Port Quin to Port Isaac

1. From the car park turn left towards the sea. Alongside the first Port Quin House on the right there is a sign to the coast path - head in this direction

Port Quin is a tiny cluster of fisherman's cottages around a sheltered inlet. In the early 19th century the village had upwards of 20 houses, but was then suddenly deserted. The local legend is that one night a violent gale sank the entire fishing fleet leaving 32 women widowed. The harbour was used for filming the Poldark series.

2. Go up the steps and through a kissing gate
3. Head up the hill, there are spectacular views on the way up and a bench when you reach the top
4. Follow the coast path around the headland then up onto Kellan Head; there is another bench at the top
In late Spring and Summer listen out for the characteristic song of skylarks hovvering high above the coast path. The coastal heath is a particularly good habitat for them, being mild but with fairy short vegetation in which they can hunt for insects.
5. Follow the path as it undulates across the small headland and bays. Where it drops down close to the water near some large rocks on the right there is a grassy area which is a nice picnic spot.

Grey Seals are one of the rarest seal species in the world and the biggest land breeding mammal in the UK. Roughly half of the world population of grey seals is found in Britain, a large proportion of which are found in Cornwall. They are big animals with the larger males often over 10ft long; the females are somewhat smaller at around 6ft and usually lighter colours than the males. The latin name for the grey seal translates to the somewhat unflattering "hooked-nosed sea pig" and the alternative common name of horsehead seal isn't much better. In fact seals are most closely related to dogs, bears and otters. Seal pups have been seen in every month of the year but the majority are born in the Autumn and early Winter. Common seals are also found along the Cornish coast.

6. Continue along the path and head up a steep set up steps onto the big headland. There is a bench at the top.
7. Follow the path along the fence and around to the right until you reach a kissing gate on Varley headland
There is a geocache here by Mad Max the vicker of Mawgan
8. Cross the headland to the gate on the other side

Just before the gate on the other side a path runs out onto Varley Head over a stile. This is a nice spot for a picnic on a sunny day.

9. Go through the gate and follow the path when then descends a step series of steps
10. Cross the bridge, head up the steps through the gate and follow the path around the headland
11. The path descends into Port Isaac passing a final bench before a series of steps

Port Isaac is a pretty fishing village with narrow winding alleys running down the steep hillside to the harbour. Particularly noteworthy is the number of 18th and 19th century white-washed cottages and granite, slate-fronted houses, many officially listed as of architectural or historic importance.

Port Isaac was a busy coastal port from the Middle Ages to the mid 19th century where cargoes like slate, coal and timber were shipped in and out. The economy was also heavily based around the pilchard trade and the sheds where the women cleaned and salted the pilchards now house the fish merchant and tiny aquarium. The stone pier was built in about 1300, and the rest of the harbour in the 19th century. In the church here for the harvest festival celebration, fish, nets, oars and lobster pots took the place of the more conventional flowers and fruit. It's still an active fishing port with locally landed fish available for sale at the fish merchants.

12. The path at the bottom of the steps emerges onto a lane
13. Turn left into Port Isaac noting that opposite the railings on the right is a signpost on the left marking the inland route to Port Quin. Take note of this as this is your return route.
From Tudor times until the early 20th Century, Cornwall's pilchard fisheries were of national importance, with the bulk of the catch being exported to Italy (Cornish pilchards were a staple ingredient of spaghetti alla puttanesca). The pilchards were salted and then pressed to extract the oil (which was a valuable by-product) then packed with more salt into hogshead barrels. Huers (cliff top lookouts) helped locate shoals of fish. The huer would shout 'Hewa!, Hewa!' to alert the boats to the location of the pilchard shoals. Cornish tradition states that Hewa cake was baked by the huers on their return to their homes, the cake being ready by the time the crews returned to land.
14. After exploring Port Isaac make your way back to the signpost and follow the path uphill beneath the trees
Stargazy pie is a pastry-based fish pie which, by tradition, is filled with whole pilchards. The pilchards are stuffed with a mixture of bacon, parsley, onions, cider and breadcrumbs. Boiled eggs and bacon are used to cover the pilchards, which are cooked with their heads sticking out of the pastry (hence the name). This allows the oils released during cooking to flow back into the pie keeping the pie moist.
15. Cross a stile and continue uphill until you cross a stone stile into a field
16. Head diagonally up the field passing the post in the middle towards a gateway in the far corner
17. Don't go though the gateway, instead follow the footpath waymark to the right side of it
18. Follow the path down into the woods, across a bridge and up the other side
19. Cross a stone stile into a field. Follow the right-hand hedge to the corner of the field. NB. DON'T go through the gap in the hedge into the next field.
20. Stay in the field and turn left, following the right hand hedge inland.
21. As a farm comes into sight you'll reach a track going through a gate to the right. Take the track to the right through the gateway.
22. Follow the track through a couple of fields through gateways until you reach a final gate next to a stone stile
23. Cross the stile and continue in the same direction, downhill slightly

If you are crossing fields with cows in:

• Do not show any threatening behaviour towards calves (approaching them closely, making loud noises or walking between a calf and its mother) as you may provoke the mother to defend her young. Generally the best plan is to walk along the hedges.
• If cows approach you, do not run away as this will encourage them to chase you. Stand your ground and stretch out your arms to increase your size.
• Avoid taking dogs in fields with cows, particularly with calves. If you must, release the dog if cows charge as the dog will outrun the cows and the cows will generally chase the dog rather than you.
24. Keep right where the path forks
25. Go through the gate onto the lane, turning right to reach the car park at Port Quin

Map of Route

• Display full-size map in a new tab
• Download route as GPX file
• Download route as Google KML file

Other walks nearby

• Walks in the port isaac area
• Walks in the port quin area

Related walks you might be interested in

• Circular walks
• Coastal walks
• Heritage walks
• Pub walks
• Wildlife walks