Hendersick and Talland Bay Loop
A coastal walk with fine views of Looe Island and the South East Cornwall coast. Include some detours to the beaches along the way and visit Talland church too.
Map
Start:
National Trust car park at Hendersick, grid ref. SX236 520
1
Leave your car in the National Trust car park and picnic site at Hendersick on the West Looe to Talland Road. Take the path in the corner of the car park, go through the gate and follow the wooded path which runs alongside the farm track.
Portnadler Bay
To explore the beach and its rock pools, turn left (east) along the coast path to reach the gate and flight of steps down to the shore, with a view of Looe Island on the horizon.
2
After the second gate, turn right, pass the farm buildings to your right, follow the path down the valley to reach the coast path above Portnadler Bay.
Looe Island
Just a mile in circumference, Looe Island was bought in 1964 by Evelyn and Babs Atkins, who wrote the bestselling books 'We bought an island' and 'Tales from our Cornish island'. When Babs died in 2004, she left the island to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
3
You can stop here to explore the beach.
Hore Point
The headland is known as Hore Point after the offshore rock here called the Hore Stone. The outcrop of the point itself is unmistakeable, and offers panoramic views to the east across Whitsand Bay to Rame Head. The National Trust has worked with the farmer at Hendersick to restore the grasslands that had been lost beneath blackthorn and gorse. Sheep graze the slopes, ensuring a balance of grass and scrub where Dartford warblers, linnets and whitethroats thrive. Restharrow, pale flax and vervain can be found on the coastal fields, which have been free of fertilisers and herbicides since 1995.
4
If you don't take the diversion to explore the beach, turn right (west) and continue south along the coast path. If you have enjoyed the beach, retrace your steps back to where you joined the coast path and then continue as above.
5
Continue along the coast path to the west to Talland Bay or for a much shorter loop take the inland path at Hore Point which will take you across a couple of fields back to the car park.
Talland Bay
The distinctive green and purple rocks at Talland are Dartmouth Slates from the Lower Devonian period, formed when Cornwall lay beneath the Rheic Ocean, south of the equator, some 400 million years ago.
6
After visiting the coves, turn east and walk up the steep lane through Talland village.
Talland Church
Dating from the 13th century, the church has an unusual 'detached' tower joined to the main building by a wagon-roofed porch containing the seven-holed parish stocks.
7
Continue up the lane to reach the car park.
End:
National Trust car park at Hendersick, grid ref. SX236 520
