Stage 35 of 52 · South West Coast Path

Portwrinkle to Plymouth

Portwrinkle → Plymouth
12.9 mi
Distance
20.7 km
Metric
7 h 12 min
Walking time
Moderate
Difficulty
676 m
Ascent
700 m
Descent
111 m
Highest point
Coastal
Terrain

Elevation profile

Climbs 676 m and descends 700 m, topping out at 111 m and dropping to 0 m. Measured along the mapped route.

0 km5 km10 km15 km20 km 111 m

Underfoot

What you walk on, by distance (from OpenStreetMap way types).

Footpath 58% · 12.4 kmBridleway 10% · 2.2 kmTrack 7% · 1.4 kmRoad & lane 21% · 4.4 kmOther 4% · 0.9 km

Difficulty breakdown

Four axes rated 1–5 — the single rating above is only the headline.

Terrain grade · SAC T1Mostly easy walking on good paths
Physical3/5 Moderate
Fitness — distance & ascent
Terrain3/5 Moderate
Underfoot — rock, steps, scrambling
Navigation2/5 Modest
Route-finding — waymarking, open ground
Remoteness2/5 Modest
Exposure — escape routes, signal

Conditions & season

Best months
March to October
When this leg is usually at its best
Water
Scarce — 4 mapped water points on this stage
Refill points along the route
Shade
Minimal
Open cliff-top walking has little cover
Terrain grade · SAC T1
Easy
Hiking — mostly well-made path, falling is largely unlikely
⬇ Download this stage (GPX) ⬇ Whole route (GPX)

Over Rame Head's clifftop chapel and around Cawsand to the Cremyll ferry into Plymouth.

Highlights

Know before you go

Planning guides for this stage

All South West Coast Path guides

Ferries & crossings

This stage depends on 1 crossing. Check times before you set out — most are seasonal or tide-bound, and the inland detour is long.

Every ferry and tidal crossing on the path →

On this stage

Places on this leg with a full history, and free audio guides you can read or hear.

Rame Head Chapel
Medieval (14th century) ♫ 1 audio guide
On the dramatic conical headland of Rame Head, guarding the western approach to Plymouth Sound, stands a tiny ruined medieval chapel dedicated to St…

Questions about this stage

How long is the walk from Portwrinkle to Plymouth?

Portwrinkle to Plymouth is 12.9 miles (20.7 km). Allow about 7 h 12 min of walking, before stops.

How much climbing is there between Portwrinkle and Plymouth?

Stage 35 climbs about 676 m and descends about 700 m, with a high point of about 111 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.

How hard is Portwrinkle to Plymouth?

It is graded moderate. Rated out of five: physical demand 3/5 (Moderate), terrain 3/5 (Moderate), navigation 2/5 (Modest), remoteness 2/5 (Modest). On the SAC hiking scale it is T1 — mostly well-made path, falling is largely unlikely.

What is the path like underfoot on Portwrinkle to Plymouth?

By distance the surface is footpath 58%, bridleway 10%, track 7%, road & lane 21%, other 4%. Percentages come from the mapped way types along the route.

When is the best time to walk Portwrinkle to Plymouth?

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.

Is there drinking water on Portwrinkle to Plymouth?

Water on this stage is scarce. We map 4 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.

Are there ferries or tidal crossings on Portwrinkle to Plymouth?

Yes — Cremyll ferry. Year-round ferry across the Tamar (Cremyll ↔ Admiral's Hard, Plymouth) — the coast-path crossing between Cornwall and Devon.

What is there to see between Portwrinkle and Plymouth?

Highlights on this leg are Rame Head chapel, Mount Edgcumbe park, Cremyll ferry. It also passes 1 place we cover in depth: Rame Head Chapel. There is 1 free audio guide between them.

What should I know before walking Portwrinkle to Plymouth?

Cremyll ferry into Plymouth.