Day 26 - St Michael's Mount/Marazion to Porthleven – 11 miles

I was up and ready to leave by 9.15am this morning but had to wait til 9.30 to go up the one way system. The bike plan had been working fine so far, and so I stuck with it today.

I dropped the bike off in Porthleven, leaving it chained to the car park charges sign behind the small supermarket there. It wasn't particularly overlooked, but I assumed the carpark would be busy during the day to stop people having too much opportunity to steal it – so far so good no problems for the hols in that department!

It had rained on and off during the night and the forecast promised sunshine and showers clearing during the afternoon. The sky was predominantly blue as I arrived in Marazion at about 10.30am. The bloke in the car park remembered me from the day before, when I dropped the bike off and asked where I was cycling/walking to today. The tide was out and hordes of tourists were walking across the causeway to St Michael's Mount. I visited the loos and set off up the main street of Marazion. I stopped off at Philip's Bakery to buy one of their 'famous' pasties. So tempted was I by that fresh out of the oven smell, that I bought not just one, but 2 vegetable and cheese. Whoops they were huge! Oh well Matt the fat pig, but at least burning calories a plenty this week!

St Michael's Mount with the tide out this morning and a tourist pilgrimmage in process.

Building in Marazion opposite my Pasty Shop.

The road was uphill all the way, but gently so, and afforded good views back towards the Mount over the rooftops. A couple overtook me, obviously doing a whole section of the route with their big rucksacks. After about half a mile we turned right down a track and followed field edges down to a short stretch across large boulders in Trenow Cove. I caught up with the couple at the bottom of some metal steps back up off the beach. They were indeed planning to do several days of the whole walk and do it in sections like me. They were heading for Porthleven today as well, but had set off from Penzance that morning. I went ahead and got lost pretty soon, heading down someone's drive. The couple caught me up again and we were all confused by the waymarks and lack of detail on maps. They set off in one direction, while I carried on up a track which at least looked as if it was heading in the right direction. It turned out I was right luckily and I found a waymarker pointing right down towards the coast again, just around the corner. I shouted over the hedges to the couple in the hope that they would hear and retrace their steps. The path followed field edges closely guarded with electric fences, past a long thin rock, jutting out into the sea called Greeb.

Looking back at St Michael's Mount above the rooftops of Marazion.

The path descends to join the beach for a while at Little London and another nice view of the Mount.

The Mount looking back from near Maen Du Point with the long thin rock of The Greeb heading out to sea.

I reached Maen Du Point and a bench and so I sat on it looking at the view ahead and the sandy stretch of Perran Sands in front of me. Of course, the pasties were warming my back and smelling gorgeous over my shoulder, so I had to eat the first one there and then:) Oink oink!:) The couple passed by me and carried on ahead. The beach was quiet and backed by a tiny hamlet of dispersed dwellings. I headed up from the carpark, up a lane past houses, before turning right again down a stony track. The scenery became more low cliffy. The path squeezed between hedges around the back of Trevean Cove.

Perran Sands as I walk in from Maen Du Point.

Looking back at Perran Sands as I walk up the lane from the sparse settlement.

The far end of Perran Sands is more rocky and pebbly.

Another view back along Perran Sands from the low cliffs near Trevean Cove, with Maen Du Point, The Greeb and St Micheal's Mount, with Penzance across the bay!

At the next headland there were views out over the rocks of Stackhouse Cove. I caught glimpses of someone swimming in a natural pool just being topped by the waves as the tide came gradually in. It looked like a good way to cool down to me and so when I found a tiny path down through heavy undergrowth and gorse, I descended, stripped off and wallowed in the cold water for a while. The bloke I'd seen and his wife were tucked away under the cliffs out of sight from the path and so when I'd finished swimming I headed up near them for a sunbathe. After a short while a group of young dads with kids came down to rock pool and so I got dressed and set off again, refreshed. It had gone a bit cloudy anyway, so not really a problem. I spent the next part of the walk being too hot in the sun, having to wear my sunhat and taking it off again to cool down during cloudy periods.

The view out over Stackhouse Cove with Cudden Point beyond.

Looking back over the walk so far from near Stackhouse Cove.

I reached Cudden Point and rounded it to overlook some beautiful tiny, rocky coves with beaches between. Very picturesque, but I headed around the first little bay and joined little shaded lanes between houses. As I rounded the next tiny cove the lane took me between some very beautiful buildings architecturally. Keneggy Sands could be glimpsed ahead through the screening trees. I headed up around the back of the bay, a gradual climb with nice views over the low rocks to Hoe Point. Rounding this revealed the larger expanse of Praa Sands ahead, with lots of sunbathers on the golden sands. There were windbreaks a plenty as there was a strengthening breeze throughout the day. The couple I'd talked to earlier and Rory via text had warned me of impending doom for Tuesday, the met office having put a severe weather warning in place! Maybe this wind was the gradual build up to that. Occasional showers could be seen stalking across Mount Bay, their dragging curtains of grey rain mercifully missing me and depositing on the Lizard Peninsula instead.

Flowery beauty just beyond Cudden Point.

Looking back at Cudden Point as I make my way towards the tiny bays of Prussia Cove.

Piskies Cove, the first in a series of tiny rocky bays at Prussia Cove.

Approaching the next.. Bessy's Cove.

Bessy's Cove again.

Looking back at Bessy's Cove after rounding its cliffs.

Ahead lie Keneggy Sands from near the nice houses near Prussia Cove.

Looking back at The Enys, the headland this side of Bessy's Cove, from above Keneggy Sands.

A distant view back from Hoe Point, past Keneggy Sands, Cudden Point and Lamorna Cove etc beyond!

Praa Sands as I walk in from Hoe Point.

As I descended to the cafes etc at the beginning of Praa Sands I was tempted by a sign for Summer Pimms. I decided to sit inside – a rest from the sun of the last two days and today! I had a Pimms and a Diet Coke, both marvellously refreshing and then set off again, initially over the sands of the beach and up steps in front of cafes and shops etc. I spied the couple from earlier just ahead. I'd assumed they would be way ahead by now with my swim/sunbathe, but they'd obviously stopped for food or drinks or something as well.

I shadowed them over the dunes behind the beach and then over grassy areas etc up to a lane through a holiday complex of posh rental houses/chalets. These turned into proper houses before reaching the far end of the beach. There was a gentle climb up to Rinsey Head with its large house and the path then became more undulating.

Sign at the end of Praa Sands pointing out onto Rinsey Head.

Looking back along Praa Sands as I make my way out onto Rinsey Head.

Old tin mine just over Rinsey Head.

Looking back at the house on the end of Rinsey Head.

The way ahead to Trewavas Head, the couple I had been leap frogging with all day just ahead!

As I rounded Trewavas Head more chimneys and ruins of old mines came into view. I caught up with the couple again and overtook them. There was a steep zig zag descent and then steep ascent across a valley. I saw a huge green grasshopper type insect on the path before the descent and took photos of it. The next descent was soon upon me and I sat by a stile just after a stream to eat my second pasty of the day. A shower finally caught me, but it was over in a blink and the sun was out again. I could see it was merely the edge of a shower so didn't even bother to don my waterproof and waited for it to pass. The rain was cooling anyway! The couple overtook me again as I sat there and I followed them for the rest of the way to Porthleven. The cliffs here were low and looked less than solid – black scrappy rock that was struggling to hold together. The path annoyingly followed the field edges religiously in and out and up and down the margins of these nibbled edges of the coast here.

Looking back at Rinsey Head from Trewavas Head.

Porthleven comes into view properly as I round Trewavas Head.

More mine workings around the corner.

Above: Giant grasshoppper thingymy:) Right: The cliffs start to become more unstable looking

Looking back after my second pasty stop.

I passed a white cross not long before reaching the first houses of Porthleven. The road came in over the pretty harbour and descended gradually to the quay. The tide was in and kids in wet suits were jumping in from the harbour walls. I walked round the harbour to the car park and was relieved to find the bike still there.

Approaching the white cross on the cliffs near Porthleven

Clocktower building at the end of the harbour in Porthleven.

Boats in the harbour at Porthleven.

Looking seawards from the end of the harbour in Porthleven.

I was quite tired and really not looking forward to the cycle back to Marazion at all tonight! I'd driven up the lane from Porthleven harbour to Marazion earlier and it was uphill for a long way – all the way to Ashton on the main road. It was moderately steep up from the harbour, but then eased off but remained uphill to varying degrees for 2.5 miles!!

The main road from Ashton was undulating, but predominantly down and gradients were gentle anyway. It took less than an hour and I was back at the campsite by 7.05pm. I'd just missed the one way system again so had to wait until 7.15pm. I had a shower and headed to the barn. There was a bbq lit outside that no one had mentioned to me??? Should I have read a notice board somewhere? It was really busy with no free tables to sit at and everyone had bought food to put on the bbq. I felt pretty left out I have to say!! And was glad of having the excuse of writing the diary so I could be antisocial. Hmm, I'm not sure about this place at all. There were more blokes on the site tonight, but they were all seemingly couples keeping themselves to themselves. Maybe this gay campsite thing wasn't a good idea other than it being a quiet none noisy type site I guess!?

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