Circular Day Hiking St Ives to River Cove in Cornwall

June 2, 2010

Circular Day Hiking St Ives To River Cove In Cornwall

Circular Day Hiking St Ives To River Cove In Cornwall was the fourth day hiking trip myself and my partner Anne undertook on a Holiday Fellowship (HF) Holidays St Ives Cornwall hiking holiday in England in May 2010. The route was circular from St. Ives to River Cove along the coastal path and back via farmland with a distance of 7.5 miles and 950 feet of ascent. This day was actually a day off organised hiking with HF Holidays but we chose to do this medium hike as our form of rest from the harder hikes we had been doing.

If you cannot see video, click link to watch on YouTube –> St Ives & River Cove Day Walk

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Route Description

We began the Circular Day Hiking St Ives To River Cove In Cornwall from our holiday accommodation “Chy Morvah” meaning “house by the sea”, and after a little exploration of St. Ives hiked past Porthmeor surfing beach, travelling west along the coastal path leading to Clodgy Point. We continued along the coastal path over rocky headlands, past Hor, Pen Enys, Carn Naun Points until we reached River Cove. We then listened to the waterfall just a few feet away as we ate our lunch. The bridge across the river was being reconstructed after it had recently been washed away.

After lunch we turned inland to Trevail Mill, at which point we turned east, crossing fields and stiles, passing several farmhouses, including Trevalgan, on the way back to St Ives. This day hiking illustrates how different the e rough coastal path to the west of St Ives is compared to the farmland just a short distance away from the coast. Part of the route was along the Tinners Way. A feature of the day hike was the variety of Cornish granite stiles. The paths varied from good to stony with occasional patches of mud.

St. Ives To River Cove Day Hiking Local Information

Pothmeor Beach

Porthmeor Beach is located on the northern coast of St Ives and is generally considered to provide the finest conditions for surfing in St Ives. There is a complete lifeguard facility in St Ives throughout the summer period and dogs are prohibited from the Easter period until the 1st of October, which makes it great for families and groups also. The Tate Gallery nearby, makes the area popular amongst artists. Apart from the ever varying art being shown at The Tate, its auditorium has been acoustically designed to make the most of the sound of the surf. Located directly in front of The Tate on the sea front is a convenient and excellent café and restaurant with terrace which is open all year. There are also toilets with disabled facilities, beach huts and a car park. If you want to get a place in the small car park nearby you’ll have to be early. If you can’t get in, please do not park on the road because you will get a fine. You can also take pleasure in, video or photograph some magnificent colours as the sun sets dramatically over the beach.

Clodgy Point

Clodgy Point is a low lying point which slopes gently down to the sea at the western end of Porthmeor Beach. Clodgy Point is a vantage point which enables you to have a 180 degree view of the coastline. To the west are 3 headlands known as Hor Point, Pen Enys Point and Carn Naun Point. To the east is Porthmeor Beach with The Tate Gallery and St Ives Head. As a point of interest, “Clodgy” is Cornish for “leper”.

River Cove

River Cove is located just west of Carn Naun Point and more or less opposite the “The Carracks”, which is a group of rocks about a half mile from the shore and home to a grey seal colony. To get to the cove from the east, you hike down a rocky path that can be a bit steep in places. River Cove also sits at the mouth of a deciduous wooded valley, a significant stop off place for migrating birds like Firecrests and Marsh Harriers. Just like the name implies, River Cove contains a river tumbling down the valley into the cove and a cascading waterfall that runs down to the sea.

Trevail Mill

Trevail Mill is a Grade II listed building of granite rubble with granite dressings in an unspoiled coastal hamlet set in the ancient field system. Even though it was a mining area with Trevail Mill having a mine shaft alongside, nature has reclaimed the valley and it now has a wealth of ferns and lichens.

Trevalgan

Trevalgan is a working beef farm with its own stretch of coastline. This family run business provides beautiful and comfy holiday accommodation, sensitively converted from farm buildings. It is encircled by magnificent scenes of bracken covered hills and heather and gorse on rugged cliffs.

Tinners Way

Tinners Way began as a Bronze Age trading route of tin and copper. Today Tinners Way is a 13 mile long hiking path starting at St Just which takes in both the coast, the high moors, and ends in St Ives. Along the route you can take in ancient landmarks like Carn Kenidjack, Chun Castle, and Bodrifty’s Iron Age settlement.

I did this hike with my partner Anne whilst on a St Ives Cornwall hiking holiday with HF Holidays (HF) in England during May 2010. We began this hike on foot from our holiday accommodation “Chy Morvah”