Gribbin Head

This nice and easy walk mainly using the South West Coast path and the Saints way explores Gribbin Head including his daymark, Polridmouth Cove and Carlyon Bay.

Technical sheet

3859505
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.14 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 224 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 223 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 80 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 4 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start : National Trust car park close to Coombe Farm. Grid ref. SX 109 511

(S/E) Take the path at the end of the car park along fields. Continue down this path catching sight of Polridmouth Cove below and Gribbin lookout far away. Past the gate, walk next to the beach and leave the path which goes right to Barton car park.

(1) At the next gate, leave the South West coast path which goes straight to the lookout but turn left to the alternative path following the orange arrow along the coast. The view over Polridmouth Cove and Polruan beside the mouth of the River Fowey is stunning.

(2) You finally reach Gribbin daymark built in 1832. Gribbin Head has been an important lookout for centuries (Iron age, world war..). Continue following the wonderful South West coast path overlooking Carlyon Bay past a gate.

(3) Go ahead for 3 miles, you go down a few steps and join a rocky path leading to a fork. Bear right ignoring yellow arrow, go straight onto the path next to the open field which leads the road. Bear right for 100 meters, then turn left heading to Tregaminion farm. Follow the yellow arrow "Fowey 2 1/2m", then left "The Saints Way" across the farm (From now you follow "The Saints Way" a long time).

(4) Take a footbridge, climb stairs until you reach a track and a driveway close to houses. Cross over both of them heading to a grove past a stile. Go down (be careful, pretty wet and slippery path), pass under the bridge and through a kissing gate before you reach the road past houses.

(5) Turn right following "The Saints Way", go straight at crossroads towards Coombe Farm and again straight ahead leaving "The Saints Way" at next crossroads past Lankelly Fowey RFC. This road leads to the car park.
(S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 74 m - National Trust car park close to Coombe Farm
  2. 1 : km 1.61 - alt. 9 m - Alternative path
  3. 2 : km 2.44 - alt. 73 m - Gribbin Daymark
  4. 3 : km 5.35 - alt. 54 m - Fork
  5. 4 : km 7.02 - alt. 65 m - Glove and pass under the bride
  6. 5 : km 7.43 - alt. 66 m - The Saints Way
  7. S/E : km 8.14 - alt. 75 m - National Trust car park close to Coombe Farm

Practical information

Start : National Trust car park close to Coombe Farm. Grid ref. SX 109 511

Parking : Park your car at National Trust car park close to Coombe Farm.

Note : There is not stop points so take plenty of water with you.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Tinknees
Tinknees

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Good walk, completed in 2.5hrs, and that with my wife suffering low sugar attacks (Type 1 diabetes).
Instructions are correct but sometimes difficult to match with timeline eg "a few steps leading to a rocky path" where the steps and path were about 20 mins walk.

No stop-off points, so make sure of have plenty of water

Martin8891
Martin8891

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Lovely coastal path walk. Thought Polridmouth cove was a highlight (beach but no facilities) and Polkerris Bay was a superb beach, sandy, gentle slope into water, dog free and child friendly with toilets, shop and 2 pubs that do food.

My 1 piece of advice is on route point 1 to point 2 don't take the alternative path round Gribbin head, gave no views or additional benefit, do go straight to the Gribbbin Head mark.

Walk says 8.14km but my Garmin GPS measured 10.13 and I don't remember going wrong.

s.peters
s.peters

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb clear instructions and map, excellent walk

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