Day 21 - Gwithian to St Ives - 9 Miles

Despite being woken early with heavy spatters of rain on the tent, it turned out to be merely a shower. Today was finally going to be a decent day weatherwise. The wind, though still strong, was nothing compared with the hurricane force gales of the days before.

I lazed about snoozing for a while opening the side of the tent to let the sun shine in for a change. I didn't have to worry too much about time today, with only planning to walk along to St.Ives, mainly on the flat. I did get up and went for a shower which cost 20p but it was beautifully hot and powerful and the site was only £5 after all!. It wasn't very pleasant drying off with the sopping wet towel that had got wet the night before in the heavy downpour while I'd been sitting in the Red River Inn.

I went back to the tent and decided to peg the towel to the nearby fence to lighten it a bit at the very least. I was in no rush today after all! I'd managed to pay the warden for the night, on my way to the shower, but I returned to the toilet block in search of a socket to charge my phone a bit. I thought I'd leave it on charge while I dismantled the tent and packed up at a leisurely pace. It was nice to not have to rush because of rain, drizzle or gale force winds!

I eventually set off at about 10am, my spirits high with the prospect of an easy day and much better weather. You could tell just looking at the sky that showers would be developing, but that they wouldn't stop the sun from shining between them.

I ambled my way off the campsite and along the path through the dunes at its side, down to the beautiful sandy beach. I stopped, admiring the sunny and for once only breezy, beautiful view - Godrevy Point and its lighthouse off to my right and St Ives out in front across the blue sea with its white crashing waves.

Godrevy Lighthouse comes into view as I reach the top of the dunes above the beach.

And across St Ives Bay, my destination for the evening... St.Ives itself.

Another look back to the lighthouse and Godrevy Point as I make my way along the beginning of the dunes.

While admiring the scene a fellow backpacker caught up with me. We exchanged a few words. She had stayed at the next campsite along and was apparently heading for St. Ives today as well. She'd walked from Porth Towan to Gwithian yesterday, but had walked quite a bit of it down the roads from Portreath for fear of the wind! She set off ahead of me and I followed on behind not long afterwards.

What on the map, would appear an easy hours walk along the back of the beach turned out to be far from it! The dunes were hard work to say the least, weaving in and out and up and down. The girl I'd spoken to took a seaward route and I soon lost her. I managed to more or less follow the waymark posts of the official route all the way with a few strayings from time to time.

After a whopping 1 3/4 hours I made it to the firm ground of Black Cliff at the far end of the beach, overlooking the sandy mouth of the River Hayle. I was ready for a drink by this point and I kept an eye out for the pub marked on my map. The Bluff Inn wasn't hugely apparent from the seaward side, but my eagle eye spotted it near the life guard hut overlooking Hayle Beach, mainly due to the benches on the lawn outside.

I made my way around to the front entrance. It was an odd place really - half amusement arcade, half soulless pub. There were fab views out over the bay though, and closer at hand a bloke with a large kite, skimming through the waves on a surfboard and another bloke seeminlgy teaching himself to do the same.

I had a pint of Carling and then decided to have food too - a tuna mayonnaise salad, which was less than inspiring, but tasty enough and it filled a hole. I washed it down with another pint while a heavy shower went over and then I set off on my way again. Despite the fact it was supposed to be an easy day today I was already feeling tired after the unreckoned with dune crossing! I should have walked along the sands of the beach instead, but hindsight is a wonderful thing!

I made my way around the headland through a network of almost beach huts converted to proper homes, nestling amongst the dunes and small bushes. It was all quite pleasant. I made it to the Hayle Estuary and the walk to the main road was a bit of an ex industrial trudge.

The way ahead and the fellow backpacker who was soon to be lost in the labyrinthine hard work dunes!

Life Guard hut and St. Ives across the bay. Still a loooong way to go.

I approach the mouth of the River Hayle as I climb up onto the firm ground of Black Cliff at the far end of the beach.

I begin my walk inland to get around the Hayle Estuary.

Looking back along the Hayle Estuary to the beach as I walk further inland.

The viaduct as I walk down from the station to the shops in Hayle.

I crossed the main road to walk along what was once obviously a railway branch line serving the docks I'd just walked through. After a few hundred yards the trackbed curved to join the existing railway line at Hayle Station. I crossed this line and then down a lane to a couple of shops beneath the pleasant viaduct of the railway now high above. I called into the shops for a couple of bottles of diet coke and was tempted by a tomato, mozarrella and basil savoury while I queued to pay. I sat on the window of the bakery next door to munch on it and to rest my shoulders a bit. I also took the opportunity of stowing my waterproof jacket for the first time on the walk I think? It certainly looked like it was going to be more sunshine than shower for a change!

The next part of the walk wasn't very inspiring - a trudge around the estuary (Lelant Saltings) on a main road. After crossing the river I crossed over the road and took the road off to the right around the end of the estuary and under a bridge of the St. Ives branch line that was offering Park and Ride into St. Ives from the station here.

At the main A3074 I turned right and along here, I sat on someone's front wall for a drink of coke and to get the rucksack off the shoulders. I also took my boots off to air the feet, as they were worryingly sore - not really blistered - just sore.

A train across the far side of Lelant Saltings on the St Ives branchline.

After a short rest I trudged on which was annoyingly uphill until the main road turned off to the left. I took a quieter lane which continued straight on out to Lelant Church. I walked through the churchyard and was rewarded with views across the estuary mouth. The other side, where I'd been walking a few hours ago was only a couple of hundred yards away! Tsk! Annoying obstacles to progress these estuaries with no ferries across them!

After my inland trudge I finally reach the church in Lelant, and a golf course.

After a short stroll from Lelant Church, here I am 100yds or so away from where I was 2 or 3 hours ago.. just across the Hayle Estuary.

Looking back inland at Hayle, the estuary to the left and Lelant Saltings to the right.

The path continued downhill briefly, across a golf course and then cut under the railway track again. I rang Steve while I walked down here as he'd just texted me. All seemed normal at home. Just under the bridge the coastal path turned left to continue along the the railway track off on my left with the golf course beyond and the dunes and white beach of Porth Kidney sands on my right.

A train on the St Ives branchline at close quarters.

I begin the walk out to St Ives squeezed between Porth Kidney sands on my right and the railway line on my left.

Looking back along Porth Kidney sands to the Hayle Estuary.

At Carrack Gladden, a small headland, I should have taken the seaward of two paths, which was signposted as the beach and artist's studio. Instead I carried on up the side of the railway track up to a small bridge over to its other side. From here the path continued along the far side of the line, squeezed between house back garden gates and copious undergrowth. A sign on the back gate of one of the gardens proclaimed that Barbara Hepworth had once lived there.

Carbis Bay, just before I cross the railway line to walk down the wrong side of the line. The official path is visible below.

I joined a lane, steeply dipping down to the beach at Carbis Bay, rejoining the official path a little way along it. What goes down must go up on this walk of course, and I climbed back up to cross over the railway track yet again and then a short distance further along, joined a leafy tree swathed lane. I've certainly missed trees on this walk since Devon really!

It was while I was walking along here, shoulders killing me and feet sore in several places, that I started hatching a cunning and devious plan. I knew there would be a Tourist Information Centre in St Ives. Initially I just thought of cutting short the next day by booking a B&B at Zennor, which was only 6 odd miles beyond St Ives. I had hours of walking in hand after all! I was now a whole day ahead of schedule. I could afford to have a shorter day, especially as my guidebook claimed the next day was strenuous. It didn't take my brain long to cotton onto the idea of busses though. Was there a regular bus service along the main road beyond St Ives? If there was, I could pitch at the planned campsite in St Ives for two nights instead of one. Tomorrow I could walk out as far as I could without the weight of the rucksack into the bargain and catch a bus back to St Ives for the night and then the following morning bus back out to wherever I'd managed to reach the evening before! This seemed a fantastic plan in theory. It would be heaven walking without the rucksack for a day, especially if the terrain was going to be difficult as promised! It was also a much cheaper option than cutting the day short and stopping in a B&B at Zennor.

I carried on, slightly invigorated at the thought !! I had to make sure that I got down to St Ives by 5pm though in case the Tourist Information Centre shut, or all would be lost. It was about 4.30pm when I reached a Huer's Hut on the lane and I had to sit on benches there for a few minutes and a swig of coke. Apparently the hut had been manned in the past so that shoals of pilchards out in the bay could be seen and the fishing fleet mustered! I expect 'shoals' of pilchards are now a thing of the past with the terrible over fishing of our waters etc.

I couldn't afford a long stop and so I pressed on downhill, over another bridge over the railway and down to the sea front. St Ives is a really beautiful place. I was impressed and hope to return for a relaxing hols as soon as I can!

At last St Ives is at hand.

A bit of a rush to find the Tourist Information Centre now I am here!

The Harbour in St.Ives.

One of the narrow St Ives streets as I look for the TIC.

I managed to find the Tourist Information Centre in the maze of narrow and quaint streets, though not easily. I was rewarded with good news though!! There was indeed a regular bus service along the coast beyond St Ives, though only every two hours and the last one being only about 6pm depending on how far I got and wanted to come back from!! Yipee - a day without the rucksack and the usual tent dismantling routine before setting off for the day!

I returned to the harbour area and continued my way around it - very sore footed and sore shouldered, but somewhat relieved too - an odd feeling. I went around a small beach to reach St Ives Head - rounding this and making my way along to Porth Meor Beach. I stopped for a rest, the campsite for the next two nights now visible on the far headland. At this stage of the day it seemed a long way, and a long way UP too! I walked behind the beach, through side streets of artist's studios and workshops and then along the beach front road, past the Tate St Ives building.

I walk around the back of the harbour...

.... and onto St Ives Head or "The Island"

The Tate in St Ives.

The climb up out of the bay to the campsite was, as expected, ferocious and I began to wonder why I'd not eaten while walking through St Ives itself! The last thing I needed after a long day was to have to walk back into town for food and back up the hill afterwards. Ah well! Bad planning for a change!!

I at last reached Ayr Holiday Park and paid for two nights - £6 odd each. The backpackers area was, of course, at the far end of the park! Typical! The pitches by the hedge, the only shelter from the wind, were already gone, one of them to the girl I'd met at the beginning of the day . She'd got lost in the dunes apparently and then caught a bus from along the route at some point!! Not a stickler for none cheating like I am it seems!!

I erected the tent and set off on my weary way back down the hill in search of food. I ended up having scampi and chips from a harbourfront chippy proclaiming itself to sell 'probably the best chips in town'. All I can say is, I hope not! It certainly wasn't the best eating experience of the holiday!!

The view from the campsite.. out over St Ives Head, across St Ives Bay to Godrevy Point and lighthouse, and in the far distance St Agnes Head.

At the far end of the harbour I bought two pasties for tomorrow and a couple of bottles of diet Pepsi and then made my way through the network of jumbled streets to Porth Meor Beach Road again. While walking along here I noticed a pod of dolphins right close into the shore, amongst all the surfers there. It was fascinating watching them and I sat on a bench to watch for ages as they made their way up and down the beach. They seemed to be playing with the surfers and pretending to surf themselves!! There must have been 5-10 of them and you could see them through the water of the waves as they rose up out of the water to break. It was a really fantastic sight, but after a while they headed out further into deeper waters and I trudged back up the hill.

I called in at the toilet block on my way back to the tent. I've never seen such posh facilities - all chrome fixtures and fittings - frosted glass doors to showers and toilets, posh basins, mosaics in the floor!! All marvellous!!

I spent an hour or so writing up some of the diary before finally deciding to sleep at about 9pm. I was 39 miles further along the route and officially a day ahead of my rough itinierary before setting out! The soreness of my feet was worrying though and it remained to be seen how far I would be capable of walking the next day, even without the weight of the rucksack!