SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

tuesday, 7th june 2016

It looks like I'll be in for another day of beautiful weather with sun forecast for all day long. This is getting monotonous. Woop! Those temperatures don't look too hot though.

Fowey high tide 08:00

Fowey low tide 14:18

It's my birthday today so what better way to spend it than walking the charming walk from Polperro to Portwrinkle.

“happy birthday to me
happy birthday to me
happy birthday to me
happy birthday to me”

I start the day back at the car park above Polperro and wander down through the village back to the harbour.

Along the way I pass The Ship Inn and The Three Pilchards, the oldest pub in Polperro.

I explore around the harbour for a while but the sun is out and the skies are blue. It's time to get going.

polperro

I turn on to the coast path next to the House on the Props.

The path goes along The Warren and I have fine views back over the harbour before climbing back up on the cliffs towards Downend Point.

The path is smothered in wild flowers so I amble along taking photographs.

The path should round Downend Point and pass a granite war memorial but a diversion is in place and I head inland next to a field of wheat. I join a tiny road which takes me steeply down towards Talland Bay where I have misty views.

I come across a couple of tame rabbits. They eye me up and then continue munching on the grass. I continue along the path and drop down to Talland Bay where I enjoy the deserted beaches.

Talland Bay has two sand and shingle beaches - Talland Sand and Rotterdam Beach. The Talland Bay Beach Cafe is passed followed by the Smuggler's Rest Cafe. The low cliffs here are covered in dreaded Japanese Knotweed.

The path reaches Hendersick and then passes the Hore Stone, just offshore, and there is a misty view over Portnadler Bay to St George's Island, sometimes known as Looe Island. The island is now managed by the Cornwal Wildlife Trust.

The path passes by Samphire Beach and Wallace Beach where I come across some lovely flower borders.

The path continues around Hannafore Point and I come across loads of painted lady butterflies feeding on sea thrift and I manage to photograph one or two of them.

Hannafore Beach can be found here which is mostly rocky but does contain some sand and shingle. Not today though as the tide is too far in. I do have fine views over to Looe though.

The path continues down a road and then drops down to the harbourside at Looe.

You can catch a ferry over from West Looe to East Looe allegedly but I've never seen it. Instead, I head along the harbourside where I pass a bronze statue of Nelson, a distinctive one eyed scarred bull grey seal who was a familiar sight in the harbours of South Cornwall for over 25 years.

I continue along the harbourside and use the roadbridge to cross the River Looe where I have lovely views back along the harbour, on the way passing the Harbour Moon Inn.

I continue walking down the harbourside at East Looe, passing the Ship Inn and The Bullers Arms and take one last look at the harbour before climbing out of Looe high above East Looe Beach, sitting quite literally in front of the old town.

The path climbs steeply out of Looe and passes Chough Rock - I don't see any Choughs. I come across more japanese knotweed as I walk down the slipway to reach Plaidy Beach, a small, grey sand beach popular with dog walkers.

A steep path goes upwards before heading back down to Millendreath Beach, a sandy beach with numerous rock pools to explore at low tide. The beach is just starting to get busy with a few families arriving as I explore the beach.

Due to a series of landslips the coast path has been re-routed but it seems to be much more open than I recall from my last visit as I seem to remember trudging along roads for a few miles.

The path climbs up Bodigga Cliff and then goes through woods for a while. The shady path is very welcome on what has now become a hot day. The path rejoins the road where I pass by the Monkey Sanctuary.

I continue along a minor road festooned with flowers for a little bit and then am pleasantly surprised to see a coast path sign pointing back on to the cliffs at Struddicks. I head through fields to re-join the coast path and it's a thoroughly pleasant walk.

The path drops back down to the road above Seaton but it's not very far down and I soon have fine views over Seaton.

The beach at Seaton is a spacious grey sand beach popular with families and you can find the Seaton Beach Cafe and The Smugglers Inn here.

I amble along Seaton Beach and the tide is far enough out for me to continue along Downderry Beach, a sheltered beach made of grey sand and shingle with rock pools at low tide.

The wreck of ‘Gypsy’, the sister ship to the ‘Cutty Sark,’ is hidden under a kelp bed not far from the shore line. I passed underneath the Inn on the Shore at the far end of Downderry Beach.

After leaving Downderry the path passes The Church of St Nicolas and Downderry Lodge and climbs up to Battern Cliffs. The path here is narrow, overgrown and full of nettles so I have to concentrate on walking rather than looking at the views.

The path improves and the views are magnificent, if a little hazy.

I continue along the cliff tops and have lovely views over Portwrinkle.

The path reaches the village of Portwrinkle passing the tiny harbour. There are two sand and shingle beaches here with numerous rock pools.

It's time for a couple more flower photographs and then my walking is done for the day and it's time to get my lift back to our home from home for the week.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

agapanthus
gladioli
red campion
creeping broomrape
roses
fuchsias
red valerian
white valerian
herb robert
elderflower
pheasants
skylarks
field poppies
rabbits
chiffchaffs
painted lady butterflies
japanese knotweed
oystercatchers
blue tits
wrens
a bronze seal
MONKEYS!!
scots pine
red admirals
the last of the bluebells

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 15 miles today which amounts to 33850 steps. It has been sunny and hot and a thoroughly pleasant day's walking. For a third day on the trot I haven't been stung by stinging nettles. What better way to spend a birthday? Ten out of ten!

My total ascent today has been 762.60 metres or 2501 feet.

video

polperro to portwrinkle from Mark Seymour on Vimeo.

map

south west coast path

7th september 2013

The weather forecast for the day is pretty good. I've strapped my waterproofs onto my bag anyway but it doesn't look like they will be needed today.

The day begins with a trek down the bank of the River Fowey to catch the early-ish ferry over to Polruan. The ferry starts at 07:30 on a Saturday allowing for the early start.

Normally I'd follow the walks as detailed in Paddy Dillon's book 'The South West Coast Path' so the week's walking would normally be Mevagissey to Polmear, followed by Polmear to Polperro, Polperro to Portwrinkle and then Portwrinkle to Plymouth. However, since we're staying in Golant for the week, today's walk will be from Golant on down to Fowey and then onwards to Looe.

After crossing the River Fowey a small, sandy beach can be found at Polruan Quay unless the tide is in, which it was today. The start of the walk proper begins at the Lugger Inn on The Quay at Polruan before passing Polruan's second pub the Russell Inn. Both were closed at this early hour of the morning so it was time for some serious walking.

The path climbs to reach the National Coastwatch Station before reaching Lantic Bay. A white sand and shingle beach is found at Lantic bay, reached via a steep cliff path and this beach is normally very quiet, as it was today. On leaving the beach the path heads towards Pencarrow Head.

The path becomes a roller-coaster before dropping steeply into West Combe and over a footbridge above a waterfall. The coast path turns to the left but I head to the right instead to gain access to the lovely Lansallos Beach. The beach is a small, sheltered sand and shingle beach and is not well known so usually very quiet. I had the beach all to myself.

Back on the coast path, more footbridges are encountered before passing an obelisk daymark, even more footbridges and eventually reaches Raphael Cliff and its fine views.

Chapel Cliff is reached before the path climbs down to the harbour at Polperro. A small, sandy beach can be found here just outside of the harbour wall, only available at low tide.

Polperro

Polperro is a village and fishing harbour within the civil parish of Lansallos. It is situated on the River Pol and is well known for its idyllic location, surrounded by tightly packed old fisherman's houses which makes it attractive to tourists, particularly in the summer months. The village still has a small fishing fleet and you can also find the Polperro Heritage Museum of Smuggling and Fishing here.

The path continues past the Blue Peter Inn and the area where the fish is landed in Polperro and then continues around the harbour crossing the River Pol at the House on the Props tea room and restaurant.

The path goes along The Warren, around Downend Point passing a granite war memorial and heads on towards Talland Bay. Talland Bay has two sand and shingle beaches - Talland Sand and Rotterdam Beach. The Talland Bay Cafe is passed followed by the Smuggler's Rest Cafe.

The path reaches Hendersick and then passes the Hore Stone, just offshore, and there is a view over Portnadler Bay to St George's Island. The path continues around Hannafore Point and Looe comes into view. Hannafore beach can be found here which is mostly rocky but does contain some sand and shingle.

The path continues down a road and then drops down to the harbourside. You can catch a ferry over from West Looe to East Looe but, instead, I headed along the harbourside and used the roadbridge to cross the River Looe, on the way passing Tom Sawyers Tavern, the Jolly Sailor Inn and the Harbour Moon Inn.

Looe

Looe is a small coastal town and fishing port and is divided by the River Looe into two, West Looe and East Looe. The town is situated around a small harbour and along the steep sided valley of the River Looe which flows between East and West Looe to the sea beside a sandy beach.

The Looe Tourist Information Centre can be found on Fore Street in East Looe and the Old Guildhall Museum and Gaol on Higher Market Street offers plenty of history about the town.

Flora and fauna

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today include :-

hydrangeas
penstemons
alpacas
cows
honeysuckle
japanese knotweed
swallows

Podcast

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

Marks out of ten?

According to my phone I've walked 18.2 miles today which amounts to 39053 steps. The walking today has been lovely so I'd give the walk an 8 out of 10. I'm seriously thirsty so it's off back to the Fisherman's Arms for some refreshing Doombar.

View golant to looe in a larger map