the lizard to poldhu cove

June 14, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

monday, 7th june 2021

Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday dear me
Happy birthday to me!

The weather forecast for today looks to be great with sun all day long and it might actually be quite warm.

Porthleven low tide 10:10

Porthleven high tide 16:01

I start the day at the car park in the Lizard village next to the Top House Inn. I'm walking this walk to Poldhu Cove in the wrong direction so that when I reach Kynance Cove it should still be pretty quiet.

I wander down the footpath towards Lizard Point, the most southerly point on mainland Great Britain noticing that for the first time ever, I don’t have the dreaded 'no signal' on my phone, but instead have a 4G signal. I wander down to Lizard Point where masses of seagulls have congregated by the cafe.

There’s also a chough wandering around but I can’t get my camera out quick enough to photograph it and I’d have had the wrong lens on anyway. I amble down to the old lifeboat station (I'll pass the latest lifeboat station tomorrow) and then climb back up and head off along the cliffs. Masses of seagulls are flying around here.

Choughs(@cornishchoughs) have taken up residence here. They became extinct in Cornwall in 1973 but returned in 2001. I don’t seem to be able to find any up to date and reliable breeding numbers but they seem to be doing ok. I see a few of them flying around but they are difficult to photograph.

I continue along the cliffs towards Kynance Cove enjoying the magnificent views and the lovely wildflowers.

I disturb a couple more choughs and they fly off before I have a chance to whip out my camera and I then come across a herd of cows together with their calves.

Before reaching Kynance Cove, Pentreath Beach can be found which is a little difficult to reach, involving scrambling down what appears to be little more than a goat track. It definitely looks worth the diversion but it's too adventurous for me with my heavy backpack.

I amble along to reach Kynance Cove where I come across some of the native bloody cranesbills.

The car park is looking quite busy even though it is still very early but there aren’t many people about so I descend steeply down to the cove.

kynance cove

For a change I’ve got quite a bit of beach so I waste quite a bit of time here. There are only a couple of people here. I strap back on my bag and climb back out of the cove, passing the Kynance Cove Cafe on the way up.

kynance cove

As I climb out of Kynance Cove I pass more of the native bloody cranesbills. The views back overlooking Kynance Cove are magnificent.

After ambling for far too long I head off along the Lizard cliffs where I encounter the first orchids of the day, including loads of heath spotted orchids so I waste more time, taking photographs.

An old schoolfriend of mine take her own life eight years ago yesterday. I last spoke to her the day before she died on the phone at this exact spot.

I amble along the top of the cliffs, enjoying the wildflowers.

I continue along the cliffs, enjoying the views to reach Predannack. Predannack airfield is nearby and there is usually a constant stream of helicopters flying overhead but it's quiet today. Maybe they don't fly on a Monday? The wild flowers around here are amazing and there's sea thrift everywhere. I come across ragged robin which I rarely see at home and a small patch of what looks like southern marsh orchids.

Mullion Cove comes into view and I have some kayaks racing past me down below.

I take the steep descent down to the harbour. The last time I was here, Mullion Cove had taken a battering in winter storms and the harbour was badly damaged. It has now been fully repaired.

mullion cove

I ascend the other side of Mullion Cove and pass the Mullion Cove Hotel (@mullioncove).

I head along the cliffs enjoying more of the wild flowers and pass Carrag-Luz or ‘Love Rock’.

Above Polurrian Cove I come across an unfamiliar moth which, I think turns out to be a barred yellow moth.

I reach sandy Polurrian Cove. I waste more time pottering along the sandy beach before climbing back out of Polurrian Cove and heading along the cliffs.

I stop briefly at a bench which has magnificent views to let some dog walkers pass me.

“If ever our souls part to say goodbye
meet me there, where the sea meets the sky;
lost, but finally free.”

I pass the Marconi monument, a granite monument commemorating the first transatlantic radio transmission on the 12th of December 1901. I think that Marconi probably had a better signal 100-odd years ago than I've had today although, to be fair, I think I’ve got a 3G signal here but the sun is too bright for me to be able to see my phone screen properly. I continue along the cliffs enjoying the masses of pink sea thrifts.

As I descend to Poldhu Cove a chough flies across my horizon, calling as it goes. What a lovely end to the day.

I reach Poldhu Cove where the Poldhu Beach Cafe (@poldhu) can be found and waste more time on the sandy beach. It's quite a bit busier here than I'm used to but not too bad for a sunny summer’s day.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

seagulls
choughs
ribwort plantain
mesembryanthemum
foxgloves
bluebells
red and white campion
wild carrot
bladder campion
cows
sea thrift
kidney vetch
dropwort
birds-foot trefoil
bloody cranesbill
heath spotted orchid
common dog-violet
scarlet pimpernel
devils-bit scabious
ragged robin
southern marsh orchid
flag iris
rape
barred yellow moth

PODCAST

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 10.75 miles which amounts to 25616 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours. I’ve had glorious weather all day long and the flora and fauna has been magnificent. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

For a change two out of three of my tracking apps have actually worked today so I have some walk details. They don’t entirely match up but there you go.

MAP

praa sands to poldhu cove

June 13, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

Sunday, 6TH JUNE 2021

After yesterday’s manky weather it looks like today will be lovely, with sun all day long and nothing in the way of wind. Perfect for walking. Woop!

Porthleven low tide 09:26

Porthleven high tide 15:20

I start the day at the car park at Praa Sands where I climb steps down to the beach. I head down the beach to the sea and then start to amble along the beach. Some of the murkiness from yesterday still remains but I don’t think it will last very long.

Part way across the beach I climb back on to the low cliffs, passing a memorial honouring the crew of a Sunderland Flying Boat which crash landed on Praa Sands on the 2nd of June 1943.

I head through the holiday park here passing massive echiums and I enjoy the wild as well as the cultivated flowers. They are all extremely damp after yesterday’s rain and much more advanced than they would be at home.

I leave the holiday homes behind and climb onto Lesceave Cliffs where I continue to enjoy the wild flowers.

Lesceave Cliffs were given to the National Trust by the family of William Arthur Quintrell Treloar in his memory. I have some final views back over Praa Sands and the weather is already picking up.

I continue climbing to reach Rinsey Head where I come across Wheal Prosper tin mine, a rubbish mine which was only open for six years. A sign tells me that Wheal Prosper featured in a BBC TV series, Poldark, in 1995 but I can find no trace of this programme.

I head onto Trewavas Cliff where the sea thrift is looking magnificent.

The path then starts to ramble aimlessly along the cliffs, although the paths seem to be much better than they used to be. I come across Wheal Trewavas which started work in 1834, at its peak employing 200 miners but the mine closed suddenly in 1846.

I enjoy more of the wild flowers on the cliffs before finally entering Porthleven.

I follow the coast path down to the harbour at Porthleven and head around the harbour where I come across the Harbour Inn.

I amble along the road out of Porthleven where I walk past ancient fishing winches and canons protecting the harbour, enjoying the views back to Porthleven.

I walk along the path above Porthleven Sands.

I then descend to Loe Bar and crunch along the pebbly beach.

I regain the cliffs and amble along the top where I continue to enjoy the wildflowers.

I come across masses of five-spot burnets feeding on the sea thrift as well as what must be wall brown butterflies but they are so flighty that I don’t get to see their upper wings to be certain.

As I approach Gunwalloe Fishing Cove I come across a raptor enjoying the sunshine. I’m rubbish when it comes to raptors but is it possibly a common buzzard? Are they even a seaside bird?

I come across a hairy caterpillar shuffling across the path. When I said I was rubbish at identifying raptors I’m even worse when it comes to caterpillars. Is this a ruby tiger moth caterpillar? I have no idea.

I come across a common blue butterfly. It’s becoming quite a day for butterflies.

I drop down to Gunwalloe Fishing Cove and enjoy the sandy and pebbly beach. The Halzephron Inn (@InnHalzephron) can be found 100 yards inland here.

I climb up onto Halzephron Cliff and, oh my word, is that a small pearl-bordered fritillary? I’ve never seen one of these before.

After this first one I see several more but they prove to be too flighty to photograph.

I continue along Halzephron Cliff enjoying the beautiful wildflowers and I have a final view back to Porthleven Sands. Halzephron Cove can be found here but the climb down is a little adventurous even for me.

Creation or evolution? Judging by all the flora and fauna I’ve seen today it can only be evolution.

I continue along the cliff before descending down to Dollar Cove. The cove is named after the great wreck in 1780 when 2 tonnes of silver coins were lost overboard.

dollar cove

It is now a short hop and a skip to Church Cove at the church of St Winwaloe, set into the hillside beside the beach. I waste yet more time on the sandy beach here before heading along the beach and then climbing back onto the cliffs.

church cove

It is another short hop and a skip to reach Poldhu Cove where the Poldhu Beach Cafe (@poldhu) can be found and I waste more time on the sandy beach. It's quite a bit busier here than I'm used to although not too bad for a sunny Sunday.

I amble back along the beach to reach the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

rabbits
chiffchaffs
chaffinches
skylarks
stonechat
small pearl-bordered fritillary
red and white valerian
bluebells
wild carrot
red campion
echiums
aqualegia
arum lily
bottlebrush
iris
roses
sea thrift
foxgloves
birds-foot trefoil
ribwort plantain
bladder campion
devils-bit scabious
kidney vetch
english stonecrop
five-spot burnet
wall brown butterfly
buzzard
ruby tiger moth caterpillar
navelwort
common blue butterfly
wild garlic
gladioli
mint
hawthorn
scarlet pimpernel

PODCAST

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 11.3 miles which amounts to 26520 steps. It has taken me four and three quarter hours. After a murky start I’ve had glorious weather and the flora and fauna has been magnificent. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

A familiar story now and two of my tracking apps failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app. However my Ordnance Survey app actually worked.

MAP

penzance to praa sands

June 12, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

saturday, 5th june 2021

The weather forecast for this week had been looking pretty good until I got up this morning and the forecast is now showing that it’ll be grey and damp. At least there won’t be much in the way of wind. Whatever happened to all that sun?

Porthleven low tide 08:36

Porthleven high tide 14:37

I start the day on the Promenade close to Jubilee Pool (@JubileePoolPZ), Penzance's lido and the UK's largest remaining seawater lido. The view across to Newlyn is decidedly murky.

The view towards Penzance is not any better.

The last time I was here the lido had suffered significant damage in winter storms and I suspected that it wouldn’t open ever again. But I was wrong and it did open and is now looking lovely. Jubilee Pool is run for the community, by the community, and has been operated since 2017 as a charitable community benefit society. On 31st May 2020 Jubilee Pool celebrated its 85th birthday.

I duck behind Jubilee Pool and stand next to the war memorial where I have murky views over towards St Michael’s Mount.

I continue along the coast path around the harbour and pass the Isles of Scilly Travel Centre (@IOSTRAVEL). Along the way I pass the Dolphin Inn and the Dock Inn.

I wander through the car park passing the Penzance Sailing Club and then pass Penzance railway station and then join the cycleway, passing what was once the heliport for catching the helicopter to the Isles of Scilly but which is sadly now a Sainsbury's superstore.

A sign has promised me lovely views but all I can see is murkiness.

I join the beach and trudge towards St Michael's Mount (@ntmichaelsmount). It is extremely murky and I can barely see St Michael’s Mount but I do believe the mist is lifting.

There’s a river flowing down the beach so I have to retrace my steps and cross a bridge over the river next to the road before following the path next to Folly Field.

I head towards Marazion and walk along Fore Street and then Turnpike Hill, passing the Godolphin Arms, the King's Arms and the Fire Engine Inn. Beside the Godolphin Arms is Maypole Gardens.

I head out of Marazion. The coast path signs have dried up and I’m sure I haven’t gone this far out of Marazion before.

I head down a track that looks like it might go out to the coast and then follow a public footpath. I find some coast path signs again but none of this looks familiar.

I reach Trenow Cove and there is a curlew on the beach and swallows flying around me. I look back over the beach towards St Michael's Mount before heading along the path to Boat Cove.

I used to encounter southern marsh orchids along here but someone has been over enthusiastic with a strimmer and there’s no sign of them. Nevertheless, I enjoy the wildflowers around here even if they are a little damp.

I reach Perranuthnoe. In the village can be found the Victoria Inn but I skirt around the village and enjoy the relatively quiet Perran Sands just down the road before regaining the coast path.

Rain/mist looks like it is set in for the day now and it is much windier than the forecast promised. I continue to amble back along the coast path below Acton Castle where I come across masses of six-spot burnets.

I reach Cudden Point and I am now seeing wild cabbages everywhere.

I continue on to Prussia Cove. Prussia Cove is actually made up of three distinct coves, Piskies Cove, Bessy's Cove and King's Cove.

prussia cove

I continue my ambling to reach Kennegy Sands. The beach seems to be permanently closed here. It used to be difficult to access by climbing down two chain ladders but it's now fenced off. Even so, I'm sure I can spot footprints in the sand below!

I then head on towards Praa Sands. Here can be found the Sandbar. It is very murky here and the beach is all but deserted.

My walking is done for the day and so I head to the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

echiums
red and white valerian
curlew
swallow
wrens
red campion
cow parsley
alexanders
rape
foxgloves
ribwort plantain
sea thrift
bird’s-foot trefoil
bluebells
bladder campion
yarrow
six-spot burnet
hogweed
buttercups
common dog-violet
wild cabbage
honeysuckle
navelwort
wild garlic
kniphofia
english stonecrop

PODCAST

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 11.3 miles which amounts to 26269 steps. It has taken me four and a half hours. The weather has been pretty poor today with rain, mist and murkiness for much of the day and it has been much more blustery than it should have been. Seven out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

All three of my tracking apps failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app, so no walk details today.

MAP

Since all three of my tracking apps failed me today I’ve no way of generating a map.

higher dinnicombe to dartmouth

May 16, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

monday, 10TH may 2021

It doesn’t look a particularly warm day today but I should get some sun but it does look like it might be quite blustery.

Dartmouth high tide 06:10

Dartmouth low tide 12:13

Dartmouth high tide 18:32

Our holiday cottage for the week is Higher Dinnicombe near to Dartmouth in the South Hams of South Devon. I leave our cottage early and head up the track towards the golf course of the Dartmouth Golf and Country Club where I pass the chickens and the sheep belonging to the owner of Higher Dinnicombe. The track is looking lovely, covered in spring wild flowers.

I pick up a public footpath which crosses the golf course and then heads over a series of fields before reaching the A3122 at Forces Cross next to Airheadz Hair and Beauty Salon. This used to be the Forces Tavern but closed in 2011. I can’t imagine either of them get much traffic.

I cross the A3122 and join a road headed towards Blackawton where I enjoy the wildflowers in the hedgerows.

I reach the village sign on the outskirts of Blackawton and I’ll explore the area around this village later on in the week.

I wander briefly into Blackawton and at Normandy Cross I head along Chapel Street where a sign tells me that it is three miles to Strete. The Normandy Arms pub used to be on the corner here but is now closed and has been converted into a couple of houses.

I pass the old Wesleyan Sunday School and the old chapel and it is now a trudge along minor roads to Strete.

I cross a bridge over a stream at Collaford Wood and enjoy the wildflowers that flank the roads. I come across a plant that I’ve not noticed before and seems to be shiny crane’s-bill but it’s not mentioned in my wildflower books. It’s a bit like herb robert but with much smaller flowers. Of course, after this I notice it everywhere.

I pass through Cotterbury and pass Eastdown Cross and Cornish Post and I have my first glimpse of the sea. I reach Blackwell Cross where a sign tells me that I’m just one mile from Strete.

I pass Combe Cross and Norns Cross and I come across the village sign on the outskirts of Strete.

I pass the Parish Church of St. Michael, Strete Post Office and Stores, Strete Chapel and the King's Arms (@KingsArmsStrete).

I leave Strete and have lovely views of the sea. I have also joined the south west coast path.

A sign tells me that Blackpool Sands is one and a quarter miles away.

A rather circuitous route follows fields and paths heading towards Blackpool Sands and there are plenty of wildflowers to enjoy.

I now have some lovely views over Blackpool Sands.

I cross a steep grassy valley and have some lovely views over a beach I don’t know but must be Landcombe Cove. You can definitely get down there as I can see footprints in the sand.

At the top of the far side of the valley I come across an abandoned hat perched on a south west coast path marker.

I wander down Widewell Lane smothered in wildflowers and I have a lovely view over Blackpool Sands. The beach is virtually deserted except for a couple of people.

I have a potter around the sandy, shingly and empty beach before wandering back to the Venus Beach Cafe.

I pass by the toilet block and the path ducks down between bushes before heading out onto the A379 heading towards Stoke Fleming. I come across hydrangeas, fatsia japonica and camellias amongst other plants.

There is a small footpath diversion where a tree seems to have been uprooted, taking a fair chunk of the footpath with it.

I leave the A379 and climb up what must be Old Road although I don’t see any signs. I come across some speckled wood butterflies.

I walk down lanes through the village, surrounded by rooks, and come out next to the Green Dragon and St Peter's Church.

I wander down Rectory Lane and pass a big pond containing a giant gunnera and walk below rhododendrons. There are rooks around here making an awful racket.

I head along Venn Lane and then Ravensbourne Lane before briefly rejoining the A379. I leave the A379 and amble along Redlap Lane where I come across some extremely noisy sheep.

I reach the National Trust car park at Little Dartmouth before passing secluded coves on the way to Dartmouth. There are numerous dogwalkers and the wind has definitely started to pick up and it is very blustery.

I now have fantastic views back over towards Slapton Sands and Torcross and I come across a small copper butterfly.

I climb steeply and the path zig zags up towards Warren Point, Coombe Point and Blackstone Point and I now have views over towards Dartmouth.

I pass above Castle Cove where dogs are being exercised. It looks rather inviting down on the rocky and shingly beach but my path heads upwards.

From here I head next door to Dartmouth Castle which, for over 600 years, has guarded the narrow entrance to the Dart estuary.

It has started to get busy so I quickly pass by St Petrox Church and then head through Warfleet Creek before dropping down through the outskirts of Dartmouth towards Bayards Cove Fort, a small Tudor artillery fort guarding Dartmouth's inner harbour.

I now have lovely views over both Dartmouth and Kingswear.

I pass Bayards Cove Inn before walking along the cobbled waterfront and my walking for the day is done.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

pheasants
chickens
sheep
blackcaps
chiffchaffs
buzzards
chaffinches
swallows
wheatear
primroses
greater stitchwort
common dog-violet
bluebells
celandine
red campion
cuckooflower
green alkanet
cow parsley
wild strawberry
garlic mustard
herb robert
alexanders
wild garlic
shiny crane’s-bill
bugle
honesty
ribwort plantain
red valerian
red clover
bracket fungi
fatsia japonica
hydrangea
camellias
speckled wood butterflies
gunnera
rhododendrons
cherry blossom
small copper butterfly
yellowhammer

PODCAST

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 13.2 miles which amounts to 31371 steps. It has taken me five and a half hours. The weather has been surprisingly good if a little on the blustery side. Despite a long section of the walk being on minor roads, eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

My Ordnance Survey app for showing elevation details has actually WORKED for the first time in a while but the two other tracking apps I use failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app.

MAP

higher dinnicombe to torcross

May 15, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

sunday, 9TH may 2021

It looks like today is going to be cold, grey and cloudy. Perfect weather! Not!! At least I shouldn’t get much rain and the prevailing winds should be light.

Dartmouth low tide 11:35

Dartmouth high tide 17:56

Our holiday cottage for the week is Higher Dinnicombe near to Dartmouth in the South Hams of South Devon. I leave our cottage early and head up the track towards the golf course of the Dartmouth Golf and Country Club. The track is looking lovely, covered in spring wild flowers. The trouble is my macro lens is playing up and won’t auto focus and so I’ll have to rely on manual focus without any advanced practice. It doesn’t help that it’s a lot windier than my forecast is telling me.

I cross the A3122 and join a road headed towards Blackawton where I enjoy the wildflowers in the hedgerows.

I reach French Furze Post on the outskirts of Blackawton and I’ll explore the area around this village later on in the week.

I pass the old Wesleyan Sunday School and the old chapel and it is now a trudge along minor roads to Strete.

I pass through Cotterbury and pass Eastdown Cross and Cornish Post and I have my first glimpse of the sea. I reach Blackwell Cross where a sign tells me that I’m just one mile from Strete.

I pass Combe Cross and Norns Cross and I come across the village sign on the outskirts of Strete.

I pass the Parish Church of St. Michael, Strete Post Office and Stores, Strete Chapel and the King's Arms (@KingsArmsStrete). A sign here tells me that Torcross is three miles away.

I briefly follow the A379 out of Strete but it's not long before I come across a fairly new section of the South West Coast Path, only opened in July 2015, which takes me away from the busy main road and where I have magnificent views over Slapton Sands.

It's rather nice on this new section and I enjoy the wildflowers here and walk below some HUGE echiums.

The path takes me down towards Strete Gate picnic site and I pass a bench with magnificent views over Slapton Sands. The bench is dedicated to the memory of Philip and Mary Carter. Thank you Philip and Mary.

“In memory of Philip and Mary Carter. Tireless campaigners for South West Coast Path and founders of the South West Coast Path Association.”

I come across a small group of early purple orchids next to the bench.

I continue descending to Strete Gate and come across a small copper butterfly.

I pass a sign pointing up the bridleway where I used to come down onto Slapton Sands.

I reach the picnic site at Strete Gate and it is suddenly quite busy.

I drop down onto Slapton Sands and trudge along the sandy and shingly beach. It has turned into a beautiful day but is now blowing a gale straight into my face.

I'm usually defeated by the shingle and blustery winds and head for a path by the main road but I’m determined today so I head all the way along the beach to Torcross.

Today's walking is over so I wander back through Torcross passing the Seabreeze Cafe and the Start Bay Inn (@StartBayInn) before reaching the car park with a Sherman Tank at the entrance.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

pheasants
chickens
sheep
blackcaps
chiffchaffs
song thrush
ribwort plantain
chaffinches
swallows
bluebells
primroses
red campion
celandines
garlic mustard
greater stitchwort
wild strawberry
common dog-violet
cow parsley
herb robert
gorse
alexanders
dead nettle
navelwort
herb bennet
bugle
green alkanet
comfrey
cowslips
honesty
echiums
germander speedwell
small copper butterfly
foxgloves (not quite in flower)
early purple orchids
oystercatcher

PODCAST

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 12.6 miles which amounts to 24190 steps. It has taken me four and a quarter hours. It has been a while since I’ve been out on the south west coast path and it’s great to be back. As a bonus, the weather has been surprisingly good. Despite a long section of the walk being on minor roads, eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

My Ordnance Survey app for showing elevation details has failed me today but my backup myTracks app has worked. The roles will be reversed for the rest of the week.