Carnewas to Stepper Point National Landscape

The coast in this section of Cornwall's National Landscape is a mix of high cliffs and sandy bays while inland the landscape comprises mainly medium-sized, medieval fields.

Much of the farmland here has benefited from agri-environment schemes, – that have encouraged the reversion of arable areas to grassland, rebuilding of Cornish hedges, the return of farmland birds such as the Corn Bunting, coastal grazing and better access.

From Stepper Point, the road and the coast path skirt either side of Trevone and head on to Harlyn Bay. Above Trevone Bay there are the striking Marble Cliffs at Porthmissen Bridge. Further on is the amazing collapsed inland sea cave known as Round Hole.

Past Mother Ivey’s Bay, the prominent headland at Trevose Head offers views up and down the coast, westward towards St.Ives and north east as far as Morwenstow.

South of Trevose Head lie the sandy bathing and surfing beaches of Constantine Bay and Treyarnon.

Above both these coves the headlands are made of igneous rocks known as ‘greenstone’ or ‘blue elvan’. There are few trees and fewer buildings – those that do exist being built of granite and slate. The herringbone patterned stone hedges sprout bracken, ferns and wildflowers. There are the remains of Bronze Age barrows, Iron Age cliff castles and a nineteenth century iron mine.

At Porthcothan, the popular beach snuggles between low cliffs and is reached via paths between the dunes.

This section ends above the world-famous Steps where, according to legend, the giant Bedruthan used the rock formations as his stepping stones.