A walk from Porthcurnick to Porth beach via Portscatho


View of the Cornish coast during a walk to Porth beach.

This walk from Porthcurnick beach to Porth beach via Portscatho is an easy 4 mile linear walk, there and back with glorious views of the coast all the way.

I must admit to being averse to covering the same ground on a walk, much preferring to do a circular path, organise a car drop or use public transport to avoid it but on the coast path the views differ so much when you turn around that it is just as enjoyable.

The walk begins at the car park above Porthcurnick beach and heads westward, keeping the sea on your left. Portscatho soon appears, a pretty fishing port, with small harbour, quaint cottages and eateries if you wish to stop on the way back.

At the village, you turn left, past the harbour. As you walk on the coast path turns to the right at the end of the road. Here you will find a cottage with the most beautiful garden on the cliff edge. In June it was covered in pink roses but I have walked past at different times of year and it always looks splendid.

The path follows the coast on mostly level  terrain with spectacular views. In the spring and early summer it is covered with wildflowers. When you reach the NT Towan beach, there is a little path on the right with a Thirstea sign on it. A short walk takes you to Porth Farm where you will find The Thirstea Co’s funky van with a section of drinks, cakes and light bites. They are open in the summer 11-5pm every day except Fridays. Well worth a detour!

At the end of the return trip there is the opportunity of a meal, drink or ice cream at the now famous Hidden Hut above Porthcurnick beach where all food is locally sourced and freshly cooked on outdoor grills. You can sit and eat on giant wooden tables adorned with pretty wildflowers with views of the beach below. They are open all week in the summer during the daytime and hold their famous Feast nights which are bookable online – if you are lucky! They sell out in two minutes as a rule so you have to be quick.

This is a lovely easy walk and takes about two hours. There is parking in the first good sized car park on the left hand side of the road into Portscatho, then a short walk down to join the coastal path and turn right. Porthcurnick beach and the Hidden Hut are a few hundred yards to the left off the coast path, so to reach them on the return leg, just keep going a little further on from where you joined the path from the car park.

Enjoy a break in Cornwall

If you would like to enjoy a  break in Cornwall, we’ve got a range of cottages which sleep 4-12 people – find out more and check availability.

Have you discovered any Cornish walks that you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you on our Facebook page, or tweet @ActionNan

Share this post:

Red cow with a red heart clipart

Here are some more posts you may like


Action Nan and the rest of the team are always busy writing posts that we think you’ll like – from top tips on where to take the kids, to what’s likely to be going on in the local area when you stay – we’ve got it all in our blog!