Three Days in the Wild West

Prep day - 11th August
We all met up at the Lands End Youth Hostel http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/south-west-england/hostels/lands-end/index.aspx as our centre for the walk from St Ives round the coast to Newlyn. We aimed for three days, breaking at Pendeen Watch and Porthgwarra, and using two cars to ferry between the hostel and start/end points. Weather wasn't looking too kind, but unless it turned really bad we would go for it!

Day One - 12th August - St Ives to Pendeen Watch
Dropped one car off at Pendeen Watch, then drove to St Ives, finally finding parking at the Rugby Football Club. Sauntered down to the Tate Gallery as our starting point. Windy, showers threatening but bright; as we left the town families were flocking to the beach for a day surrounded by wind-breaks. A couple of hefty showers soaked our socks but we battled on, and by lunchtime the weather cleared and we were treated to increasingly good views. The first section to Zennor sapped our energies, with lots of boulders in slippery mud to negotiate, so arriving at Zennor was a real treat. Sue left us here to explore Zennor, as the rest of us carried on past the airy Gurnard's Head and Bosigran Castle (lots of memories of climbing here many years ago). We saw several seals sheltering in the bays protected from the westerly winds; the water is so clear despite the wind! The Lighthouse at Pendeen kept hiding itself from us, but finally it appeared, much to the relief of our tired legs. A lovely meal at the Gurnard's Head Hotel http://www.gurnardshead.co.uk/ revived our energies.

Day Two - 13th August - Newlyn to Porthgwarra
The weather this morning was horrid - winds gusting to Force 9, hefty showers interspersed with horizontal driving rain - not much to recommend the planned route form Pendeen to Porthgwarra. Being sensible ladies, we flexed the plan and went to Newlyn to start there instead - and found the south coast much more amenable. Only one small short shower; Sara had just got one foot into her zingy yellow overtrousers when it stopped raining! The rest of the days was unbelievably but gloriously sunny and warm. Along the way we visited Mousehole, Lamorna, St Loy's Bay (lunch on the boulder beach), Penberth, Porthcurnow, Minack Theatre, St Levan's Well, and finally Porthgwarra - all lovely places. Highlight of the day - a large creature swimming westwards just of Tater Du lighthouse - was it a whale, a basking shark, or something else? We have yet to identify this creature from the deep!

Day Three - 14th August - Pendeen Watch to Porthgwarra
After yesterday's breezy day truning out so well, this one dawned beautifully - few clouds, a gentle breeze - and remained so all day. The Isles of Scilly beckoned on the horizon all day - fabulous. It just got better and better - famous historic remains of mines from Geevor and Levant through to Botallack. On to Kenidjack and Cape Cornwall, around the Cot Valley and along the glorious coast round to Sennen Cove, where the crowds made us scurry on through and onto Lands End - more crowds, noise and unwelcome smells. Over the next headland we were pleased to find ourselves back in the peace and quiet - and at Zawn Trevilley we were rewarded by our first ever sight of wild Cornish Choughs. We watched them for several minutes, tingling with excitement (us, not the choughs!). A quick stop for refreshment at Nanjizal beach, watched by a seal in the bay, led us on to Gwennap Head (but hte Coastguard had already gone home for his tea!), and then easily round to Porthgwarra to the car.

You can't beat Cornwall - why go anywhere else?