tintagel to port isaac

May 27, 2023 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

Thursday, 11TH MAY 2023

The weather forecast for today isn’t great but I’ve been hampered by poor weather all week and this is the last chance to get in some walking, so I’ll just have to take my chances.

Port Isaac high tide 10:00

Port Isaac low tide 16:15

I’m dropped off on the outskirts of Tintagel and follow a footpath down to the coast path covered in wild flowers, heading for Barras Nose.

A coast path sign tells me that Trebarwith Strand is two and a quarter miles away. I’m beginning to doubt the accuracy of these signs.

I reach Tintagel Castle on Tintagel Head. Blimey! That’s an expensive entrance fee.

I pass the cafe, once used as offices and workshops for the mines and climb back up onto the cliffs where it starts raining.

I head towards St Materiana's Church above Glebe Cliff. Odd name for a church and I don't know why it's called this. The cover of the first edition of possibly my favourite book, A Month in the Country by J L Carr, featured this church even though the book itself was set in Yorkshire.

I continue along a track, passing Tintagel Youth Hostel.

The weather can’t seem to make up its mind and I’m battered by heavy showers followed by sunny spells which results in a lot of rainbows.

It is now a rocky path over Glebe Cliff, around Dunderhole Point, Gull Point, Higher Penhallic Point and Lower Penhallic Point passing quarries on the way.

I climb my way gingerly down the cliff to reach Trebarwith Strand, one of my favourite beaches. The trouble is that I’m close to high tide and the beach has been completely consumed by the sea. The path down is lethal after the rain.

I climb steeply out of Trebarwith Strand, passing The Port William, and I have final views over the strand before heading back along the cliffs.

I now have stonechats for company, clicking away in the shrubs and I can see Port Isaac not that far away in the distance.

I round Dennis Point and then drop down into the valley behind Backways Cove.

I then head along an easy path above Treligga Cliff and then cross a stone slab bridge above Tregardock Beach.

I climb up onto Tregardock Cliff. It’s a stinky, narrow and muddy path, overhung by rusting barbed wire waiting to spike anyone who slips.

I reach Dannonchapel and come across a coast path sign that tells me that Port Isaac is only three and three quarter miles away.

port isaac three and three quarter miles away

It has finally turned into a glorious day and I have lovely views over to Port Isaac and back to Trebarwith.

I slip and slide along until the going gets a bit difficult along Jacket's Point. I cross a footbridge above a waterfall and then climb a load of steps before crossing several valleys to reach Barrett's Zawn. It is extremely tough going slipping and sliding on the mud and slippery rocks.

I continue along the top of Bounds Cliff and pass over Pigeon's Cove, St Illickswell Gug and Rams Hole before rounding Tresungers Point.

I drop down to the road at what was once Headlands Hotel but is now derelict. I walk down into Port Gaverne, passing the Port Gaverne Restaurant and Hotel.

I follow the road steeply uphill out of Port Gaverne to reach my destination for the day, the car park above Port Isaac.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

pheasants
wall butterfly
small copper butterfly
oystercatchers
stonechats
gorse
red campion
bladder campion
sea thrift
foxgloves
spring squill
ribwort plantain
kidney vetch
bluebells
ox-eye daisy
navelwort
common sorrel
birds-foot trefoil
oxslip
stitchwort
common dog-violet
red valerian
hawthorn

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 10.7 miles which amounts to 27843 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours. The weather was stinky to start with but improved massively. Despite slipping and sliding through mud much of the day, eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

boscastle to tintagel

May 27, 2023 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

wednesday, 10TH may 2023

The weather forecast for today looks OK if a little on the cold side and with the possibility of rain.

Boscastle high tide 09:43

Boscastle low tide 15:14

I start the day back in Boscastle at the car park next to the shops and walk down through the village passing the Cobweb Inn and the bridge over the river before heading along the tarmac path next to the harbour.

I pass next to the harbour wall and have some final views of the village before climbing back onto the cliffs where I have some lovely views of the sheltered inlet to the harbour.

I come across a sign telling me that Tintagel is three and a half miles away. I don’t think so. If it is it’s going to be a very short walk!

There are plenty of wildflowers around but my camera is playing up today. It’s a new camera to replace my battered old field camera. I thought I’d tested it enough over the last couple of weeks to get used to it but a lot of todays photographs are under exposed.

I pass a white tower on Willapark, built in 1827 as a summer home.

There are the remains of man made rabbit warrens here. I head out along the cliffs passing Grower Rock and the Ladies Window rock arch. I have magnificent views back to where I've come from.

I now pass numerous sea stacks, Short Island, Long Island and the rocks that make up Saddle Rocks.

I revert to my iPhone to see if it’s any good at taking close up photographs of the wildflowers but I don’t particularly like the results.

I come across another signpost telling me that Tintagel is still three and a half miles away!

tintagel still three and a half miles away

I head above Trambley Cove and Trewethet Cove before reaching Rocky Valley. It certainly lives up to its name. I gingerly clamber down one side of the valley, cross a footbridge over the stream in the middle of the valley and then climb steps up the other side. It is a wild and beautiful place but it is infested with the dreaded japanese knotweed.

It has turned into an unexpectedly lovely day and I now have spectacular views over towards Tintagel.

I head over Benoath Cove and Bossinney Haven which are both closed due to falling rocks.

I walk inland of a headland before heading off across Smith's Cliff on the seaward side of Camelot Castle Hotel and Tintagel.

Before reaching Barras Nose I pass a fellow coast path walker who’s heading in the opposite direction and is carrying a MASSIVE amount of luggage.

I reach Barras Nose and my walking for the day is almost at a close.

I've now reached Tintagel Castle on Tintagel Head. It feels wild and remote today but was once a hive of mining, slate quarrying and fishing activity. Beyond Merlin's Cave there is King Arthur Mine, driven into the headland and worked for silver and lead in the 19th century.

I head up towards the castle before passing the cafe, once used as offices and workshops for the mines. I then follow an access road which takes me up to the village of Tintagel. I wander through the village to the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

sea thrift
cowslips
bladder campion
common dog-violet
common sorrel
gorse
red campion
bluebells
ribwort plantain
navelwort
herb robert
bugle
kidney vetch
japanese knotweed
celandines
rabbits
wrens
chaffinches
chiffchaffs
goldfinches
wall butterfly
stonechats

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 6.2 miles (not 3.5 miles) which amounts to 15833 steps. It has taken me three hours. A pleasant short walk in what turned out to be lovely weather. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

crackington haven to boscastle

May 27, 2023 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

tuesday, 9TH may 2023

Yesterday was a right off as it rained all day long. The forecast for today is pretty ropey and my weather forecast app is showing rain and thunderstorms.

Bude high tide 08:40

Bude low tide 14:59

I head down to the beach at Crackington Haven first thing in the morning. The sea is looking rather angry and it is very misty.

It is now a rollercoaster ride to Boscastle. I climb out of Crackington Haven and head over three footbridges. On the slopes above Crackington Haven I come across lots of rather damp spring wild flowers.

At Carn Draught I zig zag up the steep cliff and then amble along a wriggly path through gorse. This turns out to be completely the wrong way and I briefly confuse myself when I do rejoin the coast path by going in the wrong direction. I quickly correct myself.

I amble along the cliffs, where I should have lovely views back over Crackington Haven but it’s too misty to see much. I walk above Little Strand, Samphire Rock and The Strangles but the mist has become so thick that I can’t see anything.

Out of the mist appear some animals which I first think are cows, then sheep but turn out to be goats.

I’m not particularly expecting orchids this week but I come across a couple of early purple orchids.

I should come across an outcrop of folded rocks around here but I still can’t see anything.

I head up and down High Cliff and the MASSIVE Rusey Cliff but it’s not until I’ve conquered them both that I realize that they were even there due to the mist. I first encountered these two in 2006 when I thought they were staggeringly big and the blood thundered in my head as I tried to climb them. Nowadays I barely notice that they are there!

There is apparently a tricky descent to Rusey Beach but I can’t see a thing and it's probably too dangerous today anyway. I head towards Gull Rock.

The going gets slightly easier and I head along the cliffs passing Saddle Rock, Beeny Sisters and around Fire Beacon Point and pass Seal's Hole before doubling back on myself around a valley at Pentargon, crossing above a waterfall. I still see very little but I think the mist is trying to start to clear.

I climb up a long flight of steps at Hillsborough and pass a rather nice patch of early purple orchids. The mist is definitely clearing and a brief shower passes over me.

I now have views over the higher part of the village of Boscastle.

I head out towards Penally Point and suddenly I can see the harbour at Boscastle.

I swing back downhill and walk down a narrow road past a number of cottages and buildings to reach the bridge over the river.

That's my walking done for the day so I head for the car park where my lift awaits. It has been a short walk today and I’ve barely seen anything because of the mist.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

song thrush
chiffchaffs
red campion
common dog-violet
sea thrift
herb robert
bracken
foxglove, almost in flower
bluebells
kidney vetch
gorse
common sorrel
navelwort
cowslip
bladder campion
goats
early purple orchids
wall butterfly
rabbits
swallows
sand martins
oystercatchers

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 8.1 miles which amounts to 21268 steps. It has taken me three and three quarter hours. A short walk today and I barely saw anything because of the mist but it somehow stayed virtually dry. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

bude to crackington haven

May 27, 2023 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

SUNDAY, 7TH may 2023

It looks like it might be quite a nice day today with some sun and not much in the way of wind.

Bude high tide 07:20

Bude low tide 13:43

I start the day in stinky Bude in the car park behind Summerleaze Beach. I head out onto the beach and watch the surfers before retracing my steps.

I head back towards Bude and take a footbridge over the River Neet and then a wooden lockbridge over Bude Canal.

I pass Efford Cottage, built in 1820 and head on a path towards the coast.

I pass the eight sided storm tower on Compass Point, built in the 1820s as a coastguard shelter, which is surrounded by scaffolding.

I wander along grassy slopes where I pass Efford Beacon trig point, number S5629.

I now have lovely views back over stinky Bude.

I pass what was once the Elements Cafe Bar, Italian Restaurant and Hotel which is now in a sorry state of disrepair. I then wander through Phillip's Point Nature Reserve and enjoy the spring flowers here.

I pass Higher Longbeak and then Lower Longbeak with its funerary round barrow.

I descend towards Widemouth Sand, passing the Bay View Inn. I walk along the beach at Widemouth Bay heading towards Black Rock before leaving the beach and heading back up onto the cliffs.

I head along a rocky track before crossing a stream. I head along the minor road passing what was once the Outdoor Adventure Centre but is now OA Surf Club.

I pass Ocean View, a new development of a 5 bedroomed house with an indoor pool, gym, steam room, sauna and cinema room, all within a two acre plot. That’s not going to be cheap!

I climb up onto Penhalt Cliff where I have some lovely views back towards Bude at Penhalt Cliff Poundstock car park.

I pass Foxhole Point and then Bridwill Point before climbing steeply down to Millook. I wander down the road and head out onto pebbly Millook Haven Beach.

I climb steeply up the road and then regain the cliffs and have lovely views ahead of me. The wildflowers around here are looking at their very best and the geology is not bad either.

I enter woods at Dizzard Point, which are blissfully peaceful before entering fields and bush covered slopes, passing Chipman Cliff, Stoneivy Rock and the cave at Mot's Hole.

Along the way I pass Dizzard Point trig point, number S5612.

I pass some ponies munching on the vegetation and they don’t take any notice of me.

I have magnificent views ahead of me before coming across the deepest valley I think I've ever come across. It doesn't even appear to be marked on my Ordnance Survey map but the National Trust have it down as Lower Tresmorn. There's nothing 'lower' about it. The photograph does it no justice. I clamber slowly down the valley, cross a footbridge and then clamber gingerly up the other side.

At the bottom of the valley I come across a small copper butterfly.

The path heads out to Castle Point and passes Little Barton Strand and Great Barton Strand and heads towards Pencannow Point before darting back towards Crackington Haven.

I now have lovely views over Crackington Haven and I head down the slopes to the village, enjoying the flowers next to the path.

I pass the Coombe Barton Inn where a saxophonist is playing and head down to enjoy the beach here as well as the heavily folded rocks. It’s close to low tide so I have to walk a long way down the beach to reach the sea.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

sea thrift
gorse
song thrushes
skylarks
swallows
oystercatchers
bluebells
greater stitchwort
bracken
herb robert
red campion
cowslips
common dog-violet
common sorrel
germander speedwell
celandines
bugle
cuckooflower
alexanders
sand martins
bladder campion
chiffchaffs
chaffinches
peacock butterfly
blackcaps
speckled wood butterfly
small copper butterfly

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 12.2 miles which amounts to 30591 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours.

It has been a lovely day today walking in North Cornwall which I haven’t seen for seven years. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

portscatho to falmouth

October 02, 2022 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

sunday, 25TH SEPTEMBER 2022

The weather forecast for today looks to be pretty good so it’s time to get cracking.

Falmouth high tide 05:53

Falmouth low tide 12:18

It’s a relatively late start for us as it’s a Sunday and the King Harry Ferry doesn’t start until 09:00. We catch the first ferry which is a relatively expensive £7 single and then head to the car park above Portscatho at Gerrans. I amble down through the village, passing the Plume of Feathers.

I head down to the beach and enjoy the early morning sun.

My grandfather used to love swimming in the sea here. One day he found a great big slab of wood on the beach here and took it back to my grandparents home in Offwell, Devon. We used to use the slab of wood as a cricket wicket whenever we visited so it became known as the Portscatho Wicket.

portscatho

I leave the beach and wander around Portscatho, passing the tiny harbour, and then say goodbye to the village. It’s been seven years since I was last here and who knows how long it will be until I’m next here.

I amble along the gentle cliffs, enjoying the late season wild flowers. It is surprisingly hot and a lot warmer than I was expecting.

I’m ambling along quietly and suddenly here a familiar call. Several choughs fly over me. I can’t make out their red beaks but their call is unmistakeable. I’ve never seen choughs this far west before so they must be doing very well.

choughs

I spot a wall brown butterfly and manage to take a bad photograph. There are also clouded yellow butterflies flying around but they are much more difficult to photograph.

I continue ambling and say hello to several dog walkers while enjoying the wildflowers.

I continue towards Towan Beach where I come across a raggedy speckled wood butterfly.

I reach Towan Beach where I enjoy the sandy beach along with several dog walkers.

towan beach

On leaving Towan Beach I come across the remains of a wreck post, erected by the coastguard service and used to simulate a ship's mast in training exercises. It was still complete the last time I was here but all that’s left now is a stump. I wonder what happened to it?

It is a pleasant surprise to see another group of choughs fly over me.

I round Killigerran Head and Porthmellin Head.

I continue along the path above Porthbeor Beach. I thought that Porthbeor Beach was supposed to be inaccessible but, tantalisingly, I think I can make out footprints in the sand.

porthbeor beach

The mystery is solved as further along the path I spot people leaving the beach and climbing aboard a boat.

I now have some lovely views over to Falmouth.

I’m now at St Anthony Head and walk through St Anthony Meadow where I come across Shetland ponies grazing on the vegetation.

I round Zone Point and pass the 19th century battery on St Anthony Head and then head down towards St Anthony's lighthouse, built in 1835.

19th century battery

I follow signs behind the lighthouse before getting an actual glimpse of the lighthouse further on.

After leaving the lighthouse I have magnificent views over to St Mawes and Falmouth in the distance.

I head through woods to reach some beehives where the bees are very active.

I pass through the churchyard of St Anthony's Church and then pass the rather modest Place House.

I’ve now reached the Place Ferry. I glance at my phone and it’s 12:14. There’s supposed to be a ferry at 12:15. I’m bang on low tide and there’s no sign of a ferry so maybe it’s not running for a while.

Suddenly people start to ascend Toddy's Steps in front of me. Once they are past I descend the steps and notice the ferry further along the beach. The ferry is just about to leave but the ferryman calls out to me so I slither along the slippery beach and board the ferry, just in time.

The ferry takes me over to St Mawes and it has moved with the times and I’m able to buy a combined ticket to St Mawes and then on to Falmouth for £13.50 using a contactless machine. It's a thoroughly pleasant 5 minute trip.

I leave the ferry and then wait for the connecting ferry to take me back to Falmouth.

st mawes

I catch the 12:45 ferry and it's now a pleasant 15 minutes or so journey to my destination for the day, Prince of Wales Pier in Falmouth.

approaching falmouth

It's now a short walk up through the busy streets of Falmouth to return to our cottage, Bussillion, for the week, overlooking Falmouth harbour.

My knees and ankles have been playing up all year, although they’ve been OK on the short walks this week, so it might be time to think about hanging up the walking boots. If so this is a fitting end as I started walking the south west coast path in Falmouth seventeen years ago. It has been a great few years.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

oystercatchers
red campion
mouse-ear hawkweed
common knapweed
blackberries
common toadflax
burdock
ragwort
CHOUGHS!
wild carrot
ribwort plantain
wall brown butterfly
speckled wood butterfly
clouded yellow butterflies
fleabane
great mullein
shetland ponies
bees

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 7.7 miles and, including the ferries, covered a distance of 10.2 miles, which amounts to 18174 steps. It has taken me three and a half hours.

Sun, sea, sand, choughs and ferries. Ten out of ten!