With breathtaking beaches, dramatic headlands, sheltered swimming opportunities and one of the most stunning sea caves in the country, this circular walk really does have it all. We walked on a typical British summer’s day with both brilliant sunshine and moody dark skies and the scenery was spectacular throughout it all. You are spoilt for choice when it comes to coastal walks in Cornwall but this one really is a bit special.
It’s fairly lengthy at just over 6.6 miles (10.7km) and there are several hills to climb, but those who put in the effort will not be disappointed.
Here’s what to expect on the trail.
The Porthcurno to Nanjizal Circular Walk
The stats
Distance: 6.6 miles (10.7km) circuit
Elevation gain: 335m
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: National Trust Car Park, Porthcurno
Summary: While the walk is relatively lengthy, the track conditions are generally good throughout. There are a couple of minor exceptions, one being the short detour down to Porthchapel Beach which is a bit scrambly and another being some loose soil around 2.5 miles (4km) into the walk, but it’s really only for a few steps.
Otherwise the path is in decent shape and we didn’t encounter any muddy sections when walking in August. There are several hills to climb but no prolonged ascents.
The walk is very exposed to the elements so you’re really going to feel it on a windy or very hot day. You can see the route on our sketch map below, but we have also created a Google Map for you to use.
Starting the trail: climbing up to the Minack Theatre
The walk begins at Porthcurno car park and you follow the track down to the beach. There are two possible paths you can take, the first is sandy and a little steep and the second has stairs, both get you to the waters edge after 450m.
Porthcurno Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Cornwall, with golden sand and turquoise water. However, it’s no secret and you would have to come very early in the morning to see it quiet if visiting during the summer months.
Even at 6pm there were still plenty of people around, but it didn’t diminish the utterly spectacular scenery. However, I did prefer the scene after climbing partway up the track so that all the people became little ants!
From the beach you take the track to the right side of the sand when facing the water. There is one short section where the stairs are a bit rocky, but otherwise it’s a mix of good stairs and dirt track as you head quite steeply uphill. The views back over the beach get more and more astounding as you climb.
At the 850m mark you reach the incredible Minack Theatre. It has to be one of the most atmospheric theatres in the country, perched right on the edge of the cliff.
We opted to do this walk in the evening as we were visiting in August and didn’t fancy battling the crowds and the flaw in our plan was that the theatre was closed.
You do have to pay to visit, so if you don’t want to do that then we’d recommend evening as a lovely time to do this walk.
However, you can only see a tiny bit of the theatre without going inside, basically just a doorway, so you may want to factor some time into your walk to tour the rest of it.
To Porthchapel Beach
After you pass the theatre the climb ends and you head across the car park and through the gate 50m later. After a few hundred metres you reach yet more gorgeous coastal views as you head along the Rospletha cliff tops.
Just under 1 mile in (at the 1.5km mark) or 600m after passing through the gate, you fork left and follow the path downhill towards Porthchapel Beach.
Roughly 300m later (1.1 miles/1.8km from the car park) you will come to the little scramble down to the beach itself. If you only want to see the beach you don’t need to do the scramble, but if you want to walk along the sand it’s the only route.
It’s not a difficult one, just a bit rocky and some of the stone is polished so it’s a little slippery. However, it’s just a 30m detour and the beach is well worth a closer look.
It did have some huge waves which occasionally came up over the sand so keep an eye out for the sneaky big ones as some of them really were big enough to give you a soaking.
The beach had a reasonable amount of sand on our visit but I imagine towards high tide it becomes very small.
It had a much wilder feeling than Porthcurno on our visit, perfect for sitting and taking in the power of mother nature, but definitely not one for a relaxing swim.
However, I have seen plenty of pictures where the water is really calm, so if you’re hoping to swim it’s worth checking the swell forecast here.
To St Levans Well and the village of Porthgwarra
Once back on the main path you will come to a very eroded section of track beside a small waterfall. We climbed up this section before noticing a track closure sign, so it’s better to detour around it to the right. The eroded section is a bit nasty and it’s not worth risking a slip.
You’ll reach St Levans Well at the 1.25 mile (2km) mark and though a sacred spring it may be, it’s definitely not one you’d drink from today, it’s more than a little weedy!
That is however, what it was known for in the 18th century when people would come to drink the water hoping to heal their ailments.
From the well the path heads uphill for 100m before flattening. There’s yet another lovely beach view 50m up from the well. The track now follows the cliff tops for 700m before heading downhill.
You need to turn right when you see the yellow post and then right again at the 1.85 mile (3km) mark which leads you through a narrow pathway lined with purples flowers (well in summertime at least).
The path opens up 100m later and you turn left and left again at the next two forks. A paved path now passes between some picturesque cottages as it leads downhill towards the village of Porthgwarra.
When you reach the road you are just 50m from the village. It’s a beautiful sleepy fishing village with a small sandy cove and if you’re walking in the middle of the day, a kiosk selling drinks and snacks.
The cove had some cool looking sea caves but alas the sign said they were closed so we didn’t venture inside.
Porthgwarra is one of those quintessential Cornish villages that you just can’t help taking lots of photos of, every angle seems prettier than the last and I kept finding myself wondering what it might be like to live there.
Along the cliff tops to Gwennap Head
After passing beside the little cafe the path heads uphill on a good set of stairs with some great views down to the beach and sea caves. After 200m climbing you bear left at the fork and the path flattens.
Roughly 150m later you will reach the Porthgwarra Buttress, a popular rock climbing area. For walkers they’re an interesting geological feature and the good level path means you can really take them in without having to worry about footing. Roughly 200m further along the track you can also see an impressive sea cave.
Shortly after, the path begins leading uphill and the terrain is a bit loose. When going uphill it was ok, but I can imagine this short section being a little skiddy if you were walking the track in reverse.
After 100m climbing uphill you’ll come to a giant sinkhole (or blow hole, it’s hard to say!) and the track is very narrow. It adds a touch of adventure to the walk, though I wouldn’t be keen on this section in very high winds. The slightly rougher track continues uphill for a further 200m before flattening and the good trail conditions now resume.
There are a couple of hundred metres of flat track as you head along Gwennap Head (the most southwesterly point in England and a popular wildlife watching spot) before you begin descending towards a boulder-strewn beach.
The descent is short but steep and after 100m you will reach the beach before immediately ascending to the cliff tops again.
To Nanjizal Bay
After climbing up from the boulder beach you will reach a fork, just under 3 miles (4.8km) into the walk, and turn right. The path will flatten 50m later.
This part of the coast is wild and rugged and you feel a long way from the calm shores of Porthcurno Beach.
This is also a good spot for catching sight of a chough, once extinct in Cornwall, but they now inhabit the area in small numbers. We were lucky enough to see a couple, though they move at a lightning fast pace and we didn’t manage to get a photo.
At the 3.2 mile (5.2km) mark you’ll pass through a gate and then head left at the fork 100m later. The path begins leading downhill as you make your way towards Nanjizal Bay.
It’s not long before you will reach the stairs at the top of Nanjizal Bay. To reach the cave you head down the stairs and bear left across the small rocks. It’s a bit tedious, but it doesn’t take long to reach the cave.
Nanjizal Bay and the Song of The Sea Cave
The Song of the Sea Cave is an evocative name name for this mesmerising sea cave and pool. The water is a beautiful shade of turquoise even when in shadow, which is most of the time due to the high cave walls.
The arch appears like a secret doorway adding to the allure and mysterious feel of the place. Swimming is best on a low to mid tide, but if you opt for mid tide you ideally want a very calm sea as more waves will crash around the pool at this time.
Even if you don’t want to swim it’s still very much worth coming to take a look at one of Cornwall’s most atmospheric sea caves.
On a low to mid tide accessing the cave is straightforward but does involve negotiating quite a few small rocks and then some larger ones as you near the tidal pool. Try to avoid the wet weed which can be slippery. On a mid time you need to be a little more mindful of your footing as small pools of water will form around the rocks.
The only time it’s not easily accessible is a couple of hours either side of high tide as you can’t get too close to the cave, though you can see it from above, it’s from something of a distance.
You can see the tide forecast here.
Finishing the loop
Once you’ve had your fill of Nanjizal Bay, it’s time to head inland and make your way back to Porthcurno. From the top of the stairs at Nanjizal, take the trail heading uphill and inland.
The view looking back over Nanjizal Bay
You’ll want to head towards Bosistow Farmhouse by heading right at the first fork (350m), left at the second (600m) and then right at the third (700m).
The trail goes through a series of holiday homes and old farmhouses, but just before the final one, look for a trail that heads south east across the fields (the spot to look for can be found here on Google Maps).
Follow the path for 500m until you reach the road, where you’ll turn left then right at the sign for the Porthgwarra Cafe.
Continue down the road for another 500m before turning left at the sign that points through a gap in the wall (exact spot is here).
The trail goes through more fields and when we visited the crops had grown over the path. You should be able to pick your way through, heading towards St Levans Church.
On reaching the church, go through the church grounds and into the final field that leads to some houses.
Once you’ve reached the houses, follow the road back down to the National Trust Car Park at Porthcurno.
Parking for the Porthcurno to Nanjizal Circular Walk
We chose to start the trail at the Porthcurno Car Park. It isn’t cheap and in the middle of the day in the summer you will struggle to get a space, so we recommend starting the trail early or visiting in the afternoon. At the time of writing, parking is £2.80 for 2 hours, £5.50 for 2-4 hours and £7.50 for all day parking.
You can pay for the parking using RingGo, so you could pay for 2-4 hours and then add more on the app if you feel you won’t make it back in time.
The car park is 9 miles (21 minutes) from Penzance.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the area, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
With breathtaking beaches, dramatic headlands, sheltered swimming opportunities and one of the most stunning sea caves in the country, the Porthcurno to Nanjizal circular walk really does have it all. We’re sharing directions, trail conditions and the required tide to visit on if you want to swim at the tidal pool.