Salt Path Filming Locations in Cornwall 8
Holywell Bay Beach
Holywell Bay has become a star in its own right, regularly chosen as a filming location for its rugged, cinematic beauty. It has featured in Poldark, James Bond: Die Another Day, and was even used as a backdrop in Game of Thrones (standing in for the beaches of Westeros in a Season 7 promo). It has also made appearances in Doc Martin and several BBC dramas, thanks to its wild atmosphere and timeless landscape.
Salt Path Filming Locations in Cornwall 9
Though not specifically mentioned in Raynor Winn’s bestselling ‘The Salt Path‘, the beach lies along the South West Coast Path which the very route Raynor and her husband Moth walked. It’s almost certain they passed this beach on their journey, and it’s easy to imagine the pair striding across the vast sands, comforted by the crashing waves and windswept solitude with the stunning backdrop of Gulls rock.
In July 2023, Holywell Bay once again welcomed cameras as part of the filming for the screen adaptation of The Salt Path. Locals and holidaymakers spotted stars Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs walking along the shoreline, wearing heavy packs and sharing a heartfelt kiss amidst the crashing surf, a poignant moment set against the raw, natural drama of the Cornish coast.
Newquay town harbour
Newquay, North Cornwall
Newquay is celebrated as the surf capital of the UK, with its golden beaches, buzzing nightlife, and laid-back coastal culture, The Salt Path shows a different side to this vibrant seaside town. For Raynor and Moth, weary and weatherworn from the trail, Newquay offers a rare moment of comfort and connection, “for the moment it was comforting to feel part of humanity.” After days of isolation along the rugged South West Coast Path, the town’s energy must have felt both welcoming and overwhelming.
Newquay’s contrast to the desolate, salt-blasted cliffs of the Cornish coast is stark. Instead of the silence of the headlands, here there’s the hum of conversation, clatter of cutlery in bustling cafés, and the smell of hot chips and sea air blending together. It’s a town alive with activity, offering a jolt back into civilisation, and a brief pause in the couple’s emotionally and physically demanding journey.
Fistral Beach surfing
Aside from its literary connection, Newquay has also made several appearances on screen. Its most famous beach, Fistral Beach, has featured in surf documentaries and TV segments about British coastal life. Scenes from The Salt Path were filmed here too, showcasing the dramatic Atlantic backdrop that defines the town. Newquay has also been featured in Escape to the Country many times and most recently the OYO Newquay Beach Hotel took part in Four in a Bed, a channel 4 TV shows around hotels.
Padstow Harbour drone photo
Padstow, North Cornwall
Padstow is a postcard-worthy harbour, rows of bobbing fishing boats, and narrow lanes brimming with artisan shops, bakeries, and renowned seafood restaurants, it’s a place where heritage and hospitality meet. It’s no wonder Raynor and Moth paused here on their journey.
In The Salt Path, Padstow is more than a pit stop as it offers a brief taste of comfort. The couple withdraw some money, stock up on essential supplies, and tuck into a warm portion of chips from Rick Stein’s famous fish and chip shop, a humble luxury after days of walking the wild path. It’s a small but vivid scene in the book, and one that made its way into the film. In July 2023, the harbourfront came alive with production crews and cameras, and glimpses of the town feature in The Salt Path movie trailer, highlighting Padstow’s enduring appeal.
Beyond its literary and cinematic moment, Padstow has long captured attention on screen. Nearby Prideaux Place, an Elizabethan manor overlooking the town, has appeared in various period dramas and feature films, including Twelfth Night (1996) and Rebecca (1997). The house, still privately owned by the Prideaux-Brune family, is open to visitors and adds a touch of historic grandeur to the area’s filmography.
The working harbour remains central to the town’s identity, home to a fleet of fishing vessels that supply fresh seafood to local eateries and beyond. This deep connection to the sea is not just commercial but cultural, perhaps most famously celebrated during Padstow’s May Day ‘Obby ‘Oss festival, one of the oldest surviving folk traditions in Britain. Held annually on May 1st, the event sees the town adorned with greenery and colour as locals parade through the streets to the sound of drums and accordions in a ritual believed to date back to pre-Christian times.
Padstow has also made its mark in TV and film, from food programmes hosted by Rick Stein to features in Coast and Countryfile, showcasing its scenic beauty and layered history.
Rame Head, Southeast Cornwall
Rame Head is a headland steeped in solitude, drama, and sweeping coastal vistas. With sheer cliffs dropping into the Atlantic and a windswept chapel ruin crowning the point, it is a place that feels untouched by time, the perfect setting for reflection at the end of a long and life altering journey.
For Raynor and Moth in The Salt Path, this area marks the final stretch of their walk before reaching Polruan. Though their official endpoint lies still a few days away, they pause just beyond Rame Head, reluctant to let go of the wild life they have come to embrace. Pitching their tent above a beach, they spend more than a week swimming in the sea and living with the rhythm of the tides, even as their supplies dwindle. It is a bittersweet interlude, filled with saltwater, sunsets, and the quiet knowing that the journey’s end is near.
Rame Head is one of the most visually arresting locations in The Salt Path film, its cinematic qualities naturally lending themselves to the screen. The lonely chapel, thought to date back to the 14th century, and the expansive views across Whitsand Bay, Plymouth Sound, and the English Channel create a powerful backdrop for some of the film’s most contemplative scenes.
Just inland lies Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, a 16th century estate that stretches across 800 acres of formal gardens, woodland, and coastal trails. The park offers commanding views over Drake’s Island, the Tamar Estuary, and right across to Devon, making it a popular destination for walkers, wildlife enthusiasts, and history lovers alike. The wider Rame Peninsula, often called Cornwall’s forgotten corner, is a treasure trove of hidden coves, artist communities, and unspoilt countryside.
Though less frequently used than Cornwall’s northern beaches, Rame Head and its surroundings have made their way onto screens in low key productions and period documentaries, thanks to their wild charm and preserved natural beauty. Its relative seclusion has kept it free from heavy development, preserving the sense of timelessness that The Salt Path so profoundly explores.
Salt Path Filming Locations in Cornwall 10
Port Quinn & The Rumps
In The Salt Path film, Raynor and Moth are shown sitting above this tranquil inlet, with the striking silhouette of Doyden Castle rising behind them. Perched on the clifftop, this 19th-century folly adds a dramatic flourish to an already picturesque scene, capturing both the loneliness and grandeur of their journey.
Nearby, Port Isaac serves as another key location in the film. Known to many as Port Wenn from ITV’s Doc Martin, the town is steeped in coastal charm, with whitewashed cottages, narrow streets, and a working harbour. The South West Coast Path dips directly into the village, making it a natural stop for walkers seeking a bite to eat or a place to stay. Scenes shot here in 2023 blend the real-world familiarity of Port Isaac with the deeper emotional beats of The Salt Path story.
Just along the coast, the film also features the wild headlands of Bounds Cliff, located between Trebarwith Strand and Port Gaverne. This section of the path is rugged and exposed, with rolling farmland giving way to steep, craggy drops into the sea. A setting that mirrors the physical and emotional turbulence Raynor and Moth often faced. In one particularly powerful scene, Moth falls, and Raynor scrambles to find water, a moment of vulnerability set against the indifferent majesty of the cliffs.
Further east, The Rumps, a distinctive twin-headland near Polzeath, makes a memorable appearance in the film. It’s a favourite of Raynor Winn herself, who has spoken about its layered beauty and sense of timeless isolation. With ancient Iron Age fortifications and panoramic views over the Atlantic, The Rumps offers a stunning, windswept backdrop.
Cut Scenes from the Salt Path
lands end signpost
Lands End Scene
As the most westerly point of mainland Cornwall and England, Land’s End holds a powerful symbolic weight, a place where land gives way to endless ocean, and journeys feel at once small and monumental. For many walking the South West Coast Path, including Raynor and Moth in The Salt Path, Land’s End represents a natural turning point, both geographically and emotionally. Though scenes filmed here for the movie were ultimately cut from the final version, Raynor Winn herself describes the view as one of her all-time favourites — a moment of clarity, defiance, and scale.
From the clifftop, the Atlantic stretches endlessly westward, punctuated only by the Longships Lighthouse, standing steadfast among the rocks, and the jagged drama of Gwennap Head to the south. The landscape here is elemental, windswept cliffs, crashing waves, seabirds circling overhead and serves as a reminder of both the fragility and strength of life at the edge.
