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Crackington Haven Circular Walk

2.30 miles (3.7 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This circular walk explores the area around the village of Crackington Haven on the Cornish coast.
The area is popular with walkers with interesting rock formations, a beach and fine views from the cliff tops.
The walk starts from the Crackington Haven car park next to the beach. Here you can pick up the South West Coast Path and follow it north past the waterfall to Castle Point. The route then heads indland to visit the little hamlet of St Gennys. There's a noteworthy old church here which dates from the Norman period.
The walk then returns to the coast and follows the cliffs back to the car park.
If you continue north along the coast path it will take you to Bude where you can enjoy a lovely waterside walk along the Bude Canal or visit the wildlife rich Bude Marshes.

Postcode

EX23 0JG - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Crackington Haven OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Crackington Haven Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Pubs/Cafes

The Cabin Cafe is located near to the car park and beach. There's a good menu here with particularly delicious cakes. The cafe has large windows with a fabulous view of the sea. They are also dog friendly.
There's also the Coombe Barton Inn where there's a nice outdoor seating area overlooking the sea front.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

Head south along the coast path and it will take you to Boscastle where you can pick up the Boscastle to Tintagel Walk. This will take you to the wonderful coastal castle at Tintagel. The Boscastle to Crackington Haven Walk will take you to the village, notably passing High Cliff, the highest point on the Cornish coast.

Photos

Crackington Haven, looking inland - geograph.org.uk - 1466119

Crackington Haven, looking inland. Looking up into the valley of the unnamed river (at 1:25,000 scale, at least) which flows into the sea here. The Coombe Barton Inn is the prominent building.

Crackington Haven, lifeguards' flags - geograph.org.uk - 1466135

Lifeguard flags. The flags denote the points between which it has been deemed safe to bathe. They may be changed to plain red flags to denote that it is not safe, and a couple of other designs with more specific meanings.

Crackington Haven, rocky shore - geograph.org.uk - 1466114

Rocky shore. The rocky south side of the bay at Crackington, creating many small rock-pools when the tide is out as it is now.

Crackington Haven, the river reaches the beach - geograph.org.uk - 1466129

The river reaches the beach. The river comes to an apparent abrupt end as it forms a pool at the top of the beach; the water then splays down the beach to meander to the sea.

Crackington Haven, lawn and beach - geograph.org.uk - 1466138

Lawn and beach. Looking across a private lawn, with the beach and the coastline to Bray's Point (far left) beyond. Cambeak is the farmost headland.

Heather and Gorse on the Northern Slope of Cleave Valley - geograph.org.uk - 1494602

Heather and Gorse on the Northern Slope of Cleave Valley. The gorse here is not the common stuff but low growing Western Gorse which, like heather, flowers in August/September.

The Northern Side of Cleave Valley - geograph.org.uk - 1494550

Cleave Valley. The coast path ascends the valley side on a steep diagonal.

St Gennys Church - geograph.org.uk - 380694

St Gennys Church

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Crackington Haven.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)