Day 32 - St Anthony Head to Carne Beach – 8 miles

The day dawned overcast again, though I had expected that as the weather yesterday had said that it would be cloudy and that the cloud and hill fog would struggle to clear all day in the north. As I sat in the car listening to the radio the forecast was a bit more optimistic if anything, and they did actually mention the possibilities of glimpses of sunshine developing through the day.

I was ready to go by 9am this morning and set off up the driveway. I knew that the drive to today’s bike drop off and car drop was going to be longer than ever. I was going to have to drive right inland and north through Truro and out towards St Austell to get around the far side of the Falmouth Estuaries. I wished I'd not booked and paid for the four nights camping at Lower Dacum Farm really, because at least then I wouldn't have had to drive back all the way to the campsite to head all the way out there again in the morning. Oh well! Not to worry. I can't get it right all of the time. With leaving at 9 I was half expecting the traffic to be bad through Truro, but luckily it wasn't too bad. I turned left down the A3078 heading south again out towards St Mawes, but turned off towards Veryan as I had decided to do a short day today and walk as far as Carne Beach on Gerran Bay. The road from the main road to Veryan was a very narrow and twisty rollercoaster of a road. I was lucky because I was following a tractor that was clearing all oncoming traffic out of the way for me. I wasn't fancying having to do it on the bike later though!

I turned left at the fork to either Pendower Beach on the right or Carne Beach down to the right. I got to the bottom of the hill and chained the bike to a wire fence in a pull in sort of area overlooking the beach. I went for a wee in the car park and then set off on the roller coaster journey through Veryan and back out to the 'main' road. I turned left again towards St Mawes, turning off before too long towards Portscatho and St Anthony. It was a long and narrow journey out to St Anthony Head..and fairly up and down in a mediocre way. I would be repeating the journey later on my bike! I decided to park at St Anthony Head and start the days walk there as there is no parking at St Anthony itself, which is the official start of the walk on this side of Carrick Roads or Falmouth Estuary. I arrived at about 10.30am, so later than I have been but not too bad considering the much greater distance that I'd had to drive to get to this part of the coast.

There were good views out to Falmouth on the far side of the estuary, with the small castle on top of Pendennis Point. There was a large cruise liner anchored out in the bay, but many of the container ships that had been there for the last few days were gone. I had a good view over to the Manacles at Manacle Point which wasn't too far into the first day of walking, seemingly ages ago.

Looking north from St Anthony Head along past Carricknath Point to St Mawes with its castle.

Looking from St Anthony Head across to Pendennis Point, which I had rounded yesterday to get to Falmouth behind.

I headed off round Zone Point. The cloud was well broken on and off all day and turned out to be much better than the forecast. Although the sunny periods were well spaced I ended up having a rather red face by the end of the walk and I didn't even realise I was catching the sun while I was walking. A signpost at the outset informed me it was 4 miles to Portscatho... about half way through my proposed day.

Looking back out across the bay to yesterday's walk as I round Zone Point, with the very tip of the lighthouse poking out above St Anthony Head close at hand.

The way ahead past Porthbeor beach to Porthmellin head as I pass Zone Point.

There was a nice view along the coast towards three nice little beaches this side of the next headland of Porthmellin Head. The first and largest beach looked sandy and there were a few people down on the beach, though it was pretty much deserted with the generally overcast start to the day. The path was gently undulating all the way, which was just as well as I was struggling a little bit with the up portions of it as it was. I was just tired from the two days exertions before I think?

Rocks as I walk along past Drake's Downs on my way to Porthbeor Beach.

Looking back across Drake's Downs to Falmouth across the harbour.

Final approaches to Porthbeor Beach.

Sandy and sea weed clogged cove. The last of the three that make up Porthbeor Beach.

I rounded Killigerran Head which gave out another vista along rocky outcrops to Towan Beach. I saw a seal bobbing about in the water again. My blistered big toe started to be quite painful again on this section of the walk, which was perhaps a little worrying? I have also had twinges in my left knee at times during the last couple of days, but nothing too serious. Blisters I can walk through, but not really knee pain, so I will have to take it easy if I can! I walked along the path along the low cliffs at the back of Towan Beach and along to Greeb Point. My final destination for the day of Carne Beach could be seen off across the bay, getting ever nearer, but all too gradually for my liking! I was definitely tired today, though I felt I was doing an ok pace. There was no sign of Portscatho ahead and I had half planned to get something to eat there, like a pasty from a village shop or something. I had only eaten some garlic bread snack things with cherry tomatoes for breakfast this morning.

I round Killigerran Head to see the next headland of Greeb Point close at hand beyond Towan Beach. Across the bay Nare Head comes into view with Gull Rock off shore from it. In the far distance Dodman Point, another day's walk away.

Towan Beach with Greeb Point beyond.

A commemorative post to simulate a ships mast for life guards to practice using breaches buoys to rescue wreck victims.

The way ahead as I round Greeb Point.

Looking back towards Greeb Point on the long walk to Portscatho.

It seemed to me to be taking for ever to reach Portscatho, which I had been told when setting off, was only 4 miles away? All of a sudden I came upon the first house of the village, nestled away in a pleasant garden. I'd had to have a sit on a bench a little further back down the path, to have a drink and a few more garlic bread snacks and the last three chocolate chip cookies I'd bought with me. I'd also taken my t shirt off as it was dripping with sweat where my rucksack had been resting on it all the way.

Unfortunately Portscatho turned out to be smaller than it looked on the map. There was a small post office which I didn't go in to investigate and a pub which didn't look very inspiring and had people sitting outside under all the umbrellas. I saw a sign just after the tiny harbour and so continued on my way along the coast path. It lead between houses and out towards the next beach of Porthcurnick Beach, which had quite a few people on it as the sun had decided to make more inroads into the clouds than had been expected. At steps which lead down across an intersecting path I went down onto the beach and walked across the sand to a ramp down from another lane. I sat on the wall there for a few minutes as I needed to remove a tiny stone from my boot and investigate the blister on my big toe. It didn't look so bad. I donned the boot again, after yet more garlic bread snacks and diet coke and set off out onto the next small headland of Pednvadan with its small coastguard lookout on it.

Approaching Portscatho.

Portscatho harbour.

My approach to Porthcurnick not long after Portscatho, with the next headland of Pednvadan.

View back across Porthcurnick Beach towards Portscatho from where I sat on the wall to sort out my foot.

The path after this was lowish, above rocks that had lovely blue deeper water bits between that would have been lovely for swimming in if you were a confident swimmer. I must have missed a path as I approached Porthbean Beach, as I actually ended up going down a path onto the beach itself. It was a nice pebbly beach with rocks between, making small pebbly bays. There was a really interesting pinnacle of rock that I walked by. The path up off the beach very near where I'd come down had a sign a little way up it saying that it was a private path up to the hotel, so I carried on along the beach looking for a way up.

It was so nice down here I wasn't really worried and so sat down on the rocks right by the crystal clear blue water while the tiny waves.. more like ripples gurgled against the rocks. If only people weren't so prudish I expect I would have got my kit off and gone for a float in the shallow water, but alas they are so I just sat there relaxing for a while. After a while a few people came down onto the beach from some steep steps that I hadn't seen ahead and behind me. I asked one of them if it was the way up to the coast path and he said it was. It was quite overgrown when i met the path at the top which made me wonder? But it soon seemed to widen out and look more well trodden. The path after this point was a bit up and down and as ever today I was struggling with the ups.

Approaching Porthbean Beach after rounding Pednvadan Head

Interesting rock down on Porthbean Beach.

The way ahead as I climb up from Porthbean Beach. Not too far ahead the large white property just this side of Pendower Beach and beyond it Carne Beach with its few dwellings.

On the final approaches to Pendower Beach the path annoyingly headed inland and uphill considerably to skirt around a large property that seemed to have been converted into several homes. I joined the lane at the top, huffing and puffing, and turned right to head downhill yet again all the way past the other side of the property and further down a car pull in with a view out over the beach. The hotel at the bottom of the lane was shut this year for refurbishment so a sign told me. I decided to walk all the way along Pendower Beach to Carne Beach, as when the tide is out they are one and he same and it would avoid climbing over the headland in between them! It was a pleasant walk along the water's edge where the sand and pebbles were firmer to walk on.

Pendower and Carne Beaches at last close at hand!

I got to Carne Beach to find quite a few people there now. It had been pretty much deserted when I'd dropped off the bike earlier. The bike was still chained to its wire fence but the pull in area had now transformed itself into a place for an ice cream van to stand! My bike was squeezed up against the side of it. Whoops. I had a small tub of ice cream with chocolate sauce and nuts and then extricated my bike from down the side of the van.

I decided that I would walk the bike all the way back along the beach and go up the hill I had walked down to get down to Pendower Beach. That way I would avoid having to cycle up and over the headland back down to Pendower Beach on the other side, only then to have to cycle all the way back out. It would also mean that I would avoid the rollercoaster dangerous lane that I had driven down this morning fro the main road to Veryan. It would also be a bit shorter into the bargain!

It was fine pushing the bike along the sand at the water's edge but going across the dry back of beach sand to join the lane at Pendower Beach was a bit more hard work. I was very proud of myself and cycled all he way up the hill to the main road from Pendower, though it was quite hard work. At the top I turned left and it was gradual to medium up and downhill all the way back out to St Anthony Head.

I made it back just after 3.30pm quite tired after my exertions. I had all sorts of ideas about going to book a campsite somewhere out that way for the next few days because I had finished earlyish, but in the end decided I couldn't be bothered. I headed all the way back to Truro and stopped at Tescos to buy something marginally more foody than I had been eating all day.

I bought a tuna nicoise sandwich and ate it in the car, washed down with some cranberry and raspberry juice drink for a bit of fruit. I also bought a few other snacks for later in the evening and for breakfast the next day. On the way back from Truro I heard on the radio that the A394 was blocked both ways because of an accident.. someone had driven into a brick wall or something? What is it with my journeys down here this year? There always seems to be something to stop me from getting where I want to go in good time! I got to the queue of traffic and everyone was turning around so I did the same after a quick look at the map. Amazingly this time I managed to navigate back to Polkerris without getting lost, though the lane was incredibly narrow from time to time, with quite a bit of traffic on it too. I expect others in the know were trying to get around the accident on the main road.

I got back to the campsite at about 5.30pm with my sunburnt face. The skies here were grey and drizzle was coming in across the hills around. It looks like I'd been in the right place weather wise today at least!

I came to sit in the barn to type up the diary and to charge up all my batteries as much as possible as I don't know if I will be able to charge stuff up at the next campsite tomorrow? I have decided to try and get a site somewhere near the proposed end of the walk tomorrow, though if the forecast weather turns out to be true, maybe I won't walk much at all and sit on a beach instead. Let’s wait and see shall we!!?

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