The South West Coastal Path Chronicles: August 2018

Date: 30th August 2018

Distance: 12.10 miles
Time: 5:14'00.0
Ascent: 1700 feet

Total SWCP so far: 298.71 miles

Route

Note: Forgot to stop the GPS tracker so router shows part of the return journey by car from Porthleven. Numbers are correct, however.

Progress

Profile

Martin and Marina's Bit

The start of today's walk was dominated once again by St Michael's Mount in the bay. As we walked past it and around the cove, we were treated to views of the island and its castle from many angles, in the early morning light.

There were sandy beaches to walk along today. Not our favourite walking surface, but not something to complain about either. This is Cornwall and it's lovely. All of it.

We ended at Porthleven and enjoyed some food at a cafe with what has to be the most customer unfriendly ordering process! None of the salad had sand in it though, so that was something!

Unbeknown to Martin and Marina, Lesley had been quite ill throughout today, suffering from an "upset stomach". Yes, that type of upset stomach! But there was not a word of complaint and she soldiered on. Lesley is hereby awarded the "Being Brave and Carrying On with a Nasty Upset Stomach Badge".

Derek and Lesley's Bit

Leaving st Michaels mount we walk up the road out of Marizon along the cliff tops.
We see seals popping there heads out of the water.
Heading to Porthleven the cliff changes from granite to slate with a colour change from brown/red to grey and the stability of the cliffs weakens.
Finishing in Porthleven a pretty harbour we look around the craft market & fill our stomach in a cafe.

Photographs

Derek and Lesley's Photographs

Date: 29th August 2018

Distance: 14.77 miles
Time: 7:36'21.9
Ascent: 1936 feet

Total SWCP so far: 286.61 miles

Route

Progress

Profile

Martin and Marina's Bit

Today was a long walk but somehow never felt too arduous. The weather was kind to us and the scenery, all the better for it. We encountered a tiny fishing village, although "village" may be over-stating it, with a stone pool that the catch was apparently dropped into. Lesley had spotted an odd looking, shiny black ball shaped object in the waters just outside where the boats and the fish pool was and we'd concluded it was a buoy. But no. Derek heard it snort and what do you know? It was a seal,, lurking in the waters, waiting to raid the fish landing pool for a quick brunch!

The route presented us with a novel challenge at one point with the path taking us across 100 metres of beach. But not a sandy beach. Oh no. This was a beach entirely covered in boulders, an average of 1 metre across, rounded and worn by the sea. Crossing them required the balance of acrobats! But we made it, Lesley using her poles skilfully and eventually, left the beach and climbed back up to the cliff tops to continue on our way.

We descended a particularly rocky and twisty path, heading towards a car park at a harbour and therefore, people. We started to encounter people heading the other way on the path, coming up from the car park, one of them in bare feet, which seemed a rather odd choice! Martin and Marina got to the harbour first and sat down to rest and eat.

Lesley and Derek appeared some time later. We hadn't realised they were so far behind, based on how long it took for them to appear. But in fact it turned out they hadn't been far behind at all. Disaster had struck! Well OK... not quite disaster but at the very least, disaster's cousin, the clumsily named "unpleasant, painful and inconvenient"! Derek, being the "gent" that he is, had stopped to let another couple past but the manoeuvre was confused by the fact that apparently Lesley's brake lights were not working, causing Derek to slip, fall and suffer a very nasty impact with a pointed rock, leaving a painful indentation just above the waistline and close to his spine. Luckily, despite the incident leaving Derek dizzy and sick for a while, he's made of proper, stern stuff and was soon back on his feet, allowing us to complete the day's walk. Derek is hereby awarded the "Being Brave After Falling Over Badge".

Today's route ended at Penzance where we enjoyed watching the incredibly photogenic St Michael's Mount approach as we walked around the bay.

Derek and Lesley's Bit

Easy walking gentle climbs through some lovely cornish villages & shady Woods. We met an active local fisherman at port nanven who had just landed his catch & hauled his boat up the slipway who went on to tell us he had just had his 80th birthday! absolutely remarkable man.

Through Mousehole, there is a small tidal pool & the seal can be seen slithering into it at low tide to catch any fish stranded as the tide went out & on past Newlyn where we are staying then onto penzance (but didn't see any pirates)
Stopped here for lunch before pavement plodding along to St Michaels mount where we finished for the day.