Feels good to have passed the 200 miles mark (almost 1/3 of the way there).
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| Fistral Beach, Newquay - famous for surfers, though not so many in today's rain shower |
Today`s walk proceeded through sand dunes and along golden sands which spread for miles, in some instances. The beach at Perranporth, for example, took at least 30 minutes. It was just such a shame that Perranporth was a crowded place full of "lager louts"!
I therefore walked a further 3 miles onto Cross Coombe and am pleased I did, for I met a person that had completed the SWCP 6 year`s ago and was therefore full of useful advice regarding places to visit and what to expect on the walk. This section of the walk offered a splendid landscape. The cliffs were huge with enormous sheer drops into the sea. The area had been mined extensively in the past so there were clear signs of excavations; rock slippages; and a redness indicating evidence of the mining and washing of metals to provide ore.
Tonight`s campsite is small but nevertheless friendly. My neighbours have leant me a heater to help dry out my tent after the recent heavy rains.
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Day 16 - Cross Coombe to Portreath - 10 miles cumulative mileage 214.5
The walk was once again relatively easy traversing cliffs, strewn with loose rock coloured by the mining for metals that had taken place many year's ago. There was one very steep decline and then incline but both were helped with many steps built into the path.
Arrived in Portreath to discover that the campsite was at least 2 miles away from the SWCP. Oh well, at least the rain did keep off me, and the sun was warm enough to encourage me to have 2 ice creams today.
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| Portreath |
Feel refreshed and ready for tomorrow's walk having completed 1/3 of the walk today.
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Walking from Portreath to St Ives was a pleasure. It started with a bakery making me a fantastic cheese salad in a tomato bread to meeting a gentleman walking 3 miles of the day's route to collect his campervan having had it MOT'd. He was able to tell me facts about the area, having lived here for 40 years and to show me the coves where seals basked in the sun.
Having had a wonderful smoothie at a cafe at Godrevy Point I had the pleasure of walking on 3 miles of golden sands called the Towans before reaching Hayle (an area visited by engineers like Brunel and Richard Smethick).
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| The Towans |
Had to take a 3 mile detour to cross the river, as there was no bridge and I was unable to use the beach, even though the tide was low. The detour took me around an area named the saltings. I was rewarded by having sight of a steam engine; and a stunning church in a very presentable residential area near the beach (named Hayle Village). The walk ended as a muddy path along to Carbis Bay, and then via an easy going tarmac path alongside the single track railway that connects Penzance to St Ives.
First impressions of St Ives was that it was all that previous villages were but more. It has narrow cobbled streets; a harbour with many small craft bobbing on the water and lined with many shops, bars and restaurants so I have spent the evening eating fish and chips on the harbour side and drinking pints of orange and lemonade to cool down.
Regrettably the pub in which I am having a drink now has switched off its wifi because they are running a pub quiz so they do not want anybody cheating. What about mobile phones? Well if everybody uses Vodafone like me then they cannot obtain a signal in any case!
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Day 18 - St Ives to Pendeen 13.5 miles cumulative mileage 248
What a walk! Having passed The Tate, in St Ives I walked onto the cliffs to soon realise that this was to be a tough day. There were streams making the ground wet and as I progressed onto further cliffs the paths became strewn with boulders that had fallen many years ago so it became more like a rock climb as I negotiated the boulders by clambering over them or squeezing my way around them. There was also a downfall of rain in the morning to make matters even more interesting. The cliffs were the most rugged seen so far with fewer beaches except where a stream had caused a cove and therefore a small sandy beach.
In the afternoon my spirits were lifted when witnessing a group of Royal Marines on a training exercise having to run and with rucksacks, no doubt twice as heavy as mine; and a couple of Swedish ladies who provided some amusing chat.
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| These Swedish ladies were certainly enjoying themselves |
Now I have the luxury of looking back at the day's events it certainly was an adventure which I shared with others on the path. I met a Dutch couple and a family with 3 teenage children being co-erced by their Dad. Funnily enough we are all staying at the same pub where we are all being watered, fed and rested (in separate rooms and tents). Looking forward to another tough day tomorrow.
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Day 19 - Peenden to Porthcurno - 13.5 miles cumulative mileage 262
Set out today with a little trepidation as the book had advised that the walk would be similar to the challenging walk the day before. This was not always the case as there were pleasant grass paths. However I did have to negotiate a 10 foot pile of boulders once, which was fun.
Today was also a day when I met with some wonderful people. Stopped at a little drinks kiosk at Cape Cornwall and chatted with a lady that had walked several sections of the path.
The highlight of the day however, was meeting up with 2 Dutch couples, including Hubert whom I had first met on yesterday's walk and again last night in the The North Inn pub, last night. He was a great guy having technology as one of our shared interests.
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| Lands End |
Having decided to push on I eventually arrived at Treen campsite whereupon I drank and ate at the local pub, The Logan Arms, where who should I meet but Hubert, having fish and chips with his wife and friends! What a coincidence and what a day!
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| Hubert with friends looking a little blurred |
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| Hubert's wife and friends |
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Day 20 - Porthcurno to Marizian nr Penzance - 14 miles cumulative mileage 276
The walk today started out to be challenging once again as I had to continue negotiating boulders in certain cliff areas. Otherwise the walk offered a variety of terrain including grass, gravel tracks and lengthy road sections. Then I arrived in the quaint village of Mousehole (where the streets were narrow and the homes were small) on the way to Newlyn and onto Penzance.
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| Mousehole, another charming village built with very narrow streets |
While walking towards Penzance I did have one funny experience. I passed a coach so suggested to the driver that I did know where he was going, so he laughed at my joke.
Having decided that Penzance lacked any character I decided to continue alongside the railway track from Penzance, using a cycle path all the way to the beach at Marazion and then into the village.
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| To go home or to continue??? |
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| This postbox had been painted gold (like others across the country) to celebrate a local Olympics Gold medal winner - Helen Glover - women's rowing pair |
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| St Michael's Mount |
Having set up camp I walked down to the local pub and decided to try their fish pie. Bad decision!
The night also turned out to be eventful as the winds increased and the rain poured down incessantly. It was therefore a challenge to pack up my tent next morning Not only was it wet and muddy but having removed the tent pegs the tent decided to take off leaving me to chase it across the campsite. Luckily I was able to rescue it.
I shall therefore be having a rest day while the weather is inclement and will then set off towards Falmouth viaThe Lizard, over the next three days, on my return along the South coasts of Cornwall and Devon.
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