Perched above the beautiful Fowey Estuary in Cornwall, St Catherine's Castle is a small historic fort with some wonderful coastal views. It's free to visit, and the walk takes you past the sheltered waters of Readymoney Cove before climbing up towards the castle.

We visited on a hot summer's day with our three dogs and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery. However, one thing we found surprisingly difficult was working out exactly where to park and how to reach the castle.

After driving around Fowey for a while, we eventually found a suitable car park, although we still weren't entirely sure we'd chosen the right one!

So, if you're planning a visit yourself, here's everything we would have liked to know beforehand, including parking, walking directions, the steep steps, dog restrictions and a little history of the castle.

Where to Park for St Catherine's Castle, Fowey

If you're driving to St Catherine's Castle, we recommend parking at Readymoney Car Park on Tower Park, which is within walking distance of Readymoney Cove.

• Car park: Readymoney Car Park, Tower Park, Fowey
• Postcode: PL23 1JD
• what3words: ///puddings.solid.notch
• Walk to Readymoney Cove: Allow approximately 10 minutes downhill
• Return walk: Allow around 20 minutes uphill

Parking charges may apply, so check the signs when you arrive.

The car park is situated in a residential area, and it's not immediately obvious where the castle is from the parking spaces. Look for the footpath leading downhill towards Readymoney Cove.

Walking Directions from Tower Park to St Catherine's Castle

We've put together the map below to show the route we followed from the car park to the castle, including the location of the steep metal steps.

1. Follow the Footpath Downhill

From the car park, take the footpath leading downhill towards Readymoney Cove. It's a pleasant walk through a green, wooded area, and you soon begin making your way towards the coast.

We'd allow approximately 10 minutes to reach the beach, although you may get there a little quicker.

2. Turn Right at the Bottom

When you reach the bottom of the footpath, turn right and follow the road down towards Readymoney Cove.

Be careful along this section. The road is steep and narrow, and although traffic is limited, vehicles do occasionally make their way down to the beach.

3. Find the Steep Metal Steps

Once you reach Readymoney Cove, look towards the sea. On your right-hand side, there is a steep set of metal steps leading up from the beach area towards the castle path.

These are not ordinary steps. They're quite steep and exposed, with rocks below, so take your time, particularly if you're visiting with dogs or young children.

Important: These steps are seasonal and are normally installed between April and October. They're removed during winter to prevent storm damage. They can also be inaccessible at high tide, so check local access information before relying on this route.

4. Follow the Signs to the Castle

After climbing the steps, follow the signposted path towards St Catherine's Castle.

It's only another few minutes' walk, although the ground is uneven in places. The woodland approach can also become muddy after rain, so sensible footwear is a good idea.

Before long, you'll arrive at the remains of the castle overlooking the Fowey Estuary.

Readymoney Cove – A Lovely Little Beach

Before heading up to the castle, it's worth spending some time at Readymoney Cove itself.

This small, sheltered beach is known for its generally calm waters and beautiful setting. On the sunny day we visited, it was a lovely spot to sit and enjoy the scenery.

The cove is popular for paddling, swimming and relaxing by the water, and there's a small beach shop and café where you can pick up refreshments, ice creams or a few gifts.

There are also public toilets, which is always useful to know before setting off on a coastal walk!

With the beach, the views and the surrounding footpaths, it's somewhere you could easily spend longer than expected, particularly on a warm summer's day.

Can You Take Dogs to St Catherine's Castle?

Yes, dogs on leads are welcome at St Catherine's Castle. However, there are a couple of things worth knowing before visiting.

Readymoney Cove has seasonal dog restrictions:

• 1 July to 31 August: Dogs are not permitted on the restricted beach area between 10am and 6pm.
• 1 September to 30 June: Dogs are permitted on the beach.

We visited during the summer restrictions with our three dogs, and although access towards the castle is possible, we found this part of the visit a little awkward.

We were conscious of the beach restrictions and didn't feel particularly comfortable walking our dogs across the sand, so we carried them over the short section towards the steps.

And those steps were another challenge!

They're steep, made of metal and have rocks beneath them. We noticed that some other dogs weren't particularly keen on climbing them either, and even saw owners carrying much larger dogs.

Carrying three dogs up those steps certainly wasn't the easiest part of our day!

That said, the beach restrictions only apply for two months of the year and during specific daytime hours. We'd happily return outside the restricted period when visiting with our dogs would feel a little more straightforward.

If your dog is nervous around steep or open steps, or struggles with uneven ground, it's worth considering an alternative approach to the castle.

A Little History of St Catherine's Castle

Although the coastal scenery is what first catches your attention, St Catherine's Castle has a fascinating history stretching back almost 500 years.

The castle was built in the 1530s during the reign of King Henry VIII, at a time when England faced the threat of invasion from France and Spain.

Its position overlooking the narrow entrance to the River Fowey made it an ideal place to defend the important harbour from enemy ships.

The fort was built under the supervision of Thomas Treffry, an influential local merchant associated with nearby Place House in Fowey.

Over the centuries, the castle was adapted to meet changing military needs. It was modernised during the 1850s, around the time of the Crimean War, and later used again during the Second World War.

Today, only the remains of the fort survive, but it's still possible to explore parts of the historic structure and imagine the important role it once played in protecting Fowey Harbour.

For anyone interested in discovering more, English Heritage has a detailed history of St Catherine's Castle.

Is St Catherine's Castle Worth Visiting?

We certainly thought so, although it's worth knowing what to expect.

The castle itself is quite small, and you can explore the surviving ruins in just a few minutes. It's not a large attraction where you'll spend hours wandering through rooms and exhibitions.

For us, the real highlight was the setting.

From the headland, you can enjoy wonderful views across the water towards Polruan, with boats passing through the Fowey Estuary and the Cornish coastline stretching into the distance.

We visited on a beautiful summer's day, and it was a lovely place to stop, enjoy a picnic and take in the scenery. It wasn't particularly busy during our visit either, which made it feel even more peaceful.

And best of all, admission to the castle is completely free.

Could You Make a Day of It?

Absolutely!

Although we only visited Readymoney Cove and St Catherine's Castle on this occasion, the nearby town of Fowey looked incredibly picturesque in the summer sunshine.

If you're visiting without dogs during the summer beach restrictions, you could easily combine a morning exploring Fowey with a walk to the castle, followed by an afternoon relaxing at Readymoney Cove.

There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the coastline, stop for refreshments and simply take in the surroundings.

We didn't explore Fowey itself properly this time, but it's somewhere we'd definitely like to return to, perhaps when the beach is a little more dog-friendly!

Things to Know Before You Visit

• Admission: Free
• Opening: Accessible during reasonable daylight hours
• Parking: Readymoney Car Park, Tower Park, PL23 1JD
• Walking: Allow around 10 minutes downhill to the beach, plus additional time to reach the castle
• Terrain: Steep steps, uneven paths and some uphill walking
• Dogs: Welcome on leads at the castle; seasonal restrictions apply at Readymoney Cove
• Facilities: Toilets, beach shop and café at Readymoney Cove; no facilities at the castle
• Accessibility: The castle approach is not suitable for wheelchairs, and the steep steps may be difficult for some visitors

There are also steep, unguarded drops around parts of the castle ruins, so take particular care with children and dogs, and avoid climbing on the historic walls.

Our Final Thoughts

St Catherine's Castle might not be the biggest attraction in Cornwall, but that's part of its charm.

It's a short coastal adventure combining a lovely sheltered beach, a little Cornish history and some beautiful views across the Fowey Estuary.

Our biggest difficulty was simply finding the right place to park and working out the walking route, which is why we wanted to share our map and directions.

Hopefully, if you're planning a visit, you'll now have a much easier time finding your way there than we did!

And if you have the time, we'd definitely recommend making the most of Readymoney Cove and exploring a little more of Fowey while you're there.