Today we went on our longest walk ever - 14 miles from 'The Lizard' to 'Porthleven'. Ann's friend Jane picked us up at Porthleven at 10.45am and took us to the Lizard lighthouse so we started our walk at 11.15am. It's great when we can arrange for someone to take us to the start of our walk, it's so much easier than hanging around waiting for buses. We also found somewhere free to park in Porthleven so that was an added bonus as we didn't know how long we would be.
It was very, very hot today and there were a lot of people around at the start of our walk. I had to stay on my lead to begin with because we were in a car park and then on a little road down to Lizard Point. However, once we reached Lizard Point, where the old lifeboat station is, I was allowed to go off lead. I immediately did the most massive poo that I've ever done in my life right in the middle of the coastal path. The path was really busy and no-one could get past me so everyone had to wait until I'd finished. It was so big that Ann was worried that it wouldn't all fit into one of my little poo bags. Anyway she managed to scoop it all up and then she trebled bagged it and put it in her rucksack because she knew we wouldn't find a bin until Kynance Cove. I don't think she was very pleased with me - she muttered something about not understanding why it was so big and being pleased that we didn't have any lunch with us. She didn't tell me off. Though I bet if there hadn't been loads of people around she would have done.
I spent the first half hour of the walk having a really good time. I ran up hill and down dale, I rolled on the grass, I wallowed in mud & streams, I tried my 'appealing' look on people who were eating (but it didn't work?) and I just generally had a very nice time. Ann kept telling me to slow down because we were going a long way but it was such a lovely day and I was so excited about going somewhere new. I'd walked the first part of this walk before but I'd never been past Kynance Cove so I was very excited. I met quite a few other dogs on the first section of the walk and I was very well behaved with all of them. Lots of people told me how pretty I was and lots said, 'He likes the water doesn't he?' Why people always assume I'm a boy I don't know?
We got to Kynance Cove at about midday. It is so, so pretty. Ann said she had never been right down to the Cove before so we took the lower route so we could have a good look. There was a very tiny part of the beach that we had to walk across so I had to go back on my lead. Doggies aren't allowed on the actual beach at this time of the year but because it's part of the coast path we could walk across it. Some doggies were being carried and some were off their leads. I had to go on my lead because Ann said she couldn't trust me not to go swimming. The sea looked lovely. It was turquoise and there were loads of people swimming. Ann was right. If I hadn't been on my lead I would have been right in there.
After Kynance Cove it was like all the people had been abducted by aliens. There was absolutely nobody about. After we'd climbed the steep ascent from the Cove the coastal path was very flat and easy walking as we were on the top of cliffs. I think we only saw a couple of people in a whole hour. At one point we had to walk past a big herd of cows and calves. I'm a very good girl when I walk past cows but Ann said I had to go on my lead because the cows had babies and she was a little bit worried that I might go into chase mode. No way. Why on earth would I want to chase cows. Anyway I was only on my lead for about 2 mins and then I was allowed off lead until we got to Mullion Cove.
Ann had arranged to meet her old boss, Clive, for lunch at the 'Old Inn' in Mullion at 1.15pm however by 1pm we realised we still had a long way to go so we phoned him and changed the time to 1.45pm. And in actual fact didn't make it to the pub until just after 2pm. This part of the walk was really easy, most of it was flat and there was only a couple of up and down bits. The scenery was stunning and it was really easy walking. The only trouble was, it was still a long way to Mullion and also there wasn't too many streams for me to get cool in. I did manage to have a few drinks along the way but because it has been so dry for so long the streams didn't really have much water in so I couldn't do a lot of wallowing. However, I did quite a lot of rolling around on the grass instead to keep cool.
Once we got to Mullion Cove I had to go back on my lead because we had to walk inland along the road into the village to the 'Old Inn'. Clive was waiting for us on the picnic tables outside and while he went to get Ann a drink I was allowed some of Ann's water in a little plastic container that she'd brought for me. (She still hasn't been able to buy me a foldable doggie water bowl, though she has been trying). I was ever so thirsty - I drank it all, so Ann gave me some more but then I decided I'd better go into well behaved collie mode as Clive had never met me before so I just lay down under the table and had a little sleep. Ann decided she didn't want any lunch 'cos it was too hot so she just had a couple of diet cokes. We stayed there for just over an hour and I was glad of the rest.
Once we left the pub we got a bit lost. We had to walk through a load of houses to get on to the path that took us down to Polurrian Cove and we wasted time by walking to the end of two cul-de-sacs. We eventually found the correct route and I was allowed off lead again. Because I'd had a rest I was in energetic mode again so I did a bit of running and rolling about on the grass. There were a few people on the beach at Polurrian Cove and loads on the beach at Poldhu Cove. Ann said Poldhu Cove was busy because there is a car park nearby and anyone who wants to go to Polurrian Cove has to walk. I was desperate to go onto the beach and have a swim in the sea but doggies aren't allowed on either of those beaches so I couldn't. Also I had to go back on my lead just before Poldhu Cove as we had to walk down the road that goes from an old peoples home, then we had to walk on the main road past the beach and I had to stay on my lead as we had to walk up a little road at the other side of the beach. However, once we got about halfway up the hill the road joined the coastal path so I was allowed off lead again. I stayed off lead until we got to Church Cove when I had to go back on my lead.
Church Cove is another beach that doggies aren't allowed on but we had to walk over a tiny bit of it. It was really busy so I had to go back on my lead and we'd been walking for almost an hour and I hadn't had a drink since the pub so I was getting very thirsty 'cos it was really hot. However, Ann spotted a stream so she let me off my lead so I could go for a swim, wallow and drink. It was great. But then it was back on my lead as we were walking on a road from the car park and it was quite busy. Ann said she must have missed the turning for the coastal path but the only route we'd seen was through a farmers field and there had been no signage. Sometimes it is really difficult to know where the coastal path is going. We must have walked about a mile along the road up to Gunwalloe before we found an opening onto the coastal path. This took us down to the beach at Gunwalloe. Surprisingly this beach was really empty. There were a couple of people walking their dogs and a couple of families sitting there. The tide was going out and as it was a dog friendly beach we considered walking along it to get back to Porthleven. I would have preferred this because I was hot and just wanted to go in the water to cool down. Ann had different ideas though. She said her feet were getting sore and walking along the coastal path would be easier. She said I could have a swim at Loe Bar.
So, from Gunwalloe to Loe Bar we walked along the coastal path which Ann did not like at all. It was really narrow and really high up above the cliffs with a sheer drop to the beach. It was scarey. I just trotted along like a well behaved collie - at least I did until I saw a rabbit and then I went into chase mode. Ann went mad at me when she saw me running towards the cliff edge. But I'm a sensible collie - I know my limitations. However Ann did apologise to me and said we should have walked along the beach instead of the scarey cliff path.
When we got to Loe Bar I was so happy. I just wanted to get in the water so Ann allowed me to deviate from our route and go for a swim. She was walking towards the last part of our walk which was along a track from Loe Bar, so she had trusted me to go swimming by myself. I had a swim, a wallow and a drink and was just about to speed back to Ann when I spotted a Jack Russell dog playing with an orange ball. He hadn't been speedy enough to get it so I thought I'd have a play. I stole the ball, had a little run around, had a swim, had another little run around, at which point Ann was coming towards me looking cross. I heard her say to the Jack Russell's owner, 'I can't believe she's being so naughty, she's just walked from the Lizard so she shouldn't have any energy left?' To be honest I didn't really want the ball. It wasn't a bouncy ball, it was all squashed - but I'd been walking since 11.15am & although I was geting tired, I hadn't had a play. Anyway the lady said if I gave it back she would give me a treat. So I did. I gave it back, gobbled up the treat and then stole it again. Then I got another treat when I gave it back again. But then the lady put it in her bag - so that was the end of that game. Ann was a little bit disappointed with me because she said, apart from my massive poo, I'd been the most perfect pooch, up to that point.
After that we had to walk about another mile into Porthleven. I stayed off my lead until we got onto a proper road. Then I had to go on my lead for the last 5 - 10 mins. until we got back to the car. Even though I'd had such a nice walk and just wanted to go home to sleep Ann had to lift me into the car. She gave me some more water but I couldn't be bothered to even look at it.
I have had such a lovely day. I've come home, had my dinner and have been snoozing on the sun terrace for ages. I'm such a tired little collie dog. But I do like my walks along the SWCP.
It was very, very hot today and there were a lot of people around at the start of our walk. I had to stay on my lead to begin with because we were in a car park and then on a little road down to Lizard Point. However, once we reached Lizard Point, where the old lifeboat station is, I was allowed to go off lead. I immediately did the most massive poo that I've ever done in my life right in the middle of the coastal path. The path was really busy and no-one could get past me so everyone had to wait until I'd finished. It was so big that Ann was worried that it wouldn't all fit into one of my little poo bags. Anyway she managed to scoop it all up and then she trebled bagged it and put it in her rucksack because she knew we wouldn't find a bin until Kynance Cove. I don't think she was very pleased with me - she muttered something about not understanding why it was so big and being pleased that we didn't have any lunch with us. She didn't tell me off. Though I bet if there hadn't been loads of people around she would have done.
I spent the first half hour of the walk having a really good time. I ran up hill and down dale, I rolled on the grass, I wallowed in mud & streams, I tried my 'appealing' look on people who were eating (but it didn't work?) and I just generally had a very nice time. Ann kept telling me to slow down because we were going a long way but it was such a lovely day and I was so excited about going somewhere new. I'd walked the first part of this walk before but I'd never been past Kynance Cove so I was very excited. I met quite a few other dogs on the first section of the walk and I was very well behaved with all of them. Lots of people told me how pretty I was and lots said, 'He likes the water doesn't he?' Why people always assume I'm a boy I don't know?
We got to Kynance Cove at about midday. It is so, so pretty. Ann said she had never been right down to the Cove before so we took the lower route so we could have a good look. There was a very tiny part of the beach that we had to walk across so I had to go back on my lead. Doggies aren't allowed on the actual beach at this time of the year but because it's part of the coast path we could walk across it. Some doggies were being carried and some were off their leads. I had to go on my lead because Ann said she couldn't trust me not to go swimming. The sea looked lovely. It was turquoise and there were loads of people swimming. Ann was right. If I hadn't been on my lead I would have been right in there.
After Kynance Cove it was like all the people had been abducted by aliens. There was absolutely nobody about. After we'd climbed the steep ascent from the Cove the coastal path was very flat and easy walking as we were on the top of cliffs. I think we only saw a couple of people in a whole hour. At one point we had to walk past a big herd of cows and calves. I'm a very good girl when I walk past cows but Ann said I had to go on my lead because the cows had babies and she was a little bit worried that I might go into chase mode. No way. Why on earth would I want to chase cows. Anyway I was only on my lead for about 2 mins and then I was allowed off lead until we got to Mullion Cove.
Ann had arranged to meet her old boss, Clive, for lunch at the 'Old Inn' in Mullion at 1.15pm however by 1pm we realised we still had a long way to go so we phoned him and changed the time to 1.45pm. And in actual fact didn't make it to the pub until just after 2pm. This part of the walk was really easy, most of it was flat and there was only a couple of up and down bits. The scenery was stunning and it was really easy walking. The only trouble was, it was still a long way to Mullion and also there wasn't too many streams for me to get cool in. I did manage to have a few drinks along the way but because it has been so dry for so long the streams didn't really have much water in so I couldn't do a lot of wallowing. However, I did quite a lot of rolling around on the grass instead to keep cool.
Once we got to Mullion Cove I had to go back on my lead because we had to walk inland along the road into the village to the 'Old Inn'. Clive was waiting for us on the picnic tables outside and while he went to get Ann a drink I was allowed some of Ann's water in a little plastic container that she'd brought for me. (She still hasn't been able to buy me a foldable doggie water bowl, though she has been trying). I was ever so thirsty - I drank it all, so Ann gave me some more but then I decided I'd better go into well behaved collie mode as Clive had never met me before so I just lay down under the table and had a little sleep. Ann decided she didn't want any lunch 'cos it was too hot so she just had a couple of diet cokes. We stayed there for just over an hour and I was glad of the rest.
Once we left the pub we got a bit lost. We had to walk through a load of houses to get on to the path that took us down to Polurrian Cove and we wasted time by walking to the end of two cul-de-sacs. We eventually found the correct route and I was allowed off lead again. Because I'd had a rest I was in energetic mode again so I did a bit of running and rolling about on the grass. There were a few people on the beach at Polurrian Cove and loads on the beach at Poldhu Cove. Ann said Poldhu Cove was busy because there is a car park nearby and anyone who wants to go to Polurrian Cove has to walk. I was desperate to go onto the beach and have a swim in the sea but doggies aren't allowed on either of those beaches so I couldn't. Also I had to go back on my lead just before Poldhu Cove as we had to walk down the road that goes from an old peoples home, then we had to walk on the main road past the beach and I had to stay on my lead as we had to walk up a little road at the other side of the beach. However, once we got about halfway up the hill the road joined the coastal path so I was allowed off lead again. I stayed off lead until we got to Church Cove when I had to go back on my lead.
Church Cove is another beach that doggies aren't allowed on but we had to walk over a tiny bit of it. It was really busy so I had to go back on my lead and we'd been walking for almost an hour and I hadn't had a drink since the pub so I was getting very thirsty 'cos it was really hot. However, Ann spotted a stream so she let me off my lead so I could go for a swim, wallow and drink. It was great. But then it was back on my lead as we were walking on a road from the car park and it was quite busy. Ann said she must have missed the turning for the coastal path but the only route we'd seen was through a farmers field and there had been no signage. Sometimes it is really difficult to know where the coastal path is going. We must have walked about a mile along the road up to Gunwalloe before we found an opening onto the coastal path. This took us down to the beach at Gunwalloe. Surprisingly this beach was really empty. There were a couple of people walking their dogs and a couple of families sitting there. The tide was going out and as it was a dog friendly beach we considered walking along it to get back to Porthleven. I would have preferred this because I was hot and just wanted to go in the water to cool down. Ann had different ideas though. She said her feet were getting sore and walking along the coastal path would be easier. She said I could have a swim at Loe Bar.
So, from Gunwalloe to Loe Bar we walked along the coastal path which Ann did not like at all. It was really narrow and really high up above the cliffs with a sheer drop to the beach. It was scarey. I just trotted along like a well behaved collie - at least I did until I saw a rabbit and then I went into chase mode. Ann went mad at me when she saw me running towards the cliff edge. But I'm a sensible collie - I know my limitations. However Ann did apologise to me and said we should have walked along the beach instead of the scarey cliff path.
When we got to Loe Bar I was so happy. I just wanted to get in the water so Ann allowed me to deviate from our route and go for a swim. She was walking towards the last part of our walk which was along a track from Loe Bar, so she had trusted me to go swimming by myself. I had a swim, a wallow and a drink and was just about to speed back to Ann when I spotted a Jack Russell dog playing with an orange ball. He hadn't been speedy enough to get it so I thought I'd have a play. I stole the ball, had a little run around, had a swim, had another little run around, at which point Ann was coming towards me looking cross. I heard her say to the Jack Russell's owner, 'I can't believe she's being so naughty, she's just walked from the Lizard so she shouldn't have any energy left?' To be honest I didn't really want the ball. It wasn't a bouncy ball, it was all squashed - but I'd been walking since 11.15am & although I was geting tired, I hadn't had a play. Anyway the lady said if I gave it back she would give me a treat. So I did. I gave it back, gobbled up the treat and then stole it again. Then I got another treat when I gave it back again. But then the lady put it in her bag - so that was the end of that game. Ann was a little bit disappointed with me because she said, apart from my massive poo, I'd been the most perfect pooch, up to that point.
After that we had to walk about another mile into Porthleven. I stayed off my lead until we got onto a proper road. Then I had to go on my lead for the last 5 - 10 mins. until we got back to the car. Even though I'd had such a nice walk and just wanted to go home to sleep Ann had to lift me into the car. She gave me some more water but I couldn't be bothered to even look at it.
I have had such a lovely day. I've come home, had my dinner and have been snoozing on the sun terrace for ages. I'm such a tired little collie dog. But I do like my walks along the SWCP.
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