This easy circular walk takes you through peaceful countryside with serene views of bobbing sailboats in pretty bays, to a tiny chapel hiding in the woods and alongside Frenchman’s Creek, made famous by Daphne Du Maurier’s novel of the same name.
There’s even a charming little honesty cafe along the way where you can grab an ice cream or make yourself a tea and enjoy it in the beautifully manicured garden.
However, it’s worth noting that Frenchman’s Creek is tidal, and if you want to walk along the water rather than a dry creek bed, you need to time your walk so that you will reach this latter section of the trail within a couple of hours either side of high tide.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Frenchman’s Creek circular walk.
The Frenchman's Creek Circular Walk
The stats
Distance: 3 miles (4.9km) circuit
Elevation gain: 180m
Difficulty: Easy, but not flat
Trailhead: Helford Car Park, Lizard Peninsula
Summary: The Frenchman’s Creek walk is generally all on good paths, but the last section of the walk becomes very muddy after rain and the mud doesn’t dry out easily.
People have thoughtfully placed rocks and logs to help you over this section without squelchy boots.
There are several hills to climb and descend along the route, which is made much easier by the good terrain underfoot. Only one very short patch is a bit rougher due to a lot of tree roots. There are signposts throughout the walk, though not in every spot you might need them, so we have included directions in the track notes below.
Starting the trail: through the village
The walk begins at the Helford car park and if you’re in need of a caffeine hit to start you off, you can enjoy a drink in the sweet little garden at the Holy Mackerel Cafe, which is located right next to the car park.
Otherwise pass the cafe and follow the quiet road right, towards the centre of Helford and you will come to a bridge 135m later.
Cross the bridge and turn right and you will begin passing some idyllic thatched cottages with intermittent views of the river.
After passing inbetween the houses you will make a sharp left, heading relatively steeply uphill, 450m after leaving the car park.
After 70m you’ll turn right onto a narrow path which could become a touch muddy after rain.
The path flattens and you will begin walking through woodland with some beautiful views out to the bay and all the little bobbing boats.
To the woodland chapel
You’ll continue through the woodland until the 750m mark when you pop out at Penarvon Cove. There’s a small shingle beach which you’ll cross and then follow the signposted path uphill to the right on a mix of gravel track and stairs.
After 100m heading uphill you’ll pass inbetween a farmhouse and garden, turning right 90m later and right again 30m further along, at this point the St Francis of Assisi Chapel is signposted.
You’ll now head downhill through the wood to the chapel, which is 130m away.
It’s an absolutely gorgeous little chapel, perched just above the water amongst the trees and bracken. The chapel was built in 1930 and inside you will find a statue of St Francis of Assisi (the patron saint of animals) surrounded by animals, including a wolf, parrot, frog, rabbit and chicken.
There’s also a few more modern additions in the form of some toy animals. It’s one of the smallest and more unusual chapels we’ve visited and well worth the short diversion from the main trail.
There’s a bench seat beside the chapel where you can sit and enjoy the water views, which are slightly obscured, but still pretty, and there are steps down to the water if you wanted to go for a paddle.
To Frenchman’s Creek
The walk then heads back up towards the farmhouse and gardens, but before you reach the house you turn right and follow the quiet country lane uphill, Frenchman’s Creek is signposted. There’s a climb of just under 300m before the track begins descending.
Roughly 100m after you begin descending you keep straight at the junction and soon afterwards the path will begin heading uphill again.
Roughly 250m later, at the T-junction, head right. The track now flattens and it’s a leisurely stroll alongside open fields for the next 200m.
At this point you’ll turn left and follow the path downhill with some lovely views of rolling green fields.
Approximately 200m later, or just over 2km into the walk, you will see a signposted trail on the left leading downhill into the woods.
The path soon flattens and you’ll start to enjoy some picturesque water views. The narrow dirt path soon follows Frenchman’s Creek which will either be a lovely green river, or a mud flat depending on the tides!
We timed it wrong for this section and for us it was a dry mud flat, we’ll have to return one day to see it in all its glory!
Along Frenchman’s Creek and completing the circuit
Despite the lack of water in the creek this section was still very pretty with gorgeous woodland and a peaceful feel. There are a few sections of uneven track, most notably at the 2.8km mark, where there is a short ascent that is covered in tree roots.
However, it’s not difficult if you don’t mind uneven terrain.
You’ll keep following the creek for a further 550m at which point you’ll see two obvious cut downs to the water. I assume this is where at high tide you could stop for a dip!
The trail then curves left and begins heading quite steeply uphill on a good paved path. The climb lasts for 400m and there’s a stone bench at the top if needed!
From here you’ll walk on a level path alongside a field before coming to a gate and crossing over the road.
Just 50m ahead is the Kestle Barton honesty cafe.
Head into the garden and you’ll see a small area where you can make yourself a tea or coffee, grab a locally made ice cream or apple juice and enjoy it under one of the parasols in the garden.
It’s such a lovely concept and in summer the garden was in full bloom making it all the more special.
After checking out the cafe the walk continues straight on, through a gate and along another field before venturing back into woodland 250m later.
After 150m in the woods you turn left at the junction. The woodland is fabulous here, but this is when the track starts to get muddy.
At first there are good workarounds, using the raised banks to avoid the mud pits, however, after a few hundred metres there are no more banks and you are funnelled into a mud pit (we somehow missed photographing the really squelchy bit, but trust us it was bad).
Luckily there are plenty of stones and logs here to help and we made it across with dry boots.
You’ll then reach the road and follow it downhill for 100m before you will recognise the village you started in. Continue through the village back to the car park.
Parking for the Frenchman’s Creek Walk
The closest car park to the trailhead is the Helford car park, postcode TR12 6LB which you can find here on Google maps. You can find the current charges by clicking here and there are toilet facilities at the car park.
Don’t drive past the car park as the roads become very narrow and turning is challenging. There is no public parking available closer to the trailhead.
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