Day 21. St Ives to Bosigran, 20 November 2024.

I walked the 2 km to the Gurnards Head Hotel to catch the morning bus to St Ives and a return to Godrevy Beach. This was the view looking back to St Ives soon after starting out.

 

 This was a much tougher day, another section that rates 'Severe' in the SWCP guide. The rock is granite, apart from a brief stretch of greenstone near Zennor, which often makes for hard going as the path weaves around large boulders. But the scenery is magnificent and some of the finest on the whole coast path, at its best on a fine winter day. These two photos are taken near Zennor, looking back to Wicca Pillar and the offshore pinnacle of Trilley Rock.

 

 

A view across to Gurnards Head, a familiar climbing venue.

 

 

 

Looking inland to Carn Galver. 

 

 

Looking back to Gurnards Head and Carn Gloose. 

 

The beach at Porthmeor Cove. 

 

I left the coast path at Bosigran and was back at the Count House before 4 for a cup of tea before the drive home.

Distance today, 18 km.

Day 20. Hayle to St Ives, 19 November 2024

 An easy day! I parked at the top of the hill in St Ives and took the train along the scenic branch line to St Erth and then back to Hayle. The route is a mix of road walking and some pleasant paths through the sand dunes, and as the sun was out the views over St Ives Bay and back to Godrevy were at their best. 

 

 

 

 

This notice by St Ives harbour warns 'Chip thieves operate in this area', but these turnstones were less of a threat than the local herring gulls.

To save a bit of time for tomorrow, I followed the Coast Path round St Ives head to Porthmeor Beach before heading uphill to the car.

Distance today, 11 km
 

Day 19. Portreath to Hayle, 18 November 2024

 Heavy rain was forecast for later today so I was away just before 9 am, hoping to get to Hayle in the dry. Portreath beach was not very inviting on this dull morning.

 

 Soon after leaving Portreath the path passes above an impressive zawn - Ralph's Cupboard, named after a legendary giant Wrath (or Ralph).

Just before Godrevy Point you pass above Mutton Cove, with a few dozen seals hauled out on the beach below.

After Godrevy the route turns south and the terrain changes from rocky cliffs to sand dunes. I followed the beach for most of the way into Hayle, arriving at 1pm and having achieved my main objective of staying dry. The rain started while I was on the train to Truro and got heavier during a bus journey back to Perranporth. I picked up the car and drove via Penzance Tesco to the Count House (the Climbers' Club hut at Bosigran) . It was no surprise to find that I had the place to myself.

Distance today, 19 km. 

Day 18. Perranport to Portreath, 17 November 2024.

 I left the car in Perranporth; even though it was now mid November the weather was rather better than when I was here back in July. Overlooking the beach is this sundial that was commissioned to mark the millenium in 2000. It is supposed to show Cornish time - 20 minutes behind GMT. 

 The view back along Perran Sands to Penhale Point on the previous leg of the path where I was in July.

 After passing St Agnes Head the path heads south, with lots of evidence of the tin mining industry that once dominated this area. 

 

A low tide alternative walk along the beach just before Porthtowan.

In Porthtowan I noticed this plaque and graffiti dedicated to George Eustice, the Tory MP for this area and Environment Minister.

This is the local beach the protesters were wanting to keep free of sewage.

 

From Porthtowan the walk is mostly gentle, apart from this steep descent into the valley called Sally's Bottom. 

Portreath must have been a very busy port during the heyday of the local mining industry and still has a large harbour. It could have been very attractive if they hadnt built a 1960s housing estate right next to the harbour. Perhaps the locals didn't want to be overrun with tourists like Port Isaac or St Ives.  I had booked a room in the local pub but they were not serving food as it was a quiz night, so I headed for a cafe by the harbour where they served the largest portions of fish and chips in Cornwall.  

 Distance today, 19 km.

Day 17. Crantock to Perranporth, 12 July 2024.

 After two bright sunny days the weather had taken a turn for the worse. On a good day the first section from Crantock past the beach at Porth Joke to Holywell would be very attractive but today everything was a bit driech. Then the next section is rather spoiled by all the fences surrounding Penhale Camp until you get this fine view of the 4 km beach leading to Perranporth.  A quick bus ride took me back to Newquay for the drive home.

Distance today, 16 km. 

Day 16. Porthcothan to Crantock, 11 July 2024.

 It was another grand morning and I took the open top bus from Newquay back to Porthcothan. The coast south from here to Mawgan Porth passes above the spectacular rock formations at Bedruthan Steps; the beach is now closed due to elf'n'safety but that didn't seem to deter the crowds milling around on the cliff top. 

  

The official coast path has a long urban section through Newquay but with low tide I was able to avoid the first section by following the beaches, though the downside was a very steep climb back up by the harbour. That was the end of the stage but I had plenty of time and thought that I might as well carry on,  

  

The tour of Newquay continued round Towan Head, across Fistral Beach and through Pentire to a cafe above the River Gannel.

The SWCP guide lists four different options for crossing the river, some of which involve a sizeable detour, but at low tide it was just a short stroll across this footbridge. In fact the river was so low that I could have easily waded across. From the far side a short walk took me up to Crantock village where I could catch a bus right back to my AirBnB. 

Distance today, 24 km.

Day 15. Padstow to Porthcothan, 10 July 2024

 It was over a year since I had last done any of the coast path so I booked an AirBnB on the outskirts of Newquay for a couple of nights, drove down to Porthcothan and took the bus to Padstow. The town was just as busy as when I was here a year ago but I could soon escape the crowds by walking out along the path to the north with its dozens of picnic benches overlooking the Camel estuary.

 

The route out to Stepper point crosses this fine beach and passes the old coastguard station behind, 

then the coast path turns back south, this is the view looking back to the Camel estuary.

 

It was a great day with perfect weather, good visibility and easy walking above low cliffs and sandy beaches.  After passing the crowds at Harlin Bay (and taking advantage of the cafe) this was a view looking back to Steeper Point

 

 

 and this was a much quieter beach at Mother Ivey's Bay looking to the lifeboat station near Trevose Head.

 The grand scenery continued all the way past Treyarnon and back to the car at Porthcothan.

 

 

 The AirBnB was not in the most attractive location on the edge of an industrial estate on the outskirts of Newquay, but it was very convenient - free parking, a short walk to a bus stop and a nearby supermarket to get food.

 Distance today, 21 km.
 

Day 14. Port Isaac to Padstow, 15 June 2023.

 A slightly easier walk today with only 500 m of ascent but with some more fine coastal scenery above remote cliffs and beaches.

 

For a long way the view ahead was dominated by the headland of The Rumps and the offshore island The Mouls.

 

Although it was high summer there were few other walkers but after rounding Pentire Point the beaches along the Camel estuary were very busy. Some easy walking, mostly across the beaches rather than the official route, led to the slipway at Rock where I caught the ferry to Padstow. 

I sampled the local ice cream, then took a rather tortuous trip involving two buses to get back to Camelford before the drive home.

 Distance today, 18 km.

Day 13. Tintagel to Port Isaac, 14 June 2023

 It was another atmospheric morning with mist swirling round as I dropped down from the village to the coast path. The photo shows the new bridge that the NT have built to get across to Tintagel Island. 

The mist stayed around for a while - this is a view looking back to Tintagel with the top of the island peeping out above the mist.

 

At Trebarwith Strand I wandered onto the beach to contemplate a swin but the mist was so thick that I was worried about losing my bearings and ending up out to sea.  

 

But the mist eventually cleared to give warm sunshine and I did go for a swim at Tregardock. This section of the path is given the highest grading of  'Severe' with over 800m of ascent and descent. 

Near the end of the section this beach at Port Gaverne was a chance for another swim before coming into Port Isaac. 

 

I had booked into an AirBnB in this narrow alley just back from the sea. Port Iasaac is on the tourist map due to the Doc Martins TV series and the Fishermans Friends singers, so there was no shortage of places eat. I settled for an excellent fish supper in the pub by the harbour.

Distance today 19km. 

Day 12. Crackington Haven to Tintagel, 13 June 2023

I drove to Camelford where I left the car and caught the bus to Crackington Haven where I had ended back in February. This was the first section that I had done in summer and although it was T shirt and shorts weather a thin mist hung over the north coast. This restricted the distant views but was rather atmospheric as I climbed over Cambeak and Beeny Cliff before descending to Boscastle with its sheltered harbour on a narrow inlet.

 

 

Between Boscastle and Tintagel there are two headlands called Willapark; the first one overlooks the entrance to Boscastle harbour with a lookout tower that was built in the early 1800s by the local squire and was allegedly used for all sorts of nefarious activities. 

 

 

The mist eventually burned off in mid afternoon, so that I had a clear view of the second Willapark, a headland just before Tintagel, with the rocks of the Sisters just offshore. 

 I had booked a B&B on the edge of Tintagel. The village is full of shops selling assorted tat with a King Arthur theme but I managed to find a pub for dinner.

Distance today, 19 km.