Along the coast from Morwenstow
"A walk through Cornwall's most northerly parish, one-time home of the eccentric Victorian parson-poet, Robert Stephen Hawker."
Walk directions
Follow the signposted track from the car park and Morwenstow Church to reach the coast path, then turn left. You'll reach Hawker's Hut in about 100yds (91m). Continue walking from here along the coast path to Duckpool.
When you reach the inlet of Duckpool, walk up the road along the bottom of the valley to reach a T-junction and turn left. Bear right at the next junction to cross a bridge beside a ford. Follow the lane round left for about 150yds (137m), then bear off left along a broad track through some woodland.
After nearly 1 mile (1.6km), cross a stile on the left, go over a wooden footbridge, climb the slope, then turn right and up a track. Turn left at a T-junction, keep ahead at the next junction, then in 40yds (37m) carry straight on at a metal gate.
Follow a signed field track to a surfaced lane at Woodford. Turn left and go downhill past Shears Farm, then round right and uphill to a junction with a road. Turn left past a bus shelter.
After 100yds (91m), turn left along a path between cottages to reach a kissing gate. Turn right and then immediately left, and follow the edge of the field to a stile on the left. Cross the stile, then cross the next field to reach a hedge on the opposite side.
Go over two stiles and then straight up the next field, often muddy, to a hedge corner on your left-hand side. Go alongside a wall and over a stile to a hedged track and on to a junction with a surfaced lane.
Go through a gate opposite, then turn right through a gap. Bear left across the field to a big Cornish stile. Keep straight across the next field to its top left-hand corner, then go through a gate up to Stanbury House. Turn right to reach a surfaced lane.
Go left along the lane for a few paces and then over a narrow stile on the right. Aim for a gap in the hedge opposite and go straight across the next two fields to reach a kissing gate into a farm lane behind Tonacombe House.
Keep ahead through a kissing gate, then along a track and through another. Cross two fields, then descend into a wooded valley via a kissing gate. Keep right, cross a stream, then go right (at a post signed 'Crosstown') and up steps to reach a kissing gate.
Ascend the field to reach the garden behind The Bush Inn. Go down the left-hand side of the buildings, then up to the road. Turn left for St Morwenna Church and the car park.
Additional information
Terrain
- Exposed cliff path with steep ascents/descents; inland paths and tracks can be very muddy during wet weather, many stiles
Landscape
- High cliffs punctuated by deep grassy valleys and backed by quiet woods and farmland
Dog friendliness
- Dogs on lead on cliffs and in fields
Parking
- Morwenstow – Small free car park by church and Rectory Farm Tea Rooms, reached by following signposted road from the A39 about 2.5 miles (4km) north of Kilkhampton to Morwenstow
Toilets en route
- Duckpool
About the walk
The Gothic landscape of north Cornwall’s Morwenstow parish, gaunt sea cliffs backed by remote farmland and wonderfully gloomy woods, was the ideal environment for the 19th-century parson-poet, the Reverend Robert Stephen Hawker, vicar of the parish from 1834 to 1874. He was devoted to his... parishioners, most of whom were poor farmers and labourers, and also cared for the victims of shipwrecks on the savage Morwenstow coast. There were few survivors, and Hawker made it his duty to bury the dead. He would search the barely accessible foreshore beneath the cliffs, and salvage the often gruesome remains. Legend says that the vicar often dosed his reluctant helpers with gin to help them overcome their revulsion and superstition. The graveyard at Morwenstow pays homage to the drowned of numerous wrecks. Hawker is said to have dosed himself with other substances too. He smoked opium, in keeping with the habits of fashionable Romantic poets such as Coleridge and de Quincy. At the tiny 'Hawker's Hut', a driftwood shack that nestles just below the cliff top near the beginning of this walk, he wrote and meditated, often under the influence. He is said to have dressed as a mermaid on occasions, took his pet pig, Gyp, for long walks, and once excommunicated a cat for catching a mouse on Sunday. And why not? Dramatic landscape Take the spirits of Parson Hawker and Gyp the pig with you through this dramatic landscape as you walk from the splendid Church of St Morwenna out to the edge of the great cliffs, to Hawker's Hut. From here the coast path dips into and out of dramatic valleys, often within sight of the slate-grey fins of smooth, slabby rock that protrude from the cliff edge. The route leads past the government's eerie radio tracking station at Cleve where huge satellite receivers cup face the sky. At Duckpool, the cliffs relent and you turn inland and away from the often boisterous coast to find picturesque thatched cottages beside a placid river ford. Beyond lies the calm of deep woodland. The route winds through lonely fields and past handsome old manor houses at Eastaway, Stanbury and Tonacombe to reach Morwenstow's welcoming pub and then Parson Hawker's handsome church once more.
Read more
Been on this walk?
Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.
Walking in Safety
Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.
Get an AA guide
Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.
Been on this walk?
Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.
Walking in Safety
Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.
Get an AA guide
Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.
About the area
Cornwall has just about everything – wild moorland landscapes, glorious river valley scenery, picturesque villages and miles of breathtaking coastline. Known for its popular surfing spots, the region provides ample opportunities for water sport enthusiasts, and for those who prefer to stay on land, visitor attractions like the Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan offer a lovely day out.
Nearby places to stay
View all (8)
Holiday Park
Bude Holiday Resort
★★★★
"A range of caravans and lodges in a pet-friendly holiday resort...."
Holiday Park
Wooda Farm Holiday Park
★★★★★
"Luxury holiday homes close to local beaches...."
- Launderette
- Ice pack facility
- Cafe/Restaurant
- BBQ
Inn
The West Country Inn
★★★
"Charming traditional inn, close to the edge of Devon’s Heritage Coast..."
- Rooms 9
- Free TV
- Wifi
- Lounge with TV
Nearby places to stay
Bude Holiday Resort
A stone’s throw from the Cornish coast, pet-friendly Bude Holiday Resort offers modern lodges and caravans with access to the South West Coast Path. On-site amenities include an outdoor...
★★★★ Rating
Wooda Farm Holiday Park
Set in the countryside, just a mile and a half from the incomparable North Cornish coastline and a stone’s throw from beautiful Bude, Wooda Farm Holiday Park has been welcoming holidaym...
★★★★★ Rating
The West Country Inn
Originally a coaching inn dating back to the 16th century, this traditional and welcoming establishment is ideally placed for exploring this picturesque area. The bedrooms provide good ...
★★★ Rating
Willow Valley Holiday Park
A small sheltered park in the Strat Valley with level grassy pitches and a stream running through it. All areas of this attractive park have been improved, including a smart toilet bloc...
★★★★ Rating
Pot and Barrel B&B
Originally an elegant Edwardian gentleman's residence built in 1910, the Pot and Barrel offers two well-appointed bedrooms, both furnished and decorated to a high standard, that can sle...
★★★★★ Rating
Sea Jade Guest House
A warm welcome awaits at this popular establishment which is within a few minutes' walk of both the town and beaches. Bedrooms are light and airy with simple, contemporary styling; some...
★★★ Rating
Garden Cottage
Recently renovated and sympathetically refurbished, Garden Cottage combines traditional charm with modern comfort. The Cottage is a Grade II-listed, two-storey, self-contained building ...
★★★★ Rating
Garden Cottage
Recently renovated and sympathetically refurbished, Garden Cottage combines traditional charm with modern comfort. The Cottage is a Grade II-listed, two-storey, self-contained building ...
★★★★ Rating
Places to eat nearby View all




