Helfal two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Helfal here.

This was an enjoyable slow way, taking a relatively direct route between Falmouth and Helston. The facilities available at both the start and the end are plenty. The settlements of Constantine (~10 km) and Gweek (~15 km) en route also provide opportunities for rest/supplies.
The route relies heavily on public rights of way, a good number of which were poorly signposted. Therefore, the use of an OS map and/or an app is strongly advised. Many of the footpaths passed through small farms (typical in the Cornish countryside). Some farms were easy to pass through while others had issues with electric fences, herds of cows and saturated muddy/sileage covered ground. Given that I undertook the walk in November, the ground may be easier to traverse at other times of year. There were many stone and wooden styles, and therefore this route is not accessible for all.
In one or two locations, the OS map footpaths were inaccurate, and will require changes to the definitive map to rectify.
Some of the views, both out toward the coast, and inland made this walk very enjoyable. A particular highlight was the selection of small, wooded valleys the route passed through.

An enjoyable route taking paths off the more well trodden route of the coastal path. Not suitable for bikes, wheelchairs or those with mobility issues as there were a lot of stiles to climb over throughout the route. The route starts at the Prince of Wales pier in Falmouth ending at the Helston information centre. There is a bus from Helston to Falmouth so for those who don’t have a car, there is the opportunity to do this section and return to Falmouth by public transport. This route took about 5 hours to complete with a lunch break and a snack break and takes you through the centre of Falmouth, Budock Water, Constantine, Gweek and Helston, providing a number of opportunities for those wanting to stock up on food/water supplies. The terrain is a mixture of habitats including urban, woodland, farmland and tracks. There were some sections where you had to walk on roads without pavements. The signage of the location of the public footpaths generally wasn’t very good (eg no signage). Some of the landowners had string fencing blocking access to the footpath and relevant stiles. Having an OS Map or the OS Maps app for navigation is highly recommended for this route. Some of the paths taken did involve going through fields with cows in. Appropriate footwear such as sturdy walking boots is a must as the ground is often uneven and in the winter, sections are very muddy. The route was very interesting taking in some lovely views of the Cornish countryside.

This route passes through some very picturesque farmland countryside and a number of interesting villages. Falmouth and Helston both make excellent start/finish points with convenient transport links, parking and plenty of amenities.

However the route does include some significant sections of country road without pavement where care is needed. The route would not be suitable for cycling or wheelchairs. Though the whole route is passable on foot certain sections of footpath are poorly signed particularly passing through farms and conditions underfoot can be very muddy. At points electric fences had to be crossed and some fields contained large and inquisitive herds of cows. A number of small detours or diversions could add to the enjoyment of certain sections but these would add up over the course of the whole route.

Overall this route has a lot to offer from an interest perspective and is a reasonable balance between directness and practicality though it requires confidence in map reading and navigating through a farmland landscape.

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