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!

crackington haven to boscastle

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

tuesday, 9TH may 2023

FLORA AND FAUNA

PODCAST

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

WALK DETAILS

MAP