath to meet the track and then follow it uphill to return to the starting point of the walk.

Location:
Newquay - Padstow Area

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