Penlee Point

Penlee Point is one of the most beautiful walks in the country. It lies on the South West Coast Path, and the views all around the headland are incredible. If you’re staying at Blue Monkey Cornwall, you’re just minutes away from this stunning coastal walk.

What Is Penlee Point?

Penn Legh is Cornish for stone-slab headland and the point is a coastal headland southeast of the village of Rame in Southeast Cornwall, UK. The point lies at the entrance to Plymouth Sound, with its imposing lighthouse commanding views across the water.

Penlee Point is part of a small Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty known as the “Rame Head Heritage Coast” that also includes Cawsand Bay and the Mount Edgcumbe Country Park.

Penlee Point Walk: Distance, Time & Difficulty

Key Stats:

• Distance: 6-9.7 km (4-6 miles) depending on route
• Time: 1.5 to 3.5 hours
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Elevation gain: 150-235 meters
• Route type: Circular walk on the South West Coast Path

The walk is easily achievable for families and casual walkers, though some sections involve steady climbing. The terrain is mostly on established paths, with a few steep areas. There are no major obstacles, though the path can be muddy in places, particularly near woodland sections.

How to get to Penlee Point from Blue Monkey

If you’re staying at Blue Monkey in Cawsand, getting to Penlee Point is straightforward: turn right out of Blue Monkey and keep walking – the road will take you all the way to Penlee Point. It’s a scenic walk through the village, taking approximately 20-30 minutes on foot before you reach the coastal path.

Alternatively, there’s a Penlee Point car park if you prefer to drive (PL101LN).

What To See At Penlee Point

Queen Adelaide’s Grotto

Above the point and little below the stunning Coastal Path is Queen Adelaide’s Grotto, built in 1827/1828 to commemorate the visit of King William IV and Queen Adelaide to Mount Edgcumbe.  Penlee Battery is the former site of a fort, and is now a nature reserve.

Penlee Battery Nature Reserve

A gun battery was constructed on Penlee Point in the late 1880s and used throughout both World Wars. It was initially armed with two 6-inch guns and a massive 13.5-inch gun, which weighed 67 tons and took eighty horses two weeks to haul it up a specially constructed flight of steps. On its first firing, the recoil from the gun split its concrete bed. The battery was decommissioned in the 1950s, and the buildings associated with it were demolished, but there are still enough remains to appreciate the scale of the defences. Wait around until low tide to see a private, hidden beach revealed.  This is also where nature lovers can see the Green Darner Dragonfly, first seen in Britain here.

Rame Head

Penlee Point is part of a small Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty known as the “Rame Head Heritage Coast” that also includes Cawsand Bay and the Mount Edgcumbe Country Park. 

Penlee Point Walk Tips

What To Bring

• Good walking boots (the path can be muddy)
• Waterproof jacket (weather changes quickly on the coast)
• Plenty of water and snacks
• Sun cream and hat (exposed headland with no shade)
• Camera for the views

Best Time To Visit

Spring (April-May): Wildflowers in bloom, milder weather, fewer crowds

Summer (June-August): Warmest weather, longest daylight, best for swimming at hidden beach, but busiest with visitors

Autumn (September-October): Blackberries, butterflies, and beautiful golden light; generally quieter than summer

Winter (November-March): Dramatic coastal views, fewer visitors, but shorter daylight and potentially muddy paths

Important: Stock Up Before You Go

Make sure you stock up with plenty to eat before you go. There are no facilities at Penlee Point itself, so pack a picnic lunch and snacks. You can grab supplies in Cawsand village beforehand.

Where To Eat In Cawsand

Try some of the great places to eat in Cawsand before or after your walk:

• The Bay Bar and Restaurant – Located on Cawsand Beach with sea views
• The Old Bakery – Traditional village spot

You can check what’s open here.

Where to stay: Blue Monkey Cornwall

Penlee Point is one of the most accessible coastal walks from Blue Monkey Cornwall, our luxury 5-bed self-catering holiday cottage in Cawsand. You can literally turn right out of the cottage and walk straight to Penlee Point – no car needed.

Blue Monkey is perfectly positioned as your base for exploring the Rame Peninsula, with easy access to:

• Penlee Point and Rame Head walks
• Mount Edgcumbe Country Park
• Three sandy beaches (Cawsand, Kingsand, The Cleave)
• Whitsand Bay (just a short drive)
• Village restaurants and shops

Book Your Penlee Point Adventure

Ready to explore one of Cornwall’s most beautiful walks? Blue Monkey Cornwall is your perfect base.

Contact us to book:

Call: 07845 468 487
Email: enquiries@bluemonkeycornwall.com

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Our guests love to go out for drinks or supper when they’re holidaying at Blue Monkey. With life slowly returning to a new normal, everybody is longing to discover new places/for a change of scenery, so I thought I would find out where you can sit down, relax and enjoy some local food! What’s open in Kingsand and Cawsand? Where can you find the best view? Here is a selection of some of our favourite places to eat locally with the best views in South East Cornwall, along with their opening times.

The Canteen, Maker Heights

Work up an appetite with a brisk 30 minute walk from Blue Monkey to the Canteen at Maker Heights, a popular Sunday lunch destination.  Open daily 9.30 till 16.00 the canteen serves breakfast and lunch but is most famous for it’s delicious Sunday lunch. Very relaxed, dogs are welcome and if you love to sit and gaze out to sea, this is the spot for you!

Top Tip: You need to book in advance for Sunday lunch: 01752 659069

The Bay Bar and Restaurant

A little further down the road from Blue Monkey and situated right on the beach, this new restaurant boasts a view from every table!  A great place for lunch during the week you can eat at one of the tables or get takeaway.

Opening Hours

Mon – Thurs & Sun 10am – 6pm

Fri & Sat 10am – 10pm

The Devonport Inn

Also right on the beach and a little closer to Blue Monkey, The Devonport Inn serves lunch, afternoon tea, supper and takeaways.  On Sundays they have a delicious brunch between 11am and 3pm with live music in the evening to cheer you on.

Have a look at their menu here.

Top Tip: You need to book in advance.

Mount Edgcumbe House and Gardens

The House and Gardens at Mount Edgcumbe are now open again.  Treat yourself with a visit to the Orangery Garden Café or enjoy the beautiful grounds with a takeaway coffee from The Farriers Café. If you’re feeling energetic, you can walk along the coastal path from Blue Monkey all the way to Mount Edgcumbe but it’s a long hike – take some water!

The Country Park is open to the public free of charge every day of the year from 8am – 8pm in the summer and 8am – 6pm in Winter.

The Farriers Cafe is open for lunch.

The Stores

The Stores is our local delicatessen, serving delicious artisan coffee, gluten free cakes, sourdough bread and a range of scrumptious deli products.  The Stores will deliver grazing platters of delicious cheeses and meats to your door or ask Annabel to arrange a picnic hamper for you packed with your favourite focaccia, sourdough bagels or Cornish patrami – yum!

The Rod and Line

Seven miles before Cawsand, on the Saltash side, is the Rod and Line – a rustic Cornish pub renowned locally for its excellent fresh sea food.  The Rod and Line serves a full menu all day every day and describes itself as ‘an unapologetically, back to basics, spit and sawdust pub’ with a warm open fire and friendly natives!

Top Tip: Book in advance: 01752 851912

The Old Bakery Cafe

The Old Bakery sourdough bakehouse, pizzeria and cafe is open from April to October and you will find it on Garrett Street, a stone’s throw from Blue Monkey.  The perfect place to get breakfast pastries and coffee at the weekend, and then wander down to the seashore to eat them.

Opening Hours

Mondays 5.30 to 8pm for take away pizza

Friday, Saturday and Sunday 9am till noon for pastries, bread and coffee etc.

During high season they do take away pizza from 5.30 till 8pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The Halfway House Inn

Awarded a Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice in 2021, the pub is a just a minute’s walk from Blue Monkey on the corner of Fore Street and Garrett Street.  They have a new seating area and beer garden at the back of the pub where you can grab a table and try one of their delicious meals.  The pub is a pebble’s throw rom the beach and so if it looks too crowded, you can opt for take away fand retire to the beach and stare out to sea – my favourite pastime!

You can check out their menu here.

Free Stuff!

Please make use of the two free Kayaks and paddle boards at the house that we provide for our guests to use, or take a picnic to Penlee Point.

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The Rame Peninsula Micro Climate

Christmas at Blue Monkey is truly relaxing.  The twin fishing villages of Kingsand and Cawsand seem undisturbed by the chaos of modern life and even have their own mild micro climate, making it the perfect place to relax and unwind by the sea.  Here is how I would spend a seaside Christmas on the Rame Peninsula…

The Coastal Path to Mount Edgcumbe

A magical walk along the West Coastal Path, with strange shaped trees and fabulous views.  You and your dog will feel very well exercised by the end of this 5 mile walk, so make sure you take a bottle of water with you.  Along the walk you will come across eighteenth century follies, seats and fountains to lead you to the fabulous Mount Edgcumbe House and Gardens where you can collapse in the cafe and have a cup of tea.  You will go back home feeling that you have captured the very essence of Christmas on the Rame Peninsula.

Beautiful Local Beaches

Beaches-Rame-Peninsula

There are many beaches within a stone’s throw from Blue Monkey and you only need to step outside the house to hear the sea, and walk a few yards to the end of Garrett Street to see it.  There are many more secret beaches like this one, along the shoreline of the Plymouth Sound.  Dogs are allowed to run around off their leads on the beaches from the beginning of October – that’s why dogs love to spend Christmas on the Rame Peninsula!

Watching the Boats

Situated just across the water from the naval base at Plymouth, there are always lots of fascinating boats to watch sailing around the peninsula.  If you’re feeling brave and the water is warm enough, we have 2 paddle boards and 2 kayaks FREE for our guests to use.

 

 

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We’ve compiled just three of the best pram friendly walks in Cornwall, that are near to us at Blue Monkey Cornwall:

1. MOUNT EDGCUMBE HOUSE AND GARDENS

The waterside perimeter of the estate provides an uplifting  pram friendly walk, with spectacular views across Plymouth Sound and a host of eighteenth century follies, fountains, seats and shelters for you and your pram to rest along the path.  The route travels through the parkland and woodland of the historic family seat of the Earls of Edgcumbe, who built the house at the heart of the estate in the mid-sixteenth century.

The house, gardens, tea-room, restaurant and shop are open to the public during the summer season but the South West Coast Path, passing through the estate, is open throughout the year.  A pram friendly walk for all seasons!

Top Tip: An especially inspiring walk in early spring, when the National Camellia Collection is in full bloom, and in autumn, when the leaves in the woodland start to turn.

2. PLYMOUTH WATERFRONT WALKWAY

A gentle walk, mainly on pavement, this pram friendly walk is a breeze!  Walk around the Hoe, the Barbican and Mount Batten breakwater and enjoy the seaside views.  This unique section of the South West Coast Path is an entertaining and enlightening journey with plenty to learn along the route about the city’s history and heritage.

Top Tip: you will find toilets and a car park at Admiral’s Hard (postcode for sat navs PL1 3RJ) and refreshments dotted along the path.

3. PLYMBRIDGE WOODS

This pram friendly walk is also a must for cyclists as it follows the route of an old Great Western Railway track.  Leave Plymouth behind, push your way through glorious oak woods and emerge into peaceful open countryside.  Breathe!!  This exciting and pram friendly trail leads you past dramatic industrial remains, over towering quarry faces, and across breathtaking viaducts. 

Top Tip: Take your bird book!  In season these woods are famous for spotting nesting wild peregrines.

Are you looking for accommodation in Cornwall that caters for babies and young children? At Blue Monkey we have everything you will need to make your trip stress free! Find out more about our baby friendly holiday cottage in Cornwall.

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