98. Watergate Bay to Porthcothan
6 Miles Miles walked since starting. . .
6 Miles Miles walked since starting. . .
9 Miles Miles walked since starting. . . There are some lovely properties set high above the Gannel estuary, with fine views across Crantock beach. In fact, I would say is a very desirable part of Newquay to live. Wandering along Riverside Avenue into Riverside Crescent we find the Fern Pit café where the summer time ferries cross the Gannel estuary. A small hand written sign resting against plastic boxes says CLOSED. The parking area is taken up with the neatest row of brand new, or recently renovated, lobster pots, I have ever seen. Both the map and the coast path sign direct us straight [...]
11 Miles Miles walked since starting. . . After a delightful evening looking at the stars emerge in the sky from the warmth of the wood fired hot tub at Chy Kel, we’re up early and walking down to Trevauance Cove, ready for a long walk. A low grey blanket is hanging over the tarnished blue seas, rippled white at the edges where the sea meets the stark grey cliffs and the sandy beaches. We find the steps out of Trevaunance Cove and look back at the typical Cornish cove. Intriguing to see a tin mine being converted to a home on the edge of the town. [...]
8 Miles Miles walked since starting. . . It’s been a long four months since we’ve walked the Cornish coast and I’m excited to be back. We motored down to St. Agnes last night where we are staying at a delightful little flint and reclaimed larch dwelling, named Chy Kel, on the edge of a woodland. From the large glass doors on one end of Chy Kel we can peep through the trees to the clifftop above Trevaunance Cove, dotted with tin mine towers. It’s out of season, the tourist busses aren’t yet running, so we take a local taxi for the short drive to Portreath. Graham [...]
5 Miles Miles walked since starting. . . Time to say goodbye to our little fisherman’s cottage in Lelant. We motor around the coast, depositing one car at the large tourist car park in Portreath and bundle into the other car, Lola all excited, as we head back to where we left off yesterday. There is low fluffy cloud cover, menacing grey shapes swirling with vivid white ones, hanging below the bright blue sky. All battling to dominate today’s weather. Hell’s Mouth and Deadman’s Cove are not far below us as we wander along the level clifftop footpath. On the map [...]
6 Miles Miles walked since starting. . . We leave our Lelant holiday home early this morning, depositing one car at the small National Trust car park beyond The Knavocks headland we drive back to the car park at Riviere Towans. We walk past the Bluff Inn to the glorious sandy beach. Young and old beach folk all seem to have wellington boots on? I’m a little disconcerted but take my trainers and socks off and enjoy the feeling of the sand between my toes. The wide expanse of skies one minute menacing grey, with a complete semi-circle rainbow soon transform to azure blue, dotted [...]
2.5 Miles Miles walked since starting. . . After an enjoyable lunch of quiche, salad and St. Ives brownie/flap jack combo, whilst listening to the rain tip tapping on the roof, we head back toward the railway station. The narrow road, running alongside the railway line, which in turn runs alongside the river’s edge, takes us up river and around the estuary. Our eyes are held by the lovely homes with pretty gardens fronting the street. At the end of the road, it bends to the right whilst we take the footpath to the left into the Lelant Salting’s Station car park. This large car park used [...]
3 Miles Miles walked since starting. . . Our holiday cottage on Station Hill is just a short distance from Lelant Station. As with last night’s rail trip it’s a convoluted route. Heading first to St. Erth, to pick up holiday makers with their buckets and spades, then back through Lelant to Carbis Bay and St. Ives. Five dismount the train, Lola not so sure of the gap between the train and the platform. Despite the time of day and being a Sunday, the streets are busy with shoppers. Make my few purchases (map, candle and flapjack) from an array of independent shops then head back to [...]
8 Miles Miles walked since starting. . . After a cosy evening in our holiday cottage in Lelant, spent mostly trying to dry yesterday’s clothes, we are up early and heading to Zennor by soon after 9 o clock. We’ve been joined by Heather, Mark and Lola the cockerpoo for our holiday. Pop the pound coin in the honesty box at Zennor car park and make our way behind the Tinner’s Arms to the coast path. The weather forecast is dry until two this afternoon so we are hoping to complete this often talked about coastal walk to St. Ives in around four hours. The [...]
6 Miles Miles walked since starting. . . We are in such a hurry to get back to Cornwall after a three-month break that we leave home at just gone four in the morning, arriving in Zennor at 10:30. There’s a two hour wait for a bus to Morvah to start todays walk so we are forced to go the MooMaids of Zennor café – shame. It’s a gorgeous little café set in a pretty garden – zillionaire shortbread and shipwreck ice cream for breakfast! Wander up to the bus stop for the 1:55 coaster bus, I’d blissfully forgotten about busses running on Cornish time. After 30 [...]