Cornwall

Rinsey walk

A sandy cove, Porthcew Beach, flanked by rugged Rinsey cliffs — Enjoy the view down to Porthcew beach | © Kate Evans

Rinsey is a mix of seascape, landscape, mining heritage and natural history. On this circular 1-mile (1.6km) walk you'll take in three old engine houses with World Heritage Site status, as well as rare plant life, and Bishop Rock. And you might see ponies grazing, choughs displaying or even dolphins playing.

Near to

Porthcurno

Start point

Rinsey car park, Cornwall TR13 9TS. Grid ref: SW591271.

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 1 (km: 1.6)

Duration 30 mins to 40 mins

Not suitable for dogs

*Narrow, uneven path with slopes, rocks and stiles. For further details, please see section marked Terrain.
**Slopes and uneven ground. For further details, please see section marked Access.

Planning your walk

Please note this walk starts at Rinsey car park, which is a 40-minute drive from Porthcurno, and a 16-minute drive from Penrose.

Total stages: 10
Total stages: 10
Start point
Rinsey car park, Cornwall TR13 9TS. Grid ref: SW591271.
Stage 1
From the car park go through the gate towards the engine house.
Mining on the cliffs
The dramatically sited engine house at Wheal Prosper marks the site of a relatively small mine known at various times as Wheal Rinsey and Wheal Prosper. The engine house, with its chimney, was built in 1860 and mainly mined tin and copper. It is recorded as having raised an average of 860 tons of ore per year and was finally closed in 1865. The engine house was used for filming the Poldark series in 1995, when, using elaborate props, it appeared as if functioning.
Stage 2
Just past the engine house, take the lower path, where the acorn indicates the South West Coast Path.
Dodder
The patches of orange/red threadlike stems growing on other vegetation here are dodder. This parasitic plant has no chlorophyll of its own but obtains nutrients from its host plant. It has no leaves but dense clusters of small pink flowers from July to September, and grows mainly on gorse, heather and wild thyme. Although quite common in southern England, its decline further north has resulted in its ranking as vulnerable on the UK Red List of rare and threatened plants.
Stage 3
After leaving Rinsey, keep left on the South West Coast Path.
Mount's Bay and St Michael’s Mount
From this walk, there are views across Mount's Bay to St Michael’s Mount in the west, dedicated to the patron saint of high places. Once a Benedictine monastery, it was also a fortress used to defend the Western Approaches and the harbour where much early tin trading took place. Today you can see the chapel at the summit and the roofs of the house created around it by the St Aubyn family, who came to the Mount in the 1640s and whose descendants still live there.
Stage 4
At the T-junction boulder, turn right for a quick out-and-back view of the engine houses.
Stage 5
Turn at the engine house, or further on if you'd like to explore more of the coast path before returning.
Stage 6
At the Boulder junction keep right on the top path.
Stage 7
When you come across three gates, choose the lower, left one and go over the stile next to it.
Stage 8
Now keep on the upper path.
Stage 9
When you're level with the first engine house, turn left down the slope towards it.
Stage 10
At the engine house turn right, back up the path to the car park.
End point
Rinsey car park, Cornwall TR13 9TS. Grid ref: SW591271.
Trail map
Route map for Rinsey walk | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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