I missed this one when Mr and the children did it recently with the (upcountry) Grandparents. We’ve been sharing the working/childcare a bit over the summer and it was my day off. Or on. Anyway, they enjoyed this walk which we’ve not done for a while. This includes a cattle grid, beach, woodland river walk and an optional trip on the King Harry chain ferry. The ferry crossings are on the hour, twenty past and twenty to from Trelissick side. Cake and coffee also available at the NT cafe, plus a stroll around the National Trust Trelissick Gardens. 

What you need to know

Parking: At Trelissick Gardens, free for National Trust members. A pricey £4 or so if you’re not.
Toilets: Yes
Cafe: Yes
Pushchair suitable? Yes. If it’s muddy you need something rugged. The fields at the start can get muddy when it’s wet.
Time: Somewhere around 1.5 hrs including stops for exploring and a trip on the ferry. Based on 5 year old pace.
Steepness factor: A bit up and downy when you get to the ferry and the uphill journey back to the gardens.

Directions

There are toilets and a cafe at Trelissick in case you need to visit these first, no need to pay to go in to the gardens. (Although it’s well worth it if you do and there are rooms in the house open now.)

From the car park, head to the fields and the sea rather than down towards the house/gardens. Go over the cattle grid if you’re 5 (or 5 at heart) or through the pedestrian gates. Head down towards the sea. You can explore the pebbly beach if you’d like a diversion. It’s a good spot for a picnic.

Take the path to the left of the beach up into the woods. You don’t need many directions, just follow the path around the headland. Enjoy the river views on the way round.

Eventually you will find a turn off to the ferry which is pushchair friendly down a series of ramps. This is a slightly longer route, so if you’re happy with steps, continue on the path. This will take you to the lower entrance to the gardens. From here you can enter the gardnens or you can take the steps down to the road and turn left to head back to the car park or right to get to the ferry.  We usually take a trip on the chain ferry, there’s a suggested donation for foot passengers (£1?).
Resume the walk along the road. Go straight up the hill, under the bridge and through the doorway in the wall on the left to return to Trelissick Gardens, past the French looking folly tower. This brings you out helpfully near to the cafe and toilets.

If you want to combine this walk with a visit to the gardens then you can go in through the lower entrance and walk back up through the gardens rather than along the road. Follow the road initially from the ferry then take the steps to your left back up to the gardens.