Cornwall Coast: Polperro & Fowey - tour description
In 1939 Oscar Kokoschka painted a series of studies of Polperro and the narrow rock-girt entrance to its tiny crowded harbour. 70 years later the fishing village is still as picturesque as ever. Extending for miles both east and west of the harbour entrance is a line of lofty cliffs, along which runs the South West Coast Path (a well marked National Trail). After exploring the sheltered estuary (tidal river) of the River Looe, our self-guided hiking route follows the dramatic and uninhabited coastline westwards from Polperro to the next well-hidden inlet where we catch the little passenger ferry from Polruan across to Fowey. Fowey, clinging to the steep banks of the beautiful estuary of the same name, is an ancient port town retaining fortifications from the time of Henry VIII; its narrow streets and quaint pubs are fascinating to explore. We also describe walks through the dense natural woodland along the estuary and along the well marked Saints' Way hiking trail. Just west of Fowey, at Menabilly, is the former home of the novelist Daphne du Maurier; her celebrated novels Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel were both set here. The coastal path continues round the panoramic headland of Gribbin Head to Tywardreath, where du Maurier set her time-travel fantasy The House on the Strand. Kaolin (china clay) is extracted from the granite mass of St Austell and exported in bulk from the docks at Par, but this short industrial interval is soon behind you and the coast reverts to an unspoilt and natural wilderness for the strenuous hike between Charlestown and Mevagissey. En route is the important coastal nature reserve of Ropehaven Cliffs. Mevagissey's fishing harbour is wider and if anything even prettier than that of Polperro, and here there are usually fewer day trippers. An hour or so's walk (or a short bus ride) inland from Mevagissey are the celebrated and award-winning Lost Gardens of Heligan (open daily - www.heligan.com). Also accessible via an easy day excursion from Mevagissey or from Fowey is the world-famous Eden Project garden (www.edenproject.com). Another option for a day from Mevagissey is to continue along the spectacular coast path via Gorran Haven to the next panoramic headland, the Dodman.
Routefinding is generally easy on this tour, as the coastal path is a well marked national trail. Gradients can be steep with repeated short ascents and descents. On a short section west of Polperro where the coast path is rather narrow and exposed we describe an alternative inland route in case of bad weather. An attractive feature of hiking on this coast is the number of pubs and beach cafes encountered along the way.

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Cornwall coast: Polperro & Fowey - tour details 2010
A Discerning Traveller self-guided hiking holiday
Duration. 4 or 6 or 7 nights. Tour codes: F4 or F6 or F7; (F4E, F6E, F7E with private bathroom throughout).
Start of tour: Polperro. End of tour: Fowey (F4) or Mevagissey (F6) or Darite/Minions (F7).
Dates. Start any day from beginning of April to mid-October.
Grade. Moderate. The gradients on the coastal path are in some places steep and strenuous. However most days can be shortened by using buses.
Train stations. Start of tour Liskeard train station or Looe train station, then hourly direct bus to Polperro; end of tour Par train station (hourly direct bus from Fowey) or St Austell train station (direct bus from Mevagissey) or Liskeard station (bus or taxi from Darite/Minions).
Train service. Direct from London Paddington train station via Reading Station to/from Liskeard (change for local train to Looe) and at end of tour direct train from Par or St Austell or Liskeard. Journey time from Paddington 4.5 to 5 hours; from Reading Station 30 minutes less. Also direct trains from Bristol and Exeter to/from Liskeard, Par and St Austell.
Airports. From London Heathrow (LHR) airport there is a frequent bus shuttle to Reading Station, where direct Paddington to Cornwall trains stop to pick up passengers. There is also a frequent train service from London Gatwick (LGW) airport to Reading Station. Bristol airport is served by international flights from continental Europe, and has a frequent shuttle bus service to Bristol Temple Meads train station for direct trains to Cornwall. Exeter airport is even closer to Cornwall, with frequent direct trains. The closest airport for this tour is Newquay (NQY), with flights from London Gatwick and Stansted (STN) and (in summer 2009, Saturdays only), direct flights from Düsseldorf and Zürich. Taxis can be booked at reasonable rates between Newquay airport and Polperro/Fowey/Mevagissey/Liskeard.
Overnight stops. F4: nights 1 & 2 Polperro; 3 & 4 Fowey. F6: nights 1 to 4 as F4, then nights 5 & 6 Mevagissey. F7: nights 1 to 6 as F6, then night 7 Darite/Minions.
Accommodation. Specially selected guest houses and 'B&Bs'. En suite or private bathroom facilities can be guaranteed throughout the tour on payment of a supplement.
Meals included. Breakfast each morning; other meals can be obtained locally without pre-booking. Extra nights. These can be included at any point on our tours at the time of booking the holiday. On this tour second nights are already included at each stop.
Factsheet. These are more detailed information sheets, one for each tour, which should be obtained from The Discerning Traveller before booking. The Factsheet code for our Polperro & Fowey tour is FSF. See Enquiry form
Reading. For many readers the Cornwall writer par excellence was Daphne du Maurier. Her novels Rebecca, The House on the Strand and My Cousin Rachel are both set near Fowey, while Minions and Darite (7-night tour only) lie on the edge of Bodmin Moor, the setting of du Maurier's Jamaica Inn.

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Cornwall coast: Polperro and Fowey - tour prices 2010

• F4 (4 nights tour, ES or private facilities most nights): £425. SRS*: £70. STS**: £90.
• F4E (4 nights tour, ES or private facilities every night): £465. SRS*: £80. STS**: £100.
• F6 (6 nights tour, ES or private facilities most nights): £515. SRS*: £90. STS**: £110.
• F6E (6 nights tour, ES or private facilities every night): £555. SRS*: £100. STS**: £120.
• F7 (7 nights tour, ES or private facilities every night): £560. SRS*: £100. STS**: £120.
• F7E (7 nights tour, ES or private facilities every night): £600. SRS*: £110. STS**: £130.
  
• Extra nights £45 per person per night.
• SRS* = single room supplement (applicable when 3 or 5 persons book together).
• STS** = single traveller supplement (applicable when booking is for one person only)
• Note 1. Maximum of 1 single room per booking.
• Note 2. Extra night prices may be higher for single rooms.
• Basic prices quoted are per person on basis of two people in double or twin-bedded rooms. Included in the price are bed and breakfast each night, with baggage transfers, maps and route directions. 'ES' (en suite) facilities means that there is a private bathroom with shower or tub and toilet within the main door of your room. 'Private facilities' means that the private bathroom may be outside the main door of your room. When the booking is made for a party of 3 or 5 customers, a single room supplement is payable.
  

We offer 3 other walking tours in Cornwall: Lands End & St Ives, Padstow & Tintagel and Cornwall Coast & Bodmin Moor.
Other coastal walks are on the Jurassic Coast and in Pembrokeshire

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