falmouth to helford passage and back again

October 04, 2015 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

thursday, 1st october 2015

It's the last walking day of the week and I'm in for another day of beautiful weather. It's hard to believe that it's the first day of October.

Falmouth high tide 08:12

Falmouth low tide 14:50

I start the day next door to the National Maritime Museum Cornwall (@TheNMMC) at Discovery Quay in Falmouth. I'm making an early-ish start so the morning has a distinctive autumnal feel.

“The sea has never been friendly to man. At most it has been the accomplice of human restlessness.”

— Joseph Conrad, novelist 1857-1924

This restless man is itching to get going so I walk through Maritime Square and head out towards the coast path. I climb out of Falmouth and head down Gyllyngvase Terrace and then Gyllyngvase Hill and then walk briefly along Cliff Road to reach the delightful Gyllyngvase Beach on the outskirts of Falmouth.

I catch the beach at close to high tide but it's nothing like the high tides we get back at home in Clevedon. Also, the sea is not a muddy brown colour so I know which one I'd take!

I amble along the sandy beach passing the Gylly Beach Cafe (@GyllyBeachCafe) before rejoining the coast path for the short walk to Swanpool Beach (@SwanpoolBeach).

The beach is covered in seaweed and there are a couple of people out amongst the seaweed, collecting it. I slither my way across the vegetation and then leave Swanpool Beach next to the Hooked on the Rocks restaurant.

It's now a pleasant couple of miles walk to the third beach of the day, Maenporth Beach, on the way passing a memorial to the Home Guard. I drop down to the beach passing by Life's a Beach, the beach cafe here and walk out on to the sandy beach.

Maenporth Beach seems to be a bit more exposed to the wind than the previous two beaches and it's quite windy. The position of the sun doesn't make it easy for taking photographs either.

I continue along the coast path and walk below the sub tropical gardens of Meudon Hotel (@MeudonHotel).

I head out across Rosemullion Head and then enter woods below the village of Mawnan Smith.

I leave the woods and suddenly I have magnificent views out towards the Helford River. I walk down a grassy slope to reach the beach at Porthallack. Out over the river there are loads of swallows flitting about. It must be almost time for them to head back to southern Africa.

It is a short walk to Porth Saxon beach where I enjoy the views down the river.

I walk under a group of scots pines and then head below Bosloe House along a path through Bosloe Hay Meadows. I usually pass this way around about June time when the meadows look fantastic. They are a lot more subdued at this time of year.

The coast path joins a road which leads down into the village of Durgan where I pass the Old School House. I enjoy the beach below Durgan before heading out through the village.

From here it is easy walking to reach my destination for the day, Helford Passage where I spend way too long wandering along the beach collecting shells.

Should you wish, you can catch the ferry from here over to the village of Helford, which I've used on previous walks but not today. I munch on a sandwich below the Ferryboat Inn before it's time to head back in the direction I've come.

I head back below Trebah Garden and pass behind the private beach here using some stepping stones. I spot a dog on the beach down below.

Back again on Durgan Beach a friendly pied wagtail checks me out. I walk back through Durgan and divert from the coast path along a path which takes me down to an unmarked beach on my Ordnance Survey map, but known as Grebe Beach. The beach is not even signposted from the coast path so it's always quiet here.

As per usual, there is just a handful of locals here, most of them enjoying a swim in the river.

On the way back I enjoy the wildflowers but also come across a patch of the dreaded japanese knotweed.

I pass by Maenporth Beach for the last time this week and the tide is much further out than it was earlier on this morning. Conditions are also much easier for photography.

I say one last farewell to Swanpool Beach which is much busier than earlier and pass a group of kids having a kayaking lesson below the brightly coloured beach huts.

I reach Gyllyngvase Beach again and it's time for one final beach farewell. I amble slowly along the beach watching a man cast rose petals across the beach. I've no idea why he's doing this.

You can tell it's the 1st of October and the dog ban has been lifted today as there are dogs everywhere enjoying the beach and the weather. Don't blame them!

I head back through the gardens of the Princess Pavillion where I come across a raggedy painted lady feeding on verbena. What a lovely way to end the walk.

I head back into Falmouth and reach my destination for the day, Discovery Quay, again.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

red campion
blackberries
bracken
seaweed
grasshoppers
hydrangeas
fuchsias
gunnera
agapanthus
scots pines
speckled woods
a small tortoiseshell
robins
swallows
red admirals
pied wagtails
a painted lady
a dog on a beach
lots of dogs on beaches
verbena bonariensis

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 16.26 miles today which amounts to 34658 steps. It has been another beautiful day's walking and the weather has been glorious again. Unfortunately, that's the last walking of the week. Nine out of ten!

portloe to falmouth

September 29, 2015 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

saturday, 26th september 2015

For what feels like the first time this year the sun is shining and I have a full week of great looking weather. It looks like I'll have sun all day long and although it doesn't look like it's going to be baking hot, it's late September so I can't really have everything.

Falmouth high tide 04:15 and 16:35

Falmouth low tide 10:57

The ferry from Falmouth to St Mawes doesn't start until 08:30 and the connecting ferry from St Mawes to Place isn't timed very well so I decide to start the day at Portloe rather than Falmouth and I'll make my way back along the coast to finish at Falmouth.

I start the day at the car park high above Portloe and wander down the road, photographing the flowers as I go.

I reach the tiny beach and fishing harbour at the bottom of Portloe after passing the charming granite cottages on the way down and then the Lugger Hotel (@TheLuggerHotel).

I come across a box of sea urchin shells and, although it's completely impractical to carry so large a shell back to Falmouth, I buy one anyway (£3 in an honesty box) and rearrange my bag so that I can just about cram it in my side pocket.

I spend way too long enjoying the sun in the harbour before setting off on the gorse and bracken covered cliffs out of Portloe. I have fine views back across Portloe.

I come across a compliant red admiral butterfly and speckled wood butterflies and the wild flowers and berries, even this late in the season are looking lovely.

I round Manare Point and reach the rocky shore at Parc Caragloose Cove. I enter some woodland and then climb a long, grassy slope before rounding Blouth Point. I come across sheep a-plenty.

I'm now above the bouldery Kiberick Cove and out to sea I can see Gull Rock.

I continue along the gorse covered slopes passing Horse Rock, Lemoria Rock and Haine's Rock to reach Nare Head where I have magnificent views across Gerrans Bay towards Carne Beach and Pendower Beach.

For the first time today I come across a couple of people near to the bridge at Tregagles Hole. It looks like they might be set for a day of bird watching.

I pass Shannick Point, Malmanare Point and Pennarin Point and the views over Carne Beach and Pendower beach are lovely. The cows don't seem to appreciate it though.

I drop down onto Carne Beach, a fine south facing sandy beach. The tide is out so I amble along the beach and cross into Pendower Beach.

I come across a stranded starfish on the beach and so take him (or her) back down to the water. I hope the little fellow survives.

I head off of the beach using a slipway and pass by what was once the Pendower Beach House Hotel but is now a sad looking wreck of a building. Several attempts have been made to redevelop this site but all seem to have failed.

I climb out of Pendower Beach via the road and have magnificent views back over the beaches.

view back over pendower beach and carne beach

The path takes me out on to Treluggan Cliff where buzzards are enjoying the thermals and there are Dartmoor ponies chomping on the vegetation.

I continue along the coast path to reach Porthbean Beach and I climb down some steps to reach the beach. I amble along the sand pondering on the forces that were at play to create the near vertical sedimentary rock strata before leaving the beach via some wooden steps.

The path leads me past the National Coastwatch Station on Pednvadan Point and I now have magnificent views over towards the village of Portscatho.

I drop down to Porthcurnick Beach which is surprisingly busy. Here can be found the Hidden Hut (@thehiddenhut) beach cafe.

I cross the beach and climb up some steps where I have lovely views back across the beach.

It's now a short walk to head in to Portscatho, home of cricket. I walk through Portscatho along North Parade and drop down to explore the beach.

I explore the village a little bit, finding the Plume of Feathers. It's a lovely place but it seems to be overrun with cars nowadays.

I leave Portscatho behind, passing a lovely garden on the outskirts of the village, pass through a newly planted wood and walk through a field full of bales of hay.

I amble along the cliffs to reach Towan Beach where I enjoy the sandy beach.

On leaving Towan Beach I come across a wreck post, erected by the coastguard service and used to simulate a ship's mast in training exercises.

I round Killigerran Head and Porthmellin Head and continue along the path above Porthbeor Beach before rounding Zone Point. I thought that Porthbeor Beach was supposed to be inaccessible but, tantalisingly, I think I can make out footprints in the sand.

I pass the 19th century battery on St Anthony Head and then head down towards St Anthony's lighthouse, built in 1835. After leaving the lighthouse I have magnificent views over to St Mawes and Falmouth in the distance.

I round St Anthony Head and come across some grasshoppers chirping away before passing a clump of Scots pines where I can admire the view over to St Mawes.

I head through woods to reach St Anthony's Church, where I explore the churchyard. I pass some beehives and the rather modest Place House.

I pass some lillies in Place which apparently keep getting nicked and I've just about reached the end of my walking for the day so I wait for the ferry to St Mawes at Toddy's Steps. I catch the 15:15 ferry over to St Mawes and the ferryman says that I can buy a combined ferry ticket at the ticket office in St Mawes. It's a thoroughly pleasant 5 minute trip.

I leave the ferry and purchase my £9 combined ticket and then wait for the connecting ferry to take me back to Falmouth. I catch the 15:45 ferry and it's now a pleasant 15 minute journey to my destination for the day, Prince of Wales Pier in Falmouth.

It's now a short walk through the busy streets of Falmouth to return to our cottage for the week in Port Pendennis.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

large flowered evening primrose
red valerian
fuchsias
gorse
bracken
red admirals
speckled woods
red campion
bladder campion
herb robert
crocosmias
blackberries
rape
elderberries
hydrangeas
sheep
mushrooms
cows
starfish
dartmoor ponies
buzzards
red hot pokers
scots pines
robins
grasshoppers
lillies
bees
cormorants

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 16.85 miles today which amounts to 36482 steps. The walking has been fantastic and the weather has been glorious. Ten out of ten!

Both of my GPS apps failed me today so I've only got two incomplete maps of the walk.

porthallow to falmouth

June 11, 2014 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

11th june 2014

Today's weather forecast looks to be fantastic again, with sun forecast all day long and warm temperatures. Woop!

Falmouth high tide 16:39

Falmouth low tide 10:54

I start the day back at the Five Pilchards Inn in Porthallow where I walk along the back of the beach and then climb some concrete steps before battling with the jungle like vegetation.

The flowers around here are amazing and there are bees and butterflies fluttering around everywhere. I enjoy the views back to Porthallow. A cliff top walk leads me to Nare Head where I can now see the Helford estuary which will be my companion for the rest of the day.

I walk along Trewarnevas Cliff but the views are mostly obscured by trees and the paths are fiddly and overgrown. There are deserted beaches here and I enjoy Men-aver beach all to myself before dropping down to the shore of Gillan Creek at Gillan Harbour.

I continue to reach Flushing Cove and the coast path continues down steps to the shore where there is a set of stepping stones which allows you to cross the creek at low tide. It's close to low tide but this route is closed due to bank erosion so I continue on the alternative high tide path around Gillan Creek.

The path follows the road although I'm sure it used to cross fields but I fail to see any signs and eventually takes me round to the head of Gillan Creek where I find some nesting swans with a number of cygnets.

I continue on the road but it is only fit for pedestrians as the road has had a serious malfunction and part of it has fallen in to the creek.

I drop down to the shoreline of Gillan Creek at the other side of the stepping stones and the shoreline leads me to the tiny village of St Anthony-in-Meneage where I explore the grounds of the parish church of St Anthony.

I walk along the road past the church and then through a gate and then up through fields. I turn direction and walk along the Helford River with fine views across to the other side. I enjoy the deserted beaches here.

I then enter woods where the views are more fleeting before joining a road which leads into Helford. I walk down to the ford and footbridge and pass the post office shop and the thatched Shipwrights Arms (@ShipwrightsArms) which is looking lovely after its recent-ish renovation.

I walk along a path and climb down some steps to reach the ferry stop only to find out that I've hit the river at precisely low tide so the ferry won't be running for a while. I open the brightly coloured sign to signal for the ferry and munch on some lunch while waiting for the half hour or so until the ferry is able to run again. The weather is indeed AWESOME.

The ferry takes me over the Helford River to Helford Passage and the Ferryboat Inn. I potter along the small beach here collecting shells.

I walk along a path at the edge of fields before entering woods and then a road at Durgan where I pass the Old School House.

The road continues through woods out of Durgan and continues to Bosloe.

I walk below Bosloe House and through the lovely Bosloe Hay Meadows where wildflowers and butterflies abound, especially at this time of year.

Next up are two lovely beaches, Porth Saxon (or Porth Sawsen) and Porthallack which are very familiar as we've stayed in Mawnan Smith the previous two years. I amble around these for a bit. They are deserted except for some sailors.

I enter woods near Mawnan and head through the woods to reach Rosemullion Head.

I pass tall pines, ferns, foxgloves and MASSIVE echiums and explore beaches not marked on my map before reaching Maenporth. The Maenporth beach cafe can be found here and life, is indeed, a beach. At least for this week.

I amble along Maenporth Beach collecting shells and then, since it's so hot, I grab an ice lolly at the beach cafe. I follow the wooded path that leads to Swanpool (@swanpoolbeach) and enjoy the wild flowers and butterflies.

I pass Hooked on the Rocks and enjoy the views over Swanpool. I descend on to the busy beach and wander along the beach collecting shells.

I climb out of Swanpool, passing the Swanpool Nature Reserve and the brightly coloured beach huts, to reach Gyllyngvase Beach where the Gylly Beach Cafe can be found. The sun has brought out the crowds and the beach is much busier than I am used to. I wander past the people playing beach volleyball and amble along the long, crescent shaped beach before heading for the heart of Falmouth. Above the beach i pass the Shellfish Pig (@theshellfishpig).

I head through the Princess Pavillion, enjoying the gardens here.

I wander through Falmouth to reach Custom House Quay at the end of the day's walk, along the way passing the Cutty Sark, 5 Degress West, the Quayside Inn, the Shipwrights and Chainlocker and the Front.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

wrens
chaffinches
robins
swans
masses of bees
a painted lady
swallows
red campion
foxgloves
cows
clover
buttercups
ribwort plaintain
scots pines
gunnera
honeysuckle
skippers
primulas
geraniums
roses

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 18.6 miles today which amounts to 35300 steps. I've had gorgeous sunny weather all day long and walking along the South West Coast Path doesn't get much better than this. 10 out of 10.

View porthallow to falmouth in a larger map

south west coast path

thursday, 1st october 2015

FLORA AND FAUNA

PODCAST

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

south west coast path

saturday, 26th september 2015

FLORA AND FAUNA

PODCAST

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

south west coast path

11th june 2014

FLORA AND FAUNA

PODCAST

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

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