Horns and Rule Following

Day Twenty Eight - Porthole to Mevagissey 19.8km (12.3 miles).
Time on route 6:10hrs, walking time 05:30hrs.

Tuesday 19 April 2016

It was a prompt (for us) start after an overnight stay in Porthole. Stuffed full of eggs and toast we left Portloe in the sun.

I smiled at the creativity of the house decoration.

And the post topper.

It was another morning of undulating SWCP. We weren't as prepared as we should have been for the sun - unforecast I hasten to add. I'd forgotten a sunhat (I had woolly hat, gloves and waterproof as any Brit on the move would rightly carry) so had to improvise with a buff, and Caitlin had left her sunglasses in the car at Probus.

We'd had a mini cow encounter yesterday, but they were afar across the field and not too scary. Today was different. As we approached a gate east of East Portholland we saw a herd of bullocks tightly huddled. We then saw a couple walking through them and some stamping of feet (from the cows) and arm waving (from the humans). As they extracted themselves from the field we noticed they had a dog, which explained the discombobulation from the cows.

I was pretty anxious at this point, dog or no dog, and asked the couple about the animals. "I'm really nervous about cows," I explained trying to sound like a slightly normal person. "Oh, don't worry about them," the lady grinned. "Nothing to worry about". "Indeed," replied the gentleman. "They're fine. Oh, just watch out for the one with horns."

HORNS? That bullock had horns? That makes it bull-like in my head.

Caitlin nudged me towards the gate and we waited whilst the animals drifted off. We hatched a plan involving doing 3 sides of the field, and I was mentally planning how quickly I could jump over the barbed wired gorse hedge.  However as we entered the enclosure the mind-reading bullocks wandered towards the corner we were heading for. So we reverted to Plan A and took the direct route across. This I did, briskly, head down, with Caitlin behind me responding to my rapid questioning "are they following us? are they still there?"  Honestly - what a mother.

It transpired that Plan A wasn't actually the official route but, purist that I am, there are times when I overrule myself. And cow avoidance is far higher than sticking to the rules. Caitlin did roll her eyes, though, at me retracing as much of the path as I could and doing two sides of a triangle to ensure I didn't 'cheat' too much.

The next beach, Porthlune Cove, had a treat in store. It is home to Caerhays Castle, designed by John Nash who was also responsible for Buckingham Palace and the Brighton Pavilion. Approaching it from the west it is hidden, it's only as you pass it and climb out the east side of the cove that you see how majestic it is.


We had had Dodman Point in our sights for the whole morning. Initially it had seemed far to far away to be our pre-lunch goal but, km by km, it edged closer and the cross came into focus.

And finally we reached it.

However, that wasn't my true goal at Dodman Point. There is a trig pillar up there so we glanced briefly at the cross then went in search of our Holy Grail. It was easy to spot just behind the lookout hut.

I did the obligatory hug (I suspect these things don't get many) and wished it a happy 80th birthday for the day before. [Read all it on the Ordnance Survey page here and the BBC, here].

I was slightly conscious that we weren't making over fast speed.  However, I said the magic words to my teenager and, zoom, she was off.  The magic words?  "Oh, I hope we make Gorran Haven before the pub stops serving food".

And we did.

We ate in the lovely Lawnroc Hotel however we didn't linger as we had a bus to catch.

It was 5.6km to Mevagissey and we had 1:45 in which to do it which was plenty but we didn't linger.

Chapel Point looked gorgeous in the sun.

We descended into Portmellon.

What beautiful shadows from the gate.

Mevagissey is a classic double harbour - I know given the choice between Portloe and Mevagissey where I'd sail to in a storm.


The boats glistened in the sun.

We arrived in Mevagissey with 30 minutes to spare.  Which was just as well because the bus stop wasn't obvious.  Mevagissey sits at the termination of a route served by only one bus number.  We asked the car park attendant where the bus stop was.  "Which way are you going love?" he asked.  Umm, out of Mevagissey?

Our route back to the car was via St Austell where we changed buses.  St Austell rail and bus station is a great place to swap transport as it has a cafe where you can plonk yourself over a coffee whilst waiting your bus.  And plonk we did with our sun-caught faces, weary feet, stiff legs and smiles.

Roseland Peninsula

Day Twenty Seven - St Mawes to Porthole 22.0km (13.7 miles).
Time on route 6:45hrs, walking time 6:15hrs.

Monday 18 April 2016

I have recently changed employment and am far more flexible with my working patterns.  So instead of cramming a walk into a weekend I was able to enjoy a more leisurely affair mid week accompanied by my daughter who is home from university.

I paused my SWCP trek at St Mawes last November and couldn't easily restart until the Place Ferry opened again at Easter.  This is the ferry across from St Mawes to St Anthony's peninsula.   My public transport hub has shifted to St Austell and our best option was to park at Probus and take the bus to St Mawes.

We didn't have long to enjoy St Mawes as the ferry was just about to leave.  However this old style of garage interested me.  And, as it turned out, I saw quite a few further around the Roseland Peninsula over the next couple of days.

We left on the Place Ferry.

Its only a short 10 minute hop across.

Hair and smiles.

St Anthony Church at Place is late-Norman with a beautiful door.

Being spring there were daffodils aplenty.

A medieval coffin.

It was an overcast day but dry.  Ideal walking weather.  As eagerly anticipated (by me at any rate) St Anthony lighthouse was winking away in the gloom.

I love the way the wind shapes the direction of shrub growth.

My final glance at Falmouth looking back across Carrick Roads.

We walked past St Anthony Head and around the peninsula being, at one stage, only 300m from our landing point an hour or so earlier.

Being by the coast is wonderful.  It's sensory heaven - the sound of the waves and gulls, the sight of the sea and horizon, the smell of the littoral zone, the taste of salt on your lips. I try not to touch much.

I was fascinated by this south facing cove where all the kelp had washed up.

Our lunch spot was Portscatho.  The cafe was closed however the Plume of Feathers was up and running so we popped in for coffee and a snack.

It served us the best chips I've had for a long time.  She even shared.

We marched off, replete, and passed the Lookout Station which looked remarkably like a green wheelie bin from a distance.

There wasn't much flat walking today.  The path was dry and well marked, just not level for much - all too soon we'd descend into a cove and sweep back up onto the cliff tops.  And repeat.

This was a sad sight.  I think it's around Pendower: a forlone closed pub.

We watched a 'port and starboard' couple stroll across Carne Beach.

Daffodils!

We arrived late afternoon in Porthole, a small fishing village with a southwesterly harbour.

Apparently the harbour is so narrow that during the course of 17 years the local life boat had nothing to do.  The approach is too tricky to attempt in a storm so any ailing vessel would shelter elsewhere.

Shame the harbour was empty of locals ;-)

Porthole Pin-up

A 2015 Finish in Falmouth

Day Twenty Six - Mawnan to Falmouth 12.8km (8.0 miles).
Time on route 5:05hrs, walking time 3:20hrs.

Saturday 21 November 2015

It seemed fitting to complete my 2015 SWCP year by reaching Falmouth. I haven't been that well recently so a short 12k seemed ideal. The weather looked pretty awful and I was nearly regretting pre-paying for my B&B. But it was a short walk and there was a delightful looking pub en route which I figured would be ideal to dry off in.

I drove down to Falmouth early Saturday, shivered at the bus stop peeping out at the freezing rain, and caught the bus to Mawnan Smith. The rain stopped and I walked in the dry down to Mawnan Church from where I picked up my route.

Looking back at Helford Passage.

And then the sun came out. So rather than waterproof trousers I was regretting not packing the sunglasses.


As I had spare time I wandered off the path up towards Rosemullion where I knew there was a trig to be found. I slid and slipped my way up the fields and was rewarded with a glimpse of my holy grail. OK, a trig then. TP5738

The sun continued to smile on me as I slithered towards Maenporth. It was incredibly windy - the forecasts had been predicting gusts of up to 42mph and at times I certainly had to push my way into the wind.

The Cove Inn at Maenporth was a wonderful find. I treated myself to a lazy tapas lunch overlooking the sea. I had thought I'd be drying out at this juncture and was delighted to still be dry; even though it did take quite a few minutes to unpeel all my layers, hat, gloves, waterproof, fleece etc before sitting down.

Once fed and watered I headed off towards Falmouth passing Swanpool beach - actually a contraction of Swamp-pool rather than anything more graceful. The presence of the flue from the old arsenic works doesn't glamourise it either.

As you near Falmouth there is a large sweep around Pendennis Point before finding Falmouth town centre. Some lovely buildings en route.

You can't easily see Pendennis Castle from the path - but can certainly see some of the WW2 fortifications added to this coastline.

Falmouth is a quirky, fun maritime town, reminiscent of Dartmouth. I enjoyed the architecture.


I walked through the town to the Prince of Wales pier, then retraced my steps back to my B&B for a hot shower. I had a delightful meal at the Lookout that evening.

I explored more of Falmouth on Sunday.


I wanted to complete my Falmouth walk by crossing Carrick Roads to St Mawes so that my next leg starts on the east side of the river. The St Mawes Ferry runs hourly, even on Sundays in November.

Again, despite a stormy weather forecast, Falmouth was kind to me and I had a smooth crossing.

Looking back to Falmouth.

St Mawes Castle.

St Mawes Harbour. The clouds were gathering.

Unfortunately I wasn't quite able to reach the next landfall on St Anthony Head as the small ferry from St Mawes to Place across the Percuil has finished for the season. So for now I just turned straight around and came back on the ferry to Falmouth. I'll leave thinking about crossing to St Anthony Head for 2016.  And to end this chapter of the coast path Falmouth threw me a beautiful rainbow.