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Thursday 4 June 2020

SWCP Day 30: Pushing through

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Day 30

Lizard Point to Coverack

Approx. 10.4 miles, 699m ascent

24,323 steps


The lighthouse foghorn at 7am gave an indication of the cooler weather outside, which would be very welcome after the steaming weather the day before. I was also feeling very in need of a rest day, after nine straight days of walking. However, the forecast for the following day was for very high winds and rough weather, so I planned to get to Coverack and stay at the youth hostel there, to have a day off and to wait out the weather.

The lighthouse at the Lizard

It took me a little while to get going, definitely feeling tired and drained from the long day before, out in the hot sun. I made it out into the fog finally, and found the path round past the lighthouse. The first section wasn’t too hard going in the cooler weather, and there were some excellent flower-strewn rocky cliffs to keep me going. The path dipped in and out of a couple of small valleys, past the lookout and lifeboat stations, and the spectacular collapsed cave called the Devil’s Frying Pan. 

Clifftop delights
Devil's Frying Pan
Rocky valley

The path then dropped down into the pretty fishing cove at Cadgwith, which I remembered from the Fisherman’s apprentice TV show from a few years ago. I got a good pasty for lunch at the village shop, and as I was leaving the village I can across two of my dorm mates from the Youth hostel. We walked together through the stunted wood valley at Poltesco and down to the beach at Kennack. On the curiously grey sands in slightly grey weather I stopped for my pasty lunch, pleased to take a bit of a break as I was feeling really very tired. I saw one of my other dorm mates, and we spent the rest of the day overlapping each other on the path, but both quite happy to walk mostly alone. 

Cadgwith cove
Poltesco
Kennack sands

I hauled myself up the steep hill back up from the beach, and not too long after the sun came out, and with it again the heat. The afternoon was very difficult work, a combination of very tired feet, far too hot weather and some new and unpleasant chaffing. My boots also started to give me trouble again, and would need another glue job when I reached Coverack. A couple of steep valleys and some grumpy stomping later, I found the small lookout at Black Head, and flopped down on the very welcome bench in the shade for a break. 

The sun starting to show itself

I only had a mile or so left to get to Coverack, and the motivation of a proper day off tomorrow finally got me going again. The last stretch wasn’t so tough going, and I elected to take the easy high path instead of the narrow path down the cliff, which was billed as somewhat tough going and slippery in the guidebook. I was pleased with my choice as the path took me through a lovely shaded sculpture park, although I must have still been feeling grumpy and overheated as I neglected to take any photos.

The very welcome sight of Coverack

I was soon in Coverack and before the youth hostel was open for check-in, so I found an ice-cream at the village cafe and sat and actually enjoyed the sunshine by the picturesque harbour. I also got some supplies for dinner so I wouldn’t need to go back out, and could spend the evening doing not very much at all. I presented myself back at the youth hostel at check-in time, and was pleased to find it was as nice as the Lizard one, again with very friendly staff, and even better views out to sea. There were very few residents, but I did have the company of one of the women who had also stayed in the Lizard hostel. I spread myself out and had a very nice relaxing evening doing very little, and enjoying all the hostel amenities, then early to bed.

This view for £15 a night!

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