Porthgwarra, Nanjizal, St Levan
● Start Point – Porthgwarra pay and display carpark
● Grid Reference – SW 370 217 ///crispier.ignoring.narrates
● Distance – 4.5 miles
● Time (approx.) – 2.5 hours
● Way Points – Coast Path to Nanjizal, inland to St Levan
● Facilities – At Porthgwarra, toilets and café.
● First Walked –2024 by John Rogers
● Author – Jill James
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2023.
From the car park, follow the track inland heading northwest, then west, past a cottage on the right and then over a stile/gate and past a row of former coastguard houses on the left SW 366 218.
As the track bends to the left (up to the Coastwatch Station) come off the road and take the coast path across country. Keep to the left where it forks to Carn Glaze, onto Ardensawah Cliff (look out for Choughs).
Follow the coast path north via Carn Trevean and Bosistow until the beach at Nanjizal, a good place to stop for lunch. There is a stream which used to power a water wheel for the tin mine there, and adit in the hillside. At low tide there is a good swimming pool in the ‘Song of the Sea’ cave.
Return back up the coast path and after 100 yards, at SW 358 235, turn inland, and follow the track uphill to Higher Bosistow Farm.
Take the footpath across fields to Arden-Sawah, and then turn down the road that leads back to Porthwarra. 300 yards after the last farm building SW 373 228, take the footpath on the left.
After 7 fields, notice the Cornish cross in the hedge.
The footpath continues through another field and then into a blackthorn bordered lane, down a slope to cross the stream at St Levan Church SW 379 222. Go past the church and take the track on the right, just before the turning to the car park on the left.
The track takes you back onto the SWCP at Carn Barges. Notice the secret cave on the right as you come through the cottages back to the road. You may be lucky enough to see seals bobbing about in the cove.