Route Description

1. From the car park, walk up hill and take the farm track ahead of you. Follow this through the first gate and continue up the track.

Just past a donations box there is what appears to be a headstone against the hedge. There are many stories about this but the most likely explanation is that it is a memorial to two children of a local coastguard officer, who died at birth.

1. Continue up the track and through the gate at the end. You are now standing in the ditch of an Iron Age fortification.

This is the longest ditch and rampart of any cliff castle in Cornwall, stretching an impressive 900m from cliff to cliff, and raising to 6m at its highest point.

1. Turn right along the ditch and follow it for around ¼ of a mile. At the end of the ditch turn left onto the Coast Path.

From here you should be able to see as far as Black Head on the Lizard. The cliffs around Dodman Point are being grazed by Dexter cattle to help protect the wildlife and archaeology of the site.

Ahead you will see Dodman Cross erected by the Rev. Martin of Cearhayes in 1896 as a navigational aid for boats heading for Falmouth.

A few steps beyond the cross you are at the highest point on the South Cornwall coast and magnificent views open up in all directions. On a clear day you can see as far as the Lizard to the west and Bolt Tail in South Devon away to the east. Looking northwards you will see the clay country around St. Austell, Carn Brea, the massifs of Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor and even St Agnes Beacon on the north coast. Continue along the Coast Path and crossing the next stile you enter a large field which is full of historical and wildlife interest. It contains the remains of a medieval strip field system and two Bronze Age burial mounds. In addition it is being managed under Higher Level Stewardship as unimproved grassland, and is a good place to look for wild flowers. There is open access throughout these fields so feel free to roam (remember to leave all gates as you find them).

1. The Coast Path runs along the eastern side of the field and exits by a stile.
2. In a short while you will come to a junction. To return to the start of the walk turn left, walking along the ditch of the Bulwark again. Go through a gate and turn right, then follow the lane back to the car park.

Nearby refreshments

Gorran Haven.

Public transport

For timetable information, zoom in on the interactive map and click on the bus stops, visit Traveline or phone 0871 200 22 33.

Parking

National Trust Car Park at Penare (Postcode for Sat Navs: PL26 6NY).