The Harbour at mullion Cove with a Rosie dog haveing a paddle.
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Day 5 - Porthleven - The Lizard
Author: Dave
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Childhood memories
The military helicopterthat kept 'buzzing' us.
I have been looking forward to this part of the coastal path because I know this part of the coastline quite well having had many holidays down here as a child. This walk is making me appreciate how good this part of the coast is as you get to experience and see more of it by walking every hard earned contour.
We left Porthleven with a slightly overcast sky. It looked like we had a 50/50 chance of it either being warm and sunny or chucking it down and we couldn't tell which at that point. Because our B&B had it's high vantage point over Pothleven, we started out at the top of the cliff so, for once, we started the day without a big climb. We followed the road down to the end and then the path struck off across a grassy slope and hugged the exposed cliff top path didn't change for the rest of the day. We paused briefly when we heard some screeching and saw a peregrine falcon dropping back to it's nest where there it's chicks, Hidden in the long grass at the edge of the cliff, were waiting for their breakfast. The sun had now come out and it was starting to warm up. I had noticed a military helicopter buzzing backwards and forwards on and off during the morning. I started to wonder if they were searching for someone - or maybe keeping an eye on us ? We dropped down to cross a section of beach halfway along Porthleven sands and then climbed back up to the clifftop path. We thought we could see the odd glimpse of The Lizard in the hazy distance at points, but there was a few miles to go before we got there. We reached Mullion by late morning and thought about an early lunch but decided that it was a little too early, even for me. We pressed on with the plan of stopping off for a sandwich when we next found a cafe. There was bound to be one.
As we climbed out of Mullion the scenery turned more rugged and had the classic Cornish moorland feel to it; much like the Lands End section but without the tacky tourist tat shops. The helicopter was still there though, watching us. Or maybe watching Jason. He is after all the militant subversive anarchist. We stopped for a breather, sat down on a grassy bank and finished the last of our water while admiring the view and speculated about our government sponsored stalker. The day had turned out hot and the next cafe after Mullion hadn't appeared yet and lunchtime had come and gone. We were both hungry and thirsty.
We left Porthleven with a slightly overcast sky. It looked like we had a 50/50 chance of it either being warm and sunny or chucking it down and we couldn't tell which at that point. Because our B&B had it's high vantage point over Pothleven, we started out at the top of the cliff so, for once, we started the day without a big climb. We followed the road down to the end and then the path struck off across a grassy slope and hugged the exposed cliff top path didn't change for the rest of the day. We paused briefly when we heard some screeching and saw a peregrine falcon dropping back to it's nest where there it's chicks, Hidden in the long grass at the edge of the cliff, were waiting for their breakfast. The sun had now come out and it was starting to warm up. I had noticed a military helicopter buzzing backwards and forwards on and off during the morning. I started to wonder if they were searching for someone - or maybe keeping an eye on us ? We dropped down to cross a section of beach halfway along Porthleven sands and then climbed back up to the clifftop path. We thought we could see the odd glimpse of The Lizard in the hazy distance at points, but there was a few miles to go before we got there. We reached Mullion by late morning and thought about an early lunch but decided that it was a little too early, even for me. We pressed on with the plan of stopping off for a sandwich when we next found a cafe. There was bound to be one.
As we climbed out of Mullion the scenery turned more rugged and had the classic Cornish moorland feel to it; much like the Lands End section but without the tacky tourist tat shops. The helicopter was still there though, watching us. Or maybe watching Jason. He is after all the militant subversive anarchist. We stopped for a breather, sat down on a grassy bank and finished the last of our water while admiring the view and speculated about our government sponsored stalker. The day had turned out hot and the next cafe after Mullion hadn't appeared yet and lunchtime had come and gone. We were both hungry and thirsty.
Dave standing on a lump of granit on the edge of a cliff somewhere near Mullion.
Looking back at Kynance Cove.
Kynance Cove was to be the next stop where food and a brew was going to be a possibility, and it was still a couple of miles away. We managed to stray off the path a little and went separate ways down into the cove - neither of them the official route. I almost trod on an adder that was minding it's own business sunbathing on a normally quiet bit of path. Not sure which of us was more surprised or who moved out of the way quickest !
We met up again at the bottom and sure enough there was the cafe we had our hopes set on. The afternoon was getting on and we couldn't decide whether we needed a pasty each or share one as dinner wouldn't be too far away. In the end we opted for one each. So, two pots of tea and two pasties. We made a start on the tea while the pasties were being warmed. When we got them we decided that one between us would have been more than sufficient. They were huge and not only filled the plate but overlapped the sides. We did of course finish the lot plus a couple of cans of pop and then, fed and watered, slogged up the next incline out of the cove with the whole lot sloshing around inside us. Neither of us would need a large meal this evening which was probably just as well because funds were getting depleted faster than expected, in part due to our big night out in St. Ives at the start of the week.
An hour or so later we arrived at the Lizard and had a wander around a couple of the huts down at the Lizard point that were working and selling products made from the local serpentine rock. Our B&B was a bit further up into the village so off we went to check in. We had a warm welcome from Austin and his wife who had moved down there a few years back to run the B&B. Austin looked like and was a bit of a metal fan - confirmed by the bass guitar and marshal amp propped in the corner. We dropped our gear off, had a quick shower and decided to walk the couple of mile section from the tip of Lizard point round to Church Cove to save us doing it in the morning. It had cooled a little by now and was pleasant early evening walking without our packs and we also thought it would work up an appetite after our late lunch. When we got back to the village we decided that, as we were still digesting a pasty the size of Mullion island and taking into account our fast diminishing financial resources, a cheap meal was in order. So, a bag of chips each while sitting on the village green for the princely sum of £5 (including the curry sauce and pickled egg) put us back on financial track.
As a point of interest, the chip shop was the most southerly in Britain - so a plaque above the counter claimed. I have actually been to the most northerly chippy, who also had a plaque above the counter, in Brae, Shetland. Of no real interest to most people unless you happen to be chippy spotter. I can report the curry sauce was very good in both.
We met up again at the bottom and sure enough there was the cafe we had our hopes set on. The afternoon was getting on and we couldn't decide whether we needed a pasty each or share one as dinner wouldn't be too far away. In the end we opted for one each. So, two pots of tea and two pasties. We made a start on the tea while the pasties were being warmed. When we got them we decided that one between us would have been more than sufficient. They were huge and not only filled the plate but overlapped the sides. We did of course finish the lot plus a couple of cans of pop and then, fed and watered, slogged up the next incline out of the cove with the whole lot sloshing around inside us. Neither of us would need a large meal this evening which was probably just as well because funds were getting depleted faster than expected, in part due to our big night out in St. Ives at the start of the week.
An hour or so later we arrived at the Lizard and had a wander around a couple of the huts down at the Lizard point that were working and selling products made from the local serpentine rock. Our B&B was a bit further up into the village so off we went to check in. We had a warm welcome from Austin and his wife who had moved down there a few years back to run the B&B. Austin looked like and was a bit of a metal fan - confirmed by the bass guitar and marshal amp propped in the corner. We dropped our gear off, had a quick shower and decided to walk the couple of mile section from the tip of Lizard point round to Church Cove to save us doing it in the morning. It had cooled a little by now and was pleasant early evening walking without our packs and we also thought it would work up an appetite after our late lunch. When we got back to the village we decided that, as we were still digesting a pasty the size of Mullion island and taking into account our fast diminishing financial resources, a cheap meal was in order. So, a bag of chips each while sitting on the village green for the princely sum of £5 (including the curry sauce and pickled egg) put us back on financial track.
As a point of interest, the chip shop was the most southerly in Britain - so a plaque above the counter claimed. I have actually been to the most northerly chippy, who also had a plaque above the counter, in Brae, Shetland. Of no real interest to most people unless you happen to be chippy spotter. I can report the curry sauce was very good in both.
Kynance Cove with The Lizard in the background.
