How lucky are we? We’ve woken up to yet another cloud free and almost wind free spring day in Cornwall.

Leaving our car at Tregantle Fort we venture in and across the firing ranges, keeping to the designated paths (but only permitted on days they are not firing). It looks a bit like a giant golf driving range with sets of numbers in the distance to aim at.

Coming out of the firing range we head left, saying hello to young horned sheep as they stare at us, and over the golf course. We stop for a golfer to hit his ball – the first heading down the cliff towards the sea but the second bouncing back towards the little flag.

Soon after, the path pops out by Finnygook beach, opposite the golf club and hotel at Portwrinkle. We can’t resist an ice cream at the Jolly Roger café. It seems a lovely little village (maybe more of a hamlet?) unspoilt by gentrification or holiday camps – I muse that I could happily while away my retirement years here drinking port and slowly turning wrinkly ha-ha!

There are very few other walkers as we carry on along the coast path, high above the desolate beaches, with no paths down and dangerous rocks in the sea, the beaches are pretty much impossible to get to.

A delightful steep path takes us inland with yet more stunted blackthorn to our right and a dry-stone wall to our left full of pretty wild flowers. It feels like the kind of landscape garden designers strive to replicate at Chelsea or Hampton Court Flower Shows.

The next village along is Downderry, with the first view of the village being some gorgeous large pine and cypress trees, I’m very happy. The path joins the road with the houses to our left enjoying the lovely sea views and access. We take the next pathway down to the beach for our lunch. Having heard about a massive rock fall in the Jurassic Coast yesterday, we decide to not picnic right below the cliff but find some large boulders by the rock pools to rest on.

A young boy, maybe two years old, wanders over the rockpools towards us with his football. His parents are oblivious to him splashing in the rock pools, the water well over the top of his welly boots, and every so often sitting down right in the pools!

As the sea is out, we decide to continue on the beach towards yet another little town called Seaton (wasn’t there one in Dorset?). There are many dwellings perched on the cliff top – I bet they went a little cold watching the local news last night.

Seaton is another pretty little hamlet with quite a few families enjoying the sunny day on the beach and the river estuary. We don’t linger but continue out of Seaton on a quiet residential road, well it was quiet of people but there was a group of large black birds, I think crows, fighting over which branch to rest on in the tall pine trees. As well as white vans jostling for passing places along the narrow road and a group of people who pass us and say hello. We saw them at the Chapel yesterday.

A steep set of steps takes us back toward the coast and away from hustle and bustle. This stretch is beautiful open countryside with gorse and wildflowers and views towards Looe and St. Georges Island. We continue up the grassy hill with incredible 360-degree views – looking back at the OS map our route goes round the monkey sanctuary, rather than below – maybe we went wrong but I think the OS map is maybe out of date?

The monkey sanctuary is sadly closed and has been for a year – it’s certainly been a tough time for attractions like these, who earn their living from tourists, but inherently still have mouths to feed. We wander along the minor road then a delightful path running alongside it with many fine large trees, mostly pines and holm oak, before arriving in Millendreath. There’s a Venus Café on the beach and some rather incongruously stacked holiday homes, we don’t linger but head up the steep steps before taking a left into the outskirts of Looe.

Before we know it, we are surrounded by holidaymakers in a busy shopping street. I’ve forgotten my face mask so can’t enjoy the shops but to be honest we are ready to head back to the tranquillity of our holiday home. The friendly taxi driver we find at the taxi rank seems pleased to escape as well!