Walking and rambling in Portreath

Portreath walking opportunities are vast, from coastal hikes to inland woodland walks, there’s something to suit every level. Surrounding Portreath are spectacular cliffs, and thanks to its coastal location naturally the south-west coast path dominates the walking scene here. The coast path wiggles along the line of the cliffs, it’s easy to access but can be strenuous in parts.

A fine walking country await those who want to don their hiking boots and get moving; there are various running routes, too, for the even more energetic. While the coast path is dog friendly, bear in mind that many beaches in Cornwall operate a seasonal dog ban. To see our guide to dog-friendly beaches, click here.

The beautiful golden sandy beach at Porthtowan Cornwall England UK Europe ©Ian Woolcock Shutterstock

Portreath to Porthtowan

The next large and accessible beach to Portreath is Porthtowan, making it a natural choice for a Portreath walk. The Porthtowan to Portreath walk, or vice versa, is a popular route which is 3.5 miles. You’ll tackle the coast path which means there’ll be plenty of ups and downs, however it’s a moderate challenge, and the views are certainly worth it. It tends to take around 1.5 hours to complete, if you’ve a little left in the tank you could extend this walk onto Chapel Porth Beach.

Bissoe Trail to Portreath

The Bissoe Trail to Portreath, is one of Cornwall’s most popular routes for cyclists, walkers and joggers alike. You can start the route in Portreath (on the north coast) and end it in Devoran (on the south coast), or vice versa. Follow the line of two historic transport routes; the early horse-worked Portreath tramroad and the Redruth and Chasewater Railway. Predominantly traffic-free, there are gravel tracks (there is the occasional roadside path and road terrain) on this gentle, but lengthy, trail. The route is challenging more for its length (22-mile round trip) than its degree of difficulty, but there are various points along the route that you can pick it up.

Portreath to Godrevy

Enjoy the 6.6 mile walk along the breathtakingly beautiful north coast, from Portreath along the North Cliffs through to Godrevy, owned and managed by the National Trust. Discover the hidden coves along the path, from sheer drops, such as Hudder Cove and Hell’s Mouth, to beautiful sandy coves, such as Fishing Cove. This is a breathtaking walk, but it can be challenging, so don’t dress for it and take supplies!

Tehidy Country Park

Tehidy Park is the largest area of woodland in west Cornwall, it’s undoubtedly a great place to visit near Portreath. There are five main access points, but if you’re driving the closest option from Portreath is to park in the North Cliff car park (free to park).  Tehidy has over 9 miles of paths and 250 acres of peaceful woods and lakes to explore, together with a Visitor Centre, café and a picnic area. Dogs are welcome here, and there’s a Tehidy Trail cycle route.

You can walk to Tehidy Country Park from Portreath to clock up some extra steps. It’s just over two miles and you’ll follow the coast path from Portreath to Basset’s Cove and head inland to the North Cliffs entrance. As dogs are welcome on both the coast path and Tehidy Country Park, this makes for a great walk with your pooch.

Portreath to Perranporth

If you’re an avid walker and fancy a challenge, you could follow the coast path to pretty Perranporth, it’s 12 miles one way so it’s worth bearing in mind your returning mode of transport. It takes around five hours to complete, but the bulk of the walk is pretty easy walking by the gorgeous heather covered cliff tops. The last section hugs the steeply sloping cliff face from Cligga Head around to Perranporth, why not reward yourself with a drink at The Watering Hole on Perranporth beach. This coastal walk is rich in its scenery from the remains of old engine houses to stunning panoramas of the ocean.