Dog-friendly Coverack

Seven and a third miles south round Black Head to a hidden cove under an Iron Age cliff castle, four hours with 300 metres of climbing on a coast path that is rocky and slow rather than steep. It starts from the Coverack car park and there is no shop or tap between there and the turn, so carry water for the dog as well as yourself. Stiles are reported fine for dogs and every beach on this stretch, five of them, allows dogs all year, which makes it the best long August walk on the Lizard; the compensation is a great deal of unfenced clifftop.

Five and three quarter miles north from Coverack over the raised beach at Lowland Point and back through St Keverne, three hours with 210 metres of climbing on some of the strangest geology in Britain. Park in the car park above Coverack, since the harbour road is narrow and tidal in a gale, and expect the Manacles reef offshore for most of the outward leg. Most stiles are manageable and Coverack and Godrevy Cove take dogs all year, but ponies graze near Lowland Point, one stile by Dean Quarry is best bypassed along the beach top, and a very large dog will need help at the Godrevy footbridge.

Cliff-edge hotel and bar named after the liner wrecked below, looking down on Coverack's harbour and shingle. The hotel lists a pet-friendly room among its facilities, so a dog-friendly room has to be asked for rather than assumed. Coverack beach itself is not among the beaches covered by the council's seasonal order.