My Favourite Wild Swimming walk near Ekopod.
I love swimming and I love walking so I wanted to tell you about this hike that brings together two of my favourite things!
I discovered it on the Iwalk Cornwall App. Which I recommend you download before your visit if you want to do some hiking while you are staying with us. It’s got so many walks on it and most of them are circular which I like. It also has a gps tracker that tells you if you accidentally stray off route – which I find very useful as I have a terrible sense of direction. A word of warning though, if you’re going to rely on that make sure you have enough battery on your phone!
The walk starts at Bossiney a 20 minute drive from Ekopod. Park in Bossiney Cove Car Park which is opposite Bossiney Tea Room. There is an honesty box for payment so bring pound coins for that. The walk you want to find on the app is called Bossiney, St Nectan’s Glen and Rocky Valley. The reason it is my favourite for wild swimming is because it has three very different but all stunning opportunities to get in the water. In length the walk is just under 4 miles and this is very much overland terrain so not recommended for push chairs, small children or dogs that you can’t carry.
The walk is a figure of 8 in shape. In the first loop you take in St Nectan’s Glen. Here you walk through temperate Atlantic rainforest to arrive at the foot of a 60 foot waterfall. Paddle through the river to get to the base of it and see it in it’s full beauty! If you’re brave enough you can go under it and get the full immersion! To enter the waterfall area it’s £8 for adults £4 for children and free for under 5’s. It’s a beautiful waterfall and I think well worth the entry fee. Along this part of the walk you’ll also see St Piran’s Well and Chapel at Trethevy.
After the first circle is complete you head over to Trevillett Mill. From here you follow the river along the beautiful Rocky Valley. Look out for the carvings – which may be bronze age? Along the river, just before you reach the coast are ‘plunge pools’. I’ve seen people enjoying them every time I’ve walked past. However, the water is cold! So I admit I’ve never actually been brave enough to go in myself.
You then join the South West Coastal path. As you walk along this you can take in views of the ocean below. As you walk along above Benoath cove look out for a path on your left bringing you down to the beach. Take this detour if you want to visit the third and final wild swimming spot on this walk – the sea. The route to the beach is steep (you need to use a rope at one point to descend). However, once you get there you are rewarded with a beautiful swimming spot (pictured). Things to be aware of – there are no lifeguards on this beach and there is no beach at high tide. So always check the tide calendar before this walk and time your arrival at Benoath for low tide if you want to visit the beach and swim here.
I hope you enjoy this walk!
