Section 7. Portwrinkle to Plymouth and the end of Cornwall! -  Cornwall Coast Path

Distance 13 miles to Plymouth Stonehouse - 15 miles to Plymouth Hoe

Grade - 13 miles moderate walking - 2 miles easy grade in Plymouth to the Hoe -  What these grades mean.

This day really is one of variety - woodland and cliffs taking you around impressive Rame Head, passing its forts and into the pretty bay at Kingsand and Cawsand and a last encounter with the tiny streets and lanes of a Cornish coastal village.

Keeping up high above Whitsand Bay this morning the route gives outstanding views and takes you past the massive Tregantle Fort, an imposing structure built in the 1860's to protect Plymouth from the sea.

Near the hamlet of Freathy you can drop to the beach for a break at Sharrow Grotto, a cave hewn out of the cliff face by Lieutenant Lugger who was an ex Naval Purser over 200 years ago, and created as a cure for his gout... which apparently worked!

The next landmark is the breath taking headland of Rame Head - if you have been walking from Falmouth you will have first sighted this many days ago. Steps lead up to a rocky hillock which formed part of the Iron Age fort that was situated here. Right on the edge is a lonely chapel built over 600 years ago and still commanding itself over the scenery.

After dropping through some coastal Woodland you find yourself at the twin villages of Kingsand and Cawsand, which are handy for lunch stops, with several pubs and cafes by the beach. These pretty villages have changed hands between Devon and Cornwall several times throughout history and both were notorious for smuggling.

Finally, after passing through the rather unsettling Dark Trees woodlands, you now enter wonderful country estate at Mount Edgcumbe. This huge country estate brings a final set of surprises for the weary walker. The path joins a cliffside carriage way (Earls Drive) on an unforgettable romp through the estate's ornate gardens, follies, ruins and fountains, guiding you into Plymouth Sound and the very western end of Cornwall separated only by a short ferry ride from the maritime city of Plymouth.

Stop and watch for the arrival of the Cremyll Ferry and your river crossing link to Devon - its pretty reliable as it's run for over 1000 years !

For those staying overnight you will usually be based on the waterfront at Plymouth Hoe and the last 2 miles from the ferry once you have landed in Devon follow the excellent Plymouth Waterfront Walkway packed with maritime history, sculpture and intrigue as it leads you through these well trodden streets to the Hoe

Overnight stops in Plymouth at the end of your South West Coast Path walking holiday