NOW is the time to do this walk to catch the poppies at West Pentire!

A circular walk from Holywell Bay past the remarkable sacred spring and along the coast to the sandy beaches of Porth Joke and Crantock, returning via the poppy fields of West Pentire and the Cubert Common nature conservation area.

The walk starts by crossing the sandy beach at Holywell, recognisable as Nampara Cove to Poldark fans with its pointed rocks out to sea. At low tide, if you walk to the north end of Holywell beach, you can find Holywell cave, a sea cave containing a freshwater spring where calcium carbonate has dissolved in the spring water creating spectacular natural basins fed by the well.

The walk then follows the coast path around Kelsey Head where you may be lucky enough to spot a chough, to the pretty cove of Porth Joke, which remained relatively quiet even in the school holidays.

The walk continues around West Pentire point, which is famous for its wildflowers, in particular the fabulous display of poppies and corn marigolds in June. It then passes the blowhole, to Crantock beach and comes inland at the Bowgie Inn.

From here, the return route is over Cubert Common along the edge of the Holywell dunes forming part of the Penhale Sands dune system, which is important for wildlife.

Highlights:

- The holy well — an amazing natural series of basins created from dissolved minerals;

l Spectacular display of poppies and corn marigolds in June;

- Panoramic views of the rugged coastline from the coast path, including a blowhole at Crantock;

- Golden, sandy beaches at Holywell Bay, Porth Joke and Crantock;

- Wildlife along the coast and on the dunes of Cubert Common;

- Pubs at Holywell and the historic Bowgie Inn at Crantock.

Dogs: Holywell Bay, Crantock and Porth Joke beaches allow dogs year round. There are no stiles but there are unfenced sections of coast path.

For more than 200 circular walks in Cornwall, download the iWalk Cornwall app from the App Store or Google Play. The app is free and each walk only £1.99, which provides detailed directions, alerts at each point and if you go off course, historical and environmental points of interest and works offline.