Tuesday 06th June 2000 - Day four, Porthtowan, Hayle, St.Ives, Trevalgan Farm Prev Next

I woke properly at five past seven although I had briefly stirred during the night mainly due to sleeping on hard ground. I wasn't going to wait until 09:00 when the owner did breakfasts, tempting though they were, so I had pasta in tomato sauce again and a few biscuits; I had already packed my bread and didn't want to get it out again. Overnight it had rained which meant that I was putting away a wet tent.

The climb up the hill out of the campsite was not too bad and was infinitely preferable to going down into Porthtowan and climbing the steep hill that I tackled the day before. Just before nine o'clock I picked up the path again and walked away from Porthtowan past an old chimney. The path here was next to MoD property and a fence ran on the land side. Through a gate with notice warning of unmarked disused mines there were a couple of coombes to navigate with 64 and 65 steps out respectively; not many people know that.

I followed the fence on and on as some puffs of sea mist came over the heather, until finally the fence wound inland and through another gate the coast path and I continued. Here was a white concrete hut with an open door and graffiti inside including some from lads that were walking from Newquay to Penzance '97.

After a few more military buildings a 'phone mast came into sight indicating the approaches to Portreath. The path went next to an allotment fence, then the old lighthouse came into view. I stopped for sustainance and to read the poem written by a Laurence Binyon, commemorated on the 50th aniversery of VE day 8th May 1995. This is inscribed on a plaque where the lighthouse door has been bricked up and overlooks the beach and harbour.

The coast path takes you down Lighthouse Hill road and into the village on the road. In the village was a Spar shop although I didn't need provisions, then up Battery Hill. I followed Battery Hill round and down onto National Trust property and up and away from Portreath. Here I climbed and climbed between thick vegetation until a puff of wind hit my face and indicated that I had reached the top. Ahead the track went through a kissing gate put in as part of an initative by the National Trust to fence off areas and re-introduce livestock to help manage the vegetation. Up ahead the sky darkened and it looked like it was going to rain. Ten seconds later it rained. I stopped to don cagoule and rain hat for the rucksack. Again the path went down and up a couple of coombes which were hard work. A group of seven men, presumably soldiers out training went the other way.

Over the brow of the hill, Godrevy lighthouse came into view and I could see that it was in sunlight. The rain had stopped and I could see a clear line in the sky working towards me. Beyond Godrevy lighthouse across the estuary was a sandy beach of St.Ives. I planned to have lunch at Godrevy point or at the trig. point just before then continue hopefully to Trevalgan Farm campsite just the other side of St.Ives. It was going to be a long trip.

I marched along the cliff tops as the sun came out and the day warmed even though the sea breeze remained cool. I saw very few people as I walked until I passed a purple tent 'camping wild'. Then a man with binoculars walked towards me and another with two dogs followed. A couple of familiar conversations ensued, "Morning", "Morning" and "Morning", "Morning". I waited until they were out of sight then rapidly changed into my shorts.

At this point the path runs parallel to a road for a short way then veers off again. An american couple stopped me and asked me to take their picture with the headlands towards Porthtowan in the background. I always get a funny feeling when you meet someone, have a chat, in this case do something for them then walk off knowing that you are never going to see them ever again. I sometimes wonder where they are, what they are doing, "Hey y'all, here's a picture some backpacker guy took of us when we were in li'l old Cornwall, Eng-e-land".

Godrevy Point grew ever closer. The Royal Navy Sea King rescue helicopter was patrolling the coast and flew close by. It was just after Bull Point that the path is not marked as clearly as it might be. I emerged onto a man made track which went through two pillars (walkers going north, go between the pillars and immediately turn left) and looked as though it should have gone right after about 100 yards but this path goes down to the beach. At the end of the track are two farm gates and to the right a stone stile with a subtle and grass covered coast path sign. The path follows round the edge of the field and into National Trust property.

Here again the National Trust are using livestock to control the vegetation, this time six Shetland ponies. The ponies are kept from the path by an electic fence and I saw them standing around swishing at flies with their tails. At the triangulation pillar Godrevy lighthouse and the point came into view, but I sat down and had a spot of lunch first, another Cornish pastie. Over the bay St.Ives glistened in the sunlight but it was a long way. Around the other side of Godrevy point the sands or Towans to Hayle stretched out. I stopped for an ice cream, a break and wrote my log before continuing.

The path made a detour inland around a sand extraction area before it went back to the coast on a path next to Glencoe House Nursing Home. The path isn't actually marked until you get about 50 yards up and then it was onto the Towans or sand dunes and this was hard work. The path is mostly marked by posts as you walk through Gwithan Towans, Upton Towans, Mexico Towans and Rivera Towans. I got fed up of Towans. Occasionally I saw people including a bloke in a blue t-shirt and nothing else as the sun burned down and I trudged on. A couple of holiday parks forced the path to go near the beach. At the end it came out into a car park area after going through a tunnel of trees. Across the car park opposite the fishermans huts was St.Uny's Church in Lelant. Unfortunately the River Hayle was in the way and a sign said you had to walk round via the roads.

COAST PATH TO ST.IVES
PROCEED VIA ROAD TO
ST UNY CHURCH LELANT

The church was only a few hundred yards away. The walk round was over three and a half miles.

The walk through Hayle did allow me to get jumbo sausage and chips although the chips were not up to the Porthtowan standard. The walk around was mostly on pavement which was relatively easy going although I realised I was going to have to keep moving quickly if I was going to get to Trevalgan Farm and earn a day off.

At St.Uny's Church the path continued down the side of the church and the side of the golf course before going under the railway. A couple of elderly golfers were walking about in long grass muttering 'it must be here somewhere'. As I approached the tunnel a train from St.Ives rumbled over the top. The path did a sharp left and followed along side the railway, through yet more sand - yippee. Eventually it started to rise away from the sand and here it was bounded on both sides by a tall hedge which was good except for the fact that the sun was straight ahead and blindingly low. The path rose and fell then up some steep stone steps came out at the road in Carbis Bay.

To the right of the hotels the path climbed some more steps. I assumed it was the path, I didn't see a sign but it seemed to go the right way. It followed alongside the railway again as another train came from St.Ives, then went up over a footbridge. I had seen several trains come from St.Ives but none return and it is only a single track. Perhaps when they want a train from St.Ives they just build a new one and send it off. After a bit more vegetation tunnel it came out onto a residential road that followed all the way into St.Ives.

Getting through St.Ives was a lot trickier than I imagined. I walked through narrow streets and along the fronts to a number of dead ends. The streets, cafes and pubs were full of holiday makers getting steadily tanked up for the night. I bought a can of fizzy drink and used the public conveniences, then walked around and up some more dead ends but still I couldn't find the way out. I continued to wander amilessly through strange named streets until finally I spotted what looked like the coast path continuing about half a mile away and struck out for that.

The coast path west from St.Ives is marked and tarmaced, and for the first few hundred yards is ideal for Sunday afternoon strollers, but as you continue it reverts to its wilder state. A bench is set on a slope for the more adventurous and beyond this it becomes very wild indeed. The sun was close to the horizon and I didn't have much time left. Here natural springs turned the path into mud with rocks people had put in so that it could be navigated, but it did not make for fast progress. The sun sank below the horizon and I began to feel unease. I walked and jumped on as fast as possible hoping to see a path to Trevalgan Farm.

At the first land head I must have made a mistake and went down and round then ending up walking and climbing a steep path that was mostly overgrown and was perilously close to the edge. The unease was turning to panic because there was nowhere that I could pitch a tent and the light was fading. I was going too quickly and breathing hard, so I slowed down and looked carefully where I was putting my feet in case a bit of the path had broken away. When I got to the top there seemed to have been a better path that I should have taken. At the next rise a helicopter went past and then I saw the National Trust sign that I had been expecting, and flat level ground that I would be able to pitch a tent on should I have to camp wild. However a few hundred yards further on I could see some signposts that had to be Trevalgan Farm. The relief was immense.

I wasn't home and dry yet however and I had to negotiate my way to the farm which I couldn't see. A young couple out walking their dog confirmed it was Trevalgan Farm and to follow the signs. This involved going through more fields of bovine livestock. Bullocks.

I finally found the farm after climbing over two walls and walking through some very squishy ground. Outside the office a machine obviously sent from heaven gave me the most needed bottle of Lilt ever. In the fading light I found a sheltered spot next to a bank and pitched the tent. As I crawled in the last vestiges of light faded to dark - that was too close. Inside the tent which was still wet and a damp the conditions were tropcially humid. I had completely run out of energy and shook as I lay in my sleeping bag. I didn't feel cold but I could have been, or it could have been a reaction to lack of energy, or the last part of the walk as I desperately searched along the cliffs and narrow path for somewhere to stay as the sun set. I slept well.

Trevalgan Farm (01736 796433), cottages available.

Next page, Day five, 07th June 00, Trevalgan Farm rest day.

Previous page, Day three, 05th June 00, Perranporth to Porthtowan.

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