Distance: Around 8 miles
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Time: 3-4 hours
A stunning dog-friendly walk with a mix of coastal views and rural countryside. This circular walk goes between two of Cornwall’s quieter beaches, making it an excellent option all year round. Scenic sea views, freedom to explore for your dog and dog friendly places to stop for a bite to eat and a drink.
We’ve done this walk many times with our dogs and highly recommend it. Perranuthnoe beach is restricted for dogs during the months of July and August, but Prussia Cove is dog friendly all year round.
Route:
Start at Perranuthnoe Beach, a quiet cove with soft sand and clear waters. There is a small car park very close to the beach which costs just £2 for all day parking and has free public toilets. There is also a small free car park at Prussia cove in case you want to do the walk in reverse.
After you’ve had time to enjoy the beach, and let your dog get thoroughly drenched in the water, head back towards the car park and head east along the south-west coast path. After a gentle climb, the route is relatively flat and even for a while, and once your out onto the headland you’ll be able to look back and spot St. Michael’s Mount.
The path does get a bit steep and there are a few boulders to clamber over at points as you approach Cudden Point. This prominent headland is owned by the National Trust and on a clear day provides stunning panoramic views across Mount’s bay and over to the Lizard Peninsular.
As you come down from Cudden Point, the footpath winds in and out of a series of small coves. First Piskies Cove, a prominent smuggling spot, followed by Prussia/Bessy’s Cove and then King’s Cove just around the corner.
This spot is a hidden gem, hard to access, with a fair amount of clambering over rocks which makes it wonderfully peaceful. The area is perfect for a bit of exploration with your dog. There are hidden rock pools, dramatic cliff views, and secluded spots where you can enjoy a peaceful picnic or even a swim. It’s also worth noting that if the tide is in, then there will be very little in the way of sand.
If you choose, you can continue on from this point along the coast path, it’s another mile or so to reach Praa Sands, past the inaccessible Kenneggy Cove. In Praa sands you can catch a drink at the Welloe, a fantastic dog friendly beach cafe/bar, and there are buses which run from Praa sands back to Perranuthnoe, although make sure you check the timetable if you are planning to do this.
If you want to continue on with the round route, take the path inland towards the free car park – this route comes of half way between Piskey Cove and Prussia Cove. Follow the road out of Prussia Cove until you reach a public footpath sign next to a wooden gate which directs you across a field to Acton Castle, now converted into holiday apartments.
From there you can follow the road for half a mile until you come to a turning on your left which leads to a campsite. Take the turning, and you should see a public footpath sign in front of you. Follow the path across the fields and enjoy the wide open views across the countryside to the sea. The footpath comes to an end and you cross over a road onto another footpath which will take you through some more fields until you find yourself back in Perranuthnoe.
The path ends near the Victoria Inn, a well-loved pub which allows dogs into the bar area and garden, or you can walk down to the sea again and stop for a bite to eat at The Cabin, a lovely, dog friendly café.
We hope you enjoy this fantastic dog-friendly walk, which is just a 10-minute drive from The Woodland Collection.
