High Cliff and The Strangles

Accurate if unimaginative
Accurate if unimaginative
Overlooking The Strangles
Overlooking The Strangles
The Strangles at low tide
The Strangles at low tide
Wildflowers on the cliffs
Wildflowers on the cliffs
  • Distance:2.8 miles
  • Walk grade:Moderate-Strenuous
  • Start from:Strangles car park
  • Recommended footwear:Walking boots

Highlights

  • Rugged coastline at Rusey Cliff
  • High Cliff - the highest sheer cliff in Cornwall at 223m
  • Folded rock formations of Voter Run
  • Views over The Strangles

Directions

  1. Head along the lane from the Strangles car park south towards Boscastle.
  2. When you reach Newton Farm take the lane opposite on the right towards the coast.
  3. The track bends round to the left. As it straightens out a footpath runs to the right just before the farmyard on the left.
  4. Take this footpath towards the cliffs.
  5. At the cliff the footpath comes onto the coast path. Turn right on the coast path.
    6. There are more than 20 breeding pairs of peregrine falcons along the coast from Bude to Padstow. The peregrine can reach over 322 km/h (200 mph) during its hunting stoop (high speed dive) making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. In 2005 one was measured at a top speed of 389 km/h (242 mph). The air pressure at this speed could damage a bird's lungs, but small bony tubercles on a falcon's nostrils guide the powerful airflow away, enabling the bird to breathe more easily while diving.
  6. Follow the coast path as it winds over the headland and behind High Cliff and the knife edge peninsula of Voter Run.
  7. Continue along the coast path until it crosses the path to The Strangles.
  8. From here you if the tide is out you may want to stroll down to the beach.

    9. The Strangles gets its name due to the treacherous currents and jagged rocks that have wrecked many ships trying to navigate the rocky coastline of North Cornwall. This is not a safe beach for swimming unless the sea is completely calm without much surf. There is spectacular scenery both on the walk down and from the beach itself including a rock arch and the cliffs are covered with flowers from gorse and heather in early Autumn. On the path down and from the beach you may well see two peregrine falcons that nest on the cliffs near here. On windy days they often hang in the wind by the cliff edges.

  9. Finally head back up the path from the Strangles which comes opposite the car park at the start of the walk.