Day 31 - Helford Passage to Falmouth docks - 9 Miles

I woke up to the sound of drizzly rain on the tent at about 5am! Only the tiniest of almost inaudible spots, but drizzle nonetheless and everyone I had spoken to the day before had said that the weather was supposed to be as good if not better today than it had been yesterday. I was really hoping this was to be the case as I had only planned to walk to Falmouth today and thought I would have time to stop off on a naturist beach I had read about called Arthur's Beach on the final approaches to Falmouth. Sigh.. it seems perhaps that my sunbathing plans are not to be this year!! I went back to sleep and snoozed on and off until my phone alarm went off at 7.30am.. a normal workday.. I'd forgotten to switch it off! No matter I was awake enough to get up anyway. I poked my head outside the tent and it was dull and overcast with low misty grey clouds... sigh.. certainly looked like it was in for the day!! I went for a shower and then used the last half of stale baguette with processed cheese and tomatoes... hmmm... washed down with fresh orange juice! I had to retreat to the car and shut the door as a drizzle shower came over. Pirate FM was saying the weather in the west was going to be worse than the east and that it would remain overcast all day with patchy drizzle!! Great!! So much for my sunbathe easy day!!

I was ready to set off before 9am again and made my way down the long twisting drive from the campsite to the lane. Unusually I turned right at the end of the drive. I was expecting the driving part of the journey to be short today. I needed to drop the bike off in Falmouth and then drive to Helford Passage, across the river from Helford where I'd finished yesterday. Of course on the twisting lanes I ended up getting hopelessly lost again and ended up in Stithian, which was the last thing I needed to do as it was Stithian Show this week and there were all sorts of diversions in place for all traffic, just to confuse me even more!

I did eventually make it to Falmouth somehow and chained the bike up to a fence in a public place on the promenade in front of a row of largish hotels on Gyllyngvase Terrace. On my arrival later I planned to walk past the bike and out around Pendennis Head and back up the far side of the estuary past the docks and into town. From there it should be a short walk back over the narrow spit of land to pick up the bike and cycle back to Helford Passage.

The drive over to Helford Passage was again nightmarishly up and down so i wasn't looking forward to the bike ride at the end of the day again. I parked up and paid a bargain £1 charge for the car park for the day. The ticket was time stamped at 9.50am today, so despite being even closer than yesterday's destinations it had taken me as long to get sorted for the day again!

I set off down the steep lane towards the river in search of the coast path on this side and soon found it off to the right at the water's edge. A finger post told me it was three quarters of a mile to Durgan. It was a nice walk out along this side of the estuary, past quite a few small pebbly bays. The first of these was at the bottom of Trebah Gardens and a sign said the beach was for garden visitors only. I went along at the back of the beach and then climbed up out of the small bay and along to Durgan, which was a tiny hamlet and very pleasant.

Looking across Helford River from Helford Passage across to Helford

Looking east along the helford River to its mouth

Looking across the Helford River after passing Trebah Gardens

The beach at Durgan

Looking back up Helford River from Durgan

It was a climb up the lane out of the hamlet and into oak woodland. There were pleasant views back along the estuary through the trees all along this stretch, and there were large houses off to the left, which must have fantastic views out across the estuary. Over the far side of the river the eadland of St Anthony could be seen and beyond it Nare Point which I had rounded yesterday.

Looking through the oak trees after the climb up the lane from Durgan

The weather was peculiar. It seemed like the cloud might be lifting, but the air was incredibly humid and i was drenched with sweat even though there was little in the way of gradients along this section! I rounded Toll Point and then the path entered a lovely stretch of woodland again so views were lost. The path was a little confusing at this point with a lower and a higher split. I took the higher one which lead up to another path off to the left to Mawnan Church. The path I was on carried on and then descended to rejoin the lower path so all was not lost. I emerged from the trees to spot Rosemullion Head jutting out into the sea ahead. I also spied a couple just rounding the headland, that looked to be possibly the couple that I had shared the boat with across the creek to St Anthony from Gillan.

Large house at Bosloe with view out towards Helford River Mouth

Looking back up the river towards Helford from large trees in Bosloe house grounds

Looking ahead to Porthallack and Toll Point as i leave the grounds of Bosloe House

Looking across the river to yesterdays walk along the southern shore from Porth Saxon beach

Cows and lush green pasture behind the beach at Porth Saxon

Looking back down the River towards Helford from Porth Saxon

Looking across the River Helford Mouth to Nare Point and on the extreme right the end of Dennis Head

Parson's beach below and the way ahead after the climb up from Toll Point.

A last look back down the Helford River after climbing up from Toll point

I rounded Rosemullion Head to get a new view ahead of small coves all the way to Maenporth and beyond that the entrance to Falmouth harbour closer at hand than it had been yesterday as I had rounded Nare Point etc.

There was steep little climb up around a nibbled cliff edge just after Rosemullion Head and at the top of the climb I caught up with the couple that I'd seen ahead earlier. It did indeed turn out to be the couple from yesterday as I'd thought. They'd stayed the night in Falmouth getting a bus from Helford Passage last night as there was nowhere to stay there. They'd then got a bus back out to Helford Passage this morning for their last day of walking on this holiday. They had done quite well making it from Penzance to Falmouth in about 5 days! As we stood there chatting the drizzle came back in and we set off walking again gradually downhill to Bream Cove.

Close at hand the headland of Rosemullion Head and in the distance, across Falmouth Harbour entrance, St Anthony Head with its lighthouse.

Looking south across the Helford River mouth from Rosemullion Head.The furthest headland with rocks is Manacle Point, beyond which was Coverack, the start of my walk this year.

Swanpool beach and Falmouth, the end of today's walk, is still a long way around the harbour from Rosemullion Head.

The way ahead and Bream Cove from Rosemullion Head

Cormorant or shag on a rock stretching out its wings as I round Rosemullion Head.

The way ahead across Gatamala Cove and Bream Cove just before the steepish climb just after rounding Rosemullion Head.

Looking back at Rosemullion Head from above Bream Cove

From here it was a pleasant enough walk around low cliffs to Maenporth, which was pretty deserted because of the state of the weather. As I approached though, it almost looked like the clouds would break up and there was the odd glimpse of blue sky. I decided to walk along the back of the beach to the cafe at the far side which was open. I bought a Thornton's toffee magnum type ice cream and a bottle of coke and sat outside under cover in case the drizzle started again. While i sat there the couple, who'd stopped off to don waterproofs etc after Bream Cove caught up with me and sat at my table for a bit more of a chinwag. It was quite interesting looking out to sea from the cafe at all the large ships at anchor not far out in the bay.

The view from High Cliff before rounding the headland to Maenporth. Across the bay is Newporth Head then Pennance Point, hiding Swanpool and Falmouth behind it. Beyond that Pendennis Head the headland at this side of Falmouth Harbour which I had to go round to reach Falmouth Docks at the end of today.

The small beach below High Cliff and in the distance Rosemullion Head.

Maenporth with its beach cafe and yellow canopy at the far side.

The cloud looked as if it might continue breaking up at times but in the end always failed to do so, though in the thinner cloud between dark grey areas you could actually feel the heat of the sun in the muggy weather conditions. The couple set off up the coast path by the cafe first and I followed on not long after them. After a while I passed Newporth Head and began looking down where I could to see if I could see a beach that was likely to be Arthur's Beach. I spied some yellow scrawls on a rock far below, which could have said Arthur's Beach with a bit of imagination, so I started looking for likely paths down. There were a couple of possible very overgrown paths, but I wasn't going to struggle down there with the weather not being glorious as it was. Just as I'd given up all hope of finding a clearer way down, a path appeared on the right as I reached Pennance Point. I decided, as I was doing ok time wise, to go down and see what it was like. It was quite a long walk back down the cliffs to get back to where I'd seen the yellow scrawls on the rocks far below. There was a 'costumes optional' sign at the bottom, which was a bit of a scramble, with knotted ropes to help people scramble back up. The beach was pleasant enough and deserted, so as it was warm, even though overcast, I got my kit off and sat there watching the ships anchored out to sea and a couple of sea kayaking fishermen closer at hand. I had my lunch and a bloke came down the path and to the far end of the beach over some rocks.

Looking out across the bay to Bream Cove, Gatamala Cove, Rosemullion Head and in the far distance the rocks at Manacle Point, after leaving Maenporth

The ships out in the bay from my rocky perch on Arthur's Beach.

A few other people came down after that and I got dressed and went on my way again. It was quite a climb up to eventually rejoin the coast path at Pennance Point. From here it was a short walk along to Swanpool Beach. There were groups of kids with an instructor out on rafts in the water. The path up around the next headland was across the beach. It was a tarmacced path through bushes all the way round to Gyllyngvase Beach. I joined the road and walked uphill slightly in front of all the hotels on the terrace. I was happy to see the bike still chained to the fence as I passed by. I had already decided not to cheat, and walk all the way around Pendennis Point and down its far side to the docks and town. It would add an extra three miles to the day really, but hey ho!

Looking back at Arthur's beach on my climb back up to the path at Pennance Point.

Looking across Swanpool Bay to Swanpool Head Gyllyngvase Beach and Falmouth from Pennance Point.

Final approaches to Swanpool Beach.

Gyllyngvase Beach looking across Swanpool Bay to Pennance point

The walk wasn't very exciting at all and I began to wish I hadn't bothered. I made it round to the end of Pendennis Point and took a photograph across the harbour mouth to Zone Point, the planned start of tomorrow's walk. The walk back in towards Falmouth was very densely treed so there were few opportunities to look out across the harbour to St Mawes etc. I eventually emerged above the docks, though I had smelt them before through the trees.. a faint whiff of burning oil in the air. The docks were actually quite interesting and there was a large ship in dry dock below. It was by no means a giant like the ones I'd been looking at all day out to sea, but seeing people and cars next to it made you realise just how huge it was – the equivalent to a 10 or 15 story building.

The walk along Gyllyngvase Terrace towards Pendennis Head. Peeping out from behind is St Anthony Head across the harbour mouth.

Looking back along Gyllyngvase Terrace before heading out around Pendennis Head.

Looking across Falmouth harbour entrance to St Anthony Head from the end of Pendennis Head.

The docks and behind them Falmouth town around the far side of Pendennis Head.

Cruise ship in the harbour at Falmouth.

By this point I was beginning to get a bit peckish and thought I would walk into town in search of a KFC. Unfortunately after a huge trek around town I failed to find one and settled for a Veggie Delite Subway instead, which is much healthier anyway I suppose. As I set off again after that my feet were quite painful after the rest. I had definitely got a blister on the edge of my big toe with the extra trudging around Pendennis Point and then town in search of KFC. I found my way over the headland to Gyllyngvase Terrace and unchained the bike and set off downhill.

I decided that rather than detouring inland I would take the tarmacced path over to Swanpool beach that I had walked over on. It seemed much narrower than when I'd walked along it so I was glad that I didn't meet anyone coming the other way. I walked the bike down the last steep gradient to Swanpool Beach and then across the sand to the road. It was a steep climb out of the bay, but I was very proud of myself as I managed to cycle all the way up the road to a junction at the top. I turned left and then immediately right down a smaller lane in the hope that I could avoid the big down and then up at Maenporth. It turned out to be irrelevant. The lane I was on descended all the way to a valley bottom and hen of course a huge climb out ensued. I tried my best to get all the way up on the bike but the hill just ketpt on going round every bend and I gave up and walked the rest of the way. I was puffing like a steam train about to explode again by the time I reached the road junction at the top. I turned left and then around the corner turned right opposite a hotel entrance.. again in the hope of avoiding some of the steep gradients that I could see on the map from this point on. This time it worked and the road was gently graded until I met a more major road to Mawnan Smith. From this point on the road was gently undulating and not really a problem. I made it back to Helford Passage fairly worn out today and drove back to the campsite... yet again getting lost in the lanes on the way back to Polkerris. I got back to the site at about 7pm and had a shower and went to the barn to type up the diary until dark.

I went to bed worn out at about 10.30pm.

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