The most southerly point of the path

I finally made it to Lizard Point. I’d been looking forward to this as, along with getting into each county, Lizard point seemed a significant milestone. I don’t feel especially impressed with myself at the moment but I hope when I look back that I will be. Sometimes when I think about it I say, so what, it’s just a walk, but then when I think back to getting the Swanage ferry or even when I left my house to walk to Leicester station it feels like a massive journey.

Changing landscape

One thing I noticed today was how much everything changed as I walked from Church Cove, round to Lizard Point, past Kynance Cove and the onwards towards Porthleven. There were so many different landscapes. I assume it’s because of different parts being sheltered more than others but that could be totally wrong. Even the way the path was controlled and where you were meant to walk changed as I walked round. I’m probably happy to not understand and to just appreciate the changes. Toby, my middle son, once said to me that now he’s got a good understanding of music, and how it all works and fits together, he doesn’t enjoy listening to it as much because he’s always trying to work out how it works from a technical level. Maybe it’d be like that for me with this landscape. Ignorance is therefore bliss.

From Church Cove to Lizard Point, and to a lessor extent Kynance Cove, the path tends to be on the edge of cliffs and well defined. You don’t need to concentrate at all on what direction to go, just on staying upright. It’s a really nice path, a bit of climbing of course but what would you expect. You see the lifeboat station for a while which I find amazing. It’s been built into a cove which just looks cool. Apparently though this has its practical uses because unless the wind is from the east they can launch no matter what the weather due to the protection from the cove. Every time I see it I’m amazed. Although I decided to keep the photographs to a minimum today as I’ve already taken loads in the past. It is tempting though.

After Lizard point things open up a bit but I think there has been significant coastal erosion here so it’s important to stay on the path. I noticed also a sign about an invasive plant species from South Africa they are trying to control. I’ve no idea how it got here but it’s apparently causing a big problem to other plants. You then head to Kynance Cove.

Now, I think I’ve made a mistake. When I said that people have always raved on about Kennack Sands I think they might have been saying Kynance Cove. They are quite similar names in my defence. Well they start with a K. Anyway it doesn’t matter because I got to see them both.

The cove initially reminded me of Lulworth Cove. It just had a similar feel. It was certainly impressive but I was slightly put off by all the people. In many ways I’m glad it was so popular because it did mean the paths had been well maintained and you were directed very clearly. It was just all the people. I suppose I’m so used now to having the path to myself I’ve gotten a little selfish and I’m now not very good at sharing.

How people dress

I admit it was a windy day but it did amuse me seeing the different outfits people were in. Some wore kit that looked suitable for a mission to Everest and others had the sort of clothes you’d pop to your local pub in. For example, in the train of people walking down to Kynance Cove I saw one man in full expedition gear, looking like he was heading for a trek to the South Pole and another lady, directing her children and husband down the steps, wearing jeans and a jumper whilst munching her way through a family pack of skips. Quite a contrast. I bet the man was hot in his gear though.

I’d stuck with my leggings, old tatty running shorts and t-shirt. So I suppose I shouldn’t really comment.

Out onto the moors

After the cove it feels like the path builders decided we could make our own route up. There were very few people around though and I quite liked it. It felt to me like I was on the North Yorkshire Moors. Just a wide expanse of space, no clear indication of where the path was and not even particularly clear where the edge of the cliff was. I did consult my maps a few times just to check I was roughly on track. I was just amazed by the contrast from just a few miles before.

I do worry that I’m not doing the changes of scenery justice here. I was quite amazed by the change but I have to confess that trying to describe just how different it is, well I just find difficult.

From coves to horses to beaches

Whilst on the ‘moors’ the path dips down into some coves and you need to do some thinking to navigate these. I enjoyed this. I like following a well defined path but sometimes it’s nice to do some thinking for yourself. It was nice to have left all the crowds of Kynance Cove as well. Being back on my own.

Now the highpoint of my day. Just before dropping into the little village of Mullion, I was sitting high on the cliffs eating a bag of crisps (not family sized) when a Shetland Pony made eye contact. I tried not to look back but it’d clocked me and was coming over for a chat. It wanted to know what was in my bag and if anything was suitable for a horse. It was such a gentle animal though. Just dribbled a bit on my coat.

Mullion looked like a small fishing village with a tiny harbour and nice beach. I could see a few tourists but also what looked like locals sorting out fishing equipment. A few holiday rentals and I imagine second homes but it did look like it’d maintained its originality and hopefully had kept housing and employment for the people who lived there. Maybe all these things can live in harmony.

Even though much of the path from here was spent up high the amount of beaches increased. There was plenty of surfing going on at Church Cove and I stopped for a while to watch the surfers. I was just thinking how I’d never seen anyone not just fall straight into the water when one guy managed to stay up until almost hitting the beach. I was impressed.

Onwards to Porthleven

There’s a big beach you need to cross to get to Porthleven. It’s quite hard going. But I was distracted by the size and power of the waves. I took so many photographs and videos of them but I know none will do them any justice. They really were something I wanted to remember.

I’d seen a man walking his dog just before I’d dropped down to this beach and he’d just been staring at the waves hitting the rocks. Just mesmerised by it all. It was nice just to see him taking time to appreciate them.

I think the footpath into Porthleven has been moved recently and is much improved. Once in the harbour area I could see that they’d closed off an inner harbour to protect the boats as the sea was very rough. Waves were splashing over the harbour wall and it was a very different scene to the calm when I was last here. I was walking past a man with his dog when a huge plume of water came over the wall, it missed the man but the poor dog got a direct hit.