Day 110 - Wednesday 14 April 2004 - Porthleven to Penzance

14 miles walked today 

1166 miles walked in total (10.6 average)

At 9.30 am, Sam and I were walking.  At 9.35 am, we stopped for Sam to attend to her blisters!

The first stretch was in fields out to a memorial cross to all those who have lost their lives along this stretch of coast.  We had an exciting time of it this morning.  In addition to all the wild flowers and birds we've already spotted, we saw a kestrel hovering very low over the cliffs, a raven, two shelduck, lots of buzzards and a kitten!

As we got round to Rinsey Head, a Royal Navy helicopter came over and hovered over the mines on the cliff edge, not before the crew had waved to us from the chopper and made Sam's day!  

On top of this, numerous jets were bombing about above us and then we watched the chopper carrying out a winching/ rescue exercise.  All this excitement was too much and we had to sit down for elevenses and a celebratory one hundred mile banana!

After just a short sitdown we headed around the cliffs to Wheal Prosper and then down through Lesceaves Cliffs towards Praa Sands for an ice cream.  The path had disappeared due to crumbling cliffs so we had a steep tarmac down into the holiday village behind the beach - Sam practically jogged down the hill, all the while looking back to the huge house at Rinsey Head that she planned to buy using her lottery winnings when she finally struck lucky.

From Praa, I saw the house I wanted to live in at Bessy's Cove - it was enormous and right on the beach.  To get there though, we had to encounter a cavorting couple on the path and then Sam had an emergency blister appraisal on the path too.  We imagined ourselves living in these houses at each end of the bay and the signals we'd be able to send each other such as "kettle's on", etc.  As we drew nearer to my house, we heard music being played and figured it was a music school.  I don't walk in my specs so thought I saw a chap coming towards us on the path with an enormous rucksack, but it turned out to be a cello!

From Bessy's Cove which had the most amazing colour water, it was an uphill then to Cudden Point where we got our first view of St Michael's Mount so stopped to eat the rest of our rations.

From here on, we were on field edges around to Perranuthnoe where we saw giant cauliflowers being harvested by being loaded onto a conveyor belt on a farm tractor.  After some more field walking round to Marazion, we had to negotiate a "massive iron ladder" according to the guidebook, but which turned out to be a normal metal staircase down to the beach, followed by some boulder hopping before climbing up the opposite ramp and then some more uphill tracks to the main street in Marazion.

We were really tired by now, but determined to have a cream tea.  We staggered down to the village and found an art gallery, some postcards and our cream tea, which we couldn't actually eat because we were full - blimey!

We ambled out of the cafe and around to Penzance, all the time gazing back at St Michael's Mount.  The path was horrendous - all tarmac and gravel - and our feet were already tired before we embarked on the last three mile slog of the day.

It's been very challenging today - lots of different terrain to walk on - including lots of tarmac and some sand too - never easy to walk on.  The weather's been very sunny, but quite chilly so the fleeces have been on and off all day.

However, it's been a very good day - our average mileage is enormous now!

Day 109 - Tuesday 13 April 2004 - Lizard Point to Porthleven

 14 miles walked today

1152 miles walked in total (10.568 average)

Sam and I were ready to start at 10.00 am this morning, but, after a leisurely stroll down to Lizard Point, the most southerly point in Britain, from the village and a mooch in some of the serpentine shops, we started properly at 10.30 am.  In the late 1800s, there used to be a works on the Lizard at Poltescu which employed 100 people to make mantelpieces and shopfronts for London and Paris.  Now, there are half a dozen workshops producing ornaments for tourists.

We had just over a two mile walk to Kynance Cove over open heathland - lovely and springy to walk on.  We passed several Highland cattle and Dexter cattle - these are being introduced to the area to cut down on scrubland and because they're generally quite docile creatures and will tolerate people in their space.  Their poo feeds beetles, spiders and ants and these, in turn, are what the Cornwall Chough Project hope will entice the birds back to Cornwall.  The chough is included in the county's coat of arms alongside the miner and the fisherman, reflecting the bird's importance in Cornish culture.

Kynance was quite exciting as we had to head down into the cove through narrow channels between rocks and the tide was in!   We sat for ages in a semi cave, picking up rocks which we thought were jasper (but were probably serpentine), dipping them in water to see how bright the colours were before deciding which ones to keep.  I personally could have spent all day in this endeavour, but Sam was desperate for ice cream so off we trotted.

From Kynance, we were back on open heathland - past more Highland cattle.  We saw sea campion, early purple flowering orchids, thrift, violets and primroses.  We also identified land quillwort from Sam's book of wild flowers of the Lizard.

We had a tough climb at Gew-Graze so sat for a while and stocked up on yoghurt and biscuits before heading round Soapy Cove (which made us both laugh!) and Predannack to get us into Mullion Cove.

After lunch in the cafe at Mullion Cove (where the staff, for some reason, were singing hymns in the kitchens!), we had loads of up and down walking to Polurrian Cove, Poldhu Cove, Church Cove and Gunwalloe Cove.  We had arranged to meet Mum and Dad at Porthleven at five and it was already that time so we needed to crack on.

From Gunwalloe, we had some fairly even walking down to Loe Bar.  This is a long bank of fine shingle which separates the Loe, a freshwater lake more than a mile long, from the beach.  It's the scene of many a shipping disaster and there is a memorial on the beach to those who died on the frigate, Anson, which was driven onto the sands in 1807 losing one hundred men.

I told Sam I felt like Lawrence of Arabia trekking across this sandbank which seemed to go on forever.  I think perhaps I'd had too much sun and not enough water - although quite a lot of my water had been used to clean rocks this morning!

It was a quick up and down then from the Loe Bar into Porthleven and, as we came down to the church on the harbour, Dad was waving us in and Mum was asking very indignantly, "what time do you call this?!"

We adjourned to the Harbour Inn for a celebratory jar before fish and chips in the car.  What a fab day!

Day 108 - Monday 12 April 2004 - Porthoustock to Lizard Point

 15.5 miles walked today

1138 miles walked in total (10.537 average)

I left Porthoustock just before ten - the divers were already on the beach ready to go exploring the Manacles reef.   We'd driven through St Keverne to get out to the coast and my guidebook said the churchyard in St Keverne had over four hundred graves of people killed in shipwrecks off the Manacles.

I had a bit of road walking before finding a farm track which took me down to Godrevy Cove and then out to Dean Quarry.  While not the prettiest scenery, it was very well signposted and quite interesting, although you could almost taste the quarry dust.  The path round to Coverack was very muddy, but had huge great boulders to scramble over to avoid the wet patches.  I'd seen smoke billowing as I'd walked along but thought nothing of it.  However, as I came down into Coverack itself, the lane was blocked by a fire engine and the firemen waved me through.  A little further on, I passed two ladies who commented that it looked like Nigella's place.  Blimey!   Perhaps the domestic goddess had burned her cakes!

I sat in Coverack for a while and watched the windsurfers in the harbour before heading onwards up a monster hill over rocks and through gorse.   It was really tough.  My guidebook said today would be "moderate, strenuous in places".  That would be a strenuous bit then!

I saw lizards, stag beetles, ladybirds, Shetland ponies and only a handful of walkers on the path.  I was surprised by this as it's a fantastic stretch to walk and it's a bank holiday.

The path was tough as the rocks were all serpentine, as were the stiles, which is quite slippery, even in dry weather.   However, once on the top, the path was pretty level and very open.   Lovely to walk on.

I got down to Kennack Sands at about three - I was very hot and quite sunburned.   I popped into a cafe for a drink and a sit down before heading out into the sun again.  There were even people swimming in the sea.

From here, I was on a golf course and then through fields again to get round to Cadgwith, a really pretty little fishing village.  It was quite a hike up from Cadgwith and I knew I was on the home stretch to Lizard, although it seemed to take forever.  As I rounded Housel Bay, I saw a familiar figure - Sam!  She'd rung me earlier to say she was at Penzance with Mum and Dad and that they would meet me at the lighthouse.

It was just a short stretch round to the lighthouse then to meet Mum and Dad before heading to the Top House for a jar.

What a fantastic day - my mileage has gone right up because of today.

(I sent Sheila a text message to say I'd done 15.5 miles and I got one back from her saying "Blimey, was it all downhill?"  Blinking cheek!)

Day 107 - Easter Sunday, 11 April 2004 - Maenporth to Porthoustock

 11 miles walked today

1122.5 miles walked in total (10.490 average)

We've moved cottage now and, because I haven't walked as much as I'd planned to, we had a long drive practically back to Falmouth today so I could start at Maenporth.

I started walking at 10.00 am and arranged to meet Mum and Dad at Helford.  It rained during the drive and I wasn't sure I'd get a full day's walking done.  However, as I strode out, the sun came out and I had a good open walk out to Rosemullion.  I've seen violets, primroses, daffs, wild garlic and early flowering purple orchids.

From Mawnan Glebe, I was in woods for a while and, although I couldn't see Mawnan church, I heard the bells ringing for ages as I walked through.  From the woods, I was back on fields around to Porthallack and Porth Saxon towards Durgan, a hamlet right on the water's edge.  From here, I was in the grounds of what seemed to be a stately home!   Although there were people drinking tea on the terrace so it probably wasn't that grand.  I got a spurt on round this bit, just in case I was trespassing!

It didn't take me long then to get to the ferry and I only had a five minute wait before we set sail for Helford, where I met Mum and Dad on the quay.  As we left Helford Passage, a little motorised dinghy hove into view carrying a man sized fluorescent pink Easter bunny!  Just in time for the Ferry Boat Inn to open!

I left Mum and Dad and headed through the car park to pick up the path through the Bosahan Estate and I was back in woods again, passing lots of little shingle beaches with great views up the Helford River and out to sea.

I could hear a very distinctive birdsong as I walked, but had no idea what it was - it was like a chuckle.  Some twitchers identified it for me as being a woodpecker's call, but they couldn't see it, even with their binoculars.  I said it sounded like it was laughing at us.  It was only a bit later that I heard the thudding noise that I usually associate with woodpeckers.

As I came round Dennis Head, I could see down to Gillan Creek and thought I might be able to wade across - my guide book said it was safe to cross an hour either side of low tide.  However, on closer inspection, I decided to wait a while for the tide to go out some more before I attempted it.  I sat on the beach for an hour and finally decided it was now or never.  I really didn't want to do it at this point and had a real battle with myself.  As soon as the first foot went in the water though, I was committed to it and so I waded over knee high in water.   What a refreshing experience!  I spent most of the crossing chuckling to myself.  Halfway over, I met a lady in wellies coming the other way.  I remarked how mad it was, but she seemed very nonchalant about the whole episode.  I found it very exciting though!

From Gillan Creek, I had good open walking past Flushing Cove out to the old observation point at Nare Point and then followed a tricky bit of rock scrambling around to Porthallow.  The rain has left a lot of mud on the path and the stones and rocks are very slippery, so I took it very steady.

The path diverts inland from Porthallow due to quarrying works and I had to walk through a vineyard.  I walked slowly, carrying my empty water bottle in my hand, but no one rushed out and offered to fill it with wine for me - miserable lot!

The path then stayed on the road to Porthoustock, where I met Mum and Dad, seven hours after I set off this morning.

It's been an excellent day but my feet are a bit sore and both Mum and Dad are refusing to give me a foot massage.  Can't say I'm really surprised!

Day 106 - Good Friday, 9 April 2004 - Portscatho to Maenporth

 11.5 miles walked today

1111.5 miles walked in total (10.485 average)

What a beautiful beautiful day!  The weather has been glorious although when we got in the car this morning, the temperature gauge showed three degrees and a little snowflake!

We got to Portscatho and ambled down to the village from the hilltop car park and Mum and Dad went off to have a mooch and left me striding out to the path at 9.45 am.  The path was excellent - nearly flat! - and I made very good progress out to Towan Beach where I was welcomed by field upon field of daffodils - heavenly!

There's a wreck post at Towan which had been erected by the coastguard service to simulate a ship's mast for training.  A rocket and line shot at the post would be made fast and a breeches buoy could be attached.

The coast path sign indicated that it was only two miles to St Anthony Head so I strode off once more.  The fleece was off by now and the sun was very warm with little or no breeze.  Shetland ponies graze the land around Zone Point and five of the stupid things were laying on the path!  They did look very hot though so I wasn't as cross with them as I could have been.  They barely stirred as I negotiated my way around them.

The views from St Anthony Head were fantastic - over to Falmouth and down to Place and St Mawes.  I didn't stay long, sadly, as I only had an hour to get to the ferry point at Place so I flew down the hill and made it with a few minutes to spare.  There are two quays at Place, one for high tide and one for low tide, both two hundred metres apart.  Not being an expert in matters nautical, I decided to sit on the quay nearest to St Mawes and, if the ferry shot past me, I could wave, shout and run back to the other quay.  In the event, this plan wasn't needed as the ferry chugged in sedately to my quay.

At St Mawes, I had a twenty minute wait for the ferry to Falmouth.  It was only at this point that my fleece went back on - very choppy indeed.  The views upriver were fabulous and I got a good vantage point at the back of the ferry over to St Mawes Castle, built between 1540 and 1543.  The castle was only taken once - in 1646 by Cromwell without a shot being fired - because all its guns face seaward!

Falmouth, when I eventually got there, was a nightmare - far too many people about.  I find it really hard to cope with crowds when I'm walking, probably because I spend so much time on my own out on the footpaths.   Even though the paths have been covered in people today too - everybody taking advantage of the long Easter weekend.

I sped through the town as fast as I could - the coast path goes past Marks and Spencer for God's sake! - and headed out to Pendennis Point where I could see over to St Mawes and St Anthony Head.  Stunning.

From here, it was all a bit mundane - prom walking really.  Past Gyllyngvase and Swanpool beaches, before heading out on another footpath round to Maenporth where I'd arranged to meet Mum and Dad.  As I started my descent, I could see Mum and Dad on the beach near the car park.  Apparently, they'd only just got there as they'd done their own walk from Portscatho back to Nare Head today and had popped back to the cottage for showers before picking me up.

Tomorrow, we move from our cottage at Devoran, near Truro, to our new base at Sancreed, near Penzance, and the scenery will become more rugged methinks.  Not to mention the paths!

Day 105 - Thursday 8 April 2004 - Caerhays Castle to Portscatho

 11 miles walked today

1100 miles walked in total (10.476 average)

Mum and Dad were having a day mooching around Devoran today, so I drove to Caerhays and found a likely place to leave the car for the day.  At 9.30 am, I started walking and very early on lost my sense of humour while walking three sides of a farm field, trying to find the way out and onto the path.

I soon had a downhill to East Portholland and went to find the facilities.  There was a sign on the door saying "Closed.  Nearest toilets St Austell."  You're having a laugh!  They were only closed though as they were being repainted so I used them anyway, trying not to touch any of the paintwork.  It was just a quarter of a mile to West Portholland and the houses there had double doors to keep out the winds.

From here, it was steep uphill to Tregenna and then it was up and down for what seemed like ages round to Portloe, one of the prettiest villages I've ever seen.  I sat above the harbour for ages and watched the local community about their business - chatting, gardening, in and out of the post office, etc.  A fishing boat pulled into the harbour and unloaded his wares straight into the kitchen of the Lugger Inn.  An old boy sat down next to me and told me he moved down from London twelve years ago and would never move back.   He told me the food in the Lugger Inn was excellent, but that I would need a second mortgage to pay for it!

The rain started to come down - only lightly - but nothing was going to stop me today!

My next challenge was to get up Nare Head and I wasn't disappointed by the views over to Gull Rock and I saw cormorants and shags there.  I met a couple walking who told me they'd taken early retirement and their year goes something like this:  February - Malta; April to June - Cornwall; September and October - Cornwall; November - Malta; with December, January, March, July and August spent at home.  Suppose it makes your diary very easy to manage?  What a life!   And one to which I aspire.

The cliffs were covered in primroses, daffodils, violets, gorse and sheep!  I chatted to a local Ranger who was putting up signs everywhere asking dog owners to keep their pets on leads or they would be shot.   The dogs, not the owners.

I sat on a lot of benches today - Carne Beach, Pendower Beach and - my favourite - Creek Stephen.  Not a soul about - perfect - with fab views back to Dodman Point and Nare Head.

From Nare Head onwards, I'd been able to see Portscatho and it felt great that I wasn't tired or fed up and could just take my time to get there.  I was very pleased with myself and my progress today.

I got into Portscatho at 3.45 pm and spent a while mooching around waiting for a taxi to get me back to the car at Caerhays.

I was very embarrassed in the taxi as my feet were stinking something terrible so I imagine my tip would be spent on some new air fresheners for the cab!

What an excellent day.  Finally back in my stride.

Day 104 - Wednesday 7 April 2004 - Gorran Haven to Caerhays Castle

 5 miles walked today

1089 miles walked in total (10.471 average)

I knew, when I woke up this morning, that I didn't want to walk and, when the rain came down on the drive to Gorran Haven, I nearly decided not to bother.  However, by the time we'd parked and I'd booted up, the sun was shining and I was ready for the off at quarter to ten.

I had a slight climb up to Pen-a-Maen and followed a very slightly undulating path past Vault Beach and round to Dodman Point.  There were lots of walkers out today and I stopped and chatted quite a bit.  The sun was very warm at this point and I was walking in just a teeshirt, my fleece tied around my middle.  I had a stand off on the path with a cow who was also walking the coast path, but in the opposite direction to me!   It soon turned tail and fled though!

The path meandered down for a long while to Hemmick Beach and, at this point, I was making quite good time so decided to head to Caerhays for a lunch stop.  Mum and Dad were visiting the gardens so I thought I'd probably meet them there.

As I rounded Greeb Point, the wind got very fierce so the fleece went back on, although I never really warmed up at all and, by the time I got down to Porthluney Cove, the waterproofs were on too to keep out the biting wind.

I sat on the beach to eat my lunch - right next to the car in case Mum and Dad turned up.  As I got up to head off again - albeit in a grumpy mood - Mum and Dad appeared with cups of tea, which decided me to get a cup of tea from the cafe and give up for the day.

The schedule is right out of the window now, but, when I planned what to walk each day, I didn't factor in weather, tiredness, bad moods, etc, and think I've overestimated my general ability and fitness.

Oh well, better luck tomorrow.