Rame Head Peninsular Walk Guide

Today I moved to Plymouth, and as soon as I dropped my stuff at my new home, I headed out to do a circular walk around Rame Head.

Looking across the the Rame Head Peninsular on the walk from Kingsand. The peninsular forms a cove with a small beach, and there is a small church on the top of the hill.

Looking across the grass covered cliff coastline on the Rame Head Peninsular walk. There are rocks in the sea at the bottom of the cliff, and the cliff leads up to a hilly clifftop. There is a small white house in one of the hill valleys ahead.

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If you don’t already know, I spent the last month living in Totnes. Why would I move from Totnes to Plymouth you may be wondering? Leaving a cute quaint town to move to a bigger city. Well, Totnes was only temporary. I was due to go back to London after one month. However, I didn’t want to go back yet, so spent a couple of weeks trying to find somewhere else to stay.

I searched everywhere between Plymouth and Penzance. My criteria was somewhere on a train line, so I could easily explore far and wide, but also somewhere with nice places to go walking nearby.

Plymouth was a good fit. Near to Dartmouth, the Tamer Valley, and easy access to Cornwall. Plenty to keep me occupied for another month.

What to expect on the circular walk around the Rame Head Peninsular

This is a lovely walk, starting from the cute village of Kingsand, and then around the peninsular of Rame Head, and to the remains of a chapel where you will have a panoramic view.

A dirt trail on the right with a view across the bushes to a gill with a church on top on the circular Rame Head Peninsular walk.

Looking down across the grass to the rocky cliff coastline on the Rame Head circular walk.

You will probably also see some ‘wild’ ponies grazing about. Apparently these ponies were brought over from Dartmoor to keep vegetation down.

Two ponies in a field on the Rame Head Peninsular walk. The white one is sitting down, the grey one is standing up.

The walk is pretty easy, with the only a few noticeable uphills. One at the beginning out of Kingsand, then the final bit up to the tip of Rame Head, and the last one when you walk away from the coast path. They are perfectly doable hills though.

Logistics for the circular Rame Head Peninsular walk

Start/Finish: Kingsand – East Cornwall, just on the border of South Devon.
How to get there: From Plymouth you can catch the number 70 bus. Journey time is about 1h. An alternate way to get there would be to catch a ferry from Plymouth across to Cremyll. From there it’s either a short bus ride over to Kingsand, or you can walk.
Distance: 6 miles
Options to shorten the walk: Yes. See tips for details.
Time: 2-ish hours
Difficulty: Easy
Terrain: Some road, dirt trail, grass, steps.
Elevation: Highest point is 111m in Wiggle. Yes, Wiggle. Total elevation gain is about 311m.
Dog friendly: No stiles, but you will be walking amongst free roaming ponies.
Amenities: Kingsand has a couple of pubs, a bakery and car park. From Kingsand you will walk though Cawsand, which also has some eating places.
Time of year: I did this in spring

Tips for the walk around the Rame Head Peninsular

To shorten the walk, once you have walked around the main peninsular of Rame Head, you will pass over a road. You can catch a bus from there (from this point it’s 1.5 miles to walk back to Kingsand through fields, if you choose to walk back).
If you do want to catch the bus, there is no visible bus stop. You just wait by the road and stick your arm out when it comes. I will show you the place to stand when I describe the walk below.
If you want to make the walk longer (and you are coming from Plymouth), then start from Cremyll and walk along to Kingsand (3.5miles) and then around the Rame Head peninsular. This little section is gorgeous. I walked it after Rame Head, more so because I didn’t want to wait for a bus, so thought I would catch a boat back to Plymouth. I loved it so much that I went back to properly track it with photos, to write up for the website.
If you want to do some watersports, Cawsand has a little place for that.

Map for the circular Rame Head Peninsular walk

More walking route ideas near Rame Head will be at the end

For more activities and excursions from Plymouth, you can check out what’s on offer on Viator.

Route Description for the Circular Rame Head Peninsular Walk

From Kingsand, you need to walk along Garret Street uphill. It’s opposite the post office/next to the Halfway House Inn. This will lead you to Cawsand. Along the way, you will get a gorgeous view across the sea, back to Kingsand.

Looking along a narrow road between the pastel coloured houses at the start of the walk from Kingsand to Rame Head. There is a man walking ahead on the road.

Looking down to the cove of Kingsand and the start of the walk to Rame Head. the cove has a sandy beach and lots of pastel coloured houses on the shore line.

Looking down an alley between the houses in Caswsand. The left house is blue with white window frames, the right house is black with white window frames. Ahead is a cream coloured building with a church sign on the wall.

Looking down to the small beach of Cawsand, with the coastline ahead covered in trees. There are a few people on the beach.

Walk around Cawsand Bay and turn left onto Pier Lane for some more uphill. This will lead you onto the trail. When you reach the junction with the steps going up to the right, ignore that and keep going straight.

A road curving uphill to the right, with a white walled stone house on the left, and a church ahead.

A road with a stone wall on the left and a tall green hedge on the right.

A narrow path lined with tall bushes on both sides.

A path on the left and some step leading off it on the right. The path and steps are surrounded by bushes and tall grass.

Looking through a gap in the trees to a couple of boats on the water on the circular Rame Head walk.

Next you will walk through a residents car park area, and straight onto the woodland trail on the other side.

When you reach the road again, keep going straight, past a house on the right. Then at the junction where it says Bayfield Cottage, walk up the middle path to walk along another woodland trail.

A road on the left and a path leading uphill to the right next to a sign that says Bayfield Cottage.

Wonderful nature

This trail leads you back onto a road, where, if the time of year is right, you will find lots of bluebells. See the photo below, those people are looking up at the bluebells. It was like a large carpet hill of them.

A long gravel type dirt trail lined with tress, bushes and grass.

A road with low bushes on the left and a hill on the right. There are a couple of people on the road looking up the hill on the right to some bluebells.

Further along you will find the most interesting wavy trees. Like fairytale trees. I’m not sure I have ever seen trees like this in person.

A road lined with tall grass and bushes and some wavy fairytale type trees ahead.

The mistake

A bit further along, there is a wooden sign on the left saying ‘The Old Signal House’ with steps leading down. I wondered what this was, maybe some interesting ruins? I obviously walked down to explore.

A wooden sign saying 'The Old Signal house'.

Do not go down. I repeat, do not go down!

This leads you to the back of someones house. A complete waste of steps. I was a little bit annoyed to have wasted steps on this.

Walk to the Rame Head Peninsular viewpoint

Continue to walk along the road, and you will exit the wooded area on a corner, where you will get a view across to the Rame Head Peninsular. The destination.

A path with a hedge to the left and a bush to the right and view out to sea ahead and the Rame Head Peninsular, on the walk route from Kingsand. There are a couple of people sitting down on the green ahead, next to the path.

Follow the path around, through the woody tree tunnel area, to reach the gate entrance for the Rame Head Peninsular trail. I don’t know if it’s called this, I made it up, but this trail pretty much leads you to it, so it seems fitting.

A path leading ahead, lined with some grass and bushes, and lots of trees ahead.

A dirt path leading to a wooden gate which is surrounded by bushes.

Walk to St Michael’s Chapel on Rame Head

Now you just follow this trail all the way to the big hill and chapel you can see in the distance. It’s a nice trail, with a few small ups and downs. Nothing aggressive. There was a sign on the gate warning of the wild ponies in here. I was yet to see them. There were some pony poos around, but no pony sightings yet.

A dirt trial lined with bushes and trees on the walk to the Rame Head Peninsular.

Looking along the rocky coastline as it leads to a grass covered slope uphill.

A dirt trail on the right and a grass covered downhill to the left on the walk towards the Rame Head Peninsular which is visible in the distance.

As you get nearer to the big hill, you will notice the steps to take you up the top. I also noticed it was quite congested with people over there. I guess I should have expected that.

Looking to the big pointy hill of Rame Head with lots of people walking up it along the path. There is a small church at the top of the hill.

A rocky tor outcrop on the left, and some steps on the right.

A trail leading up a green hill towards a small abandoned church building.

Views from the top

At the top you, will get views all around along the coastline you have just walked, and ahead at what is to come. It was pretty cool up here, I felt like I was on top of the the world.

Looking down along the rugged rocky coastline on the Rame Head Peninsular walk. The clifftop is covered in grass.

At this point I was wondering if there really were any ponies around…and then I saw them. Down below in the field I would be walking to next.

Looking down and along the grass covered clifftop, with ponies visible in the field in the distance.

Walk along the other side of the Rame Head Peninsular

After you have finished at the top, walk back down following the other coastline, keeping to the left trail through the field with the ponies.

Looking up the grass hill with lots of ponies grazing on the Rame Head Peninsular circular walk from Kingsand.

Nb. Ponies might have moved elsewhere when you are here.

The trail will then take you over a little wooden bridge thing, and around the other side of the peninsular.

Looking along the grass hillside with lots of gorse dotted about.

A trail running along the hillside. There is a man walking ahead on the trail.

Top Tip: Make sure to look back at the view.

Stalking

There was a guy in front of me for this bit. Pretty close. And I was taking lots of photos. I started to wonder if he through I was stalking him. Right up behind, with the noise of my camera shutter constantly going.

A trail on the right, running across the grass and gorse covered hill. There is a man walking ahead on the trail.

A man walking down over some rocks with a view out to the sea ahead.

A man walking down the trail on the edge of the hill with a view to the sea and coastline ahead.

A bit further along he stopped, and I passed. He probably did think I was taking photos of him. My camera roll features him a lot.

Walk along the coastline of Whitsands Bay

Further along, you will reach a trail junction with the yellow arrow. Take the left trail to go down to the road.

A wooden trail signpost nestled in the bushes, with a yellow arrow pointing left.

A split in the trail, with the right one leading up, and the left one leading down, with a big bush in between them.

A trail winding downhill surrounded by grass and bushes, with a view to the sea ahead.

At the road, there is a little zebra crossing. Go straight across it to the trail on the other side. You will first walking surrounded by bushes, and will walk past the cute Polhawn Cottage gate.

A wooden gate with a wooden post box, surrounded by greenery.

A narrow trail lined with bushes and grass.

When you reach the open area, there should be a sign pointing to the beach coast path. This directs you onto the uphill path.

A rugged path on the right, with a grass patch and bushes on the left and a sign pointing to the beach coast path.

The trail will then level out, and take you through a gate and along a grassy area. Then when you reach the next junction with a gate on the left, go through that.

A narrow trail running straight through a wooden gate, with the gras covered cliff hillside ahead in the distance.

A grassy dirt trail leading straight, and bushes and a wooden gate to the left.

The trail will be level for a bit, and then it will take you all the way uphill. At the information board and bench near the top, take the trail on the right which goes onto the road.

A path of grass with a wooden bench, surrounded by lots of hogweed.

Catch the bus or keep going to walk back to Kingsand?

This is where you can wait for the bus, a few meters to the right, near the car park across the road.

I know this because this is what I did. I know, I’m a fraud. You see, I knew that a bus would be coming past here in a few minutes. It was now late afternoon. I knew that if I kept going, and then waited for another bus in Kingsand, by the time I got home it would be evening. At this point, I was quite anxious to get back and settle myself in my new home. Plus, I needed to go food shopping etc. I knew I could come back tomorrow, and be dropped off by bus in this exact spot to finish the Rame Head circular walk. That would also give me lots of time to do more exploring in the area.

Walk back to Kingsand via Wiggle

So, the next day I came back. The problem is, it was now raining. I knew I should have finished the walk yesterday, but oh well. Hindsight.

Anyway, from this bit of the road, there is a road just opposite, with the car park on the right. Go along it and to the left. It was quite nice along here, with views around of the surrounding fields. Although it’s a road, I didn’t find it particularly busy. Actually, not a single car passed by me.

A country road winding to the left the right, lined with hedges, and a red crop field to the right.

A country road on the left, and a grass trail leading through the hedges on the right on the walk back to Kingsand from the Rame Head Peninsular.

When you reach the Wiggle old farm house, you should see a grassy trail to the right of it. Go along there.

This next bit is nice, along dirt trail, surrounded by hedges and some flowers. You will go past a junction of sorts. I think left is private. You want to continue on the right trail. There should be a footpath sign on the tree. You will also walk past a WWII pillbox. There is actually get a view of it further back. I didn’t take a photo back there as I thought the view would be better closer. It wasn’t.

A narrow dirt trail lined with hedges, and the top of a war pillbox visible ahead.

The trail will lead you into a big field where you walk straight across and though a gate on the other side.

A grass trail leading through a large grass field.

A small dirt trail surrounded by tall grass, leading to a wooden gate ahead which is surrounded by bushes.

The last bit of the walk into Cawsand and Kingsand

The next bit of trail is really lovely through an overgrown jungle like area. This is also my last photo.

A barely visible trail surrounded by overgrown bushes and grass.

By this point, it was raining quite a bit, and I was worried for my camera. I’m a bit bummed though, as there are some nice views coming up I wish I could show you.

When you reach the road bit, with what I think is a farm house, or something of the like, go straight across the road and through the gate on the other side.

Now walk straight through another field where you will start to get a view to Cawsand below. At the end, go through the gate, and then there will be a wooden gate on the left and a trail on the right. Take the right trail. This will lead you down to Cawsand where you get another lovely view across all the rooftops

When you reach the road, take the other one that runs parallel to it downhill. At the end of that one, if you go left, this will lead you straight back to Kingsand.

More walk ideas near Rame Head and Kingsand or similar walks

If you are staying in Plymouth, I have guide one the best walks you can get to from there. Alternatively, see below for a few I recommend.

Cremyll to Kingsand circular walk follows the coast path along the edge of the Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, with lots of green and pretty flowers, some rugged bits, and wonderful views.

Jennycliff to Bovisand, located just across the water in South Devon. It is a lovely one through cliffside woodland, and around the peninsular to Bovisand beach.

Noss Mayo walk, located over in South Devon, a bit further along the coast from Jennycliff. This is a gorgeous one, and fairly easy. You can actually see Rame Head and Kingsand from this walk, way off in the distance.

Kingswear to Brixham isn’t local, but I wanted to mention it because it also features ‘wild’ ponies. It’s also a very long and challenging walk so not actually similar in any way except for the ponies. Wild Ponies are a big deal though, so that makes up for it. You will find this walk over in East Devon.

Looe to Polperro walk, a bit further along the coast in Cornwall. This is a stunning coastal walk between a cute village and town. A firm favourite of mine now.

City centre comedy walking tour, showcasing the highlights and hidden gems in Plymouth. This is a highly rated tour, and you will be guided by an award winning comedian.

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Rame Head Peninsular walk guide, East Cornwall.