Charlestown to Carlyon Bay

A short out-and-back from Charlestown's Georgian harbour — square-riggers at their moorings, film crews in season — along the low cliffs to the beach front at Carlyon Bay. An easy route with two proper climbs out of the harbour cuts.

35 min – 55 min

Charlestown Harbour to Charlestown Harbour

Desk-researched / Not yet field-checked

Distance: 5.1 km
Elevation: 137 m
Start: Charlestown Harbour
Terrain: Coast path
Difficulty: Easy
Route type: Out and back

Practical notes

Best for

A harbour-to-beach leg-stretcher from St Austell
Runners staying around the bay
Adding beach kilometres at Crinnis when the tide allows

Watch for

Shale cliff edges that flake and are re-fenced often
The golf-course boundary section keeps you politely hemmed in
Cliff-fall warnings at the Carlyon end are current, not decorative

Facilities

Cafes, pubs and toilets around Charlestown harbour
Seasonal beach facilities at Carlyon Bay

Season

A gentle all-year option on this sheltered coast; even winter southerlies rarely make it unrunnable.

Parking: Pay car parks above Charlestown harbour; they absorb film-set days better than the village lanes do.
Public transport: Regular buses link Charlestown with St Austell station, ten minutes away.
Conditions: Worn cliff-top path and short tarmac links, with two sharp dips and climbs where streams cut to the sea.
Navigation: Coast path signs the whole way; the beach complex at Carlyon marks the turn without ambiguity.