Frequently Asked Questions

You walk alone or in your own group (no guide) and we organize the holiday. There is no need to worry about choosing and booking your accommodation, carrying heavy backpacks, selecting the best route or buying maps. We take care of everything so that you can concentrate on enjoying what you came for, the beautiful Cornish landscapes. We even offer transfers at the beginning and end of your walk, making this the best way to walk the Cornwall coast path.

This is how they work:

1. We find out what kind of walking holiday you are interested in (coast path, moors, towns and villages – see our suggested itineraries for a few ideas), how long you want to stay and when you would like to come.

2. We come up with an itinerary based on what you want to see and how far you want to walk each day. If you wish to proceed …

3. We book your accommodation in our favourite B&Bs and hotels on your route and arrange your arrival and departure transfers.

4. You arrive in West Cornwall, we meet you at the train station/ car park, hand over your maps and information pack, give you a briefing and take you to your first night’s accommodation.

5. The next morning you leave your bags at the B&B and following the details in your information pack, walk on to the next stopover (where your baggage will be waiting – 20kg limit per bag please). You then visit a nearby restaurant (we provide recommendations).

6. The next day you head out after breakfast and enjoy more of the same.

7. Every day we transfer your baggage to the next night’s accommodation.

8. At the tour end we transfer you back to your car/ train station.

If you don’t like the idea of changing accommodation every day, our centre based vacations could be the perfect option.

All of our walking holidays in Cornwall are designed to suit you as an individual. If you want a fast paced walk and simple accommodation, we can do that. If you want a relaxing walk and a comfortable hotel, we can do that too. In general we find that most walkers want a little comfort at night, a good restaurant with hearty food and cosy atmosphere and a welcoming pub to stop off in along the way. So here we have listed what is included in many customers preferred options.

Bed & Breakfast

Bed and breakfast in comfortable friendly establishments, that we have hand picked. These are chosen for their access from our walking routes, their quality and their friendly atmosphere. They are typically family run, have en-suite rooms and a relaxed atmosphere.

For single walkers we tend to provide single or twin rooms. Please let us know in advance if you are a single walker and require a double bed.

Information Pack (one per couple)

At the start of your holiday, you will receive an information pack with everything you need for a problem free, enjoyable self led walking holiday in Cornwall.

Included are:

• Maps showing your route and details of the region.
• A guide to the walk, including points of interest, route description and general information.
• A daily itinerary with distances, directions, accommodation details and directions, restaurant/pub/cafe suggestions.
• A list of contacts for emergencies and change of plans.

Luggage Transfers

Every day that you walk we will transfer your bags between B&Bs. Please note that the prices are based on transferring one bag per person and a 20kg limit per bag.

Arrival & Departure Transfers

We will provide a transfer from local train/bus/car park to your first B&B. Then on the morning of your departure we will provide a transfer from your B&B to your local point of departure (restricted to arrivals 2.30pm to 8pm and departures 7.30 to 10am).

Lunch is not included in the package. However, there are places to get lunch for the day in every stopover town/village (sometimes from the B&B, sometimes from a nearby shop or cafe). We provide you with a detailed information pack telling you the best places to get your packed lunch, and your options for fresh food during the day’s walk.

It is possible to get an evening meal in all the locations along the way. In some of the smaller stops the choice may be a bit limited, but we’ve made sure when putting our itineraries together that there is always at least one local pub serving decent food close to the accommodation.

One of our most difficult tasks is to convey the true nature of the coast path and suggest the most appropriate itinerary for our clients. Every one has their own idea of what is moderate, easy or difficult and what is easy for one person can be difficult for the next. Likewise different people walk at different speeds, some take more frequent breaks than others and only you know your limits.

An important consideration is how far you would like to walk each day. Our itineraries can be divided into Category A (6-9 miles/ 11-16 km per day) and Category B (10-12 miles/ 14-19 km per day). Although these distances do not sound very far, please note that the coast path can be demanding due to its many hills and rocky sections, and 10 miles (16 km) will typically take 6 hours to walk. The shorter itineraries allow more time to explore the towns and villages where as the longer ones provide more of a physical challenge and allow you to explore more of our coast line.

If you are in doubt, we recommend choosing a Category A itinerary.

1. Take a look at the listed itineraries to get some ideas. We are happy to customize these itineraries, adding on rest days, starting further down the coast, adding on a day up on the moors etc.

2. Fill out the booking form or send us an email, mentioning any preferred itineraries, possible arrival and departure dates and room requirements (double rooms, twin rooms etc).

3. We will check availability and get back to you with a personalised itinerary and price.

4. If you are happy with the itinerary, we will book the rooms and invoice you for the deposit payment. We accept payment by bank transfer or on-line card transaction.

5. The remaining balance is then due 30 days before the holiday start date.

Please see our page on Covid related cancellations.

Instead of changing accommodation every day, you spend multiple nights in the same establishment and we provide daily transfers between your accommodation and the coast path.

These can work slightly cheaper than the standard option and offer a lot more flexibility. Read more on our centre based walking holidays.

No, please see our section on Getting to Cornwall for further information.

The most essential item for any walking holiday is a good pair of walking boots. These should be well broken in (to avoid any unpleasant surprises) with a good sole (deep tread) and be in good condition. Remember that the coast path can get muddy and boots should be appropriately waterproofed.

Many walkers also use two pairs of socks for comfort. Covering long distances every day often leads to blisters and an extra pair of socks is an added precaution against this.

Unfortunately we have no control over the weather and this being Cornwall, it does occasionally rain. To keep dry we recommend a light waterproof jacket and waterproof over trousers to keep in your day pack. It’s better to be safe and dry than wet and sorry.

You need to carry a light weight day pack (rucksack) to carry your waterproofs, a spare jumper (as it can get cold), a packed lunch, a water bottle, information pack and a small first aid kit. Walking sticks are also very handy and can save a lot of fatigue whilst offering additional support on uneven terrain.

If once you have started your walk, the weather makes it not possible to continue (high winds or heavy rain) we are still bound by the accommodation bookings and due to the high demand in peak season many establishments will not be able to accommodate you for an extra night. In such cases you would be welcome to get a lift with the luggage (if there is room in the vehicle) or we can advise on bus options or help you to organize a taxi.

Western Discoveries is bound by the 1992 European Package Travel Regulations which means that the cost of your holiday is protected in case of any problems with the company itself. However, we always recommend that our clients take out personal travel insurance to cover themselves in case of illness/accident, and also to cover the parts of the trip not arranged by us (flights, transport to Cornwall etc).

Cancellation charges are as follows:

More than 30 days before departure: loss of deposit.
21 – 30 days before departure: 50% of total cost.
10 – 20 days before departure: 75% of total cost.
Less than 10 days before departure: 100% of total cost.

We accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from cancellations.

We strongly recommend that you take out appropriate travel insurance prior to your holiday with us. Even if you are travelling within the UK, this will protect your payments if you have to cancel your holiday.

It is very unlikely that you will get lost. We provide you with maps and directions and most of our self led walks follow the coast path, making it easy to locate yourself or a nearby town/village. But if you should find yourself in the middle of nowhere and unable to go on, you can call us on the contact number provided in your information pack and we will either collect you ourselves (surcharge applies) or help you to arrange a taxi pick up.

We include transfers from local towns and train stations to your first night’s accommodation and in the morning after your last night we offer transfers back to your car or the local train station (usually Penzance).

We offer arrival transfers between 2.30 pm and 8 pm and departure transfers between 7.30 and 10 am. You must notify us at the time of booking if you think you will require transfers at different times but please note that most B&B’s will not accept check-ins after 9 pm and check out is generally at 10 am.

Unfortunately, no. We would love for you to be able to bring your four legged friend along but there are so few B&B’s that accept dogs that we just can’t make the holidays work.