SWCP: Porthcurno to Penzance

I completed my mission for today and made it all the way to Penzance! The day started at 5am with someone leaving the light on in the bathroom next door so that the sound of the extractor fan woke me up. Then someone was throwing crockery around in the kitchen at 7 am - probably washing up, I now realise.  It went on for ages. But I managed to get back to sleep both times, and actually slept till my alarm went off at 9. Up and off to the artisan coffee shack next door to the hostel, where I also got a focaccia sandwich to take for lunch.  The bus was fairly on time and I got to Porthcurno at 10.15. I had some doubts about whether I’d manage over ten miles today, based on how slow the going had been over the last few days. However, although a lot of the path was boulder-/rock-strewn or muddy and had to be carefully negotiated, there were far more stretches of path today that were level and rock-free, and the last few miles between Mousehole and Penzance were tarmac, so that added a little more ease. I had to switch to sandals an hour or two into the proceedings because of my toe. It was a relief. 

Thing you see a lot in Cornwall: Wesleyan chapels. 

Things you don’t see: bits of litter. There are just none anywhere.

There were once again today loads of boulders and dramatic rock formations. A bit of forest, no heather or gorse but lots of ferns and a few nettles that had to be navigated. The forecast had said it would be windy and might rain a little bit so I took all my layers with me and my rain coat, but ended up carrying it all, plus my boots, so in the end my pack was heavy but I’m used to that by now. The weather was actually really good for walking, the best weather so far - cloudy, breezy and not too hot. It felt like I’d done a lot of ascent and in fact I see that it was the same amount as the walk with Elizabeth, and both were five and a half hours, but today I walked a mile further. Must be those tarmac bits.

Leaving Porthcurno beach behind.
Windy and cloudy, so not bustling like yesterday.

The one-finger salute at Logan Rock

Pretty Penberth

I’ve just walked down that

Rocks at Merthen Point

Bouldery beach at Porth Guarnon

Had a sit down and a cup of tea at Lamorna.
Just over halfway.

A weeny slow-worm. Actually a legless lizard.

At Kemyel Point

I thought this was the side of a disused building but no,
it was natural rock.

A level path, yay! Time to stride.

Got to Mousehole and knew there was only easy path ahead to Penzance. Sat by the harbour for a bit and ate the rest of my sandwich. 

Newlyn is the settlement just south of Penzance, a working fishing harbour. Loads of fish sellers, netmakers etc along the harbour road. Nothing fancy till you get to the town, which has chi-chi delis and boutiques (all of which were shut by this point). However, I did go into Newlyn Art Gallery. Not the gallery itself, but the lovely shop which has lots of pottery for sale. Bought a couple of nice cards. Then along the promenade to Penzance.

Newlyn harbour 

In Penzance I popped into a supermarket en route to get some 90% chocolate as my supply is running dangerously low. I carried on towards Penzance station and then realised I should have got myself a curry as well, to eat in the hostel tonight (have been wanting one) but there wasn’t enough time before the hourly bus was due. Metaphorically kicked myself. Fortunately they had one in the Spar at Sennen - couldn’t believe my luck! Am now replete. 

Tomorrow morning I get the first bus to Penzance at 10am, then I have about 3 miles to walk to Marazion. Bus back to Penzance, and the next train home. Hope it won’t be too busy - it’s the end of the hols but maybe a lot of people went home today.

SWCP: Sennen Cove to Porthcurno

This morning I had an enforced lie-in because the first bus wasn’t timetabled till about 11 o’clock. I reckoned it would be just as well to give my knees and feet less to do today, anyway. I did investigate getting an Uber but there were no cars available. I had a chat in the kitchen with my host Jackie’s friend John, who had stayed overnight, a retired guy who looked very tanned and fit for his age. Turned out he couldn’t speak well because of a stroke he had 9 years ago. Out front he’d left his vehicle, a three-wheel bike thing that was low to the ground and made more visible by a little flag on a pole. I asked him if he lived up the road and he said no, he lives in Penzance and just zoomed over here for dinner on his bike thing (7 miles). With only one useful arm as well. At about 8.30 Jackie arrived back from her daily morning swim in Penzance and it turns out she cycles there and back. Blimey! She also does a lot of group kayaking, apparently. Life goals. 

Anyway, after that lovely start to the day my bus was pretty much on time and I went back to the Sennen Cove bus stop that Elizabeth and I waited at yesterday. The walk through Land’s End, Glenwarra Point and various other coves, outcrops and beaches was stunning. As was the weather. The colours of the heather and gorse and the dramatic rock shapes were just amazing. The whole stretch is superlative and I felt I’d like to return and see it again. iPhone photos don’t really do it justice.

A mess of pottage

At Porthgwarra - there’s a similar waymark behind it that’s black and white. Ships have to make sure they can always see the black and white one, and that the red one doesn’t obscure it, or they’ll be in trouble. 

Beautiful Churchtown beach…

…just along from overcrowded Porthcurno beach

I decided to stop at Porthcurno as my toe was bothering me. I walked in sandals all day today (and most of yesterday) because of the Dreaded Toe. So annoying. Spent most of today overtaking, or being overtaken by, a retired-age foreign bloke who’d shuffled across for me on the morning bus. I kept hanging back so he could get ahead, but hh had a habit of stopping to look at the scenery so I repeatedly caught up with him. He was on the same bus back as me from Porthcurno at the end of the day too. Slightly irritating. In Porthcurno, every other person was an Indian tourist. I asked ChatGPT why, and it said that lots of Indians come to Porthcurno because of its global telecoms museum and the fact that the first ever telegraph cables across the Atlantic started here, in around 1870.

Got the bus back to Sennen, to Land’s End hostel. Room a bit dark as it only has a small window, obscured by plants. “Private bathroom” is along the corridor and through the communal kitchen. Not worth what I paid. Walked ten minutes down the road to the First and Last Inn, where I got stupendous fish & chips and a half pint of Rattler cider (very nice) which left me too full.

Ooooooohhhhh

Tomorrow’s first bus of the day back to Porthcurno is at 10 am, so I have time to try out the artisan coffee kiosk just nearby. Then let’s see how far I can get towards Penzance. I did feel a bit tired today so it’s a good job the scenery was so great. I think the final stretch into Penzance is quite boring tarmac walking, but before that there will be lots of hills. According to Strava I’ve climbed nearly 8000 feet this week! 53 miles. 

SWCP: Carn Galver mine to Sennen Cove

 

Elizabeth picked me up at 10.30 and we drove to the mine and parked there. We weren’t sure how far we would walk but the ideal goal was Sennen. We chatted a lot along the way and that made the day go very quickly. The weather was great, sunny most of the day but not too hot and with a cool sea breeze. Merlin the dog came along and his equanimity astonished me - he just trotted along behind us all day, light on his feet and uncomplaining. He even kept stopping to make sure both the humans were present. Very polite.

Rocks near Morvah, shortly after our start

Beautiful colours of heather along the route

Boscaswell had more dramatic rocks and the remains of an arsenic mine. The workers got cloth masks for their mouths, cotton wool to stuff in their nostrils and coat to out on their exposed skin. I expect none of them saw old age. 

The dynamic duo

Cape Cornwall had a picturesque mine with a huge chimney. We stopped here for a welcome cup of tea from a little seasonal cafe.

Cape Cornwall in the distance 

Ooh me legs

We got to the Cot Valley, west of St Just, which is subtropical and has a beach of large, smooth boulders that reminded me of dinosaur eggs. 

I didn’t take this photo

Above the Cot Valley

Sweaty grins

The path got more boulder-strewn as we approached Sennen. It was getting late and we knew there wouldn’t be a bus now till 7.20. Elizabeth had the half hour bus ride and then the prospect of an hour’s drive home. 

Soldiering on

Merlin being a trooper

The last hour always seems the longest

We were happy to finally reach the beautiful Sennen Cove. We saw these dogs on the way, who seemed keen to join in the fun but weren’t allowed on the beach.

Sennen Cove finally comes into view!
We were going to have a dip in the sea but a cold wind had sprung up.

Back in Pendeen, I arrived home to find my host entertaining several dinner guests so I needed to keep out of the way. I made a dash to the local pub shortly before they stopped taking orders and got myself a mediocre curry, the remains of which will serve me well for lunch tomorrow. I’ve discovered that the Coaster bus service is a bit rubbish as it doesn’t start till too late in the day - tomorrow I won’t be able to get to Sennen till nearly midday. It’s also not an ideal scenario having to rely on it from my next accommodation at Land’s End, especially as we almost reached Land’s End already today. But I guess I’ll just have a shorter day of walking tomorrow, which my knees and feet will probably thank me for.