Wednesday 13th June 2001 - Day five, Vellan Head, The Lizard, Cadgewith, Coverack Prev Next

When I woke up it still seemed very dull and when I pulled out my earplugs I realised why - it was raining. I had left my food ready and everything else packed to make getting going a bit easier. I wanted a good breakfast today because I intended to get around The Lizard and on as far as the campsite at Coverack, a distance of about sixteen miles.

By ten to eight I was back on the path again and the rain had eased, and after half an hour my aching joints and muscles had eased too. I could see bits of blue sky but not enough to make a pair of cats trousers as my dad would say. The path was not well marked here but was mainly flat which made for good progrss. I passed a sign saying 4.5 miles to The Lizard. I was walking along the edges of fields that ended at cliffs and keeping an eye out for bullocks, but luckily I didn't see any. The coastline looked grey in the low cloud and through the grass grey rocks poked out. It was a monochrome sort of morning.

At Kynance Cove the path went down from the high cliffs to sea level and a pretty little cove with a couple of houses and large rocks to form a natural break against the sea. Up the far side was a made up path to a car park. The coast path however broke off to the right and up more steps. On the whole it was easy walking and I approached The Lizard lighthouse in two hours. I took a detour into The Lizard village to get supplies, I had just about run out. There are plenty of craft/gift shops in the village and one small store called the 'Country Food Store' bearing the Happy Shopper logo. I happily shopped for soup, pasta and snickers bars to see me through to Helford hopefully. As I left the shop it started to drizzle so I took refuge in the bus shelter for a bit of food and drink.

I was back on the path in an hour and walking past the huge fog horns on the lighthouse. A little further on was a large white painted house, at least it looked like one but it was like a square tower with castellated top and large block letters read Lloyd's Signal Point. It was here that the sun finally tried to make a brave appearance. As I continued round The Lizard I passed a launch ramp for a lifeboat set high up back from the sea because of the geography of the area. A long steep row of steps went from the boathouse down to the point where the lifeboat could leave. It was a sunny, humid and airless sort of day. When I reached the higher headland again I took off my rucksack, stood on top of a stile and hung my arms out to my sides to try and cool off a bit but the air was not moving.

Cadgewith was further along the coast than I imagined and it seemed to take a long time to get there, particularly as I intended to have lunch. As I approached wafts of humid heat came up from the vegetation on the slopes below me. The path descends through little hard trees and shrubs nearly to the bottom where you end up on the road. There were a couple of resturants to choose from as well as the ubiquitous craft shops. I chose the Old Cellars mainly because I was hungry and it was closest. Just ahead of me, six divers in dry suits walked in and sat down, top halves of suits rolled down showing burly muscles and huge knives strapped to their legs. I thought they might order something adventurous like shark-on-a-stick washed down with half a gallon of beer each but in the end they all had cups of tea and things like plaice and chips. I had sausage, egg and chips. The portion was both large and tasty - I cleared the plate.

Back on the path things were undulating and hot. I don't like it when the path does this because it makes progess slow and hard. The signs also left a lot to be desired and several times I had to decide what was the path, fortunately I was almost always right. By looking at track wear and generally around as you approach a junction, add a dash of experience of walking a couple of hundred miles and you build up a picture of which is the most likely route.

At Kennack Sands the path pops out onto the road. Looking back there is no sign to a walker that this is the path, just a grey signpost that has rusted and the top dropped off. Maybe that was once the sign. The sun had come out like it meant to stay out so I applied sun cream and hat. The climb out of Kennack Sands was long and hard so at the top I stopped, took my boots and socks off and had a fifteen minute break. I enjoyed it too much - I was getting tired and there was still a reasonable distance to go.

Along this stretch of coast there were a few deep coombes including Downas Valley, a particularly deep and difficult one that sapped my strength. In some places the vegetation was seriously getting in the way although nearing the lookout at Black Head it was trimmed back. I rounded the head and I was finding it more difficult to go on although it wasn't for long now. Ever so slowly Chynhalls Point got closer until I was past it and trudging up the steep hill to the campsite. There was another campsite before my intended one, but this didn't have good facilities whereas the one on the map seemed built up and I wanted a bit of pampering rather than make do. It was £5-00 for the night with inclusive stores and a proper toilet block.

As I approached reception an oversized poodle came running up to me barking and growling. Why is it that dogs are never pleased to see me? In reception was 'Auntie' who was obvously standing in and didn't know where anything was, and a little girl who did and was really running the show, took my details and gave me a couple of bottles of orangeade. In the field I set up the tent to dry out where it was still wet from the morning after twelve hours, had some food and limped over to the showers; my feet were very tender.

Next page, Day seven, 14th June 01, Coverack to Manaccan.

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

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