Southwest coastal walks: Benoath Cove, near Tintagel, North Cornwall

Burrowed into the wild North Cornish coastline, Benoath Cove is a truly spectacular beach. Its fine golden sand is ideal for sunbathing, its relatively sheltered waters perfect for wild swimming, and its rockpools and six caves – one of which passes right through the cliff – are sure to appeal to anyone with an adventurous spirit. Our suggested figure-of-eight walk takes in the best of the coastline around Tintagel, supposedly once home to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and leads you around Barras Nose and Tintagel Head to Merlin’s Cave. Even without any wizarding associations, it would still be utterly magical.

Getting there
Head south to Bossiney on the B3263 from Boscastle. Once you’re in the village, follow signs to the car park.

Walk grade: Easy

Distance: 4 miles

Time: 1 hour 30 mins

From the car park at Bossiney, take the path down to Bossiney Haven beach. Bear right when you enter the field and walk towards the headland.

Turn left onto the coastal path and then right onto an offshoot path that leads all the way down to the beach. There are steps and ropes to help you down.

To continue with our route, go back up to the coastal path and turn right. Follow it for five minutes, then go down some steps and straight over at the crossways. Should you wish to return to Bossiney early, you can take the path that leads diagonally off to your left after 15 minutes.

Walk around the front of Smith’s Cliff to Tintagel Head. You’ll find toilets, a shop and a tearoom here. Climb down to Tintagel Haven Beach to visit Merlin’s Cave or cross the perilous bridge to check out The Island.

Follow the track up to Tintagel village, and go left onto the road. When it bends to the left after the shops, continue straight ahead down the path into the fields.

You will join the coastal path in the small, grassy vale you passed through earlier. Turn right up the path to Bossiney here. Go through a gate and up a path between the fields. When you reach the B3263 in Bossiney, turn left to return to your car.

The beach

Seclusion: 3

Sand: 5

Rockpools and caves: 5

Swimming: 5

Ebb & flow
There’s a large area of soft sand to enjoy at low tide, as well as access to all the cave mouths. The only drawback is that when the sea is out, the beach is accessible on foot from busy, next-door Bossiney Haven. Benoath Cove is almost completely submerged at high tide.

OS Map beach ref
SX 068,893

Car park postcode
PL34 0AY

The pitstop
In a village that buzzes with tales of swords being pulled from stones and ladies emerging out of lakes, you can’t blame a pub for cashing in on Arthurian legend. Thankfully, the King Arthur’s Arms Inn in Tintagel alludes to the village’s favourite castle-dweller only in name, and what could have been a touristy tavern of round tables and Camelot cocktails is actually a pleasantly traditional stone-walled Cornish inn with a good selection of local ales and ciders. Though the menu sticks fairly rigidly to British pub favourites – steak-and-kidney pie; gammon, egg and chips; bangers and mash – the meat is generally locally sourced, and the menu large enough to suit even the most discerning tastes.
King Arthur’s Arms Inn, Fore Street, Tintagel, Cornwall PL34 0DA (01840 770831; www.kingarthursarms.co.uk)

This walk is taken from 'Secret Beaches Southwest – 50 Short Walks to Secluded Shores' by Rob Smith (One More Grain of Sand). The book is available at www.secretbeaches.co.uk, at £14.95 (including p&p).