Day Twenty - Botallack to Porthcurno 22.0km (13.7 miles).
Time on route 6:30hrs, walking time 5:40hrs.
Saturday 20 June 2015
Riona and I travelled down to Penzance on the Friday and caught a bus first thing to Botallack on the Saturday. This is what teenage excitement looks like for being on the top front row of a double decker.
It was a foggy start to the day and the views from the bus were somewhat limited.
We alit at Botallack, said hello to the locals,
and were soon back on the path. It looked a bit more misty than when I left it 4 weeks ago.
Yup, low cloud.
The route was pleasantly varied and throughout the day we clocked moor, meadow, dunes, beach and rugged cliff paths.
Walking with a teenager has its pros and cons. The pros being good company and time to chat. One of the cons being that you have to wait around whilst they watch cute rabbits bounce around in the field.
Cape Cornwall loomed into sight. In fact we had to get pretty close to it before it loomed in any which way. The tower, initially a chimney stack and more latterly a navigational mark, was donated to 'the Nation' by Heinz in 1987. I suspect nowadays it would be snapped up for sponsorship by Emirates.
A hundred metres on and the tower had all but disappeared.
My first trig of the day, TP1597.
The route was very lovely even in the mist.
We treated ourselves to lunch in the wonderful Old Success pub in Sennen Cove. I loved all the nautically/map things.
Nice compass.
As we passed Gamper Bay on the way to Land's End the excitement mounted. This was the day I reached the most westerly point of my walk - and mainland Britain. Today was the day I turned the corner.
And today was the day it was so clagged in I'm surprised we could even read the information board.
Oh well - I was there even if the views weren't. The Longships foghorn was awake and the sound of its toot every 10 seconds accompanied us for many kms to come.
It's becoming a theme (of two walks) that I have unexpected trigs. I should have realised there'd be one here but it wasn't on the map. TP4337.
Very interesting to see an off centre spider. Never seen that before. Construction error perchance?
Even though the views were limited, the glimpses of coastline we did see were magical.
Having started our walked at Botallack at 0900, and taken a decadent 45 mins to enjoy our lunch, we were up against the clock to make the 1555 bus at Porthcurno. The subsequent one was 1755 so needless to say we decided to up the ante and march for the bus. Timing would have been a tad easier if my watch hadn't broken that morning.
We passed the Coast Watch station at Gwennap Head and would have lingered, but had no spare minutes. The landmarks were interesting although no good in that fog.
This was a high as the cloud lifted today. A pretty view of Porthgwarra and its aqua sea.
We bumped into some people just off sea kayaking here: what an enticing invitation to a beach.
We hoofed around past another beautiful cove, Porth Chapel.
We arrived near Porthcurno with just enough time to come off the path and make the bus stop with 10 mins to spare. We left just before the Minack Theatre so we've got that to look forward to on our next walk. Yes, "we". "Well, I haven't seen it yet have I Mum?" she pointed out. It looks like Riona is coming back...
Time on route 6:30hrs, walking time 5:40hrs.
Saturday 20 June 2015
Riona and I travelled down to Penzance on the Friday and caught a bus first thing to Botallack on the Saturday. This is what teenage excitement looks like for being on the top front row of a double decker.
It was a foggy start to the day and the views from the bus were somewhat limited.
We alit at Botallack, said hello to the locals,
and were soon back on the path. It looked a bit more misty than when I left it 4 weeks ago.
Yup, low cloud.
The route was pleasantly varied and throughout the day we clocked moor, meadow, dunes, beach and rugged cliff paths.
Walking with a teenager has its pros and cons. The pros being good company and time to chat. One of the cons being that you have to wait around whilst they watch cute rabbits bounce around in the field.
Cape Cornwall loomed into sight. In fact we had to get pretty close to it before it loomed in any which way. The tower, initially a chimney stack and more latterly a navigational mark, was donated to 'the Nation' by Heinz in 1987. I suspect nowadays it would be snapped up for sponsorship by Emirates.
A hundred metres on and the tower had all but disappeared.
My first trig of the day, TP1597.
The route was very lovely even in the mist.
We treated ourselves to lunch in the wonderful Old Success pub in Sennen Cove. I loved all the nautically/map things.
Nice compass.
As we passed Gamper Bay on the way to Land's End the excitement mounted. This was the day I reached the most westerly point of my walk - and mainland Britain. Today was the day I turned the corner.
And today was the day it was so clagged in I'm surprised we could even read the information board.
Oh well - I was there even if the views weren't. The Longships foghorn was awake and the sound of its toot every 10 seconds accompanied us for many kms to come.
It's becoming a theme (of two walks) that I have unexpected trigs. I should have realised there'd be one here but it wasn't on the map. TP4337.
Very interesting to see an off centre spider. Never seen that before. Construction error perchance?
Even though the views were limited, the glimpses of coastline we did see were magical.
Having started our walked at Botallack at 0900, and taken a decadent 45 mins to enjoy our lunch, we were up against the clock to make the 1555 bus at Porthcurno. The subsequent one was 1755 so needless to say we decided to up the ante and march for the bus. Timing would have been a tad easier if my watch hadn't broken that morning.
We passed the Coast Watch station at Gwennap Head and would have lingered, but had no spare minutes. The landmarks were interesting although no good in that fog.
This was a high as the cloud lifted today. A pretty view of Porthgwarra and its aqua sea.
We bumped into some people just off sea kayaking here: what an enticing invitation to a beach.
We hoofed around past another beautiful cove, Porth Chapel.
We arrived near Porthcurno with just enough time to come off the path and make the bus stop with 10 mins to spare. We left just before the Minack Theatre so we've got that to look forward to on our next walk. Yes, "we". "Well, I haven't seen it yet have I Mum?" she pointed out. It looks like Riona is coming back...
