This might have been the last day of sun. It warmed and partly dried the tent as we woke. A lad we had camped near was solo walking around the perimeter of Cornwall and breakfasted to leave at the same time. He has walked around 150miles and is making his way north up the coast. Today’s walk would be easy for us, he said. After St Ives would be tough but Lands End and the Lizard will be easy.
Instead of walking back to the path along the dangerous main road we worked our way though much quieter farm lanes barely wide enough for a car. We had to squeeze into blackberry bushes to let a few past but everyone was much cheerier about it. I measured 3km of walking before we rejoined the coast path. Good job Elm farm was a good campsite. They have a bike shop and are on a coast to coast cycle trail. My powerbank is even fully charged.
Climbing out of Porthtowan and what did we find? Blue-green oil painting seas, sandy coves, crumbling cliffs, a light swell, you know, the usual. It is day 14 of walking over 200miles of coastline after all. The first stretch was to Portreath at 8 or 9km for coffee. It had a few climbs that we were by now taking in our strides, but mostly flat path that we scooted along. More relics of somewhat recent mining history littered the cliff tops.
Above Portreath we could see a narrow man-made harbour close to the cliffs and a sandy bay already popular with the bank holiday beach goers. A shop sold us biscuits and chocolate, and a quality cafe fed us small English breakfasts while we figured out what the heck we were going to do after St Ives as there are few campsites.
Passing Ralph’s Cupboard we could see Godrevy head and lighthouse when we reclimbed to the cliff tops. There is a rocky reef extending out a mile to sea from here under the water. We could see hints of rocks bothered by the swell. At Godrevy we would turn south towards Hayle in St Ives Bay.
At Hell’s Mouth we got a couple of cold cans from the cafe. The queue was huge but a nice lady helped us skip it as walkers only stopping for a slurp. In Hell’s Mouth itself seals have been pupping. From 50m above we could see white rocks rolling around and flapping their flippers. Flipping their flappers. Mum, dad, aunties and uncles were out in the bay floating or rolling, basking in the sun. Kids were left on the stony beach to lie, camouflaged.
Skipping past Castle Giver Cove we rested at Godrevy point, shoes and socks off in a hollow out of the breeze and opposite the lighthouse. Coasteering kids watched seals in the waters between the point and the light house. A dark seal enjoyed diving, blowing air and surfacing through its own bubbles. Other seals played and watched the coasteers. I’m not sure who was more entertained, the seals or the humans. A steady stream of tourist boats flowed from St Ives across the bay to Godrevy Island, circling.
Picking ourselves up for the final section we ambled around to the crowds leaving the beaches and 5km of bay and sand dunes. As usual we didn’t quite get lost in the dunes thanks to modern technology, GPS and the bleeding great ocean on our right, but we didn’t exactly know where we were going either. We lost the path amongst the paths. There are ancient tales of fairy paths to other worlds. You walk along them and find yourself entirely somewhere else. They are probably in sand dunes.
With digital OS mapping we worked our way through more blackberry bushes to where the coast path was fabled to lie. There was a path. But there are paths bloody everywhere in sand dunes. Spotting a stone marker we saw the insignia of the coast path: the acorn, and an arrow. With these clues we headed onwards, searching ahead for other stone markers and working our way forwards in both time and space.
A good game well played we found ourselves at the beach end of the Beachside Leisure Park. Welcomed in we pitched on the plateau set aside for walkers, amongst more sand dunes of course. There are rabbit holes around us. Will I be awoken by bunnies?
The holiday park has a bar, a restaurant and a quiz night. Tomorrow will be a big day aiming out to Pendeen. After Pendeen we can go for Land’s End, a big goal. Calories must be restored through beer and burger.
25.9km with 715m of ascent.