Millook Haven to Dizzard

1. From Millook Haven head up the road towards Crackington (to the left if you are facing the beach)
Millook Haven is a pebble beach for most of the tide though there is some sand at the very lowest part of the tide. The cliffs behind the beach have impressive zig-zag folding patterns formed 320 million years ago. The rocks are part of the "Crackington Formation", thin layers of sandstones and shales, deformed by the tectonic plate collision at the end of the Carboniferous period that crumpled the earth's crust giving rise to the tors of Bodmin Moor.
2. Just past double white doors on left, turn left through a gate onto a track leading up the valley
3. Follow it around a bend to the right beneath some trees, passing a house on the left and where the road bends to the left, take the footbridge over the stream and follow the path through the trees along the stream
4. Follow the path through the woods until it emerges in a field with a ladder stile
5. Cross the field, heading to the left of the house in front of you to another ladder stile
6. Turn right on the track, signposted to Dizzard
The undisturbed history of Millook Valley woods (now owned by the Woodland Trust) and location in a sparsely populated area of the north Cornish coast offers visitors a sense of stepping back in time. The broad-leaved woodland is criss-crossed by footpaths with some great views over the valley. There are bluebells in Spring and loads of blackberries and sloes in Autumn. Other interesting occupants include dormice, otters and smooth snakes. It is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, an Ancient Woodland Site and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
7. Take the path to the left of the house, then turn right past the house through a kissing gate to a footbridge into Landy Wood
8. Turn left up the steps and follow the path to the left

Some estimates suggest the UK has up to half of the world's total bluebell population; nowhere else in the world do they grow in such abundance. The poor bluebell faces a number of threats:

• There has been large-scale unsustainable removal of bulbs for sale, though it is a now criminal offence to remove the bulbs of wild bluebells.
• There is extensive hybridisation with Spanish bluebells from gardens producing fertile seeds. This has produced hybrid swarms around sites of introductions and, since the hybrids are able to thrive in a wider range of environmental conditions, the hybrids are frequently out-competing the native English bluebells. Sir Francis Drake would not be impressed!
• Bluebells will also struggle in the face of climate change. During periods of cold weather, spring flowers such as bluebells have already started the process of growth by preparing leaves and flowers in underground bulbs in summer and autumn. They are then able to grow in the cold of winter or early spring by using these resources stored in their bulb. Other species (such as cow parsley or dandelions) require warm weather before they are able to germinate and grow. With the warmer springs induced by climate change, bluebells will lose their 'early start' advantage, and be outcompeted.
9. Keep the stream on your left and follow the path through the woods, watching out for low branches
10. Follow the path when it bears to the right and then bending left to cross a small stream
11. Follow the path uphill until it reaches a gate. Go through the gate onto a track
12. Turn onto the track follow the track through a gate and out onto another farm lane, towards the farm buildings.
13. At the end of the track turn right on the lane and follow it to Dizzard Farm turning left onto the farm track at the public footpath and farm shop sign
14. Once past the farm shop take the footpath through the gate in front of you, which brings you and out into a field
15. Follow the right-hand hedge to a stile and down to a footbridge
16. Follow the path up the other side of the valley into a field
17. Follow the right hedge to a track
18. Cross the track to a "to the coastpath" sign, just left once over the stile. Go over the stile into a field
19. Follow the left hedge to a little path which joins the coast path
20. Turn right onto the coast path and follow the path along the left side of a number of fields above the wooded cliffs on your left

The woods on the cliffs of Dizzard are more than 6,000 years old. The trees include sessile oak and wild service trees stunted by the salty winds. Wild service berries from which were used to make a strong alcoholic liqueur. The berries are known in some areas as "chequers" and this is thought to be the origin of a number of pubs with this name.

21. The path descends into some woods on the left. Follow the path through the woods over a stream and back up the other side of the valley
22. Stay on the coast path which runs alongside the house and garden and then along the top of the cliff
23. Eventually it bends back inland onto the lane
24. Turn left and follow the lane downhill to the beach

Honeycomb worm reefs are fascinating structures built out of sand on the lower shore. The large golden hummocks have an intricate honeycomb structure up to several metres across and a metre deep. Filter-feeding worms about 3-4cm long live in tubes fanning out plankton from the passing water and capturing particules of shell and rock to build their tubes. Each worm can live for 3-5 years although the reefs as a whole habitat last much longer. Although quite brittle, the reefs provide stability for a mix of other species including anemones, barnacles, limpets, winkles, whelks, mussels and crabs.

They need hard rock to build on, and sand to build with so their requirements are very specific - there must be enough wave action to bring a supply of sand to the rocky areas but not so much that the worms are blasted off the rocks. The formation of reefs is assisted by a clever biological mechanism. Honeycomb worm larvae drift around in seawater and could settle anywhere to grow into adults. However, the presence of existing worm colonies, or their dead remains, strongly stimulates any passing larvae to settle out at that location, helping to ensure that the reef continues to grow.

Map of Route

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Other walks nearby

• Walks in the bude area
• Walks in the crackington haven area
• Walks in the millook haven area

Related walks you might be interested in

• Walks with a beach
• Circular walks
• Coastal walks
• Wildlife walks