Day 39 - Looe to Port Wrinkle – 7 miles

It had been raining hard seemingly all night since I'd walked up from the 'bar' to go to bed. The sound of the rain was amplified on my tent with it being under trees that were being shaken by the winds.

I woke up at 7am, but it was raining heavily and the forecast had promised that the rain would last until mid afternoon when I'd heard it the evening before. Sigh.. I am not being very lucky this year:( All down to the jetstream apparently, which at this time of year is normally north of Scotland but this year is slap bang over Cornwall. Typical huh!

I just didn't know what to do.... I was in two minds whether to walk at all today. While I decided I went back to sleep:) lol:) I reawoke at about 8am and it sounded like the rain had actually stopped so i decided to at least get up and showered and have some breakfast. The clouds were low on the hillsides and scudding by at a rapid rate of knots. I started to believe that maybe the front had passsed over earlier than the forecasters had thought as it had rained so heavily all night?

I put the bike on the back and made ready to set off as planned. The bloke from the postie couple in the caravan opposite called out from their caravan door, that the forecast on their tv had said that it would be persistent rain until 6pm this evening. Oh what to do..? I didn't fancy walking in the rain all day.. where would be the fun in that? Whatever happened I decided it was probably daft on such a day to walk all the way to Freathy as I'd sort of planned to do the night before, so I cut the proposed day short to Port Wrinkle, which turned out to be only 7 miles in the end.. less than I'd hoped. After a promising start to this year’s walk I seem to have slowed to a snail's pace again!

I drove in the direction of Port Wrinkle and got to the deserted car park which was being very windswept with horizontal rain again by the time I got there. On the way I heard a forecast on the radio that said brightening up later... sigh.. that could mean any time soon or the 6pm the other folk had heard. Not really very helpful. sigh! While I sat there and dithered about whether to actually walk or not, the rain slowed again and I rashly decided that dammit of course I would walk as planned. If I didn't I would be struggling to get past the obstacle of Plymouth this trip, which I really wanted to do so it is less travel time the next time I come down. So I chained the bike to a fence between car parks and then set off on the drive back past Downdery to get to Looe. Time was cracking on by the time I parked up. I arrived at just gone 10am in rain off course! Yet again I was horrified to find the car park charges were 6 quid for up to 10 hours. The next charge down being for up to 4 hours. I of course hadn't got enough change again. If places are going to charge such ridiculous parking charges they should install machines that take notes as far as I am concerned. I went over to a bakery shop and yet again ended up buying something fattening just to get change. Yesterday an ice cream and today a cheese and onion pasty! Honestly! Its official.. Cornish car parks are bad for your waistline!

I set off up the East Looe side of the harbour through the narrow streets of shops, keeping my eyes peeled for Coast Path signs. Luckily I spied one and set off uphill through narrow alleys and streets to the edge of town and then continuing uphill for a good way. On the edge of town a fingerpost informed me it was a mile to the next valley of Millendreath.

The deserted wind and rainswept beach at the end of East Looe.

The barely visible way ahead across Limmicks, Chough Rock and Plaidy Beach to Millendreath.

My heart wasn't in it at all today. I trudged up the hills at a snail's pace with not even a slight spring in my step. I am definitely a weather affected emotional person! After the initial steep climb I was soon descending again through the jumble of houses above Millendreath. It seemed a particularly moody place. The path was squeezed unwelcomingly between properties as if its very existence was an annoyance to the inhabitants of this horrid little place. I missed a sign at one point and got lost going up blind alleys. I retraced my steps and asked a snooty middle aged couple who had just got out of their car and were at their front door. They replied monosyllabically with “Across the Road”, not a smile or anything! I continued down to the beach, every property in this place seemed to have big signs saying Private Keep Out, No turning etc etc. Very welcoming! When I got down to the beach, even that had a sign saying Private beach!! There was a boarded up place on the beach that had obviously been a restaurant or cafe at some point. A totally depressing place.. not helped, I am sure by my mood or the drenching weather!

I was glad to cross the tiny valley and begin my climb out the other side, past a few more Private signs before the lane turned into a bridleway and continued to climb. I eventually emerged at a lane at the top though this was so high that I was now in the cloud that was raining on me.. doubly wetting.. lovely! NOT! I soon turned right off the lane onto what seemed like a picnic area above Bodigga Cliff. I could just about make out the picnic tables, but the sea and the crashing waves were nowhere to be seen below. Ah well.

Annoyingly this section of path all the way to Seaton seemed to be quite up and down too. Maybe it was just me struggling on the ups and having no frame of reference as to how far I was going. It was a bit akin to being on an exercise treadmill in a whiteout gym. Before too long I reached a section that rose and fell through quite mature woodland which was beautiful in a kind of stop dripping heavily on me I am wet enough already kind of way!

The wet woods after Bodigga Cliff.

The path descended and emerged from the wooded area. With descending I could at least see blurry waves partially hidden below me. I then entered a pine tree wooded area which was a bit weird and descended steps through this down to a lane. A man jogging came from behind me and I joked about him being another mad person! He said that at least the rain had stopped. I hadn't really noticed it had and indeed, as soon as he'd said that and I walked down the lane into Seaton it began again in earnest! Tsk.

Looking back after descending and emerging from the woodland I can see Looe Island!

Looking back along the wave cut platform below Bodigga Cliff to Millendreath.

Final approach down Looe Hill to a wet Seaton.

I decided to go into the cafe for a bottle of Diet Coke and a shelter and maybe even a bit of a dry out when I got down to beach level. Yet again there was a sarcy sign saying 'Its a cafe not a car park' I'm sure tourists can be annoying but let’s face it, without them none of these places would be in business? Drop the attitude some of you lot! I consequently felt as if I might be evicted at any time for making the place too wet or something as I lingered over my one bottle of Diet Coke, to see if the rain would finally give up at last.

It did actually seem to ease off and so.. not dried out one jot, I donned my wet coat anyway and set off again around the beach. I didn't find out til later that I could have walked along the beach to Downderry instead of the official route along the road. Oh well... the mile long trudge along the narrow 'main street' of this steeply perched congregation of modern concrete buildings was less than inspiring and there wasn't even a sea view of the waves crashing on the beach because of the houses. At least there wasn't much in the way of traffic while I walked along.

Looking back across Seaton beach before I begin my walk along the main street of Downderry.

I walked past the entrance to the lane up to my campsite and continued on my way to the end of the village and began the climb up out of the village on the road. Soon there was a path off to the right and this turned out to be a VERY long climb indeed.. at first zigzag fashion and then just gradually up between high hedges.. at least this bit had recently been cleared unlike much of the way afterwards. I climbed so high that once again, I was well into the low clouds and the minor view out to sea I had had in Downderry was once again obscured. What is the point of walking if you can't actually see any of the scenery really? What on earth was I doing!? To be honest I am not sure that this stretch of coast is the best bit anyway. From the glimpses I had seen the tide was out and there were long stretches of wave cut platform below. These were made more interesting today because of the crashing waves I guess. The whole walk was just one long bay though and I am more of a fan of little coves sort of coastal scenery. Ah well.

I actually came across an elderly pair of gents walking the opposite way while I was at the top of the highest cliffs around Battern Cliffs. I was leaning up a gate as they approached, peering down into the gloomy surf somewhere below. They too had noted that this section of path was less than well maintained. My trousers had begun to dry out since the rain had eased and then stopped through Downderry. They were now wetter than ever from pushing through the dense undergrowth of the path in places. Sigh. Just after I'd met them the path descended considerably again and I came out of the bottom of the clouds again so I had a view of sorts. In fact, at odd times I could even see Rame Head very faintly ahead across Whitsand Bay and back the way I'd come the white buildings of Looe and the faint outline of Looe Island.

A view of sorts ahead again after I descend from Battern Cliffs.

The way ahead to Port Wrinkle and slightly beyond along Whitsand Bay.

Looking back along to Cargloth Cliffs as the clouds begin to break up a bit out to sea.

Beaches along Eglarooze Cliff not far from Port Wrinkle now. A very vague outline of Rame Head at the end of Whitsand Bay now visible.

Looking back to the Long Stone from Eglarooze Cliff.

The way ahead to Port Wrinkle could at last be seen much closer at hand, with lots of crashing white waves on the rocky platform below. It was pretty much a gradual descent all the way to Portwrinkle and as I neared I came across a newly placed bench with a view across to the tiny village, so I sat on it for a while and watched the clouds break up and tiny patches of sun start to glimmer out to sea. It was about 3.30pm by this point. I carried on into the village and made my way along to where I'd left the bike.

Port Wrinkle close at hand as I descend to sit on a bench at Britain Point.

Looking back past Britain Point to the Long Stone and beyond from Port Wrinkle.

And so began the mammoth 9.5 mile ride home! The first hill I knew was going to be a nightmare and so after a feeble attempt at trying to ride the first bit I got off and pushed it up the what must have been 1 in 1 hill 'Not suitable for motor vehicles' At least it cut some distance off the route I'd driven into Port Wrinkle earlier and that would have been the same climb after all.. better to get it over and done with quicker if you ask me.

I reached the road at the top and got on the bike again. The road ascended and descended but ended up high enough to be in the clouds again for a good while before too long. Finally I reached the top and then it was a good long downhill pretty much all the way into and then through Downderry to the cafe at Seaton again. I didn't stop this time and took the tiny lane climbing up behind it, that I'd climbed down earlier on my walk. I was very brave and cycled my heart out up this albeit very slowly! Alas after more than half a mile I had to stop and push for a while, but then got back on and continued to cycle all the way to the top.. yay for me. Probably the biggest hill I have ever been up on my bike in truth? It was more lanes at the top and then I joined the main road down into Looe again which was again pretty much downhill apart from a couple of steep ups en route.

I was absolutely worn out, but I'd made it and the weather now was actually seemingly improving to the point of sunshine! Typical! I put the bike rack on the car and the bike on it and set off back to the campsite.

I was worn out I have to say, but I'd only done 7 miles which was annoyingly little really. I typed this up outside using an adapter that Michael had got for me, and the power point by the side of my tent. I expect I will now be charged for power to the pitch so 20 quid a night and I can no way afford that. Sigh.... maybe I shouldn't have come away, as what with expensive campsites, and car parking etc I am broker than broke and I've not eaten out once so far! sigh!

I am about to go down to the bar for a pint or two and then early to bed as I plan a slightly longer day tomorrow from Port Wrinkle round Rame Head to Kingsand. Maybe 10 milesish? The weather is sounding more promising tomorrow too.. showers at worst?? Believe it when I see it!

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