Sunday, 17 May 2015

When I Was Going to St Ives...

Day Eighteen - Hayle to St Ives 10.8km (6.7 miles).
Time on route 3:20hrs, walking time 3:00hrs.


Sunday 10 May 2015
Day 18 map
After my long walk yesterday it was a late start and a pleasant stroll from Hayle to St Ives.

I walked through the town of Hayle smiling at this little fella.
15 05 10 Day 18 (1) Hayle
And the furry benchmark on the bridge strut.
15 05 10 Day 18 (3) Hayle
15 05 10 Day 18 (4) Hayle
I got a little lost on Carnsew Road.
15 05 10 Day 18 (5) Hayle
No doubt distracted by cannon and boundary stones.
15 05 10 Day 18 (6) Hayle
A redevelopment has blocked the coastpath  which, in itself, is fine.  But the diversion signs are only clear for those walking from the west.  I had to double back and make up a bit of route (involving a cut across a small field and a hop over a hedge) before rendezvousing with it again.

It was a lovely walk around the Hayle Estuary with its mud flats and birds.  A twitchers paradise for sure.  Heading north up the west side of the estuary this sign amused me.
15 05 10 Day 18 (8) Lelant
It was another wonderful day and the spring flowers were heavenly.
15 05 10 Day 18 (9) Lelant
St Michael's Church is perched up on the hill overlooking the estuary and with views of the Godrevy Lighthouse. This is near the start of St Michael's Way, a 19 km walk down to St Michael's Mount. I'll do this too one day.
15 05 10 Day 18 (11) Lelant St Michaels Church
The walk to Carbis Bay is back in towans alongside the railway.
15 05 10 Day 18 (13)
The dunes were easier to navigate and shorter than yesterday and it didn't take long for Carbis Bay to appear.
15 05 10 Day 18 (16) Carbis Bay
Followed afterwards by a wonderful view of St Ives.
15 05 10 Day 18 (17) St Ives Bay
St Ives is a quaint, beautiful and touristy (the latter a consequence of the former) town: the last main staging post on the north coast of Cornwall. It has heaps of holiday homes such as this one. However I did wonder at the accuracy of their geographic coordinates...
15 05 10 Day 18 (22) St Ives
I thought perhaps a passing geodesist had scraped off a digit for a laugh. But, no, it really looks like a genuine error.

Lovely alleyways.
15 05 10 Day 18 (23) St Ives
And independent shops.
15 05 10 Day 18 (21) St Ives
So that's the touristy north Cornwall part done.  The next few legs will be a lot more remote, which I'm really looking forward to.  And then I round the Lands End over development and in a few more walks I'll be heading east.  Golly - it's still a long way to go... 

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