Day 102 - Monday 5 April 2004 - Fowey to Charlestown

 10.5 miles walked today

1073.5 miles walked in total (10.524 average)

We were more organised today so I was ready to walk at 9.45 am in Fowey.  I had a quick dash down to the harbour to get the postcards I forgot to buy yesterday and then a smart climb out of Fowey and round to Readymoney Cove.  I met another walker there who'd got the overnight train from London to Par and who had walked the six miles to Fowey in three hours.  He told me to watch out for the mud and the field of excitable cattle!   It didn't take long to find them - I knew I was in the right place as they all scarpered in different directions in their general panic!

Primroses, violets and gorse bordered the path again - lovely.  It was very cold today and very windy - I had to take shelter wherever I could get it.  As I came down through the woods into Polridmouth, I came across the most amazing house with immaculate lawns and its own pond, which I had to cross over stepping stones.

From here, it was a very steep uphill to the Gribbin, an eighty-four feet high daymark built in 1832, a red and white striped tower which I've seen for pretty much both days so far.  As I rounded Gribbin Head, I was assaulted by the wind which had been really fierce.  The path along the top has been easygoing and I followed it down to Polkerris before another hike up and over to Par Sands.  These sands reach for half a mile at low tide and, even though it's early April and extremely bracing, there were still lots of families on the beach, albeit wrapped up snugly in their fleeces and waterproofs.

From here, I was on road through Par until I rejoined the path through the China clay works.  The path had a seven foot high fence either side of it and everything was covered in a fine film of white clay dust.  The shrubs and trees along the fence - including ivy and pines - looked as though they were covered in snow.

The path emerged from the works at Spit Point and I was soon walking through a couple of golf courses - it was only a matter of time!  I got chatting to one chap about the building work going on down on the beach.  A contractor is building nine hundred apartments at Carlyon Bay, doubling the amount of properties already there.  I asked how many of the existing properties were second homes or holiday homes and he reckoned half of them were not inhabited all year.  It seems unfair to me that investors can buy second homes and thereby push property values up which prices first time local buyers out of the market.  The national newspapers all week have published headlines "property prices up by 18 per cent".  How's anyone supposed to be able to afford anything?

From Carlyon Bay, I jogged!  It was all downhill though so it wasn't a major burst of energy that was needed from me.  And it helped to keep me warm too - by this time I had teeshirt, fleece and coat on.

I'd arranged to meet Mum and Dad on the lock gates at Charlestown and I was only five minutes later than I said I'd be.  

Charlestown had a tall ship in the harbour and I'd seen one sailing all day as I walked along the cliffs.  Quite a little heritage centre . There were lots of people milling about so there's obviously a lot of people on holiday at the moment.

I've really enjoyed today, despite the biting wind.   I'm only half a day behind schedule, but hopefully I'll make that up over the next few days.

Day 101 - Sunday 4 April 2004 - Polperro to Fowey

 7 miles walked today

1063 miles walked in total (10.524 average)

What a brilliant day!  A great start to my fortnight in Cornwall.  I'd been slightly dreading it as my guide book said I had a "strenuous" seven miles to Fowey and that "we advise anyone unaccustomed to coastal walking that this is one of the toughest sections".  Bring it on!

Dad was directing me to Polperro so we went the mega scenic route and didn't arrive until about ten thirty!  After sorting my feet/ boots out, we wandered down to the harbour and I started walking properly at just before eleven, after arranging to meet at the ferry in Fowey at two thirty.

All the spring flowers are in full bloom - daffodils, magnolias, camellias - together with rhododendrons and even roses.  So I knew I was in for a treat and all day I've seen primroses and violets.  The gorse, as ever, has been in flower too so the smell of coconut has been strong in the air.

It was very sunny although I had the odd spot of rain (or maybe sea spray?) although never enough to put my coat on.  It's obviously been quite wet down here as the path was quite muddy in places.  I only fell over once though which was a bonus!  (Good job I brought my Radox with me for a soak later!)

The hills today were hard - Chapel Cliff, Hard Head, Lansallos, Raphael Cliff.  There were lots of people about - on the beaches at Lantivet Bay and Lantic Bay and lots of small children being dragged along the paths by over enthusiastic parents to get to the beaches.  There were a lot more people out and about the nearer I got to Polruan and I spoke to one lady who said the path from Fowey to Par (my intended destination) would take a couple of hours.  However, that would take me until five and it was getting quite cold and I was worried I'd lose the sun.  I rounded Blackbottle Rock to walk on a lovely grassy track into Polruan and followed the coast path acorn sign down to the ferry point.

The ferry ride was very exciting as it was quite choppy! 

Fowey looked beautiful and a place you could easily spend hours mooching around and exploring.  As I got up to get out of the ferry, a wave came over the top of the boat and got me!  Mum and Dad on the quayside thought this was quite entertaining.

We had a cup of tea and I had a sandwich while I tried to make up my mind whether to carry on to Par.  I would dearly have loved to carry on, but my sensible head took over and I called it a day.  I've really enjoyed today and the last six miles could have spoiled the whole day for me if I'd had a bad time.

Still, seven miles isn't bad after six months of complete inactivity!

Day 100 - Thursday 25 September 2003 - Looe to Polperro

 5 miles walked today

1056 miles walked in total (10.56 average)

Mum, Dad and I were parked and ready to walk just before ten o'clock today.  We'd woken up to very grey skies and were fully expecting rain, but were very lucky indeed all day.

As we walked through West Looe along the quayside, we watched an egret in the mud and followed a baby seagull with a crab in its mouth as it hopped along the harbour wall.  We followed the road up the hill towards Hannafore Point where we were on the coast path proper through fields and up and down between hedgerows towards the look out point at Hore Stone.  We saw a kestrel, numerous buzzards, three tiny stonechats and Dad complained about the hundreds of butterflies divebombing him as he walked!

We took it very steady today - about a mile an hour!  But it was good fun and I kept pointing out that it wasn't meant to be a race.  Shiriin had told me a story earlier this week about a conservationist friend of hers.  When the groups build steps into paths, they put really steep ones in to deter elderly people from going along a path where they might get into trouble so these steps are called "granny stoppers"!  I told Mum this and she was less than amused!  Especially as we were going up quite a steep hill at the time.

There were lots of benches along the path today which was good, although we didn't sit on them all!  There were loads of walkers about today too - a veritable little highway.

We were looking forward to a cup of tea at Talland Bay and I was quite nervous that the cafe would be closed for the season.  However, we weren't disappointed!  Talland Bay was lovely, with lots of purple coloured rock that looked, from a distance, like it was covered in heather.  Absolutely gorgeous.

We had a little bit of uphill after Talland which soon levelled out and we stumbled upon a granite cross covered in the names of Royal Navy personnel lost during the Second World War.  From here, the path was fairly flat with just a slight slope downwards.  We could see a small lighthouse on the edge of the cliff and big paths going up the next headland.  Dad was quite perturbed that we'd have to climb these paths, but I checked the map and the lighthouse was where we needed to divert inland into Polperro.

Nothing could have prepared us for the village though - absolutely perfect.  To come into it from the cliff path is definitely the way to see it - the small harbour full of boats and the extremely narrow streets full of houses and no cars was brilliant.  We had a good long mooch around, a beer in the pub, a sandwich down by the harbour and a leisurely stroll up to the bus stop to get back to Looe.

It's been a great day - I've really enjoyed walking with Mum and Dad.  I ignored all the comments about "not respecting your elders by dragging us up all these hills" and I'm sure they enjoyed it really.  (The photos of them looking knackered and laying on their beds when we got back to the flat would make most people think they'd had a rubbish day, but at least they were smiling!)

But it's been quite sad too - this is the last walking day of my holiday and I have to admit a few tears have been shed.  I won't be walking for some time now as it's too far to drive down for just a weekend.  I'm going to have to find another hobby now for a while.  Not for ever though - I'll be back!

Day 99 - Wednesday 24 September 2003 - Portwrinkle to Looe

 7.5 miles walked today

1051 miles walked in total (10.616 average)

Mum and Dad dropped me at Portwrinkle this morning at 9.45 am and Mum walked the main street to the harbour with me while Dad minded the car.  We could see the first two hills I had to climb and Mum told me later that she couldn't watch me as the path seemed too close to the cliff edge.

I struggled up these hills and the views were magnificent back to Rame Head and on to Looe and beyond.  My guide book grading today was "strenuous, moderate in parts".   Where were the moderate parts then?!

I had a steep down the Battern Cliff into Downderry and then a level bit through the village and along to Seaton.  On the cliffs, I saw buzzards, kestrels and hundreds of butterflies.  I could hear a lot of wildlife in the hedgerows, but didn't stick around long enough to discover what it was that was making all that noise.  I'm not that brave!

I really liked Seaton which had a huge sandy beach and was very well patronised.  I had to climb up Looe Hill here and had a bit of road walking before joining the coast path again up through woods and past the monkey sanctuary.  I got quite hot and had loads of sit downs from this point on.

At Bodigga Cliff, the footpath became tarmac as I walked through Millendreath, which again had a nice beach and was backed by loads of chalets and holiday homes.  It's been so hot this summer and the holiday season has been extended because of this so there were still a lot of people on the beaches which was good to see.

I had to climb up Plaidy Lane which was a bit of a killer at the end of the day.  However, this lane became a footpath and it was only a short step into Looe. 

I really liked Looe with its narrow little lanes and pasty shops.  I met Mum and Dad down by Banjo Pier and we wandered up and down the lanes, stopping for a beer and then a pasty to soak it up.  Not only is Looe a very touristy place, but it's a working fishing town too and there's a big open fish market beside the quay.

I've really enjoyed today and have persuaded Mum and Dad to walk with me tomorrow.  (Andy later told me that it would take them four days to do the five miles into Polperro - cheeky git!)

Day 98 - Tuesday 23 September 2003 - Cremyll Ferry to Portwrinkle

 13.5 miles walked today

1043.5 miles walked in total (10.647 average)

Mum and Dad travelled down from Norfolk yesterday in the torrential rain that had been forecast.  When I woke up, it wasn't too pleasant here and, despite Karen trying to bully me into walking anyway, I had a day off!  Which is probably why I'm aching so much today.

Mum and Dad dropped me at Cremyll this morning at 9.45 am in bright, but cool, sunshine and I set off to walk through Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, telling them I'd meet them at Portwrinkle at about four o'clock.  

It was quite bizarre walking through the formal gardens and temples of Mount Edgcumbe House while being so close to the shore and looking over Plymouth Sound.  The noise of gunshots accompanied me all morning, although the only place on the map I could identify it as coming from was the ranges at HMS Raleigh at Torpoint.

I had to walk through the deer park and kept an eye out for these lovely creatures, but the only wildlife I could see and hear were frisky squirrels chasing each other.  It wasn't long after I came out of the woods that the heavens opened and I was soaked.  However, it didn't rain for long and, by the time I walked into the villages of Kingsand and Cawsand, I'd dried off completely and was gently steaming.  My coat soon dried off and was back in the rucksack.

The tea room was shut on Tuesdays but the local enterprising church community had opened its own tea room in the church hall between 10.00 am and 12.00 noon each Tuesday, so I had a very welcome sit down and chatted to the Church Warden for half an hour.  It was very encouraging that the locals had taken up the cause for their community so enthusiastically.   Half of the local houses are second homes so the villages effectively die in the winter.  There are only 600 population full time but it was reassuring that it's not just old people that live there, as there's also a junior school in the village with about thirty pupils.   These younger residents are also catered for in the school holidays when workshops are put on.  And I was party to a conversation about a dancing class that's happening this evening and there are two yoga classes a week too.  Very uplifting indeed.

My guide book mentioned that the villages were a major smuggling centre in the 18th century when bladders of brandy were taken to Plymouth, concealed beneath women's skirts.  I'm sure the lady Church Warden would not have encouraged this type of behaviour!  I have to say I chuckled at this little gem, imagining the swishing noises emanating from the ladies' petticoats and what reasons they must have given for all the sloshing about!

From Cawsand Bay, I had a very pleasant level walk out to Rame Head and its ruined chapel.  There were a number of naval ships in the bay cruising along beside the smaller pleasure boats and yachts.  The views back over towards Devon were superb and made up for the lack of scenery due to fog on Sunday.

As I turned the corner at Rame Head, it all got a bit breezy and blustery.  I sat and looked at the chapel for a while and thought it was a fabulous spot for such a spiritual place.  (Thoughts of weddings entered my head again, but I thought it might be a bit unfair to make guests walk four miles in their finery up and down all those hills to reach their destination!)

The path got a bit more up and down energetic as I passed through a very posh shanty town full of shacks dotted about on the hillside.  However, I was soon walking along the road through Freathy and around Tregantle Fort before climbing up through fields and then across another golf course into Portwrinkle.  I got a major shimmy on coming down the hill, practically jogging.

I've really enjoyed today, although my feet and legs ache.  That'll teach me for having a day off!

Day 97 - Sunday 21 September 2003 - Noss Mayo to Cremyll Ferry

 10 miles walked today

1030 miles walked in total (10.618 average)

We decided to have a lay in this morning after yesterday's exertions so we didn't leave the flat until nine o'clock.

Karen had very kindly offered to drive me to the ferry point so I could carry on from where we finished yesterday and she then drove round to Wembury car park to meet me.  And, because we were finishing in Plymouth and weren't too sure of where to park, we only took one car today.

So I strode out this morning at ten o'clock in the thick mist - I heard the boats' sirens, but couldn't see a thing.  And, according to my guide book, the views over Newton Ferrers, Newton Creek and the River Yealm are splendid - I'd missed a treat.

Although very cloudy and foggy, it got very warm and I strode into Wembury at eleven o'clock in my teeshirt with my fleece tied around my middle to meet Karen.  We discarded fleeces then and went for a cup of tea in the cafe where people were gathering for a beach clean, one of many going on in Devon and Cornwall this weekend.

The walking was great when we finally started - very easy going and, in fact, I had my sandals on all day.  It wasn't long before we mentally crossed off the coves en route and headed round to Bovisand Fort where we had to climb to walk round to Jennycliff Bay and down to Mount Batten Point where we jumped on the ferry over to Sutton Harbour.  We walked over a huge plaque on the ground at Jennycliff, saying "Welcome to Plymouth.  Please wipe your feet."  Brilliant!

From the harbour, it was a short stretch to Plymouth Hoe and the lighthouse - we still didn't have much of a view over Plymouth Sound as the sun hadn't come out yet.  

We walked down towards the Cremyll ferry, but had a break for lunch at the Plymouth Pavilion, a theatre which was hosting an Ideal Home Exhibition this weekend.

It was all residential pavement pounding to get to the ferry point which was quite grim and tough on the feet.  But at least the sun came out for a while then, so it wasn't as depressing as it could have been.

It's been a great weekend - Karen and I have certainly covered some miles and I'm now ready to set off around Cornwall, my next county.

Day 96 - Saturday 20 September 2003 - Bantham to Noss Mayo

 15 miles walked today

1020 miles walked in total (10.625 total)

After some rushing around with cars this morning, Karen and I were walking just after nine o'clock.  The weather forecast was great so fleeces were left behind and we strode out in good spirits looking forward to a significant leg stretch.

We could see the Burgh Island Hotel very clearly and discussed what we would have when we got back later.  However, that was a long time away so we put it out of our minds and thought about our first break, which would be at the Dolphin Inn at Kingston, where we'd left my car.

We had some horrendous hills to start with - Toby's Point, Hoist Point and Beacon Point - before heading round to Wonwell Beach and the lane that led up to Kingston village.  It was very hot all day and we were gasping by the time we got to the pub.  We sat down for about an hour before driving round to Mothecombe where we started the other side of the River Erme.  We'd worked out we could wade across for two hours at low tide which, this morning, was between five and seven o'clock!  Hence the car left strategically to drive around to the other side.  The morning's walk, despite being very strenuous, was superb and we both really enjoyed it.

From Mothecombe, we had a walk down the hill from the car park and then up through woods and along the cliffs to Anchorite Rock, where we found a couple laid out, seemingly knackered!   They lived in Wembury so knew what we were putting ourselves through!

We had a couple more hills to climb - Blackaterry Point and Beacon Hill - before heading round to Stoke and its caravan park.  Our guide book promised that, from now on, our walk would be "easy" - about blinking time!

The path over the Warren became a grassy, slightly inclining, path and this was lovely to walk on.  There were loads of people about and it was good to see so many people walking in the late afternoon sunshine.

The coast path at this point used part of the nine mile drive made for the carriages of the guests of Lord Revelstoke of Membland Hall, which no longer exists.  It's obviously a very well used path.

At Gara Point, we did a right turn to walk towards the ferry crossing between Noss Mayo and Warren Point, but we didn't get there until five thirty and the ferry had stopped running at four!  So we trudged on down the hill, with tired and aching feet, to cross the estuary at Noss Mayo to the pub.  There was a big sign on the pub door saying they were shut until six so we crossed back over the estuary to the Ship Inn, a much more accommodating hostelry.  The pub was fantastic and we had a great view of the boats of Noss Mayo and watched an egret wading through the mud and seaweed.

We called for a taxi, but had a considerable time to wait - when it did turn up, it was a Mercedes!  How posh were we in our smelly hiking gear?  We got back to my car at Mothecombe and sped round to Bigbury to pick up Karen's car.  However, it was eight o'clock at this time and very dark, so we didn't manage to get our tea at Burgh Island after all.  However, we got to our new flat near Looe just after nine and celebrated my 1000 miles and Karen's leaving her job with a bottle of champagne.

It's been a really brilliant day - very hot and clear and with some fabulous hills and views.

We knew we were going to sleep well tonight!