Gorran Haven to Portscatho

6/4/13 I know that this is not on the coastpath, but I still find it impressive for now. Then again, we'll have to see it few more times yet.

So we drove to Saltash to get a Ride Cornwall train to St Austell and then bus to Gorran Haven. Around the corner from there is Vault Beach.

From here it is on past the cross on Dodman Point to Hemmick Beach.

From the beach there was a diversion up the steep hill road to Boswinger. Then we followed the road until we cut across and down a large field towards Caerhays Castle. Then there was some guess work involved in choosing a route through a couple of fields, before descending to the Porthollands. A few more ups and downs and we arrived in Portloe.

The Ship Inn isn't on the path, but we hadn't had any sustenance since St Austell. The path out of the village was again a little freestyle, but we were soon on the ups and downs again before passing Gull Rock and rounding Nare Head. We were starting to tire now and varying distances to Portscatho on the signs served only to confuse us.

At least we could see it now. We had to find a bus stop as soon as we arrived there. The bus to Truro left us in the city centre, but we weren't sure where things were. To our disappointment, there is no pub near the station and not even a vending machine. So a stop at a supermarket was needed once back in the car. It had been a long thirsty day with over 16 hilly, publess miles walked.

Charlestown to Gorran Haven

1/4/13 A few pubs and so TVP to St Austell. It was a 20 minute walk to Charlestown and the pubs were open.

The Harbourside Inn is the first one (behind the white van). It looked like more of a bar from the outside, but  was an empty pub inside. Pints of Bass (4.4%) and Cornish Knocker (4.5%) for £6.20 and a game of pool were nice.

On the seaward side is the Pier House Inn. It is a hotel and the attached small pub did feel a bit like a hotel bar. The same beers for £6.50 here.

Then we were off. The path is relatively gentle at first. The ground was dry, but it was windy and chilly. Eventually the hills became larger and there were plenty of steps. We walked out to Black Head and then down to Hallane Mill.

With the wind behind us, it was then on to Pentewan.

The Ship Inn has the empty tables outside. Two pints of Trelawny (3.8%) for £6.30. It is an eating place, but there were a few locals watching the football. It was then around the holiday park and up and down a few more hills before the descent to Mevagissey.

There are three establishments on the quayside. We decided that the Sharksfin was a bar/restaurant and so went next door to the Harbour Tavern. A pint of Doom (4%) and Betty Stoggs (4%) for £6, but it did feel like another bar/restaurant. Then we went to the Wheelhouse which claimed to be a pub, but wasn't. Two Cornish Knockers for £7. Then it was over the hill to Portmellon.

Two pints of Sharp's Spring Ice Ale for £6.20 were a nice finish in the Rising Sun. Children were on the pool table, but it seemed like a busy pub. From here it was a relatively easy walk around Chapel Point to Gorran Haven.

No pasties to be had, so it was a portion of chips before catching the last bus back to St Austell and train back to TVP.

Fowey to Charlestown

24/3/13 A replacement bus from TVP to Plymouth and Ride Cornwall to Par meant a wait in the cold for the bus to Fowey. We'd come across on the ferry from Polruan last year and landed at the Town Quay, so that's where we started just after noon.

They're were no coastpath signs however. Eventually we decided that the King of Prussia was on it though. Two pleasant pints of  Ruck and Roll (4%) for £6 was a nice start in a nice pub. There was only one direction to go though and round the corner is the Ship Inn.

Here we had a Proper Job (4.5%) and Tribute (4.2%) for £6.70. There was a little room out the back that we had to ourselves for a game of pool. After getting a couple of expensive, but nice, pasties next door, we headed along the coast/estuary, past another ferry landing point and it wasn't until we reached Readymoney Cove that we saw our first coastpath sign.

A couple of coves and a few fields later, we came across Polridmouth.

It seemed a little unusual to have the manicured lawns and cottage set against the rugged coast. Then it was on to Gribbin Head. They're had been floods in Cornwall a couple of days before and the path was certainly wet in places, but I suspect not too many had used it recently and so it wasn't as messy as it could have been. Soon we were descending to the beach at Polkerris.

The Rashleigh Inn is in an ideal location. Perhaps that is why it is expensive. Pints of Betty Stoggs (4%) and Youngs Special (4.6%) for £7.40. From here there was a footpath diversion in land because of landslips. At least that meant the uphill section was on a dry road before descending across some wet fields to rejoin the path at Par Sands. A walk along the beach there before heading into the town itself.

The Welcome Home Inn sits in a row of terraced houses. We had a Dartmoor (3.5%) and HSD (5%) for £6.40 and a game of pool. Continuing through the town, we came to a junction with the Par Inn close by. After a few minutes deliberation, we decided it was not quite on the path. Then it was through a few fenced in sections around the docks, before coming out onto the golf course at Carolyn Bay. Here, we past the derelict Cornwall Coliseum before eventually making it to Charlestown around 5:30.

The journey back meant catching the bus to Par, having another pasty, train to Plymouth and replacement bus to TVP.

Looe to Polruan

27/10/12 A sunny but chilly day for this trip. Another train from TVP with a Ride Cornwall ticket taking us to Looe. The Swan Inn and Harbour Moon weren't open at 10:30 and so we partook of a couple of hot pasties and waited outside the Swan Inn.

One local beat us through the door, but £6 pints of Doom (4%) and Tribute PA (4.2%) later and we staggered back out into the daylight. It was only 11:17. Crossing Looe's bridge, the Harbour Moon still wasn't open and so we decided to carry on to see what was ahead. Up on the seaward facing side of West Looe is Tom Sawyers Tavern.

It didn't look particularly pub-like from the outside, but was more so inside. Just one chap in again with a coffee for himself and bowl of water for his dog. We had more Doom (4%) and Tribute PA (4.2%) for £6.40 this time. Then it was back to the Harbour Moon for the third time.

After waiting outside for a pub to open again, we have the place to ourselves at midday. Another Doom (4%) and a Jail Ale (4.8%) for £6.60. Then it was time to do some walking. The route was a bit more up and down than I was expecting. We passed a place that looked like it might be a pub in Talland Bay, but admitted to only being a licensed cafe. Soon we were in the narrow streets of the well hidden Polperro. We pass places that look like they might have once been pubs before having to wander around looking for coast path signs to make sure a couple are on it. The Three Pilchards is.

The inside is in keeping with the out, being small and quaint. It was quite busy. Pints of Sharps Own (4.4%) and Timothy Taylor Landlord (4.3%) for £6.90. Not far away is the Blue Peter Inn.

There are plenty of tourists looking for their cottages on this half-term changeover day. This pub is busier than the last. Sharps Red (4.1%) and Polperro Pride (4.6%). Time for a new beer mat to help my insole. The path continues up steps directly behind the pub. We know that we have to press on now to reach Polruan in time for the ferry to the bus for the last train home. It is fairly undulating, but the ground is as good as it has been for some time. The nature of some of the gateways change to become more rugged.

We pass five posts about half mile apart. The first two say 3.5 miles to Polruan, the next 4 miles, next 3.5 again and then last one 1.75 miles. We are therefore happy when we eventually get to see the outskirts of the  village itself. It is another village with narrow streets and holiday makers looking for their accommodation. The Russel Inn is in one of those narrow streets.

They're getting ready for Halloween inside with just a couple in. Proper Job (4.5%) and Tribute PA (4.2%) for £6.45. The scheduled ferry time that I was working to was 17:50. We get there at 17:38. No sign of the ferry. The Lugger Inn is next to the jetty. We decide to go in. Another place celebrating Halloween with a few more customers this time. Another Proper Job (4.5%) and Dartmoor Ale (3.6%) for £5.90.

17:48 we come out just as the ferry leaves. We watch the ferry get to the other side and come back. We finally get to Fowey ten minutes late and rush up the hill looking for the bus stop. The bus passes us going in the other direction. We carried on up the hill hoping that the bus would come back the same way. Fortunately it did and then deposited us at Par station for the train home.

Whitsand Bay to Looe

13/10/12 No pub at the start of this leg meant that we could start earlier. We used Plymouth P+R and Kingsand bus to get to Whitsand Bay holiday park by 10:30. The path seems to go along Military Road through Freathy. It was near low tide and the beaches looked pristine below.

The path took us through the firing ranges around Tregantle Fort. There were showers around, which was perhaps keeping people off the path, but we were managing to avoid them at this stage. We went through the busy golf course at Portwrinkle not really knowing which way to be looking, but I'm not sure the golfers knew either. After climbing our first steep hill for a while, we could see Looe Island, which gave a good idea of how far we had to go.
Entering Downderry, the signs gave us an option of a coastal route or alternative inland one. I knew that there was a pub in the village, but wasn't sure where. We went onto the beach.

The Inn on the Shore doesn't break the trades description act. There is a path up from the beach and it does have a pleasant looking terrace. We sat inside and had a pint of Doom (4%) and Tribute PA (4.2%) for £7.10. It is expensive, but the beer was good. Back on the beach, we walked to Seaton where the Smugglers Inn was just off the path. We then had a few more hills, through Millendreath and onto Looe. The path heads inland avoiding the beach at Looe and comes out onto the main thoroughfare at Ye Olde Salutation Inne.

Two pints of Doom (4%) for £6.20 were consumed as we watched our first shower of the day. There seemed to be a reasonable turnover of clients here and at the Ship Inn opposite.

We perhaps dwelled a little too long over two pints of Trelawney (3.8%) for £5.90 and decided to get a pasty before heading to the bus stop. The bus back to Plymouth was more expensive than I'd hoped.

Plymouth to Whitsand Bay

6/10/12 Drove to Ivybridge, then bus to Plymouth for this one. We walked from the city centre towards the Cremyll ferry and passed Sippers.

It had been shut on our previous visit. It was open this time, but we were the only customers and it did feel more like a restaurant. When a couple came in to ask for directions to our ferry, the answer sounded misleading. After our two pints of Doom (4%) for £6.20, we went off in a similar direction. The couple joined the ferry queue after us. The other side of the water is the Edgecumbe Arms.

We had pints of Trelawney (3.8%) and Proper Job (4.5%) for £6.50 and sat at the water's edge in the sunshine looking back towards the dockyard. Our walk started through the ornate gardens of Mount Edgecumbe country park. Looking through the trees, we caught one last view of Plymouth's waterfront.

A couple of miles later we approached the village of Kingsand. I wasn't expecting the Rising Sun to be on the path, but the sign said otherwise.

It was quite busy and we had pints of Sharp's Red Ale (4.1%) and Skinners Heligan Honey (4%) for £6.20. Further down the hill in the village centre near the sea front is the Halfway House.

We were the only customers here and the beer, Doom (4%) and Betty Stoggs (4%) for £6, was not brilliant. It was quite dark inside, but they did have a telly on which kept us awake. Moving on around the narrow streets, we came to Cawsand.

The Cross Keys is in the centre. There were a few people here in the autumn sunshine We had Kernow King (4.3%) and Beer Rocks' Scary (4.4%) again for £6, but they were again a little disappointing. An expensive pasty from the local shop later, we set off towards Rame Head. The coast path usually cuts the corner at these promontories, but there were no signs telling us do so this time. So we went up to the old chapel. This is looking back towards Bolt Head.

And this is looking forwards to Dodman Point, probably.

From here, we enter Whitsand Bay. The path goes up and own amongst the many chalets built on the hillside overlooking the bay. There is a road along the top that the bus route follows. Having visited more pubs than anticipated, we were running behind schedule and didn't make it as far along this road as I had hoped. This was exacerbated by a long stop in Plymouth before catching the next bus back to the car.

Plymouth

20/9/12 A Thursday trip to Plymouth. We knew that this could be messy and so we were kindly driven to TVP for the train. A walk past some of my old college haunts ensued as we made our way to Cattedown Wharf. There we found our biggest sign to date.

It's not really at that angle, but I was perched on the ridge of the wall. Coxside cannot claim to be the posh end of Plymouth, but they have spent money around it. The yellow building below used to be our seamanship centre.

Land has since been reclaimed around it for the marina and aquarium. Most of the Barbican's pubs are missed by the path. The only one on it is the Admiral MacBride.

A pint of Doom (4%) and Thatchers Heritage (4.9%) for £6.60. We were tempted by a quiet pub lunch here, but decided to move on. Fisher's Nose is a bar now. We carried on around the Hoe. Down the other end is the Waterfront, which used to a bar/restaurant.

The sign claimed it was a pub, so we went in. It wasn't really, so we sat outside at the water's edge. Pints of Proper Job (4.5%) and Tribute PA (4.2%) for £7.20. It was at this point that I realised that I was no longer in possession of my return train ticket. I returned to the above photo point to see if it was there that it dropped out, but no. Sid was amused. Round the corner is the West Hoe.

A few locals in here. We had two pints of Dartmoor Legend (4.4%) for £6.40 and a game of pool. Next we went past a place called Sippers that was shut (see next post). Then at the Naval end of town is the Butchers Arms, which was even more shut. We thought that Victualling Office was also shut.

Sid tried the door and the VOT was open. Two pints of Jail Ale (4.8%) for £6.20 and another game of pool. Nearby is the Vine Hotel.

It is a stone's throw from the ferry jetty. A pint of Bays Gold (4.7%) and Happy Days, I think, (4.2%) for £6. Another game of pool and even one from a friendly young lady.

Then we went to Wetherspoons on Union Street for something to eat and Noahs Ark before the train back for skittles. The Devon Evening Ranger ticket allowed me to get home for a fiver.