Wet start

We’d decided this would be our last night camping. Not for ever but on this trip. The tent was wet through but somehow we’d managed to keep all the important stuff dry. It’d not rained particularly badly but the constant mist just meant everything was so wet.

It’d been a good night in camp though. We’d treated ourselves to fish and chips, so no cooking or cleaning up required, and the campsite had showers that weren’t the push button kind. I’d say the facilities were adequate but I would not have liked to share them in peak season. Luckily there was only us and two camper vans on site, one of the perks of camping in October, but it would have been a struggle in the summer with 2 showers to share between a whole campsite. 

We packed everything up and just accepted there would be a lot of drying to do when we got home. Considering how wet it’d been I think we did well to have kept all the important stuff dry. I still think this side of things has been harder with the car which doesn’t entirely make sense. Maybe the wettest of the weather just saved itself until now.

Lamorna to Porthcurno

The path from Lamorna carried on in the same vane as it’d arrived. Really slippy, lots of polished rocks to climb, and complex parts to navigate. It was a really fun path but not one you could rush. The rocks are so smooth and worn that they seem almost metallic. Unfortunately when it’s wet this makes them very slippy. I knew it was about 10 miles to Lands End and at this rate I wouldn’t be there any time soon. I made the decision to not worry about this as that would make me rush and with paths like these, which in many places are more like an obstacle course placed on the edge of a cliff, it’s best to take your time. If I was some kind of parcoure expert though I’d be flying through.

Through the mist I could hear boats chugging by which I assumed to be Lands End sight seeing tours. I think there should probably be a discount on days like this because there really wasn’t anything to see. I didn’t mind the mist too much as I’ve been blessed with some amazing weather and views throughout my trip that a day in the gloom was just another experience. In some ways it made the terrain feel safer, like I was somehow protected.

At one stage the path throws you out onto a boulder field. I think the original path must have eroded away as it wasn’t entirely clear which way I should go from here. There was also a strange large metal structure that looked abandoned on the rocks. I eventually, after initially going the wrong way, realised the best route back to the path was to walk over the boulders for a little way and then a new entrance to the path would appear. This was actually a relief because the route I’d originally picked would probably have involved me getting very wet. I was still wondering what the metal structure was for and why it was there. Did it once serve a purpose but now had been abandoned.

A mile of so before Porthcurno, when I was back onto some decent coastal trails that were hard work but not quite the scramble I’d been dealing with before, I fell over. I was on a steep decline and my feet just slipped from under me. I didn’t actually fall too far as the slope was so steep it meant I just lay down a bit. Luckily no one was around and as it’d been so gentle no damage was done. It was just a reminder of how slippy the mud was on the path. I may have also been distracted because this was a path I knew. I’d camped near here with the boys and the campsite had a path that led directly to this part of the coastal path. I had loads of pictures from the past of this area and it brought back nice memories. I took a few pictures of the rocks at the bottom of the path thinking I’d try to compare them with the photos I’d taken on that holiday.

Missing my poles

Walking poles are very good. Especially if you use them properly. They help share some of the load between your arms and legs. I used to see people walking with them and think they looked really daft. Since I’ve been using just a day bag I’ve not been using mine. I’m not sure if this is a mistake or not. When clambering over rocks it’s been helpful to use my hands and in these cases not having to carry poles has been convenient. However, when walking through a bog they are very good at testing the firmness of the ground. I definitely came a cropper at one stage when the mud went half way up my carve. I wasn’t happy and felt the need to take a picture and send it to Jenny. Always nice to have a bit of sympathy.

Porthcurno

I had no idea when walking through here that this is the site of the open air theatre. I could tell it was a popular place but it didn’t twig at all. All I knew is that it was quite a pretty bay and that I had to go down loads of steps to get in and then loads of steps to get up. The theatre is actually just at the top of the steps up had to go up. I now realise why there’s a car park at the top of the stairs and some buildings. It did strike me as unusual at the time. Normally all the buildings are in the actual cove at its lowest point. 

Whilst descending into the cove I saw something that I’ve barely encountered on this walk. Litter. There has been the odd bit but that always looked accidentally. Except when I’ve been in bigger towns but even those have been quite clean. Anyway, about 100 yards from the cove and few drinks cartons and crisp packets had been shoved into a bush near a chair. I looked at them and was actually surprised, but then walked past. I figured that I’d be carrying them for miles and they looked pretty mucky. I must have got about 50 stairs down and my mind wasn’t letting me off. I knew it was the wrong thing to just walk by. The right thing was to pick them up. So, about turn, back up the stairs, litter recovered.

This has a happy ending though, for one, my guilt was gone. Secondly, whilst walking back out of the cove, a lady asked if the litter I was carrying was from the path. I said it was and her sincere thanks make my decision one of my best decisions. She even took it off me and said she’d find a bin. Apparently she was local and was passionate about the area. She didn’t need to be grateful as I shouldn’t have even walked past in the first place, but it was much appreciated.

Lands End is miles away

After Porthcurno you initially stay on small but well maintained paths that closely follow the side of the cliffs. Easy walking though and nothing too complicated. I hadn’t noticed until now but the mist had also lifted. I had views of the sea again. I was lucky today to have experienced both.

Now with clear air I was looking out for another place that the boys and I had enjoyed on past holidays. It’s a little beach called Porth Chapel. If you’re travelling by car the best way to get there is to park in a field by the church, walk down to the coastal path, and then climb down to the beach. Now, the climb down to the beach is a little tricky. My kids managed it fine but I do remember one day when Kian decided to find his own route back up. Despite me telling him to get back to the proper route he opted to ignore me and carry on. Doesn’t sound like Kian at all. I remember, whilst calling to him and trying to control him, a man explaining to me that it wasn’t the danger to Kian but that he might cause rocks to fall down. Whilst not technically incorrect his words were nevertheless unhelpful. Unfortunately I’ve not been blessed with my Dad’s lack of tolerance for fools, so the gentleman was not told how I felt.

I walked past the beach, took far too many photographs, and smiled to myself.

Around Porthgwarra the terrain and landscape doesn’t know what to do. I think at this stage I kept on getting glimpses of Lands End but then you’d release there was a big chunk of land missing so you have to turn inland to go round it on terrain that felt very like the moors with no single path and open fields, but then as you turn out towards the sea again a narrow path would cling to the edge of the cliffs. Your destination temptingly close but actually still a good 2 to 3 miles walk away. I was quite happy though as I didn’t know how I felt about hitting Lands End so was happy to put it off.

I was looking out to sea around Gannel Rock and the rock structures impressed me. Based on how this land has been cut away I assume that every so often another large chunk gets eaten up by the sea and just leaves behind some of the more solid rock. It really does create some breathtaking shapes. This was all enough to keep me occupied while Lands End proved so difficult to get to. 

Lands End

So I made it to the most westerly part of my walk. I think that should be significant but these milestones always feel a bit flat. Lands End itself is a bit odd. A few exhibits thrown together to try to draw in tourists but the place itself would probably look a bit better with nothing there. I suppose at least with the buildings I knew I had made it. It’s very different to Lizard Point. I think when I look back and realise I walked the 400 or so miles from Poole to Lands End I’ll be proud of myself.

Sennen Cove to Cape Cornwall

I didn’t realise how quickly you move from being at Lands End to arriving in Sennen Cove. I’d been here before but we’d just gone on the beach and I’d not really paid much attention to the place.

This is one amazing beach. The waves were huge and powerful and the coastal path shields you from the chaos of the beach but allows you to watch. There must have been about 100 surfers out at sea even though it was around 5pm but, based on how big the waves were, I think they were having a good day. I watched the life guards for a while equipped with their own boards and jet bikes and wondered how on Earth they could keep everyone safe. Just observing that many surfers blew my mind so trying to have some kind of control of the chaos impressed me. I saw one man running with a surf board to get to the sea so he definitely didn’t want to miss out. I was frustrated because I really wanted to capture the waves and surfers but knew my camera was not doing the whole scene any justice.

There seemed to be a calm bit of sea about 100 metres out to sea and about half way up the beach where the surfers all congregated, waiting to pick a wave that would propel them back to the beach. I think I’d like to give it a go one day, although maybe at 50 I’ve left that one a bit late.

I enjoyed the walk now to Cape Cornwall. I could tell the path had been moved multiple times due to erosion and was grateful it was still being maintained. At Gibba Point you get to a beach where the path is marked by painted stones which I thought was a really nice touch and made me smile.

From here the path was fun but again quite difficult in places. Narrow, clinging to the edge of the cliff with difficult passes over rocks. At one point I went wrong and had to retrace my steps to find a less dangerous route. I felt a certain warmth and security here though. The mist had come back in. Sometimes the eeriness brings fear and sometimes brings comfort and today it was comforting. Even though I was on my own and no one else was waking this path it was a very calm time and I enjoyed looking back on the shape of Sennen Cove.

About a mile out from Cape Cornwall the heavens opened. I cursed myself for not asking Jenny to meet me at Porth Nanven but as neither of us now had mobile signal I just had to press on. Luckily it was only a mile to go so I just walked fast. It was fairly easy going. Just wet!! There are lots of open mines here though so you have to be careful to stay on the path. I managed to worry myself, imagining I was wild camping, and how I might have walked off the path to find a pitch and instead stumbled on a mine.