Past the old Dean Quarry and Porthallow — the official halfway point of the path — to the Helford river.
Highlights
- Porthallow halfway marker
- Gillan Creek
- Helford village
Know before you go
- Gillan Creek tidal crossing
Climbs 867 m and descends 881 m, topping out at 72 m and dropping to 0 m. Measured along the mapped route.
What you walk on, by distance (from OpenStreetMap way types).
Four axes rated 1–5 — the single rating above is only the headline.
Past the old Dean Quarry and Porthallow — the official halfway point of the path — to the Helford river.
This stage depends on 1 crossing. Check times before you set out — most are seasonal or tide-bound, and the inland detour is long.
Coverack to Helford is 13.6 miles (21.9 km). Allow about 7 h 30 min of walking, before stops.
Stage 28 climbs about 867 m and descends about 881 m, with a high point of about 72 m. On the South West Coast Path the ascent, not the distance, is what decides how long a day takes — the route repeatedly drops to sea level and climbs straight back out.
It is graded moderate. Rated out of five: physical demand 4/5 (High), terrain 3/5 (Moderate), navigation 2/5 (Modest), remoteness 2/5 (Modest). On the SAC hiking scale it is T2 — some steep, rough or uneven ground.
By distance the surface is footpath 67%, track 9%, road & lane 21%, other 3%. Percentages come from the mapped way types along the route.
March to October is the usual window for this leg. Outside it, daylight is short, some estuary ferries stop running and cliff-top wind and rain make an exposed route much harder work.
Water on this stage is moderate. We map 2 refill points on the leg — mostly pubs, cafés and taps in the villages the path passes through. Shade is minimal: this is open cliff-top walking, so carry more than you think in summer.
Yes — Gillan Creek crossing. Stepping-stones fordable ~1 h either side of low water, or an on-demand seasonal ferry; otherwise a detour up to the head of the creek.
Highlights on this leg are Porthallow halfway marker, Gillan Creek, Helford village.
Gillan Creek tidal crossing.