Lamorna to Cot Valley

15/7/13 After a warm night and light breakfast at the YMCA, we caught the bus back towards Lamorna. A gentle stroll down the valley brought us back to the path in the Cove. We vaguely remembered it being rocky from the evening before, but it was quite tricky terrain in places.

Once on the top though, it did seem more like how you'd expect a coastpath to be.

Boscawen was only a temporary respite though, soon we were back down on the rocks in St Loy's Cove.

There were several more up and downs to come. We could see some walkers in the distance at Porthguarnon

and they gave us something to aim for.

Next cove was Penberth and we were starting to get thirsty now.

So at

Porthcurno, we took a slight detour to get some drinks. We also then stopped in Porthgwarra for a pasty which we ate in the shade of the lookout station on Gwennap Head. There was little shade to be had now as we could see the Longships lighthouse and Land's End in the distance.

Most of the walking was along the cliff tops now and it became busier with people from Land's End. At the far end of Mill Bay, we did spot some seals bobbing up and down in the sea weed.

One of their heads is just visible above.

We were tempted to get another drink at Land's End, but the price put us off especially when we saw the sign saying one mile to Sennen.

We descended into the village knowing what was at the end.

At the Old Success Inn we had pints of Proper Job (4.5%) and Tribute (4.2%) for £6.90. It was a pleasant refuge from the weather, but the pints hardly touched the sides.

Helicopters had been around a few times that day. One seemed to want to show off along Whitesand Bay.

The path from here goes along the back of the beach and through the dunes until eventually coming back out onto the cliff tops. We were heading for St Just and so as the footpath went inland up Cot Valley for a short distance, we took the opportunity to keep going. We headed for a shop in St Just, but unfortunately missed the bus stop and with it the Penzance bus. So we had to wait for the coastal open-top bus back through Sennen, Land's End, Porthcurno etc back to the YMCA. The sun went in for the first time that day and it was chilly for the first time in a while. We then had the long drive home.

Penzance to Lamorna

14/7/13 A few pubs expected here and so we decided to stay in the YMCA for a night. A drive to a pub that would have been 'one too many' on the previous walk took us to the Station House, where we arrived at opening time.

Not the prettiest of pubs. But there was a queue to get in and nibbles on the bar. Butcombe (4.2%) and Bombardier (4.1%) for £6.20 with a game of pool was a nice enough start to the day.

Then we left the car at the YMCA and restarted the walk. The Dolphin Tavern was soon spotted by the docks.

Pints of Tribute (4.2%) and Dartmoor (3.8%) for £6.90. An old pub, but seemed to be more of an eating place these days.

We had discussed at length what constitutes a pub for this walk, but we hadn't considered a meadery. We choose not to use the one opposite here. So it was on along the promenade, past some bars, past some pubs just off the path until we came to Newlyn.

The Tolcarne Inn was first. Pints of Tribute (4.2%) and Betty Stoggs (4%) for £6.70 were nice enough as I read their Sunday paper, but they had a jazz duo in who didn't seem to be attracting the punters.

Shortly later as we rounded a corner next to the fish docks, two pubs came into view.

The Swordfish is the first. There was only one couple in and the barmaid was in the kitchen cooking. We soon had two pints of Doom (4%) for £6.90 though. Halfway through those, ribs, sausages and roast potatoes arrived on the bar for the customers. Very nice they were too and so we had a couple more pints.

Just a few doors away is the Star. It was busier in here, but I'm not sure why as the Guiness (4.2%) and Betty Stoggs (4%) for £7.10 were not perfect.

Up the hill a bit is the Red Lion.

Two pints of Doom (4%) for £6.80 and a couple games of pool here. We were drinking slower now. Next was the Fishermans Arms.

Pints of Trelawny (3.8%) and Proper Job (4.5%) for £6.20 here. The alcohol must have been kicking now as we tried to play darts.

At least we could stretch our legs now as we moved on to Mousehole. The Ship Inn is on the quayside there.

"No alcopops here" I was told, so I think I had a vodka and Sid a pint of something as we struggled on. In fact we struggled on a bit further as we then went on to Lamorna Cove and walked up the valley to catch the  open-top bus back to Penzance for the night.

Porthleven to Penzance

10/7/13 I intended to drive to Liskeard and then train and bus, but the train was late and so we decided to drive to Porthleven. We started walking on a hot day just before noon. The path is undulating here and there is no shade. We came across this typical Cornish industrial view at Trewavas.

It wasn't until Rinsey that a similar site offered the first piece of shelter as I walked ahead to find it. Then it was down to Praa Sands.

A pasty and drink from a beach kiosk helped us on our way. It was then on past Prussia Cove and Perran Sands. As St Michael's Mount came closer, the undulations started to flatten out. On entering Marazion, the Fire Engine Inn was there to greet us.

Pints of Tribute (4.2%) and Proper Job (4.5%) for £6.70 were gratefully received. They were nice, but hardly touched the sides on this hot day. In the centre of the town is the Kings Arms.

Here it was Tribute and Rattler (6%) for £7.50 that were well received inside this small pub. Just around the corner is the Godolphin Arms.

Pints of Doom (4%) and Proper Job for £7.20 were not so well received here.

As I had to drive home, we passed the Station House for now and followed the flat path on the embankment between the railway line and the Mounts Bay beach into Penzance. There was time for a sandwich before returning on a tardy bus to Porthleven.

Lizard to Porthleven

23/6/13 A Sunday drive to Helston enabled us to park in the main street opposite the main bus stop. Then bus to the Lizard before retracing our steps towards Bass Point. The Lizard Lighthouse and our most southerly point was next.

The path around here did seem busy. Maybe because it was a Sunday, maybe because of the scenery

or maybe because it was windy.

Anyway, once past Kynance the walkers did thin out a bit. The terrain was moor like from there with different paths to choose from near the cliff tops. Eventually we descended to Mullion Cove.

We had an expensive pasty before continuing north through a few other coves until the last one, Church Cove.

We didn't see a coastpath sign coming out of here and accidentally took a shortcut up the road to Halzephron. From here we could see Porthleven in the distance and choose to ignore a sign to a pub 100 yards away. The wind was starting to annoy now as we were walking in small trenches and had to concentrate.

Soon the Loe and its Bar came into view.

Fortunately there was some grassy sections to walk on to avoid most of the sand. Then it was along a track to Porthleven. You come into the harbour past the clock tower and the first pub is the Harbour Inn.

We had two nice pints of Trelawney (3.8%) and Tribute (4.2%) for £6.30. The pub was busy for early on a Sunday evening. Then it was a walk around the other side to the Ship Inn.

We had Hancocks HB (3.6%) and Skinners Porthleven (4.8%) for £5.75. Another busy pub with what seemed to be locals. The harbour was busy with the local youth jumping in and out as well.

Then it was a short bus ride back to Helston and a 10 yard walk to the car.

Coverack to Lizard

15/6/13 Delayed drive to Helston, dropping my son off in a field near the Tamar first, for the bus to Coverack and a gentle stroll into the village. The Paris Hotel is the pub seen at the end of Dolor Point.

Pints of Tribute Pale Ale (4.2%) and Proper Job (4.5%) for £6.55 were had. It was busy and the beer perhaps not at its best.

There was a slight inland diversion coming out of the village, but we soon returned to the path out to Chynhalls Point and back. The path continued mainly on cliff tops until the descent to Downas Cove.

Then it was up and down a few more times until reaching Kennack Sands.

More ups and downs including the new bridge at Poltesco.

Then on to Cadgwith and the Cadwith Cove Inn.

We sat outside in the shade and downed pints of Doom (4%) and Betty Stoggs (4%) for £6.50, which could have been better.

Then we were soon passing the Devil's Frying Pan

and on towards the Lizard. Ideally, we would have rounded that before heading inland to the bus. But time was getting on and we decided to head for the village once we passed Bass Point. We only just made the Helston bus in time.

Helford to Coverack

1/6/13 A sunny morning drive to Playing Place again. A cheaper bus ticket (£10 for two) again for the trip to Falmouth and then on to near Helford Passage. We walked down the hill and waited on the pontoon for the ferry. We had it to ourselves, but there were many waiting on the other side.

A short walk brought us to the Shipwright Arms.

Pints of Harbours Indian Pale Ale (5%) and Light Ale (3.7%) for £6.60 were very pleasant to drink in the morning sunshine beside the river.

But we knew that we didn't have much time to dwell there and so onwards it was. The going was estuary like and with quite a lot of litter until we rounded Dennis Head.

It was high tide and there was no sign of a ferry in Gillan, so we did more estuary walking. Once around Nare Point, it became much more coastal though. We could see Porthallow in the distance and were soon descending to it.

You can make out a large stone structure by the entrance to the beach in this photograph. It is not facing the path though and it was not until later that I realised that this marks the half way point on the coastpath. Perhaps we only had eyes for the Five Pilchards Inn behind it. Pints of Sharps Own (4.4%) and Dartmoor IPA (4%) for £6.30 and a game of pool awaited. We had only just arrived in time as the pub shut behind us at 2:30.

It was inland and uphill from there to Porthoustock, where it did the same again to avoid some of the quarries. At Rosenithon we decided to press on rather than head for the bus and so it was down to Godrevy Cove.

From here the coastpath did follow the coast, but we went through more quarries until Coverack came into sight. The bus stop is just before entering the village and we made it just a few minutes before it arrived. It felt like we had walked a long way, but the bus driver was the same one that dropped us five hours earlier on the other side of the Helford River. We changed buses in Helston, before a ride on a double decker around the country lanes of Cornwall back to Palying Place.

Swanpool to Helford Passage

25/5/13 An early start was deemed necessary for this one as we had a long day planned ahead of us. So I drove to Playing Place where we caught the bus to the outskirts of Falmouth and walked downhill to the coast at Swanpool. We were walking by 9:30. They we setting up for the day on the beech and the sun was out already for the start of the bank and school holiday. The next place was Maenporth.

From here we continued around Rosemullion Head into the Helford river estuary. The gardens of Glendurgan and Trebah were close by and the path was getting busier with people out for a stroll or a run.

As we approached Helford Passage, the Ferryboat Inn came into view.

Pints of Trelawney (3.8%) and Proper Job (4.5%) for £7 were quaffed as we played pool inside and others took in the sun outside.

The intention was to catch the ferry after which the pub is named. Coming out the pub we could see the ferry on the beach in front of us, however it would have looked better in the water. A notice confirmed that the ferry would not be running for another two hours. So that was a premature and disappointing end to the day. We walked up the hill to Mawnan Smith, caught a bus to Falmouth, had a pie and a pint before another bus back to the car. The previous late night started to catch up on the way home, but at least we appeared to have the road to ourselves at times as we watched the queues in the other direction.