pendeen watch to porthcurno

September 14, 2020 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

tuesday, 8TH SEPTEMBER 2020

It looks like I have another decent weather forecast for the day. It should be warm, dry and with little in the way of wind.

Cape Cornwall high tide 08:39

Cape Cornwall low tide 15:10

I start today's walk at the car park above Pendeen Watch lighthouse. One of my favourite walks today despite the fact that it goes through the stinky dump that is Land's End!

I've learnt from previous walks to head up the road a bit rather than start walking straightaway on what looks like the coast path but soon peters out on a gorse infested, scrubby slope.

A granite stone points me in the right direction - at least it should do but it's so worn that I can't make out any of the lettering anymore. The path rises and falls gently over valleys set back from the cliffs on the route to Trewellard Zawn.

Stretched out in front of me is Cornwall's tin mining country.

Just inland can be seen the buildings of Geevor Tin Mine (@geevormuseum), the last working tin mine in the area and only closed in 1990. Today Geevor Tin Mine is a museum and heritage centre, covering an area of 67 acres.

The landscape ahead is littered with ruined buildings, chimneys and engine houses of the tin mines that long ago were abandoned.

I continue through this wasteland to reach Levant Beam Engine, a restored steam powered Cornish beam engine. Levant Mine was established in 1820 and closed in 1930 and was mined for tin and copper.

Levant Mine has been owned by the National Trust since 1967. Two closely situated engine houses can be found here. The larger, roofless engine house was built in 1835 whereas the smaller, restored engine house dates from 1840.

Littered in the vicinity of the engine houses are the remains of the compressor house and the tiled floor of the count house.

A friendly collie dog comes up to me so we have a little game of fetch the stone.

I come across stonechats calling just how their name suggests, just like two small stones being hit together.

I continue on a track passing more chimneys and engine houses and pass the buildings of Old Crowns Mine perched precariously on the cliffs at Botallack, consisting of the pumping house built in 1835 and the higher winding house built in 1862.

“Chains, pipes, conduits, protruded in all directions from the precipice; rotten-looking wooden platforms, running over deep chasms, supported great beams of timber and heavy coils of cable; crazy little boarded houses were built, where gulls’ nests might have been found in other places.”

— Rambles Beyond Railways, Wilkie Collins

The mine here closed in 1895 before being briefly opened again before the First World War.

Arsenic was a by product of the tin mining process and you can find the remains of the arsenic refining works here.

More walking through tin mining country takes me to Kenidjack, passing West Wheal Owles and Wheal Edward on the way.

At West Wheal Owles, a serious accident occurred in 1893 killing nineteen men and a boy and the mine subsequently closed. A memorial stone recording the names of the victims should be close by but I can never find it.

“10th January 1893
wheal owles mine disaster

Thomas Allen
John Olds (Bosanko)
Lewis Blewett Wilkins
William Roberts
Peter Dale
James Rowe
William Davey
William Stevens Thomas
William Eddy
John Taylor
James Edwards Trembath
Mark Taylor
Thomas Ellis
James Thomas
John Grose
Edward White
Thomas Grose
Edward Williams
Charles Hitches Thomas
James Williams”

I follow the path high above the cliffs at Porth Ledden before heading towards the hump of Cape Cornwall, once thought to be the most westerly point of Cornwall. Fortunately that is now reserved for Land's End otherwise here would have become a stinky theme park.

The path heads inland down steep Kenidjack Valley away from Cape Cornwall before heading back towards the cape on the other side of the valley. Along the way I pass some friendly donkeys.

The wild flowers on the valley sides are looking lovely.

Cape Cornwall Mine, a tin mine, operated intermittently between 1838 and 1883. The mine's 1864 chimney near the peak of the cape was retained as an aid to navigation and stands out on the cape to this day.

Cape Cornwall was purchased for the nation by H J Heinz Co Ltd to mark their centenary year and presented to the National Trust on March 25th 1987.

I amble down the access road at Cape Cornwall and wander down the slipway at Priest's Cove. Priest's Cove, tucked in to the bottom of Cape Cornwall, is still a working fishery and small fishermen's huts have been built in to the rock for mending nets and storing crab and lobster pots.

An easy path climbs steeply away from Cape Cornwall before levelling out at Carn Gloose where I come across trig point s8141.

I head inland down and then back up Cot Valley which used to be a centre for mining and tin processing before heading back towards the coast at Porth Nanven.

At Letcha I come across long horned cattle.

I pass mine shafts and cross footbridges to reach a National Trust sign at Nanjulian. Three choughs fly over me. CHOUGHS!! What a top bird.

The path becomes rugged and I clamber around the rocky Aire Point and have lovely views over Whitesand Bay.

There are usually planes in the sky everywhere, presumably taking off and landing at Land's End Aerodrome but I only see a couple today.

I ignore the coast path signs and clamber over rocks to reach the beautiful beach at Gwynver Beach, with its soft, fine sand.

I usually have Gwynver Beach to myself but, although it’s not heaving, there are a few people on the beach today and there’s a lifeguard service.

If the tide is out you can walk directly into Sennen Cove but it's in too far today so I climb out of Gwynver Beach and climb down onto Sennen Cove, ignoring the coast path signs again. I trudge along the sandy beach. Life doesn't get much better than this! Except that it’s uncomfortably busy particularly towards the village side of the beach.

At the far end of the beach is the village of Sennen Cove and walking through the village I pass Old Success Inn (@oldsuccessinn), The Old Boathouse village shop (@theOldBoathous1) and at the far end of the beach the lifeboat station.

There is a tiny fishing harbour here, next to the lifeboat station.

I pause for a while in the village knowing that Land's End is just around the corner and then leave the village via the car park at the harbour end of the village, climbing up a flight of steps up Mayon Cliff and then follow a path to a clifftop lookout. This is Pedn-men-du and there are fantastic views over to Longships Lighthouse. There are an awful lot of people about.

The views back over Sennen Cove are lovely but I can't linger any longer.

I leave Sennen Cove behind me and walk past the iron age Maen Cliff Castle. I cross a fiddly area to reach stinky Land's End. Have I mentioned, by any chance, that I dislike Land's End?

I walk around Pordenack Point to reach Mill Bay, otherwise known as Nanjizal Bay. The colours of the sea around here are amazing shades of blue, turquoise and green, completely different to the grubby brown sea of home.

The beach here is always delightful and because there is no direct access by road, is usually deserted. Today is unusually busy. Rock pools, arches and caves abound but there’s too many people about for my liking.

In 1966, the Doctor Who episode "The Smuggler's" was filmed on the beach.

I climb slopes to reach the point at Carn Les Boel which is home to an iron age promontory fort. There are people everywhere which is very unusual as I usually find the place deserted. I come across more choughs and it’s lovely to hear them cawing away.

I come across a friendly herd of cows blocking the coast path.

I walk along the cliff tops to reach the National Coastwatch Station at Gwennap Head and then pass some daymarks to reach the beach at Porthgwarra.

Porthgwarra is an old fishing hamlet and there are still a few boats which launch from here and there is a small shop and cafe.

I leave Porthgwarra via a track at the end of the road and walk along the top of the cliffs before steeply descending. I pass St Levan's holy well.

It's a steep climb down to the beach at Porth Chapel, too much for these weary legs. The sandy beach here is lovely and usually completely deserted, but there’s a few people down there today.

I walk around the headland of Pedn-men-an-mere. From here it is a short walk to my destination for the day, Porthcurno.

I pass behind the Minack Theatre (@minacktheatre), an open air theatre cut into the rock with shows taking place throughout the summer. The theatre is back open again albeit with restricted visitor numbers.

I climb steeply down steps in the cliff to reach a path with a view of the lovely beach at Porthcurno. It is very busy down there so I’ll have to avoid the beach.

I continue along the coast path and reach the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

rabbits
himalayan balsam
stonechats
goldfinches
long horned cattle
choughs
wheatears
peregrine
buzzards
red valerian
crocosmia
bladder campion
knapweed
gorse
heather
herb robert
blackberries
ribwort plantain
yarrow
honeysuckle
cows

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 17.4 miles today which amounts to 40870 steps. It has been magnificent walking in glorious weather for a third day on the trot but after yesterday’s pounding it’s a weary person heading back to our holiday apartment. Despite stinky Land’s End, ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

I’ve given up on using my Ordnance Survey app for showing elevation details as it is clearly incorrect. Instead I’ve started using the myTracks app which does a much better job even if it’s not entirely correct.

map

carbis bay to pendeen watch via st ives

September 13, 2020 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

monday, 7th SEPTEMBER 2020

I have an ok-ish forecast for the day. It should be cool, cloudy and with very little in the way of wind. It should be perfect for walking.

St Ives high tide 08:42

St Ives low tide 15:03

I start the day at our holiday apartment in Carbis Bay and wander down the road to the beach which is inhabited by a few dog walkers.

The Carbis Bay Hotel dominates the shore line here and I wander up through the grounds of the hotel.

The coast path crosses the railway line over a bridge and passes the Baulking House, a lookout used to spot shoals of pilchards. I have lovely views towards St Ives.

The path drops me down on to Porthminster Beach below the railway station at St Ives. The beach is virtually completely empty at this early hour of the morning. The Porthminster Beach Cafe can be found here.

I explore some of the narrow streets and alleyways of St Ives. I pass the lifeboat station and the Lifeboat Inn (@lifeboatstives) before reaching the harbour.

I duck behind the harbour near to St Ives Museum and cross Porthgwidden Beach before climbing onto the grassy slopes of The Island (or St Ives Head) - it's not an island as it's joined on to the mainland!

The restored St Nicholas Chapel can be found here. For some reason it’s being restored again, this time by Legacy Restoration SW LTD, which is why it has fencing all around it.

“This ancient chapel of St. Nicholas, which has stood on this site since time immemorial, partially destroyed by order of the War Office in 1904, was rebuilt and restored to its former condition by Sir Edward Hain in 1911 being the coronation year of King George V.”

I enjoy the views over Porthmeor Beach before dropping down onto the beach, where Tate St Ives (@Tate_StIves) can be found but I'm way too early for opening time and I have some serious walking to do anyway.

I wander along the beach and then leave St Ives via a tarmac path. The path becomes stonier and muddier as I approach Clodgy Point.

I walk past Hor Point and along some boardwalk at Pen Enys Point.

Walking is fiddly along the cliff tops but the wild flowers are amazing, even this late in the year.

I pass some flat rocks where, in November 1936, a ship called the Bessemer City was shipwrecked. The crew of 33 were saved, but her cargo of tinned food spilled into the sea. People came from miles around to collect tins. The labels had washed off so they never knew whether they were opening tinned peaches or corned beef!

I come across a herd of cows blocking the path but they are extremely friendly.

I soon reach the 318 feet trig point S8139 at Carn Naun Point where I can make out the lighthouse at my destination for today, Pendeen Watch.

I now feel completely isolated and the landscape has suddenly become a lot more rugged after the admittedly, fiddly, start to the day. Let the roller coaster ride to Pendeen Watch begin!

I drop down into a valley and then cross a stream pouring from the valley mouth as a waterfall. There are rugged rocks below and out to sea are The Carracks, home to a colony of grey seals. I don't see any today.

I pass headlands and coves before dropping into another valley and cross a stream above Wicca Pool which is reached by a difficult scramble down rocks. Granite was quarried and shipped from here for St Ives church.

I climb out of Wicca Pool via some granite steps and it's then a bouldery walk towards Zennor Head, crossing a couple of streams.

I'm now high above Porthzennor Cove.

I walk around Zennor Head, given to the National Trust in December 1953, and there are now magnificent views over Pendour Cove and towards Gurnard's Head. The Tinners Arms at Zennor is a short walk inland for thirsty walkers.

I’ve recently finished the ‘Ingo Chronicles’ books by Helen Dunmore which are set in and around Zennor, but renamed as Senara Churchtown presumably after St Senara’s Church in Zennor. I’m also currently carrying a book of poems by Helen titled ‘Inside the Wave’.

I climb down granite steps and cross a footbridge over a stream.

I climb uphill and walk around the inaccessible Pendour Cove, linked to the myth of the Mermaid of Zennor who supposedly lured local boy Matthew Trewhella to a watery grave through her beauty and singing, and the more accessible Veor Cove before rounding Porthglaze Cove and then heading above Treen Cove.

I finally come across some habitation in the form of a couple of houses and pass below an old engine house, once part of Gurnard's Head mine. The engine house has definitely seen better days.

A copper mine on Gurnard's Head was in operation before 1821 initially under the name of Wheal Treen and was later worked under the name of Gurnard's Head Mine. By 1877 it had fallen into disuse. The ruined engine house and mine buildings are now all that remains.

I pass a couple of men who are repairing some of the gates around here. It looks like extremely hard work lumping barrow loads of rocks around.

I pass the rugged promontory of Gurnard's Head and, do you know what? From some angles it sort of does look like a Gurnard. The headland is the site of an iron age promontory fort known as Trereen Dinas.

I pass ponies grazing the slopes.

I continue along the coast path to reach Porthmeor Cove where I cross a stream using a rock slab footbridge. The foreshore is made up of rocks and boulders but the tide is going out and just starting to expose a small sandy beach. Porthmeor Cove is a Site of Special Scientific Interest on account of its geology.

I continue along the cliffs passing a headland containing the remains of Bosigran Castle, a simple iron age cliff castle. The cliffs around here are popular with climbers, the most notorious of which is Commando Ridge, so called because of its association with the Marine Commando Cliff Assault Wing who trained here in the 40s and 50s.

There are more remains of mining activity here with two engine houses standing next to the road a little inland. This appears to be Carn Galver tin mine.

It’s time to walk across an awful lot of cliffs starting with Bosigran Cliff and followed by Trevean Cliff, Trevowhan Cliff, Morvah Cliff, Tregaminion Cliff, Chypraze Cliff and Portheras Cliff.

The bouldery path becomes grassier on the way to Portheras Cove where I use some stepping stones to cross a waterfall filled stream.

From here it is an easy walk to reach my destination for the day, the lighthouse at Pendeen Watch, which has been guiding ships through these treacherous rocky waters since 1900. The lighthouse is still in use but was fully automated in 1995.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

robins
little ringed plovers
stonechats
goldfinches
speckled wood butterflies
bladder campion
red admiral butterfly
small tortoiseshell butterfly
oystercatchers
gunnera
snapdragon

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 17.8 miles today which amounts to 44054 steps. Ouch! It has been magnificent walking in surprisingly glorious weather but it has to be said that it has been a rough, rocky and remote trek. Ten out of ten!

I don’t think I’ll ever walk this stretch in its entirety ever again as it has been a bruiser. Better to split it into two smaller walks at Zennor.

WALK DETAILS

map

pendeen watch to porthcurno

June 11, 2015 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

TUESDAY, 9TH JUNE 2015

I have another decent weather forecast today. This is becoming repetitive! It looks like I'll have sun all day long and although the temperature won't be breaking any records again, at least it will be warm and there's no chance of rain.

St Ives high tide 10:54

St Ives low tide 17:05

I start today's walk at the car park above Pendeen Watch lighthouse. One of my favourite walks today despite the fact that it goes through the stinky dump that is Land's End!

I've learnt from previous walks to head up the road a bit rather than start walking straightaway on what looks like the coast path but soon peters out on a gorse infested, scrubby slope.

Stretched out in front of me is Cornwall's tin mining country.

The landscape ahead is littered with ruined buildings, chimneys and engine houses of the tin mines that long ago were abandoned.

I continue through this wasteland to reach Levant Beam Engine, a restored steam powered Cornish beam engine. Levant Mine was established in 1820 and closed in 1930 and was mined for tin and copper.

Littered in the vicinity of the engine houses are the remains of the compressor house and the tiled floor of the count house.

“Chains, pipes, conduits, protruded in all directions from the precipice; rotten-looking wooden platforms, running over deep chasms, supported great beams of timber and heavy coils of cable; crazy little boarded houses were built, where gulls’ nests might have been found in other places.”

— Rambles Beyond Railways, Wilkie Collins

The mine here closed in 1895 before being briefly opened again before the First World War.

Arsenic was a by product of the tin mining process and you can find the remains of the arsenic refining works here.

More walking through tin mining country takes me to Kenidjack, passing West Wheal Owles and Wheal Edward on the way.

At West Wheal Owles, a serious accident occurred in 1893 killing nineteen men and a boy and the mine subsequently closed. A memorial stone recording the names of the victims is close by.

A footpath here is closed due to breeding choughs. The baby choughs have fledged but I don't see any.

The path heads inland down a steep valley away from Cape Cornwall before heading back towards the cape on the other side of the valley. Along the way I pass some friendly donkeys.

The wild flowers on the valley sides are looking lovely.

I climb onto Cape Cornwall and enjoy the views ahead to Land's End. It's very windy up here.

Cape Cornwall was purchased for the nation by H J Heinz Co Ltd to mark their centenary year and presented to the National Trust on March 25th 1987.

I climb back down Cape Cornwall and shelter in Priest's Cove. Priest's Cove, tucked in to the bottom of Cape Cornwall, is still a working fishery and small fishermen's huts have been built in to the rock for mending nets and storing crab and lobster pots.

An easy path climbs steeply away from Cape Cornwall before levelling out and briefly heads inland before heading back towards the coast at Porth Nanven. A sign here warns of sharp metal left over from the wrecked submarine L1.

Another sign warns me of nesting choughs but I fail to see any again.

I pass mine shafts and cross footbridges to reach a National Trust sign at Nanjulian where the path becomes rugged. I clamber around the rocky Aire Point and have lovely views over Whitesand Bay.

There are planes in the sky everywhere, presumably taking off and landing at Land's End Aerodrome.

I ignore the coast path signs and clamber over rocks to reach the beautiful beach at Gwynver Beach, with its soft, fine sand.

There is a tiny fishing harbour here and a tractor is making an awful lot of noise.

I pause for a while in the village knowing that Land's End is just around the corner and then leave the village via the car park at the harbour end of the village, climbing up a flight of steps and then follow a path to a clifftop lookout. This is Pedn-men-du and there are fantastic views over to Longships Lighthouse.

The views back over Sennen Cove are lovely but I can't linger any longer.

I leave Sennen Cove behind me and walk past the iron age Maen Cliff Castle and suddenly there are people everywhere. I cross a fiddly area to reach Land's End. Have I mentioned, by any chance, that I dislike Land's End.

I don't hang about and quickly pass Greeb Farm and leave the crowds of Land's End behind me and the walking quickly becomes pleasant again. I pass the Armed Knight, an impressive rock feature and arch stuck out in the Atlantic and walk around Pordenack Point to reach Mill Bay, otherwise known as Nanjizal Bay. The colours of the sea around here are amazing shades of blue, turquoise and green, completely different to the grubby brown sea of home.

The beach here is always delightful and because there is no direct access by road, is usually deserted. Today is unusually busy. Rock pools, arches and caves abound but unfortunately the tide is too far in to expose the sandy beach.

I walk along the cliff tops to reach the National Coastwatch Station at Gwennap Head and then pass some daymarks to reach the beach at Porthgwarra.

Porthgwarra is an old fishing hamlet and there are still a few boats which launch from here and there is a small shop and cafe.

I walk through the tunnel here to explore the beach and then leave Porthgwarra via a track at the end of the road and walk along the top of the cliffs before steeply descending. I should pass St Levan's holy well but the coast path has been diverted.

On the slopes above Porth Chapel I hear a cuckoo calling.

It's a steep climb down to the beach at Porth Chapel, too much for these weary legs. The sandy beach here is lovely and usually completely deserted. Not today!

I walk around the headland of Pedn-men-an-mere. From here it is a short walk to my destination for the day, Porthcurno.

I pass behind the Minack Theatre (@minacktheatre), an open air theatre cut into the rock with shows taking place throughout the summer. There's a show on today so the theatre is closed except to audience members.

I climb steeply down steps in the cliff to reach the lovely beach at Porthcurno. After enjoying the beach for a while I walk up the beach and pass Cable Hut, part of the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum (@ThePTM) just behind the beach.

I reach the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

rabbits
horses
chaffinches
great tits
chiff chaffs
buzzards being mobbed
painted lady butterflies
a crab
a cuckoo
donkeys

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 17.1 miles today which amounts to 40133 steps. It has been magnificent walking in glorious weather for a third day on the trot and I was even getting sweaty! Ten out of ten!

st ives to pendeen watch

June 11, 2015 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

SUNDAY, 7TH JUNE 2015

“Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me”

I have a decent weather forecast again for the day. It looks like I'll have sun all day long and although the temperature won't yet be breaking any records at least it will be warm and there's no chance of rain.

St Ives high tide 09:03

St Ives low tide 15:11

I start the day back at Porthminster Beach in St Ives, overlooking the beach. It's completely empty.

I walk along The Warren and explore some of the narrow streets and alleyways of St Ives. The church starts up a rather noisy peal of bells which seems to go on forever. It's only 8 a.m. so the people of St Ives must be early risers. I pass the lifeboat station and the Lifeboat Inn (@lifeboatstives) before reaching the harbour.

I duck behind the harbour and cross Porthgwidden Beach before climbing onto the grassy slopes of The Island (or St Ives Head) - it's not an island as it's joined on to the mainland!

The restored St Nicholas Chapel can be found here.

“This ancient chapel of St. Nicholas, which has stood on this site since time immemorial, partially destroyed by order of the War Office in 1904, was rebuilt and restored to its former condition by Sir Edward Hain in 1911 being the coronation year of King George V.”

I wander along the beach and then leave St Ives via a tarmac path. The path becomes stonier and muddier as I approach Clodgy Point. I pass some tadpoles in a pathetic amount of water. I've no idea how they will survive.

Buzzards are calling and circling above me in the thermals. I walk past Hor Point and along some boardwalk at Pen Enys Point.

Walking is fiddly along the cliff tops but the wild flowers, including common spotted orchids, are amazing.

I pass some flat rocks where, in 1941, a ship called the Bessemer City was shipwrecked. The crew was saved, but her cargo of tinned food spilled into the sea. People came from miles around to collect tins. The labels had washed off so they never knew whether they were opening tinned peaches or corned beef!

I soon reach the 318 feet trig point at Carn Naun Point where I can make out the lighthouse at my destination for today, Pendeen Watch.

I now feel completely isolated and the landscape has suddenly become a lot more rugged after the admittedly, fiddly, start to the day. Let the roller coaster ride to Pendeen Watch begin!

I climb out of Wicca Pool via some granite steps and it's then a bouldery walk towards Zennor Head, crossing a couple of streams. I'm now high above Porthzennor Cove.

I walk around Zennor Head and there are now magnificent views over Pendour Cove and towards Gurnard's Head. The Tinners Arms at Zennor is a short walk inland for thirsty walkers.

I climb down granite steps and cross a footbridge over a stream.

I finally come across some habitation in the form of a couple of houses and pass below an old engine house, once part of Gurnard's Head mine. The engine house has definitely seen better days.

I pass ponies grazing the slopes.

I pass large clumps of common spotted orchids, much more identifiable than the pastier ones I passed earlier in the day.

There are more remains of mining activity here with two engine houses standing next to the road a little inland. This appears to be Carn Galver tin mine.

The bouldery path becomes grassier on the way to Portheras Cove where I use some stepping stones to cross a waterfall filled stream. A sign on the beach at Portheras Cove warns me that it is dangerous to walk barefoot on the beach due to a submerged wreck. In 2004 the beach was cleaned up but somebody seems to have forgotten to remove the sign. Having said that, there is an awful lot of lethal looking shrapnel next to the sign!

“It is dangerous to bathe or walk barefooted on this beach at any time due to submerged wreck and razor sharp metal fragments.”

Nobody on the beach is heeding the sign! I enjoy the beach here and look out to the Kenidjacks, an outcrop of semi submerged rocks.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

pheasants
buzzards
tadpoles
caterpillars
common spotted orchids
painted lady butterflies
small copper butterflies
ponies
oxeye daisies
foxgloves
navelwort
red campion
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 15.2 miles today which amounts to 37571 steps. It has been magnificent walking in glorious weather but it has to be said that it has been a rough, rocky and remote trek. A perfect walk for a birthday. Ten out of ten!