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A Walking Weekend in Fabulous Fowey
The British coastline is not just about splashing in the waves, building rock towers and sand sculptures, eating fish and chips in the rain and crabbing. There is some spectacular walking to be experienced, and Fowey is the perfect place to base yourself for some easy South-West coast hiking with kids. [caption id="attachment_7184" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Britain’s South West Coast Path stretches from Minehead in Somerset to Poole harbour in Dorset, covering 630 miles.
MEDIUM Approx 4 miles, allow for 2h – 2h30min including the boat trips
Fowey Estuary Circular Walk (Fowey ‘Hall’ walk)
This 4-mile walk includes two ferry trips at the beginning and end. Who doesn’t love a walk which includes a boat trip? This walk is also the best way to see Fowey harbour, from above with Fowey itself mirrored by Polruan. Much of the footpath goes through National Trust land and it’s very well cared for. We were lucky to be there in early May when the bluebells were still in flower, so the woods looked and smelled amazing.


MEDIUM Approx 4 miles (just over 2 miles each way); suggested time 1h each way
Fowey to Gribbin Head, and back to Fowey
From Readymoney Cove at the edge of Fowey, the coast path rises up above St Catherine’s Castle before striking out towards Gribbin Head, a promontory with a very visible beacon, Gribbin Daymark, painted in bright red and white stripes. The walk skirts the coastline, taking you through woods and over fields. It drops down into Menabilly Beach before climbing to the striking beacon at the top of Gribbin Head. We suggest walking up to the tower first and enjoying the views before coming back down to relax and play on the beach.OPTIONS
It’s possible to make the walk between Gribbin Head and Fowey a 4-mile circular walk. Both the South West Coast Path website and the National Trust website have detailed instructions and maps and follow. There’s a car park above Menabilly giving access to the beach at the Gribbin Daymark without having to complete the full walk from Fowey.LONG (6.6miles, allow up to 5 hours to complete)
Fowey to Polkerris circular walk
For more of a challenge (due only to distance rather than terrain) try the Fowey – Polkerris – Fowey circular walk. This walk takes in the ancient Saints Way as well as the South West Coast Path. We chose to walk to Polkerris on the Saints Way, the shorter stretch of the walk, and then take our time coming back along the coast in the afternoon, allowing the boys to play at the beaches if they wanted to. Climbing out of Fowey above Readymoney Cove the well-marked path takes a right along Love Lane. In early May these woods were flush with wild garlic giving out their very heady scent. [gallery link="none" orderby="rand" ids="7131,7185,7133,7136,7138,7188"] The Saints Way between Fowey and Polkerris travels through a variety of landscape, from woods, to fields, through villages and working farms. There are some, but not many, stretches of the path on the road. We reached Polkerris after about an hour and a half.Play a game to pass the time We played a variation on the memory game, ‘I went shopping and I bought…’ to pass the time. We added the challenge of choosing each new item in alphabetical order, and let the boys choose the setting. The soundtrack to our morning’s walk was therefore ‘I went on a walk in the woods with Bear Grylls and I brought…’ We brought everything from an amphibian to a pirate, our dog (Oakley) and a catapult. Making it alphabetical made it a little more difficult to think of items, but it did make it easier to remember them!We could have packed a picnic but we knew that The Rashleigh Inn, in Polkerris harbour, serves great food. Once in Polkerris the kids explored the beach while we ordered some food and drink. We then refuelled with crab sandwiches, whitebait and nachos. There’s also Sams on the Beach (a branch of the popular and successful Sams restaurant in Fowey) as well as a beach shop and tea room. [gallery link="none" ids="7140,7142,7144"]
TOP TIPS
- Anyone who spends anytime in the outdoors knows that layers are key. We were walking on a day where the temperatures were in their mid-to-high teens. The boys wore shorts and t-shirts with light fleeces on top. We were confident that it wasn’t going to rain so we didn’t carry our waterproofs (but most days I’d usually suggest having a waterproof for added wind protection as well as protection against the rain).
- They both wore walking boots with walking socks which they find extremely comfortable. The coast path was almost entirely dry when we were there, but the inland route had some soggier sections. Due to the nature of the hills (rocky, steep and uneven steps) I’d suggest walking boots or walking shoes rather than trainers, giving feet and ankles a little extra support.
- Bring plenty of water and little snacks. We knew that we’d be having a decent lunch, but packed a couple of cereal bars anyway, just in case. As reward or incentive we usually have a pack of chewy sweets which we ration out at key moments.
- For the Fowey estuary walk bring cash for the ferries.
- Consider packing light items for the beach, such as a towel. If the weather had been warmer it would have been hard to convince the boys not to spend time in the water.
3 years ago
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