Boswednack to St Ives via ZennorSouth West Coast Path · 8.35 miles · Hard

Rocky Paths, Wild Detours and a Cream Tea

After parking at Trenwith Car Park in St Ives and considering a small bank loan to cover the charges, I caught the 16A bus to Boswednack, ready for a day on the South West Coast Path.

Setting off at 10.15am, I followed an easy, gentle footpath towards the coast. It was a comfortable introduction to a walk that would soon become considerably more demanding. Clearly, the first stretch was there to lull me into a false sense of security.

With autumn sunshine overhead and a brisk, cold wind keeping me moving, I made my way towards Zennor. The views were spectacular: rugged cliffs, beautiful bays and secluded coves, with something worth stopping to admire around almost every corner. After a short break for water and a snack, I continued along the coast path.

The scenery was magnificent, but the terrain demanded attention. Endless rocks and stones needed careful negotiation, making this very much a walk where you stopped to admire the view rather than trying to enjoy it while watching your footing.

At Tregerthen Cliff, I found a spot among the rocks for lunch. Waves crashed below, sunlight glittered across the blue sea, and a robin perched on a rock to my right. It was one of those moments that makes all the effort worthwhile—a simple lunch with a spectacular view and excellent company.

Twenty minutes later, it was time to get moving again. Ahead lay rocks, rocks and, just for variety, more rocks. Between them were occasional slippery, muddy stretches to keep things interesting. It was hard on the knees and made a relatively short hike feel considerably longer than the mileage suggested.

A couple of brief water stops helped break up the journey towards St Ives, which eventually came into view. However, the day still had one unexpected adventure in store.

Just before Clodgy Point, I followed what appeared to be a path. As I carried on, it became narrower, the undergrowth grew taller, and the signs that I might have gone wrong became increasingly difficult to ignore.

Soon, brambles, gorse, nettles and low branches were all competing for my attention. I had a choice: turn back or keep going. I kept going. Probably not my finest navigational decision.

Before long, the vegetation was above my head, and I had to remove my rucksack to crawl beneath it. What had begun as a coastal hike had briefly turned into an audition for a jungle survival programme.

After around fifteen minutes, I emerged back onto the coast path, a little bedraggled but thankfully in one piece. With hindsight, turning back when the path first became doubtful would have been the better decision.

Back in St Ives, I rewarded my efforts with a well-earned cream tea at Porthmeor Beach Café. After thirty minutes of rest and refreshment, I enjoyed the final stretch through the town’s beautiful narrow streets, arriving back at the car at 3.30pm.

A spectacular coastal walk, full of autumn sunshine, wonderful sea views and a memorable lunchtime visitor. At 8.35 miles, it might look modest on paper, but the rocky terrain certainly made me work for it.