Walking Festival

Polzeath's Only Free Walking Festival!

Please reserve your place at least 24 hours in advance if possible  by contacting me direct or filling in the Events Page on Facebook. 

IF you just turn up  walks may be full or just not running.

Polzeath Walks Festival: Let Us Know Which Walks You'd Love!

To help me get a feel for numbers and interest, please comment below with the numbers of the walks/talks you're planning to attend. You can put a ? if it is a maybe.

Just type the number(s) in the comments! For example: 1, 3, 7, 8?

Festival Programme:

Monday, June 9th: Coastal Wonders & Festival Kick-off

1 Morning (Approx. 11:00 AM): Polzeath & Greenaway Circular Walk (Guided by Bill Bartlett)

2 Evening (Time TBC): "Hidden Polzeath" Illustrated Talk (Presented by Bill Bartlett at The Tubestation)

Tuesday, June 10th: Flora & Pentire's Views

3.  Morning (Approx. 10:00 AM): Polzeath's Coastal Flora & Echium Walk (Guided by Bill Bartlett)

4.  Late Afternoon (Approx. 4:30 PM): Pentire Head: Freedom to Walk, Freedom to Think (Led by Abigail Harrison - Start/end at The Ford, up through Valley Caravan site/Pentire Farm, towards the coast, back down Pentire to the beach for ice creams at Vanilla.)

Wednesday, June 11th: Deep Time Walk & Art Talk

5.  Morning (Approx. 10:00 AM): A Deep Time Walk: Polzeath's Geological Story (Guided by Bill Bartlett - 4.6 km circular from NT Pentireglaze Old Orchard. Bring a flask for a free drink or buy from the cafe.)

6.  Evening (Time TBC): "Polzeath: A Natural & Artistic Canvas" Illustrated Talk (Presented by Bill Bartlett)

Thursday, June 12th: The Salt Path's Roller Coaster Scenes

7.  Morning (Approx. 10:00 AM): Port Isaac to Polzeath Coastal Walk (Guided by Bill Bartlett - Bus leaves Polzeath Beach at 10:07 AM to Port Isaac. Walk home via Port Quin Sailing Club, potentially joined by Barnaby Kay or Save Port Quin rep.)

Friday, June 13th: Betjeman's Legacy & Pilgrim Paths

8.  Morning (Approx. 10:00 AM): The Polzeath Poetry Walk (Guided by Bill Bartlett - Gentle walk around places that inspired John Betjeman, including Jesus well.)

Saturday, June 14th: Coast & Community History

9.  Morning (Approx. 10:00 AM): Polzeath: A Walk Through Time (Guided by Bill Bartlett - Exploring Polzeath's architecture, stories, and evolution over the last 100 years.)

Sunday, June 15th: Farewell & Early Views

10. Early Morning (Approx. 7:00 AM): Farewell Coastal Sunrise Walk (Guided by Bill Bartlett - Starting from The Atlantic, New Polzeath, for peaceful morning light and stunning views.)

A revised Polzeath Walks Festival Programme (June 9th - 15th)

Your Guide for the Week: Bill Bartlett (Unless otherwise stated)

Monday, June 9th: Coastal Wonders

Morning (Approx. 11:00 AM): Polzeath & Greenaway Circular Walk

A beautiful moderate walk starting from Polzeath, taking the inland path to Daymer Bay, and returning via Greenaway. Highlights include stunning panoramic views, diverse coastal flora, and opportunities to spot local wildlife.

Evening (Time TBC): Welcome & "Hidden Polzeath" Illustrated Talk

An engaging slide show at The Tubestation (or suitable hotel venue if preferred) featuring newly discovered, unseen old photos of Polzeath. I'll share fascinating stories of the area's history, evolution, and hidden gems.

Tuesday, June 10th: Flora & Pentire's Views

Morning (Approx. 10:00 AM): Polzeath's Coastal Flora & Echium Walk

Join me for a unique exploration of Polzeath's resilient coastal flora. We'll identify local plant life and delve into the fascinating story of the Echiums in our area, discovering their challenges and beauty on this wild North Cornwall coast.

Late Afternoon (Approx. 4:30 PM): Pentire Head: Freedom to Walk, Freedom to Think (Led by Abigail Harrison)

A captivating walk to iconic Pentire Head. Abigail will guide participants to locations featured in historical photos, highlighting the inspiring work of those who saved Pentire and local footpaths from developers. Start / end at the Ford - and up through Valley Caravan site through Pentire Farm, towards the coast and then back down Pentire to the beach….icecreams at Vanilla to end.

Wednesday, June 11th: Deep Time Walk

Morning (Approx. 10:00 AM): A Deep Time Walk: Polzeath's Geological Story

Journey back in time with me on this walk, exploring the ancient geological formations of the Polzeath area. We'll uncover the secrets held within the rocks and landscapes, revealing many millions of years of Earth's history right beneath our feet and you'll get to understand where you fit into it! 4.6 km circular walk starting and ending at the North Cornwall National Trust Pentireglaze Old Orchard. Bring a flask for a free drink or buy one from the brilliant cafe team at the end.

Evening (Time TBC): "Polzeath: A Natural & Artistic Canvas" Illustrated Talk

A talk exploring the unique natural features of the Polzeath area, how they've inspired artists (including my own beach art), and the fascinating mathematical and environmental patterns found within our landscape. 

Thursday, June 12th: The Salt Path's roller coaster scenes

Morning (Approx. 10:00 AM): Bus to Port Isaac (10:07 from Polzeath Beach, arriving at Port Isaac, The Pea Pod at 10:17.) and a walk home via the internationally important Port Quin Sailing Club joined by Barnaby Kay  if he can make it or if not a rep from Save Port Quin (Lundy Bay)

Friday, June 13th: Betjeman's Legacy & Pilgrim Paths

Morning (Approx. 10:00 AM): The Polzeath Poetry Walk

A gentle and reflective walk around the places that inspired John Betjeman's poems, offering a unique literary perspective on the Polzeath landscape and where Jesus and his uncle may have stopped for a drink at the golf course well on their way to load up with Cornish tin.

Saturday, June 14th: Coast & Community History

Morning (Approx. 10:00 AM): Polzeath: A Walk Through Time

A walk delving into the historical development of Polzeath itself, exploring its architecture, local stories, and how it has evolved over the last 100 years. 

Sunday, June 15th: Farewell & Early Views

Early Morning (Approx. 7:00 AM): Farewell Coastal Sunrise Walk (Starting from The Atlantic, New Polzeath)

A final, group walk to celebrate the week's experiences. We'll set out early from The Atlantic, New Polzeath, to catch the peaceful morning light and stunning coastal views, a perfect reflective end to the festival.