Boscastle, Cornwall
The National Trust harbour village on the North Cornwall coast – harbour, walks, parking & access
Boscastle, North Cornwall, PL35 0HD | Cobweb car park, PL35 0HE | National Trust countryside, open dawn to dusk
A harbour village made for exploring
Boscastle is one of the most memorable places to visit in Cornwall. The village tumbles down a steep, wooded valley to a narrow, twisting natural harbour where the Valency and Jordan rivers meet the Atlantic – for centuries the only safe haven on a long stretch of cliff-bound coast between Bude and Tintagel. Whitewashed cottages, old stone bridges, pubs and tea rooms line the valley floor, while the older upper village, with its slate-roofed cottages and the Napoleon Inn, looks down from the hill above.
Much of the land around the village – the harbour and its headlands, the clifftops at Willapark and Forrabury Stitches, and woodland in the Valency Valley – is cared for by the National Trust, and the whole area lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is a superb place for walking, photography and wildlife, and an easy base for exploring Tintagel, Crackington Haven and the rest of the North Cornwall coast.
This page gives you the essentials for a visit – the harbour, the National Trust, parking, toilets and disabled access, and the best places near Boscastle. For history, accommodation and much more, head over to our main Boscastle guide.
Boscastle at a glance
- North Cornwall, 3 miles from Tintagel
- Harbour & valley cared for by the National Trust
- Cobweb car park, about 250 spaces
- 6 Blue Badge bays by the toilets
- NT shop & café, pubs and tea rooms
- Dog friendly countryside
Boscastle Harbour
The harbour is the heart of Boscastle. Its sheltering inner walls were built in 1584 by Sir Richard Grenville, and for centuries small trading ships were towed through the narrow entrance by rowing boats and horses, bringing in coal and limestone and carrying away slate and corn. Today it shelters a handful of fishing and pleasure boats. Walk out along the harbour to the old jetty, watch for the Devil’s Bellows blowhole beneath Penally Point at mid-tide, or climb to the white lookout on Willapark for one of the finest views in Cornwall. At low tide there is a small harbour beach, and in summer boat trips run along the coast.
Boscastle and the National Trust
The National Trust looks after much of Boscastle’s coast and countryside, and its shop and café stand beside the harbour, serving pasties, cream teas and ice cream, with locally sourced gifts and books. From the harbour, waymarked walks lead up the Valency Valley through ancient woodland to St Juliot church, where the young Thomas Hardy worked in 1870 and met his first wife, Emma Gifford; out to Willapark and the medieval strip fields of Forrabury Stitches; and along the South West Coast Path north to Pentargon and south towards Tintagel. See our National Trust Boscastle page for walks and details.
Visitor Information
Parking
The main car park is the Cornwall Council Cobweb long-stay car park (postcode PL35 0HE) in the valley bottom, a short level walk from the harbour. It has around 250 spaces, no height barrier and is open 24 hours.
9am–4pm: up to 1 hr about £1.50 · 2 hrs £2.70 · 4 hrs £5.70 · 24 hrs £7.20. Free 4pm–9am.
Pay by coins, card, contactless or the JustPark app (location 8224). No overnight sleeping in motorhomes. Parking in the old upper village is very limited.
Facilities
Public toilets (small charge, coins or contactless) are beside the Cobweb car park – the only public toilets in the harbour area – with an accessible toilet and baby changing.
Two EV charging points and cycle racks sit beside the Blue Badge bays. The National Trust shop and café are on the harbour, with pubs, tea rooms, galleries and the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic nearby.
Disabled Access
There are six Blue Badge bays in the lower Cobweb car park next to the toilets, on a level tarmac surface; normal charges may apply. An accessible path runs beside the car park and river towards the harbour.
The top end of the harbour is mostly level and the National Trust shop and café have level access, with hearing loops at the tills. Towards the sea the paths become narrow, steep and uneven, and the Valency Valley and coast paths are not suitable for wheelchairs.
Places Near Boscastle
Things to do in and near Boscastle – tap a card for more information.
Places to Stay in Boscastle
Stay in a harbourside cottage, a B&B in the old village or a farm cottage in the countryside around St Juliot.
Frequently Asked Questions
North Cornwall Towns & Villages
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Discover more about Boscastle
History, the harbour, walks, places to eat and where to stay – everything in our main Boscastle guide.
Visit the Boscastle guidePage last updated: 8 October 2026