Monday 11th June 2001 - Day Three, Marizon to Porthleven Prev Next

Although I had tried to find a level bit of ground there was still a slight slope. It doesn't take much and I kept waking up throught the night to find that I had slid into the corner of the tent. In the morning I lay awake for a while as I heard the other campers beginning to get up. When I started to move I knew that I had done a longer walk than I wanted to the day before.

Breakfast was an unhurried pasta in chicken sauce (soup) as I let the tent dry. Unfortunately I had pitched to get the evening sun rather than morning sun. Fed, washed, nearly dried and packed I set off back for the path which turned out to be easier to find than I thought. About 150 yards along from the hotel opposite Henfor Terrace there is a footpath down a driveway with 'Chymoryuah East' on the gate.

Soon the path proper peels away and down to a beach of boulders. Shortly there is a metal staircase for the path up off the beach, then around the edges of fields. At one point some of the path has been closed due to cliff fall and overhang, and it is diverted up a lane which then returns to field edges. It continues like this for some way. I stopped for a drink and an old man and his wife stopped briefly for a chat asking how far I was going. It's nice having these brief times of day with people as I walk along.

Again the sun beat down and there was little respite from it's attention. Around the next headland I descended to a small habitation where I took a wrong turn before going back to the gravel track. On the other side of the habitation the path was again thickly covered with vegetation including nettles. Some planks went over something, but the growing reeds obscured what it was or how deep the drop. This bridge was two planks wide and I shuffled sideways along them trying to keep my weight even. The second pair were not joined but bowed independently threatening to tip me forwards or back into the abyss (or whatever it was that I couldn't see but was probably squishy and wet). There were a lot of people out walking on all stretches of this path, and what a day it was to do it. There was just a little high cloud to take the edge off the sun and the sea glistening and sparkling into the distance and despite a gentle haze over the coast the visibility was good. Around the point the National Trust owns Sydney Cove and the grass is well mown. I met the same couple as earlier as I sat on a bench.

At Praa Sands I droppedinto Lefita Rivett-Old & Chris Old's Clipper resturant for Lunch and had the biggest, tastiest pastie that I had eaten in a long time, moist and yummy, with chips and and a Cornish ice cream cornet to finish. From what I overheard, the pasties come from the Lizard, and Chris Old was high up in cricketing circles. A photo of him bowling hung on the wall. I'm glad to say that he served me the cornet graciously and not at a spin.

Apparently the beach at Praa Sands is composed mainly of shells pounded to a sand by the sea, and local children have put in considerable effort in planting Magnum Grass to help stabilise the dunes. A small stream comes out over the beach and shortly after are some steps. The path continues behind he steps and dunes, then goes through a private estate that is very neatly furbished - a far cry from the wildness around Hartland Point.

Away from Praa Sands is Rinsey Head. Here the land is privately owned but they allow people to walk through on the footpaths. There are a few places on the path where landowners kindly make the coast path possible by doing this and I am very grateful to them for it.

Rinsey Cliff itself is adjacent to the cliff and owned by the National Trust. Down the track is a partly restored tin mine engine house in relatively good condition. Halfway between Rinsey Head and Porthleven where I planned to stop for the night was very heavily overgrown; another consequence of the Foot and Mouth outbreak. At the bottom of the valley was a cow parsley kind of plant that was over 6 feet tall. Bracken grew over the path and I kept checking my legs at regular intervals for ticks.

Eventually it became farmland and this was easier although just to make sure that I didn't get away scott free the fences meant that I kept having to go in and out the coastline which meant up and down as well as towards Porthleven.

Just before Porthleven is a cross on the hillside dedicated to the mariners who have lost their lives on this part of the coast. When walking along in fine weather it is difficult to imagine seas and wind so rough as to dash ships against the unyielding coastline, but there are many that have gone that way.

In Porthleven I stocked up at a 'cash and carry' supermarket. When I first read the sign I was at an angle and I thought it said 'Cash and Curry'. As usual I bought far too much food and had difficulty stuffing it into the rucksack. I thought it better to hide the food for fear of offending the campign site owner that I wasn't buying from their shop. Then I went to find the site.

Mill Lane Camp Site is the most basic site that I have stayed on bar Leddon Farm from what I can remember. It is basically a field that mostly slopes with some toilets and single shower, outdoor sink and bin, and an old caravan with 'Hot Snacks' written on it. Another walker with a dog was already set up and sorting his dinner. We chatted briefly before I went and set up my tent at a respectful distance.

A sign said £5-00 for walkers and informed me that if the owner was not there then he would be along later to collect the money. As I wrote my log he had still not turned up event though I could hardly see to write. I was minded to leave nice and early next morning.

Next page, Day four, 12th June 01, Porthleven to Vellan Head.

Previous page, Day two, 10th June 01, Gribba Head to Marizon.

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