Lighthouse near Plymouth Hard
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Day 6 - Cawsand - Plymouth
Author: Dave
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Short stroll to Plymouth
The semi wooded path looking back towards Cawsand.
Cawsand had been a pleasant surprise. We weren't expecting to have stopped in such a nice Cornish village so close to Plymouth. We sat and ate our breakfast while sitting in these large solid wooden chairs that looked like were straight out of Lord of the Rings. The breakfast room had a fabulous view across the bay and village seafront. We were in no hurry as it was a very short walk today so we took our time over an enormous and varied breakfast.
We finally set off and headed out across the beach and over a rough wave cut platform on the foreshore. This proved to be not the best route and we eventually found a way back up onto the official path which was fairly flat and lightly wooded. On a sunny day it would have been a nice stroll. However, it was a grey dreary day with grey Royal Navy ships growling round inside the harbour area and seemed to compliment the depressing thought of walking towards a large town. We carried on and walked through Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, which again was pleasant walking and much more managed and manicured than the rugged coastal path we had been used to the rest of the week. As we approached Cremyll there were a couple of manicured grassy areas next to the sea with tended boarders and 'keep off the grass' signs. In the middle of one of these were a couple shouting and swearing at each other while packing up a tent with general rubbish, empty bottles and cans lying all around their camping spot. Now I'm not one to stereotype, but just to complete the scene there was a pitbull running around crapping in the flower borders....
We finally set off and headed out across the beach and over a rough wave cut platform on the foreshore. This proved to be not the best route and we eventually found a way back up onto the official path which was fairly flat and lightly wooded. On a sunny day it would have been a nice stroll. However, it was a grey dreary day with grey Royal Navy ships growling round inside the harbour area and seemed to compliment the depressing thought of walking towards a large town. We carried on and walked through Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, which again was pleasant walking and much more managed and manicured than the rugged coastal path we had been used to the rest of the week. As we approached Cremyll there were a couple of manicured grassy areas next to the sea with tended boarders and 'keep off the grass' signs. In the middle of one of these were a couple shouting and swearing at each other while packing up a tent with general rubbish, empty bottles and cans lying all around their camping spot. Now I'm not one to stereotype, but just to complete the scene there was a pitbull running around crapping in the flower borders....
So, that's the entire Cornish coastal section finished then. And a fine path it's been ! The sign at the pier for the Plymouth ferry.
We reached the Cremyll ferry pier and saw the boat wasn't due for half hour so we back tracked to a cafe and had a quick brew while we were waiting. By the time we got back to the pier the two chavs and their pitbull had arrived with their camping gear. They had stopped arguing, possibly due to the fact they were now tucking into a can of Strongbow each. Seems they were on their way back to Plymouth. I'm not sure what part of Plymouth they were from but presumably the part that dental care hadn't yet reached as they didn't had a full set of teeth between them. The dog was quite friendly and Jason made a fuss of him while they ignored the no smoking sign and rolled themselves a fag.Welcome to Plymouth !
We disembarked and what followed was a walk around Plymouth Hard, stopping briefly at an unusual gourmet cafe for lunch. The place was run by a Welshman and rather than the usual beans on toast, the menu contained things like Italian sausage pannini with grilled vegatables. It was brilliant and for a fiver we left stuffed with good food and a gallon of tea. The rest was town walking - what more can I say. The historic harbour area around the Barbican was nice enough with lots to see and do if that's what you're there for, and was fairly busy with people milling about.
We disembarked and what followed was a walk around Plymouth Hard, stopping briefly at an unusual gourmet cafe for lunch. The place was run by a Welshman and rather than the usual beans on toast, the menu contained things like Italian sausage pannini with grilled vegatables. It was brilliant and for a fiver we left stuffed with good food and a gallon of tea. The rest was town walking - what more can I say. The historic harbour area around the Barbican was nice enough with lots to see and do if that's what you're there for, and was fairly busy with people milling about.
We couldn't check into the hotel until 2:00pm so we wandered into the town centre to buy our now traditional clean, non skanky T-shirt for the journey home. Jason went off to buy some trousers while I sat on a wall waiting and watching a bunch of drunk scruffy types arguing and fighting in the high street which the police eventually came and broke up. Plymouth on a Thursday afternoon eh !?
It wasn't all bad, the area down by the harbour was OK with a few museums and and touristy stuff - none of which we looked round to be fair. We had a good evening meal at a Mexican restaurant near the Barbican area and managed to find another pub with a sticky floor and seats, we just had the one and moved on. Thursdays seems like a quiet evening so we wandered back via the hill top where there happened to be some kind of motor bike meet with a few stalls, loads of bikes and a band. The shock of arriving in 'civilisation' had made me feel a bit rough so I strolled back to the hotel for an early night while Jason stayed a while to listen to the band.
This is the biggest town on the coastal path and comes as a bit of a shock to the system - especially to someone who doesn't particularly like towns (any towns).
It wasn't all bad, the area down by the harbour was OK with a few museums and and touristy stuff - none of which we looked round to be fair. We had a good evening meal at a Mexican restaurant near the Barbican area and managed to find another pub with a sticky floor and seats, we just had the one and moved on. Thursdays seems like a quiet evening so we wandered back via the hill top where there happened to be some kind of motor bike meet with a few stalls, loads of bikes and a band. The shock of arriving in 'civilisation' had made me feel a bit rough so I strolled back to the hotel for an early night while Jason stayed a while to listen to the band.
This is the biggest town on the coastal path and comes as a bit of a shock to the system - especially to someone who doesn't particularly like towns (any towns).
