Sandy beach with rocky foreshore behind it, Falmouth town in the distance over the river.

South West Coast Path

South West Coast Path - Flushing riverside loop

Notes from the South West Coast Path; in this blog series we document the short stretches we've done with the aim of helping others to enjoy it piece by piece. If there is any useful information that we’ve missed out, let us know in the comments!

Flushing to Mylor harbour to Trelew and back to Flushing - 4.5 miles / 7.2 km

Starting and finishing – Flushing village, TR11 5TY

Halfway – Mylor harbour, TR11 5UF

Ease of walking

This was a fantastic easy walk around the headland aside from a bit of mud in places. Starting in the charming village of Flushing you find yourself on Flushing beach and the start of the Trefusis estate. The route is relatively flat as you walk around the headland with a clear path taking you round to the busy harbour and marina at Mylor Churchtown. From this point you stick to the river as you head upstream and then once you reach Trelew there is a permitted access footpath which allows you to cut up and over the headland and back down the hill into Flushing via a public footpath.

Photo of OS map of Carrick Roads river, with a pair of binoculors resting on the map and a hand holding the map on the left

Wildlife

I saw some fantastic wildlife on this walk thanks to the varied environments around the headland. Lots of birds were enjoying different parts of the river; oystercatchers on the rocky shore and three herons up in Mylor creek. The short footpath through woodland at Trelew was full of different songbirds, a real delight to pause, listen and try to spot them. During my walk a pod of dolphins went past coming down from Penryn and past Flushing although I failed to spot them!

Refreshments

Flushing Village Stores furnished me with a delicious pasty which I sat and ate under this beautiful tree. Flushing also has a pub and at Mylor Churchtown there were a couple of cafes/restaurants to eat at.

Large oak tree in the winter time with no leaves, the tree is silhouetted with blue sky and river in the background

Sea wall in the left foreground with a rocky beach and river in the background.

Toilets

There are no public toilets at Flushing but there are in Mylor Churchtown.

Parking

There is some on-street parking on the road down into Flushing but once you're in the village it is very tight and definitely nowhere to park considerately. I didn't spot any public car parks so best to grab a spot early rather than find yourself stuck in the village. Alternatively if you start your walk at Mylor Churchtown there is a car park you can pay to park in.

Muddy path under trees with mossy walls either side of the path

Small colourful rowing boats in the foreground, the tide is out so they sit on a seaweed and rock bed. Falmouth is visible over the river in the distance.

Time to spare?

Flushing beach looked like a fantastic rockpooling spot and some of the views across Carrick Roads were superb for spotting wildlife. Make sure you bring your binoculars and pause along the way to take it all in, you never know what you might see! You could also extend your walk to visit Mylor Bridge or detour to the Food Barn market at Tregew Farm on a Saturday morning to buy some local goodies.

Francesca Crickmere