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Monday 22 June 2020

SWCP Day 35: Strawberries and cream

Other SWCP posts:

Introduction
Day 1: Minehead to Porlock
Day 2: Porlock to Lynton
Day 3: Lynton to Combe Martin
Day 4: Combe Martin to Mortehoe
Day 5: Rest day, Morte Point loop
Day 6: Mortehoe to Braunton
Day 7: Braunton to Westward Ho!
Day 8: Westward Ho! to Clovelly
Day 9: Clovelly to Hartland Quay
Day 10: Hartland Quay to Morwenstow
Day 11: Morwenstow to Bude
Days 12-14: Bude to Crackington Haven
Day 15: Crackington Haven to Tintagel
Day 16: Tintagel to Port Isaac
Day 17: Port Isaac to Padstow
Day 18: Padstow to Porthcothan
Day 19: Porthcothan to Crantock
Day 20: Rest day, Holywell bay loop
Day 21: Crantock to St Agnes
Day 22: St Agnes to Godrevy
Day 23: Godrevy point to St Ives
Day 24: St Ives to Pendeen Watch
Day 25: Pendeen Watch to Sennen Cove
Day 26: Sennen Cove to Lamorna
Day 27: Lamorna to Marazion
Day 28: Marazion to Porthleven
Day 29: Porthleven to Lizard Point
Day 30: Lizard Point to Coverack
Day 31: Rest day in Coverack
Day 32: Coverack to Maenporth

Days 37-39: Polkerris to Fowey

Day 40: Polruan to Polperro

Day 41: Polperro to Seaton

Day 42: Seaton to Kingsand

Day 43: Kingsand to Plymouth


Day 35

Boswinger to Pentewan

Approx. 9 miles, 500m ascent

21,615 steps


I made the most of the youth hostel luxury and had a decent lie in, followed by a good-sized cooked breakfast to get me fuelled up for the morning. My feet were still very painful, but it would be quite a short day of walking, followed by a night of caravan luxury with the Grandparents, as they had offered to accommodate me once again whilst they were on a site close to my place on the path.


Back to the path

I eventually got myself moving, feeling very sluggish as I made my way back down the hill (this time taking the proper road!). I re-joined the path at Hemmick beach, and slowly made my way out to the prominent Dodman point. The views were spectacular from the headland, far-reaching back the way I had come and on towards St Austell bay. I took a 20 minute break and enjoyed the peaceful spot, and felt a bit more alive and invigorated when I carried on, helped by a gentle clifftop path until the next headland and Gorran Haven.


Cliff ponies
Hemmick beach

At Gorran Haven I found a bakery that seemed to be doubling as a post office, so I replenished my cash and got a pasty for my lunch stop. There was a cafe in the village but it looked a bit busy so I decided to forego another round of caffeine and crack on. I carried on around the next bay, following the cliff edge as the path dropped down and around Turbot point. Just as I turned the corner of the small headland I spotted a seal resting on a rock a few metres out to sea. It seemed entirely unconcerned by my presence, so I settled down to eat my pasty and quietly watch it (unfortunately the phone camera couldn’t quite capture it!).


Bow beach
Looking back towards Boswinger

Onwards, and I was soon passing through the pretty little village of Portmellon, the shutters on the beachside houses indicating they saw some slightly more dramatic weather than the current calm and slightly overcast day. A half-mile or so up hill following roads and I dropped down into the fishing village of Mevagissey, quite busy with visitors even on a Monday out of the school holidays. I found a promising looking harbourside cafe and refuelled with a milkshake and a piece of cake, enjoying the entertainments of the busy harbour.


Mevagissey
Mevagissey harbour

Suitably refreshed, I climbed the hill out of the village to some phone signal, and let my Grandad know I would be in Pentewan shortly. I perhaps slightly underestimated how much longer I would be, as the path took in a couple of deep valleys in the last mile, but I was soon following the road tracing the gigantic caravan park, and managed to find Grandad just as he was pulling into the carpark.


The last stretch towards the caravan park at Pentewan

We headed away from the rows and rows of static vans to their much nicer and smaller caravan site near the lost gardens of Heligan, and after making the most of the very fancy site facilities I was thoroughly spoiled with a big dinner of steak, followed by strawberries and cream whilst we enjoyed the opening day of Wimbledon.

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