Day 20 - St Agnes Head to Gwithian - 12 Miles

Of course, with going to sleep so early the night before, I woke up correspondingly early this morning! I managed to fall asleep again though and dozed on until about 7.40am, when I eventually decided to get up. I went to find the showers and toilets. They were nice and I had a HOT shower, washing out the pair of pants and socks that I'd worn up to this point and donning a new pair. I elected to keep the same T shirt on though as it wasn't too pongy!:)

I returned to the tent. The main heavy rain of the night seemed to have ceased, but wind blasted drizzle came and went. I think I was beginning to get very jaded by wind on this holiday so far! The forecast that I'd heard yesterday, sitting in the car waiting for the rain to go over at Treago Farm had said that it would be wet early on today, but clearing to become blustery showers later on. I had to stick with this forecast and hope that nothing had changed. I ate some chocolate cake for breakfast and dismantled the tent in a less drizzly moment. I donned the HEAVY rucksack and made my way to reception. There was no answer from the doorbell, but then a woman drove up and let me in – presumably Jane from the phone conversation the previous evening. I was charged 10 quid for the pitch, which I thought was rather steep, especially as Treago Farm had only been 5 quid and just as nice! Grrr… Oh well! I paid, changed the batteries in my camera, and set off at about 9.30am. I was tired, but otherwise OK – no injuries, aches, pains or soreness to speak of so far. Not bad, as I'd now done 15 miles or so and was almost a whole day ahead of my original loose itinerary.

I left the relative shelter of the campsite with its high walls and low crouching windshaped trees, and was immediately battered by the relentless onslaught again. It was damp and cold today into the bargain with low steel grey clouds well and truly hiding any brightness at all. At the end of the driveway I turned left along the lane for a short distance to a car park for Wheal Cotes Tin mine ruins. I walked along the path from the car park to the ruins, which were dramatic and impressive, though if the photos of them turn out unblurry it will be a miracle, as the buffeting wind made it impossible to stand still to take photos in such low light conditions and drizzle spots spattering the lens.

Wheal Cotes tin mine ruins as I aproach them on the track down from the road.

I walked through the ruins down to join the coast path again a bit further below on the cliff side. The sands of Chapel Porth beach below were submerged beneath white, crashing waves and wind blasted spume. It was difficult to equate this place with the peaceful, sun-drenched, golden sandy beach that I'd visited previously on a holiday with Rob, where I'd bathed in deep sun warmed pools in the sand left by the retreating tide.

More ruins below as I clamber down through them to join the coast path. The sands of Chapel Porth are covered by crashing waves below and I am stung by horizontal drizzle.

The rain drenched inlet of Chapel Porth itself.

It began to stingingly drizzle as I walked along the cliffs towards the combe of Chapel Porth itself. I descended thankfully to get out of the wind for a while. The car park at the bottom was deserted, but for one car, and the café, which I don't remember even being there when I visited before, was shut too. Any wonder!! It felt like a winter's day rather than getting on for mid summer!! I decided to shelter for a while in the covered over area next to the café and ate a bag of low fat snacks and a few sweets. I guess I was quite down in the dumps – mainly due to the constant cold wind. It could have been worse. It could have promised rain all day with it!! Maybe the text I'd received from Martin telling me of wet weather for the next two days wasn't helping my mood!? Hmm! What a week to pick to resume my South West Coast Way walk!:( So much for the idyllic summer days with balmy sea breezes that I'd imagined for the week when planning it! I tried not to be ungrateful though. I'd been luckier than I could have been so far to be honest.

I decided to catch up on the diary while sheltering next to the café in Chapel Porth and while I sat there a National Trust warden turned up and then a woman to open the café and shop!!! Quite why, I'm not sure. They surely couldn't be expecting much trade on a day like today!??

A short while later, two elderly chaps turned up. They too were doing the Way in small chunks every year, though their wives were transporting all their stuff for them by car. I think they were the first fellow Way walkers that I'd encountered so far on this trip! Not long after they'd set off I followed on behind, now thoroughly shivery and chilled even though I'd been sitting out of the wind! I headed inland alongside a pleasant stream before doubling back up the headland, climbing gently out to the far headland of Chapel Porth, where of course the wind battered me well and truly once again all the way along to Porth Towan, about half an hour later. I arrived there at about 11.30am, the tide being well in up the beach.

Looking back at my shelter of the cafe in Chapel Porth as I set off feeling rather down in the dumps.

Looking back across Chapel Porth to Wheal Cotes ruins as I climb up the far headland back out to sea.

The final descent to Porth Towan from the drenching clifftops.

As soon as I descended I came across Blue Bar, with nice big windows overlooking the beach. I succumbed without a second thought and went in for a drink, plumping for a bottle of Magners cider. It was definitely one of those drinks hitting the right spot moments and went down very well.

They started serving food in there at 12 and so I decided to wait and write up more of the diary in the warm and out of the infernal tiring wind. The bottles of Magners were steep at £3.50 a bottle and the food I ordered ( a roasted pepper, pesto pine nut ciabatta) along with a second Magners was steep too, but hey ho! It is only money after all and my need for cheering up on this day seemed considerable!! The food was actually nice when it turned up, but not really worth the £5 it had cost! It seems I was going to get ripped off today no matter what, with the expensive camping last night etc etc.

I finally summoned up the enthusiasm to get up and carry on, donning the fleece under the waterproof this time as the wind was really cold. I walked up the main street away from the sea and past the other pub. Just before the general stores I cut back up a quite steep lane angling back out along the far headland of the bay. The wind, of course, hit me with full force as I rounded the point and the drizzle was more on than off at the moment. I wasn't pleased and beginning to tire rapidly, more from a general despondency than anything else! After passing a chimney, this time concrete, rather than the more romantic round stone ones, there was a ferocious descent followed by a ferocious climb of course! Both descent and ascent were large numbers of steps, though these were all too tall for my short legs. It was a real strain getting down them at first, me being extra careful to alternate knees etc to nurse them all I could and not over strain my favoured knee. On the climb back out of the small coombe I just felt I was running on empty, my legs like jelly half the time, and I had to stop every 10 or 20 steps to stop my leg muscles screaming and to catch my breath!

The wet way ahead as I round the first headland out of Porth Towan and get battered by the wind. The almost stack in the foreground being Tobban Horse and the square concrete chimney ahead on the far headland.

Looking all the way back to St Agnes Head after passing Tobban Horse rock below.

The ugly square concrete tower.

The crashing waves just before the ferocious descent and ascent to cross the valley just after passing the concrete chimney. The stack is Gullyn Rock.

Looking back at my ferocious descent as I stop for one of numerous rests on the climb back out of the valley.

While staring down into the crashing waves from the top of the climb I spotted a couple of seals being tossed about in the tremendous currents of the roaring surf. The next mile or so wasn't that inspiring. The cliffs were dramatic enough, but the tide was still well in so there were no rocks or beaches exposed at their bases. Off to my left were the metal fences of yet more MOD land. The repeated drenchings from stinging drizzle didn't really help my mood! I was extremely weary as I reached the headland before Portreath.

I made my way around the small cove, but again, it was just crashing waves, no sand or rocks exposed. At the car park, a lovely retriever bounded up to me and as it followed me bounding around my legs I was not amused. I was tetchy enough to have shouted back to have a go at the couple who were ineffectually calling it to heel. I was tired enough without having to trip over excited golden retrievers however sweet they were!

The official path at this point was re-routed to join the quite steep lane down into Portreath, because of cliff erosion. I rounded the last bend and the harbour and village of Portreath came into view. The harbour itself was full with the tide being in and the boats moored there were bobbing about quite vigorously as the huge waves were funnelled down the narrow harbour. The houses were all modern and council house looking, which was quite odd really. I guess you just expect Cornish villages to look Cornish and quaint!:)

The way ahead shrouded in drizzle after finally making it to the top of the steep ascent. Sheep Rock is the stack visible here.

I at last arrive in Portreath, disheartened and tired - a council estate by the sea.

My legs were weary and the top of my left foot was beginning to be a bit painful too!!? I didn't think it was anything serious at all, but I was just aware of it. At the bottom of the hill I went into the Portreath Arms Hotel for a drink. I'd decided the two pints of Magners at lunchtime hadn't helped my walking and certainly hadn't helped my mood after the event of actually drinking them! So, it was a raspberry and apple J2O and a diet coke for me. I also wolfed down a bag of dry roast peanuts.

I was quite ready to give up at this point. My coat was soaked by drizzle and I was weary weary weary! I texted Steve to see if he was busy. I could have done with a pep talk from him to raise my spirits and spur me on! He didn't reply though and so I assumed he was busy! Oh well! I even looked at a leaflet for rooms in the hotel when I was at the bar, but it didn't mention a cost and I really didn't want to be stopping in somewhere as dull as this. A hotel would be a waste of cash too. Looking at the map though, it seemed that I had about as far as I'd come this morning to get to the semi planned stop of a camp site at Gwithian at the eastern end of St Ives Bay with a handy pub next to it for tea! It was also getting on time wise. By the time I'd finished my two drinks it was 3.45pm. If I was going to carry on I was going to have to go now. I reckoned it would take me until about 8pm at least to get to the campsite at current walking/dawdling/depressed pace!

Against my better judgement, I donned my still sopping coat, and set off wearily once again. The shoulders were now hurting too, just to rub salt into the wounds of my miserable day! I crossed the road from the hotel and bought 2 bottles of diet coke and trudged wearily down the main road on the far side of the harbour. When it turned back on itself, I carried on up a lane, climbing slightly past the white crenulated Battery House. This part of Portreath was more quaint, nestling in a secluded little valley above the far end of the beach. There was a slight descent into the valley before the climbing of the far headland began in earnest. I managed it ok with a few stops up the steepest bit. The slight rest at the pub and maybe the sugar of the J2O and a few sweets I'd munched on to raise my spirits, had perhaps helped me a little??

The climb out of the far valley of Portreath

I reached the top of the main climb and then the path was pretty flat, though I kept getting repeatedly drizzled on! As I neared the two steepish coombes that I'd seen with dread when studying the map back at the pub, a jogger came up behind me and made me jump out of my skin!! You certainly couldn't hear anything with the wind blasting in your ears constantly. He rushed on ahead and was down and running up the steps at the far side of the first coombe even before I'd started my weary descent. I managed fine, better than I'd anticipated, with plenty of stops to catch my breath. By the time I reached the top the jogger had traversed the next valley and was out of sight! Humph! See if I care!! You try carrying as much weight as me, both around the waist and on my poor painful shoulders!

At least I succeeded, and looking at the map in the pub at Portreath these two coombes were the most strenuous bits for the rest of the day! The walk along North Cliffs was flat and almost mettled after passing the first car park off the road . The wind continued to buffet me mercilessly, knocking me off balance all the time, but at least the cloud was seemingly lifting and breaking up – about bloody time too!! The path went right along the side of the road for a while, before angling away hugging the cliff tops of Hudder Down, before coinciding again almost at Hell's Mouth.

At last the headland of Navax Point was at hand!! I'd been looking longingly at it getting closer and closer ever since climbing the first headland out of Portreath.

I stopped above Fishing Cove before heading out to the point and was amazed to see 20 or more Seals all lozacking about on the now exposed rocks and gravel below. Even better, the sun was now coming out at fairly regular intervals. Mum rang at this point and I must have sounded very weary and despondent. I was whinging about being very tired and the constant strength sapping wind ever since I'd arrived. Of course, the last bit of a day always seems the longest when your body is at its most weary. My feet were also now becoming quite painful – nothing specific or serious, but just too many repeated footfalls in two days with much too much weight bearing down on each one. I was also aware of a slightly sore, but not really blistered little toe on my right foot!

As I reached Navax Point, the lighthouse on its rock off Godrevy point came back into view again and it was a downhill trudge along towards Godrevy Point before heading back inland again next to the lane out to the Godrevy Point Car park.

Godrevy lighthouse.

Godrevy lighthouse from a little further along.

Looking down into Fishing Cove with its lazing seals.

Looking back at Godrevy Lighthouse after rounding Navax Point on the final approach to Gwithian

The church tower of Gwithian could be seen poking out above a small rise, and also caravans at the campsite. The end was at last in sight!! At the main road, which seemed to take for ever to reach, I turned right into Gwithian itself. A sign for the Church Town Farm Campsite told me it was 300 yds on the right as I entered the village. 300 yds even seems a long way at this stage of a long walking day! I at last made it!! But no one was in the mobile home of a warden's office. I rang the number posted in the window and it was fine for me to pitch anywhere. It would cost me £5. more like it again!!

I wearily pitched the tent, which of course was soaking wet still. I hoped the wind would quickly dry it though. I set off for the village pub. I'd been promising myself a proper meal all afternoon to help spur me on. The village was really pretty, with a quaint granite church, which must be hell to carve!!! And several thatched cottages. The pub – The Red River Inn - was only about 100 yds up from the farm entrance. I ordered scampi and chips and a pint of Kronenbourg, which was nice even though I had quite bad acid indigestion. Maybe too much exercise and too little substantial food really, when I thought about it!!?

The Red River Inn in Gwithian with the church tower beyond.

I finished writing up the diary while sitting in there and trudged back to the tent. It had rained heavily while I'd been in there. This was rather annoying as I'd left my washed socks and pants along with my towel pegged to the tent to dry while I was out!Typical! Sigh!!

It was about 10pm when I got back and I went to bed, totally shattered. The planned next day was only around the bay to St.Ives – a shorter rest day and boy did I need it! Still, I'd done about 27 miles now and was still almost a day ahead of my original schedule. I would be able to cash that in the day after next perhaps, as the guidebook promised a return to 'strenuous' walking!! I'd been struggling enough with 'moderate'! EEK!!!

Map of the day's walk:(click to enlarge)