WALKING THE SALT PATH: A COASTAL TALE WITH A TALLAND TWIST

Raynor and Moth did it the long way: 630 miles of wild weather, cheap pasties and questionable sleeping arrangements. Now, The Salt Path has hit the big screen, just in time for you to lace up your boots and follow in their footsteps; albeit with a much fluffier pillow and warmer welcome waiting for you at the end.

We’re not suggesting you walk the entire South West Coast Path (unless you're in the market for very strong calves and an intimate knowledge of bivvy bags). But the stretch between Looe and Polperro, the bit which meanders right past our front garden, is in our opinion one of the very best bits. Lush, rugged and laden with smugglers’ tales, it’s a properly cinematic ramble that shows Cornwall at its most magnificent.

Talland Bay even gets a name-check in the book, and quite rightly too. Like a stay here at the hotel itself, the bay serves as a little moment of peace for Raynor and Moth in the midst of a rather epic life detour. And whether you’re walking to clear your head, channel your inner brooding protagonist, or just to work up an appetite for a plate of cod cheek scampi and a pint on our terrace, we salute your effort.

The stretch of the South West Coast Path that runs directly past our door is a route of twisty cliff paths, impossibly blue waters, the occasional surprise seal and hedgerows that are in full bloom and heavy with the smell of summer. Stop in Looe for a crab sandwich by the harbour, or carry on to Polperro, the little Cornish village that looks to have been frozen in time.

Looe on the South West Coast Path

If you’re staying at Talland Bay Hotel a little longer (and why wouldn’t you?), there are plenty more stretches of the trail to explore nearby. Head west towards Lansallos and Lantic Bay for quieter strolls, secret beaches and the feeling of really getting off the beaten track and away from it all.

Back at Talland, we’ll be ready with the kind of comforts Raynor and Moth spent many a night dreaming of on their Salt Path experience: hearty lunches, warm baths, long dinners with local scallops and the best steak in town, and the comfiest of beds that don’t collapse in the night. So go on. See the film, take a walk, then come and meet us at Talland Bay.

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