Constantine Bay to Padstow

23/10/13 A midweek drive to Constantine Bay meant another shorter trip on the A30. The last shower of the day happened as we parked the car, then it was down the road to the coastpath.

After walking across the beach and around Booby Bay, it was off towards Dinas and Trevose Head. Near here is one of the holes that seem to happen around here.

The path then went along a muddy section behind the lifeboat station as it descended to Mother Iveys.

As you can see, the sun was out now. We walked across a section of the beach at Harlyn Bay, then back onto the road at the bridge and just missed out on the pub. Then it was Trevone Bay. The path was not too difficult, but there were some hills such as this one by the Merope Islands.

The path continues towards the daymark known as the Pepper Pot. Once there, we followed a path that was going in the right direction back up the Camel estuary, but wasn't the coastpath. We ended up scrambling under a barbed wire fence and down an embankment back onto the path. This was next to the Doom Bar that we had been drinking about.

It was low tide and you can see the water breaking on it here. The path continues along the estuary, between the dunes and the fields for some distance. Eventually the low tide ferry comes into view, but we continue into Padstow, where the high tide ferry lands.

No pubs on this section, so we visit a couple in Padstow before catching the bus back to the car.

Newquay to Constantine Bay

5/10/13 It was a mild October Saturday for another trip down the A30. We parked on street near the railway station. The lack of coastpath signs continued as we headed past some of Newquay's hotels.

Newquay has a nice coastline, but the lack of clues for walkers made it seem a pretty ugly place. By the time we reached Porth, at least we knew where we were going.

The Mermaid Inn lies right on the beach. Pints of Doom (4%) and Betty Stoggs (4%) for £6.70 were ok for morning pints. It is quite a large pub, which was perhaps why they didn't have the pool table bar open. From here it was round to Watergate Bay, which is a large beach that was quite busy for October. A couple of ups and downs later, we were approaching Mawgan Porth.

The Merrymoor Inn looked like a pub from the outside. Pints of Trelawawny (3.8%) and Sharp's Own (4.4%) for £6.40. There were plenty of beaches and it was still busy as we made our way north.

There were the usual ups and downs, but nothing too strenuous. Approaching Porthcothan, there were also plenty of small islands and unusual holes in the cliffs to go with the fine looking beaches. After another busy beach at Treyarnon, we went around to Constantine Bay. We weren't sure where the path went, but we headed inland to the bus stop. Having some spare time before the next bus, we had pasties and followed another path to the beach to find the coastpath.

We were about ten miles from Newquay. The bus deviated to a few villages on the way and took nearly an hour, but more annoyingly cost us £6 each.

Perranporth to Newquay

7/9/13 Another trip to Saltash to retrace our steps to Perranporth with a Ride Cornwall ticket. Walking across the beach, we came across what I thought would be a beach bar. However, the Watering Hole didn't make any claims about its genre, so in we went.

Pints of Proper Job (4.5%) and Tribute (4.2%) for £7 tasted nice enough in this quite large venue. On leaving, we started climbing the dunes, but were soon directed back to the beach.

Eventually we climbed back to the hills and the familiar surroundings of mine and military relics.

Holywell Bay was next.

The pub in Holywell is St Pirans Inn. Two more nice pints of Doom (4%) and Tribute (4.2%) for £6.55.

 From here, we followed the road to a grocers and purchased a couple of pleasant pasties. With a lack of coastpath signs, I asked in the shop for directions. Following her instructions, we dodged the dunes but seemed to be heading inland. Nearing the coast at West Pentire, we decided to cross Crantock Beach. We then crossed the Gannel on the tidal footbridge. We did see some signs near Fistral Beach, but soon had to start guessing again.

The Red Lion has a sign nearby. We had a Fire Raven (4.7%) and North Shore IPA (3.8%) for £5.60. The beer wasn't very nice and the pub didn't impress.

The Fort Inn is just down the road. Proper Job (4.5%) and Tribute (4.2%) for £6.60 were slightly better in this family pub.

We saw another sign down the hill that directed us to some gardens where we tried to stay near the coast and eventually found another sign pointing to a path. At the end of this path is the Griffin. We had two pints of Doom (4%) for £6.60 in another eating house.

The railway station is just across the road and we changed trains in Par and Liskeard to reach Saltash.

Portreath to Perranporth

24/8/13 Another August Saturday and so we went to Saltash again rather than use the A30. Train to Redruth and bus to Portreath. I'd forgot about the Portreath Arms.

So it was early pints of  Cornish Knocker (4.5%) and Devon Darter (4.5%) for £5.70. A few locals were in early. Then it was across the road for a pasty each. We always seem to get pasties at the bottom of hills. After the road out, we return to the coast and more ups and downs between the sea and an MoD airfield.

This continues for a while along with some signs of mining until the beach at Porth Towan comes into view. We then descend to the village and the Unicorn.

Pints of Tribute (4.2%) and Youngs (3.7%) for £7. It felt like a beach bar, but was pleasant enough. We then passed a beach bar before ascending, descending through Chapel Porth and ascending away from that beach.

We continued around St Agnes Head before descending into the village itself where there is a pub with its own brewery.

The Driftwood Spars was unsurprisingly busy. We were offered a taste of different beers, but that felt like cheating and so we plumped for Montol (4.1%) and Alfies Revenge (6.5%) for £6.20. Seemed like a nice place.

After another climb out, it was past another airfield, more mine remains and Cligga Head until Perran Sands came into view.

The wind was getting up now, but just as we were deciding whether to press on or not, the Seiners Arms appeared.

So after pints of Ginger Tosser (3.8%) and Lushingtons (4.2%) for £6.60, it was the bus to Truro station and train back to Saltash.

St Ives to Portreath

10/8/13 Maggie likes St Ives. So when she realised that was our next destination, a lift was offered. It meant an early morning start on an August Saturday to miss the A30 traffic, but we were in St Ives before 9. We even had time for breakfast before the walk. The path is a frequently used one to Carbis Bay.

Around the corner to Porth Kidney, the path continues on the sandy theme.

We stay on the ridge at first

then descended to the dunes before turning the corner to the Hayle Estuary.

After walking through the leafy Lelant, we return to the estuary and the Old Quay House.

The chatty staff are pleased to see their first customers of the day. Pints of Cornish Coaster (3.6%) and Doom (4%) for £6.40. Then it's on along the causeway to Hayle itself.

I like Hayle. Feels like a proper town. The blue building in the distance is the Royal Standard Inn. Pints of Trelawny (3.8%) and Tribute (4.2%) for £6.20 as we shelter from the rain. Opposite was a busy pasty shop with long queues. After walking along some deserted quays, we hit the Towans.

We can still see St Ives, but ahead of us are several miles of dunes.

The dunes keep coming until Godrevy.

Then the landscape changes.

I just missed getting seals at the bottom of these cliffs to go with the ponies on top.

Hells Mouth has some spectacular cliffs. We stopped at the cafe for a drink and expensive sandwiches. The walking is quite flat along the top of these cliffs until Carvannel.

The ups and downs here show some of the sea caves as well.

Soon it was Portreath that came into view.

Time for a pint in the Waterfront Inn, but we later realised that wasn't on the path. Maggie, Beth and Molly were there to meet us. Thanks to them for the day.

Zennor to St Ives

8/8/13 A Berry's trip to St Ives seemed like a good way to do this. Unfortunately we stopped at Jamaica Inn and then went via Penzance and the narrow coast road to St Ives. Just to make it worse, the driver wouldn't drop us in Zennor either. So, almost 90 minutes late, we had to catch a First bus back to Zennor. No time for a pre-walk drink and so we followed the path along the ridge and back to the coastpath.

The write-ups of this section warn of difficult going and having learned from previous walks, we did take some water this time. The path was very rocky in parts and there were some hills. The weather was not too hot and there were a few others around. You could imagine that inclement weather would have made it different, but I don't think that it is the most difficult section. St Ives kept getting closer.

We soon found ourselves on the familiar streets of St Ives. It only took 2.5 hours from the Tinners Arms to the Sloop Inn.

We sat inside and had Otter Ale (4.5%) and Cloudy Rattler (6%) for £7.75. We had to get through the crowds for the next one.

We made it to the Lifeboat Inn just in time. It just started to rain and people flocked in behind us. We already had our Pear Rattler (6%) and Trelawny (3.8%) for £7.05.

A walk up the hill in the rain with a pasty to the coach was all that was left. It was a swift return trip, but the morning journey had already cost the driver his tip.

Cot Valley to Zennor

21/7/13 Another trip down the A30 and this time on to the free car park in St Just. It was another hot day as we walked down the Cot Valley to rejoin the coastpath. There are signs telling you stick to the path as there are many mineshafts in this area. Not all of them as conspicuous as this one.

We were soon approaching Cape Cornwall.

We passed a refreshment van in the car park here, which I later regretted not using. The scenery was becoming increasingly industrial, but still remote, as we headed inland for a section before climbing up to Kenidjack.

The industrial heritage became more spectacular as we went past Botallack

and then on to Levant and Geevor.

Past Pendeen Watch is Portheras Cove.

I was hoping for beach cafe, but no. So it was on. The path stayed mainly on the cliffs with an occasional dip, but little in the way of shade again. We managed to go wrong at Bosigran and with no signs we ended up in a farm before heading back to the coast.

The last climb up from Pendour was a killer for me. Five hours without a drink in the middle of summer was silly. The stagger to the pub at Zennor was thankfully not too long. A drink of water was needed before downing a couple of pints and catching the open-top bus back to St Just.