Star Cottage

Praa Sands 

Walking & Cycling

There are few better ways to enjoy Cornwall, than in the great outdoors. Whether you prefer on foot or by bike, there are some beautiful trails and tracks nearby to visit.

Within a 5/10 minute walk from the cottage, you can join the South-West Coastal Path, which wraps around the entire coast of Cornwall. 

Explore the coastline from Praa Sands, take in the views and discover the hidden coves.  

Praa Sands - Porthleven 4.5 miles (7.2 km)  


This section of the coastal path takes you from Praa Sands beach to the historic fishing port of Porthleven. Along the route you’ll pass ruined mines, which are a reminder of Cornwall’s mining heritage.

Porthleven boasts a picturesque harbour, lined with independent shops and plenty of places to eat. There’s a regular market featuring a range of independent vendors selling gourmet food, art, jewellery, clothing and vintage goods. 

Praa sands – Marazion 4 miles (6.3 km) 

This section of the coastal path takes you from Praa Sands beach to the ancient market town of Marazion.

Marazion has a mile-long sandy beach and just offshore, is the iconic St. Michael’s Mount.

The island castle is joined to the mainland by a granite-stoned causeway over 360m in length, which emerges at low tide and enables visitors to walk over to the island. At high tide, a frequent ferryboat is available for those wishing to spend time on the island and look around the castle.

Plenty of places to eat and get food to take away, as well as a few independent shops to look around.

Good stop off points along the route to Marazion include:

  • Prussia Cove (2 miles), which is a collective name for the four small coves: Piskies (known locally as Pixies) Cove, Bessy’s Cove, King’s Cove and Coules’ Cove.
  • Perranuthnoe (4.1.miles) – a picturesque coastal village, with a secluded sandy beach and the Victoria Inn makes the perfect stop off for refreshments. 

Penrose Estate

Penrose Estate is a National Trust owned estate near Porthleven, which has a number of excellent cycling and walking trails around a large coastal lake. It's a great place for a safe family cycle with miles of bridleways around the estate. Walkers can also enjoy miles of woodlands and lakeside trails.

Penrose Hill National Trust car park is just to the east of Porthleven. You can also park for free at the Fairground car park in Helston and then it’s just a mile and half walk / cycle to the Penrose Estate.  

The First and Last Trail 25 miles (39.6km) 

This cycle route starts at Land’s End where you’ll head east along quiet lanes to Mousehole, where the trail hugs the coastline to Marazion before heading inland, entering the ancient landscape of Penwithand finishing in Hayle. The trail is a mixture of on and off road sections, with plenty of opportunities to stop off and take in the sites.   

Camel Trail (18 miles) 

Following a disused railway, the Camel Trail is a family friendly way to see some of Cornwall’s beautiful countryside. The complete trail is 18 miles and takes you through woodland, hills, valleys, beaches and there’s plenty of places to stop for refreshments. There are also opportunities along the trail for more experienced cyclists to take a detour and tackle some more challenges routes. 

Local Bike Hire & Servicing 

  • Lakeside Cycles, Helston
  • Shipyard Cycles, Porthleven 
  • Lands End Cycle Hire, Marazion 

Contact Us

Please get in touch either by email: starcottageholidays@outlook.com, or through our Contact Form.



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