Distances travelled

Dover to Christchurch 280
Southbourne to Sandbanks 10
Shell Bay to Porthallow 315
Porthallow to Lizard 15
Lizard to Penzance 28

total miles to date 648

This leaves about 250 miles to be walked in the next two weeks.

Day 38 - Wednesday October 6th.

When I told various people that I was going to walk from the Lizard to Penzance today they look at me in stunned silence. One said that it was "do-able" but others did this in two days. I estimated that it was about 28-30 miles and some of the terrain very up and down which slows progress. So the hostel being self catering I decided to make up my breakfast last night and leave the hostel at 6.00am., which I did. I started in the dark with starlight and my torch! The path from the Lizard to Kynance cove is quite wide and well defined so it didn't present any great risk. There had been heavy rain during the night and paths were waterlogged or muddy until lunchtime. As the dawn began I was able to see without the torch to go down into Kynance Cove and up the other side. This was quite a climb. By 9.05 I arrived at Mullion Cove and stopped for breakfast. By 9.40 I arrived at Polhurion Cove, 10.07 at Poldu Cove, 10.23 at Church Cove [where the toilets were locked which was not helpful!], 11.10 Gunwalloe village and cove and at 12.50 I was at Porthleven which is about half way to Penzance. Yesterday afternoon a fishing boat was side on to the waves and too near the shore when it was caught by a large wave and the boat smashed on the beach. One fisherman scrambled ashore and the other had to be winched off by helicopter. The remains of the boat was on the beach when I passed - little was left apart from half the keel andthe rear end of the boat. A salutary reminder of the power of the sea.
At 12.45 I set off from Porthlevn, passing Rinsey Head at 2.23, and arrived at Praa Sands [north end] at 2.53 to find the cafe closed so I wasn't delayed! At 4.20 I passed Paranuthoe and then Marazion. From Marazion onwards the route was flat and a bit tedious walking along side the beach on the left and the railway on the right. I arrived in Penzance at 6.15 and had to wait a while for a takeaway that I had ordered. I then walked through the town to the Youth Hostel arriving there about 7.17pm feeling satisfied with the days walk and also tired!


Distance walked 28-30 miles

Day 37 - Tuesday October 5th

Today was a short walk by design as staying at the Coverack youth hostel and moving to the one at Lizard seemed ideal. I took my time and did not rush to get up early. However being an early riser I opted for breakfast at 7.30 as usual and was ready to leave at 8.15. At 9.00 I passed Black Head. At 10.40 I passed Kennack Sands and then arrived at Cadgwith where I was diddled over a pot of tea in the hotel. They charged me £3 for a pot of Earl Grey tea with no additional hot water, out of which I got two cups. Normally I pay £1-50 and get four cups - I was not impressed! I then watched a fishing boat run the gauntlet of large waves and coming ashore and being winched up the beach above high water level. The beach was narrow and rocks on both sides which made the whole thing quite risky. The fisherman had to make more than one attempt to get it right. By 1.40 I had arrived at the Lizard and had an afternoon free. I left my rucksack at the hostel as I had been given the door entry number by a walker who had been there the previous evening and booking in was not until 5.00pm. !It turned out that the staff member on duty had been at the Boswinger hostel when I was there a few days back and remembered me! I walked up into the village and did some shopping as the hostel was self-catering and had some lunch at a cafe.
I spent quite some time just sitting and watching the sea. Huge waves breaking a quarter of a mile off shore over 15 feet high. It was both spectacular and breathtaking. And the way in which the waves were breaking on the rocks was an everchanging panorama and a reminder of the awsome power of the Creator's creation.

Distance walked 11 miles

Day 36 - Monday October 4th

I spent the night at an independent hostel called Tregneda Lodge which was very well appointed and self-catering which suited me fine. As a result I got my own breakfast and was out of the hostel at 7.10am as I was not sure about the distances involved. By 7.25 I was back at Maenporth Beach which was tranquil and beautiful and no people around apart from myself. By 8.05 I passed Rosemulllion Point and at 9.15 I arrived at Helford Passage. The ferryman had arrived and was getting the boat ready - putting in fuel. I was his first passenger and I was accross the estuary by 9.30. I got to Gillan Creek just too late to be able to ford it as the tide was coming in so had to walk around the creek adding a couple of miles to the journey. This was not too bad but walking uphill on Cornish lanes is tiring - more so than the cliff paths. At 11.45 I reached Flushing with a sign indicating Porthallow 3.5 miles. I arrived at Porthallow at 1.10 and had a good look at the new monument indicating that it is exactly half way between South Haven Point and Minehead. I felt a real sense of satisfaction! I passed Porthoustock at 2.15 and arrived in Coverack at 4.15 and treated myself to a Cornish cream tea - I had to wait while they made a new batch of scones so they were hot and fresh - very nice. Having had tov walk up a 20% road to get the hostel I decided to eat at the hostel.
Distance travelled - 18 miles.

Day 35 Sunday 3rd October

During the night there was torrential rain, but this stopped about 7 a.m. The rest of the day has been dry. I took it easy this morning, leaving the hostel at 10 a.m. to go to church. I went to the parish church of King Charles the Martyr. It was their Harvest Service and it only lasted 45 minutes. After the service I started to walk around the back of the harbour where there are some really good views of the harbour, and then on to Pendennis Point where there are really good views of the surrounding coastline. I then strolled on leisurely to Gyllyngvase Beach. Here I ate lunch and met the couple of Italians who had been in the hostel last night. After a while I continued, passing Swanpool Beach and then Pennance Point and onward to Maenporth. On the way I met the Italian couple again and when we got to Maenporth they bought me an ice cream. After chatting for some while I left them and walked up the road to Tregedna Farm, where I am now at the hostel. Tomorrow morning I shall start early as I have a long day ahead of me. Distance walked today 6 miles.

Day 34 Saturday 2nd October

I left the hostel at Boswinger at 8 o'clock and walked along the road to Tregavarras, rejoining the coast path at Porthluney Cove. I then continued until I arrived at Portloe at 10 o'clock. At 11.15 I passed Nare Head and arrived in Portscatho at 1.2o p.m. I then continued along the coast, past Towan Beach, Porthmellin Head, Zone Point and St. Anthony Head. At 3.55 I caught the ferry from Place to St. Mawes and at 4.05 caught the ferry from St. Mawes to Falmouth, and arrived in Falmouth at 4.25 and went to the youth hostel. Distance walked 20 miles.

Day 33 Thursday October 1st

I left Fowey at 8.15, fully kitted in waterproofs as it was raining steadily. I reached the coast path at 8.30 and I passed Gribbin Head and continued to Polkerris, arriving there at 10.30 and stopping for a cup of tea. A short time later I resumed walking and passed Polmear and Par Sands, but had difficulty following the path because it was so badly marked. I had to walk around the dock area with a very muddy path beside the golf course, and eventually arrived at Charlestown at 12.45. After lunch at Charlestown I started walking inland around a diversion because the cliff path was unsafe. When I arrived at Porthpean the rain appeared to have stopped so I took off my waterproofs, and as soon as I had done this it started raining again! I continued until I arrived at Mevagissey at 4.45. Having bought a take away for my evening meal I resumed walking at 5 o'clock. I passed Portmellon and Chapel Point and arrived at Gorran Haven at 6.30. As the light was getting poor I took a lane parallel to the coast path, which slightly reduced the distance and I arrived at Hemmick Beach and then had to walk a quarter of a mile up a one in five hill to arrive at the youth hostel at Boswinger at 7.15. Distance travelled about 28 miles.