This trip to Cornwall was just a single day’s walk. The reason was my football team AFC Telford United were playing Bristol Rovers in Bristol the following day. So to save myself an extra trip up and down the M5 I decided to get a single days walk in, then drive towards Bristol, in fact Burnham-on-Sea, spend the night in a B&B and then drive on to Bristol to watch the game.
I had my moped with me again and I decided to make use of the free car park at Hendersick, near Talland Bay. I drove to Hendersick and dropped off my moped. I then continued around to Menabilly near Gribbin Head and parked up there. I think it was a £1 to park, which was excellent value for Cornwall!
I had the car park to myself at Menabilly, there again it was quite early. I made my down to the path and continued to the large red and white day-mark, often confused with a lighthouse. I bid goodbye to St. Austell Bay and turned North east dropping down to the small sandy beach at Polridmouth. the path rises and falls a number of times before entering woodland. I drop down into the popular town of Fowey, which had not quite roused itself yet. I debate which of the landing stages I need to get the ferry across the River Fowey to Polruan. The notice board is ambiguous, but I see the ferry about 300m away up river. I climb more steps and head further into Fowey. I am the only person on the ferry which takes just a few minutes across to Polruan.
My make my way through Polruan and climb steeply up through the village to get extensive views to the west from where I had come earlier in the morning. The next 4 to 5 miles was quite tough going with many ups and downs, some very steep. I pass a another less conspicuous day-mark and drop down to Lansallos Cove. I continue along the path ascending Raphaels Cliff before dropping down quite steeply into the picturesque and idyllic Cornish village of Polperro. Here the crowds had now begun to come out in force. I find a short cut through the tightly packed houses and join a large procession of people making their way out of the village and on towards Talland Bay. However, before we get to Talland Bay, the path was subject to temporary diversion, which pointed me inland slightly before joining a road leading down to Talland Bay.
By this time, the pulled muscle in my right leg was giving me some pain and discomfort. After Talland Bay I still had a couple of miles to get back to the Car Park at Hendersick. It was with great relief that I eventually arrived at the car park with my moped in it. It had taken me 6 hours to cover the 11 miles which was quite slow, but the time waiting for a ferry at Fowey and my pulled muscle ensured this was going to be a slow walk.
My route back to Gribbin Head on the moped was going to be back via the small vehicle ferry at Boddinick. Tough days walk though.
Distance today = 11 miles
Total distance = 495 miles
Walking the Coast of Great Britain 