My new routine is to hike for five days, and then spend nine days at home, to reduce the increasing travel time and cost. The plan is to reach Padstow by Sunday. I have a lot of ground to cover today, and my tight schedule starts to creak when the train stops for sheep on the line. The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin? The driver jumps down onto the tracks to act as a shepherd. You don’t see this on the commute into London!
I arrive at St Ives after midday and, surprisingly, the beaches are still busy, despite children going back to school. Perhaps September is the time for silver surfers?
I have a dubious habit of peering over cliff edges. I get my reward this time.
St Uny’s Church is the start of St Michael’s Way, the pilgrim trail down to St Michael’s Mount on the south coast. I have now visited both ends. It is part of a network of pilgrim routes throughout Europe, all leading to St James’ Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. This also explains the stylistic shell marker on signposts, as the scallop shell is the traditional pilgrims’ symbol.
I reach the Towans, a three mile stretch of wonderful dunes. Towan is from the Cornish Tewyn, meaning, of course, sand dunes.
The path through the dunes is hard to follow, so I make my way down to the gorgeous beach, which is relatively quiet and clearly popular with dog walkers.
I am so busy taking photos of rock pools that I fail to notice the rapidly advancing tide, which cuts off my route over the sand, much to the amusement of a passing female surfer. I end up clambering over the wet, seaweed-covered rocks, somewhat ungainly, with my hiking poles and backpack.
There is a large colony of seals just after Godrevy Point, although too far down to capture on my iPhone. The light is wonderful, and the views are breathtaking. It is so peaceful, alone on the clifftop. A perfect moment. I am not breaking this for a detour inland for food and a beer. I would rather go hungry and eat tomorrow.
I sit among a group of Shetland ponies and watch them move around me, luminous in the golden hour. One comes closer, curious, and decides to chew the end of my hiking pole.
The sun is setting and I am still a fair way from my inland campsite, but it is too magical to leave the sea. There are a few other people enjoying the moment.
I have lingered too long. Magor Farm campsite is just over a mile off the path and I descend into a valley. Within minutes it is dark. Time for the headtorch again.
The campsite consists of a large, sheltered field, and I am soon snug inside the tent. The good news is that my new Keen Targhee III hiking boots are really comfortable. They are the widest fitting boots I have found. It has been a wonderfully varied and uplifting day, especially the evening.
Walk distance: 17 miles.
Total distance: 777 miles.
Hi Tony, the 5:9 rule sounds a sensible plan. A previous “coaster” Tony Gale who completed 7 or 8 years ago did something similar, albeit in the opposite direction. Sadly Tony’s website disappeared a few years ago.
Yes, it feels like a nice balance at the moment. I don’t want to be a complete stranger to the family!
Gorgeous photos. Not surprised you lingered by the sea.
Thanks Ruth. Sometimes you get those moments when you feel that there is nowhere else you would rather be. It makes up for all the promenade walking!
I do many of my trips as 5 days, it seems to work quite well and as you say cuts travel costs and time.
Stunning photos here. Out of season, when not packed, St Ives is one of my favourite places on the coast but it’s horrible in July and August! Even then I’m surprised to see the numbers still at Carbis Bay but then it’s not really crowded either. But it does amuse me. You walk a mile or so round the coast to Porth Kidney Sands. Just as nice a beach almost no one on it! The joys of costal walking is discovering places like that (I guess it’s quiet because you have to walk to get there, no nearby car park).
This sounds a wonderful day and you have some beautiful photos and I suspect good memories too. I love that part of the coast and this looks to be just perfect conditions for it.
Thanks Jon. There was a lot to discover and enjoy. I was amazed at how empty Porth Kidney Sands was. The shorter days are forcing me to walk until sunset, but this has the benefit of wonderful light for photos. I will definitely get a better headtorch though, as Alan suggested.