Walk
165 Port Issac to Tintagel (Cornwall)
(Third
leg of English coastal walk – Lands End to Bristol)
Map:
L/R 200
Distance:
11 miles or 18km
Difficulty:
Another demanding and challenging days walking, allow plenty of time.
Terrain:
coastal path
Access:
Parking at both ends.
Public
transport: Difficult and time consuming as buses involve one or two
changes (if travelling between the two places). Good bus links with
surrounding areas from Tintagel.
The
start is at the centre of Port Issac. Although this picturesque old
fishing village has become a bit of a Doc Martin 'theme park'
(attracting many visitors to see the filming locations) there is
still plenty to enjoy in its own right. The muddled, attractive and
often very narrow streets are worth spending a little while
exploring. One was once known as Squeezee-ee-Belly Alley and was in the Guinness Book of Records as the narrowest public thoroughfare
in the world. Look out for the 'Outlaws' building with its white
boarded frontage – this is listed and one of the oldest in the
village. Port Issac means 'corn port' indicating a trade in this
cereal from the surrounding district. The village centre dates from
the 18th/19th centuries when it was tied to
local fishing and trade.
The
harbour at Port Issac has a pier constructed in Tudor times in
addition to a more recently added sea wall. Look out for the lifeboat
station near the main tourist walk. The 24 hour-a-day life boat
service was originally established in 1869 and, as recently as 2011,
received gallantry medals for a very daring rescue.
A
short walk to the east out of Port Issac is Port Gaverne. Near this point, in the
19th century, women handled slate, passing it from hand to
hand into the holds of sailing ships. Coal was also imported here.
The
next part of the walk involves strenuous climbs all the way to
Trebarwith Strand and beyond to Tintagel. This is a very remote walk
but at least you should be able to get refreshments at Trebarwith
Strand. The rugged coast at Trebarwith looks out to Gull Rock. The
road down to the sea was originally built by farmers so they could
collect sand to put on their fields.
Continue
the walk around Penhallic Point and on to Tintagel. The path passes
over old slate mines before reaching Tintagel Head. If you have
enough energy left, it is worth crossing the bridge to The Island and
the remains of Tintagel Castle. The castle was built by Reginald,
Earl of Cornwall the illegitimate son of Henry 1 in the 1230s and
then owned by the Black Prince, the first duke of Cornwall, who used
it as a prison. Over the years it decayed and became derelict. Of
course, its international fame revolves around the legend that The
Island was the birthplace of King Arthur. There are traces of a fifth
century monastery nearby.
Photos show: Port Issac, the old Tudor Pier and The Sea wall; Trebarwith Strand; The Island and bridge to castle, Tintagel.
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