Rame Peninsula Cornwall - Mount Edgcumbe, Cawsand, Kingsand & Coastal Walks Guide

THE RAME PENINSULA

The Rame Peninsula or "The Forgotten Corner" as it is known locally, is just across the border with Devon, in South East Cornwall. The Rame Peninsulais bordered on three sides by water, the Rivers Lynher, Tamar and Plymouth Sound, you will find here a haven of peace and tranquillity.

Plymouth Sound &The River Tamar - from Mount Edgcumbe Park

Visitors travelling by car approach the Peninsula by crossing the Tamar Bridge on the A38 or by going through the thriving city of Plymouth with its deep naval traditions and excellent shopping facilities and boarding the chain ferry to Torpoint. Visitors on foot take the passenger ferry from Stonehouse in Plymouth to Cremyll or, in the summer, the "Western Maid", a delightful boat trip from the Mayflower Steps on the Barbican across the Sound landing on Cawsand Beach.

Once here you will find an area of great natural beauty, quiet secluded beaches, magnificent sceneryand spectacular walks. The Coastal Path starts at Cremyll winding its way through the 800 acre Mount Edgcumbe Park which according to the Shell Guide is probably the most beautiful in England.

MOUNT EDGCUMBE HOUSE & COUNTRY PARK

Mount Edgcumbe Country Park

Mount Edgcumbe Country Park is one of South East Cornwall's most impressive historic estates, set on the eastern tip of the Rame Peninsula overlooking Plymouth Sound. Once the ancestral home of the Earls of Mount Edgcumbe, the estate has evolved into a vast public country park combining landscaped gardens, woodland, coastal scenery, and historic architecture.

The park is renowned for its carefully designed gardens, including formal 18th-century layouts, exotic plantings, and seasonal floral displays that reflect centuries of horticultural development. Visitors can explore a network of walking trails that wind through parkland, ancient woodland, and open coastal headlands, offering panoramic views across the River Tamar and the city of Plymouth.

A key highlight is the historic Mount Edgcumbe House, partially restored after wartime damage, which provides insight into the aristocratic heritage of the estate. The surrounding grounds also feature follies, monuments, and hidden viewpoints that reflect the estate's long history as both a private residence and a designed landscape.

Today, Mount Edgcumbe serves as a major gateway to the Rame Peninsula, connecting visitors via the Cremyll ferry and forming part of the South West Coast Path. It remains one of Cornwall's most accessible yet scenic destinations, combining heritage, nature, and sweeping coastal views.

The villages of Kingsand and Cawsand, twinned with Porspoder in France, are the perfect base for the discerning tourist or holiday maker. These historical fishing villages are unspoilt by time and here you will find colour washed old cottages, narrow streets, pubs, restaurants and shops catering for your every need. Frequent winners of the Best Kept Village award and a conservation area set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty the villages are an artist's dream. There is ample parking and many cottages to let, bed and breakfast houses and hotels in which to stay. Used as a safe harbour for centuries, Cawsand Bay offers the perfect place to drop anchor and is popular for swimming, windsurfing, water skiing, camping and caravanning.

The Coastal Path takes us on at the edge of the sea and cliffs past Penlee Point and Rame Head with its 11th century monks' chapel and stunning views to the glorious sandy beaches of Whitsand Bay.

Inland the villages of Millbrook, St. John, Sheviock and St. Germans are all well worth a visit, as is Antony House, the 18th century home of the great Cornish family of Carew with its gardens sloping down to the Lynher River, near Torpoint.

For the more active, sea angling is very popular and bass, wrasse, pollock or mackerel are readily caught from the rocks. Bird watchers might see buzzards circling overhead, peregrines swooping past the cliffs or cormorants fishing. Golf and horse riding are within easy reach and Looe and Polperro just a few miles away.

 This is the "Forgotten Corner", an oasis of calm away from the crowds and bustle. Whatever your interest you will find a visit or stay here a truly unforgettable experience.