Portlock Weir to Minehead - 9 miles

This signifies the start of the SWCP

We can see for miles

Up the steep hill we go

What a lovely view

Picnic before we start the walk

Portloe to Gorran Haven - 9 miles

What a beautiful day for a long walk.

Arranged to meet our walking friend, Angela, in the car park at Gorran Haven at 10am.  We got there at about 9.45am because we were unsure as to how long it would take us.  Actually it just took us just over an hour from St Ives and that included getting lost along the little country roads once we left the A38.

Left our car at Gorran Haven and went in Angela's to Portloe.  Ann always likes to end the walk so that I can get into my own car if I am wet and stinky.   ..................And I have to say I was very wet and stinky at the end of today's walk.

The drive from Gorran Haven to Portloe took about half an hour along very tiny country roads and there were lots of people out and about so we were forever having to pull into the passing places. 

Anyway we eventually started our walk at about 11am.

Portloe

Portloe is a lovely little village.  It's Easter Sunday today and tied on to a post was a basket of little chocolate eggs with a sign that said, 'Help yourself'.  So Ann & Angela did.  We're pretty sure that providing eggs in that way is probably breaching some sort of health and safety rule but they thought it was a really nice idea.

Once we got onto the cliffs above Portloe we could see for miles as it was a lovely clear day.  Ann made the comment that it didn't seem too steep?!

Having a little relax!

Walked for about 2 hours in glorious sunshine.  I was off my lead for the whole time because there was nothing for me to chase.  It was so lovely because we could see up and down the coast in both directions.

After a couple of hours we reached Caerhays Castle so stopped for a cup of coffee and some chips in the cafe down on the beach.  All I got was a drink of water.

Then I had to go back on my lead because we had to walk through a field full of sheep.  I can't be trusted not to go chasing when there are sheep about.

The rest of the walk was a bit uneventful.  The path did actually go up and down a bit but it was no where near as hard as some of the walks we've done.

However the good thing about this section of the walk was that there were loads of troughs.  I think sometimes there are sheep or cows on the path.  Fortunately we didn't see any because I would have had to go back on my lead if we had.  But, I had a fantastic time jumping in all the troughs.  Troughs are good for two things: 1) they cool me down when it's hot and 2) I can have a drink at the same time as I'm wallowing.

I only had to go back on my lead once more and that was when we spotted some dartmoor ponies.

Between Caerhays Castle and Gorran Haven there wasn't really anywhere else for us to stop but that was OK because we didn't want to.

The scenery was beautiful and the weather was lovely all day.  There were quite a few people walking and just generally being out and about.  We could see for miles.

Eventually got back to Gorran Haven at about 4pm-ish and the humans had a coffee and some carrot cake in a little cafe.  Again I only got water.

Torcross to Dartmouth - 10 miles

Plymouth (Mount Batten) to Wembury Point - 7.5 miles

Gorran Haven to Charlestown - 11 miles

What a wet miserable day for a long walk. 
 

Left home in St Ives at about 8.40am and it looked like quite a nice day.  Got to Charlestown just over an hour later and it was a bit drizzly.  Bus wasn’t due till 10.20am so wandered around for a bit and then waited for the bus on the opposite side of the road from the bus stop.  Had to ask a local lady where the bus stop was.  Apparently there isn’t one – people just stand ‘by the wall’??!!  Well how on earth is anyone supposed to know that?

While we were waiting three old men turned up at the bus stop.  We could tell they were trying to figure out where the bus left from and eventually one of them came across the road to ask us.  They were a bit like the three guys out of ‘Last of the Summer Wines’.  Anyway they all made friends with me and said they were walking from Pentewan back to Charlestown so we all jumped on the same bus (525) and all had to change onto the 526 bus at St Austell.  As luck would have it the 525 changes in to the 526 so we didn’t even have to get off the bus.  And what is better it only cost Ann £1.80 (I was free) to go all the way from Charlestown to Gorran Haven.  She thought that once the new driver got on she’d be asked for another fare but she wasn’t.  However, by the time the bus reached Gorran Haven she was the only person on it, so when the bus stopped at Gorran Haven we just jumped off, said ‘thanks very much driver’, and started our walk.

Then Ann said that the reason why we hadn’t been asked to pay another fare was because the driver thought she was an OAP (& had a bus pass) like the ‘Summer Wine’ guys?!  Ann wasn’t happy – she’s years off having a bus pass?!!

Anyway, once in Gorran Haven we started our walk.  No SWCP signs so after a couple of false starts we eventually found ourselves on the coastal path.  It was raining.  It was misty.  It was generally just a horrible day.

However the walk from Gorran Haven to Portewan (where we had lunch) only took about 2 and a half hours.  And then from Portewan to Charlestown was about another two and a half.  Actually the whole walk only took about five and a quarter hours including our lunch break.

We stopped for lunch at the ‘Ship Inn’ in ‘Pentewan’. Ann gave me a drink of water in my fabulous travel water bowl and she had a ‘jacket potato with tuna, sweetcorn and cheese plus a diet coke for £7.90.  It came with a very yummy salad and fabulous homemade coleslaw.

The hardest part was between Pentewan and Porthpean cos there were quite a few ‘up and down’ bits.  Steps down, steps up.  And there were also a lot of sheep in these bits – so I had to go on my lead.  The coastal path was very well fenced off from the fields but my owner still felt the need to put me on my lead ‘just incase there were any holes in the fences.’

Even though it has been a horrible day; today’s walk has been good.

Loving the SWCP walks!

Plymouth (Stonehouse to Mount Batten) - 7.5 miles

Looking towards Stonehouse

Today Ann decided that we would walk the most ‘built up’ area of the whole SWCP coast path which is the area around Plymouth.  She had a plan?!  The plan was we would park the car at ‘Stonehouse’ and then walk to the ‘Barbican’ and get the water taxi to ‘Mount Batten’ and then walk the 7.5 miles back.  We knew we would have to walk a couple of miles to the Barbican first so were expecting to do an extra couple of miles, as in effect we’d be walking the same section there and back.

However, what happened was; Ann didn’t really have a clue how to get to Stonehouse and so we ended up parking quite near the ‘Mount Wise Marina’ down by the swimming pools so that probably added another couple of miles onto our walk.  We started our walk at 11.45am.  The area between Mount Wise Marina and Stonehouse isn’t even part of the SWCP as the SWCP ends at Stonehouse and then there’s a ferry that goes across the estuary to Cornwall. 

Oh well, ho hum, it was a lovely day and we’ve had a great, but tiring walk.

For most of this walk I had to stay on my lead as we were walking along city roads.

It must be lovely to be a rich person and own a yacht on a sunny day like this.  And there must be lots of rich people in Plymouth because there were lots of yachts.

We walked past ‘Millbay Docks’ where all the big ‘Brittany Ferries’ leave for France & Spain.  And then along to ‘Plymouth Hoe’. 

Plymouth Hoe was bustling with activity.  Because it was such a lovely day there was people sunbathing, people skateboarding and roller skating, there was a ‘big wheel’, there were loads of ice cream vans and everyone seemed to be generally having a good time.  We didn’t loiter around though because Ann said that we had to get the water taxi across to ‘Mount Batten’ so that we could start our walk properly.

As luck would have it the water taxi was arriving just as we arrived at the wharf at 12.45pm so we were able to jump on first.  Just as well really, as it could only take 12 people and 5 mins. later it was full.  It cost £1.50 for Ann and I was free.  I was a very good girl.  I just sat very still beside Ann’s legs and I even let some of the other people on the boat stroke me.

Once off the water taxi we were in another marina.  More rich people?  We had a lovely little stroll past the marina and round to ‘Hoe Lake’.  Unfortunately we hadn’t realised how big Hoe Lake was.  We just thought it was a little water inlet.  We could see the other side, where we wanted to be but it took us a very long time to get there.  This was my favourite part of the walk because we had to go through a woody area so I was allowed off my lead.  Unfortunately there were lots of paths in the wood and none of them were signposted so we ended up on a path which took us round ‘Radford Lake’ which added even more distance to our walks.  I didn’t mind though because there were a lot of dogs playing there with balls.  I joined in briefly and stole a ball but when I gave it to Ann to throw it again she just put me on my lead, dragged me away and gave the ball back to who it belonged to.  So that wasn’t much fun?!

Then when we’d walked round both the lakes we ended up in a very posh housing estate down by the water.  There was definitely a lack of SWCP signs on this walk.  Very interesting, but that added more distance to our walk?!

Back on track and we walked through a lovely little village area.  I think at this point we were supposed to join up with a main road but we didn’t.  We ended up walking along a footpath through an industrial estate with wire fencing on both sides which had barbed wire on the top.  It was quite scary.  Fortunately we didn’t see anyone else but it was the type of place where we could have been murdered and no one would have known?!  We were glad when we spotted ‘Morrisons’ & ‘MacDonalds’ and knew we were just about to hit the A379.

Once over the ‘Laira Bridge’, again, we didn’t know where to go.  There were signs for the city centre, signs for cyclists but no signs for the SWCP?  A quick consultation of the map showed that we had to walk around another industrial site.  Being a Sunday there wasn’t much going on and there certainly wasn’t anyone else walking there.  Haven’t a clue what industry goes on in any of these buildings but we didn’t feel very comfortable at all.  In fact when we walked past one building an automated message came over a tanoy which said, ‘You have activated the alarm’.  We didn’t know if it was referring to us or whether there were burglars breaking in somewhere.  We just carried on walking – faster!

Anyway once through the horrible industrial estate there was a tiny little road leading up a hill which stated that there was no access except for cyclists.  But surprise, surprise there was a SWCP sign pointing upwards so off we went.  This little road was almost as scary as the footpath that we’d walked along earlier.  Except this one had high stone walls on each side.  On the left side there was a massive drop down a cliff onto industrial buildings below (lots of great views) and on the right side we couldn’t see over, so don’t know what was there.  Again we could have been murdered and no one would have known.  It was a bit scary because we saw three ‘lager louts’ coming towards us carrying bottles of beer and a big cassette player.  We ignored them, didn’t make eye contact and fortunately they walked past us without killing us, mugging us, or doing anything else horrible to us.

Got down the other side of the hill into a slummy residential area where there were lots of grotty looking kids riding around on bikes, lots of people hanging around at the entrance to flats and where there were lots of fat scruffy looking teenage mothers pushing prams with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths.  Probably where ‘Jeremy Kyle’ gets most of his material from?!  But then after walking through this area it turned into ‘high class waterfront development area’.

There’s a huge aquamarine centre right by the waterside and another marina with more fabulous yachts.  So once we walked across the locks guarding ‘Sutton Harbour’ we were back to where we’d got our water taxi from.

There’s loads of little water front cafes along the Hoe but everywhere was really busy so we didn’t stop.  We just kept walking till we got back to the car at about 3.45pm.

Today’s walk has been lovely.  Most of it has been on the flat, there have only been a couple of hills but we’re both really tired.  Walking for four hours on pavements is exhausting.  We’ve probably walked about 12 miles today.  But at least we’ve now done Plymouth.

Roll on the next section of the SWCP when I can be off my lead of the whole walk?!

Fowey to Charlestown - 10 miles

Today I have had the muddiest walk that I have ever had in my whole entire life.

We left St Ives at about 8am and got to Charlestown at 9.05am.  Well, the bus to Fowey wasn’t due till 9.50am.  We’d thought it would take us about an hour and a half to drive to Charlestown so allowed an extra 20 mins for parking, finding the bus stop and for Ann to put on her walking boots and get organised.  Oh well, the best laid plans and all that?!  .............Better to be too early than too late?!

We parked right next to the bus stop on the main road into Charlestown.  So obviously that saved us a car parking fee.  Once Ann had put her walking boots on and got her rucksack organised, we went for a little walk around Charlestown.  Seemed like a lovely place with what looked like lovely cafes & pubs but obviously at 9am on a Sat morning in January nothing was opened so we just took a few photos, wandered around and then headed for the bus stop.

The bus (Greyhound 525) arrived a few mins early.  It cost £3.10 for Ann to go to Fowey and I was free.

When we got off the bus at Fowey we immediately just walked down the hill to the sea thinking that the coastal path would be down there somewhere.  Wrong!  The Fowey Estuary looked lovely but we had to go back up another hill to get onto a road leading to the coastal path. 

After we’d walked for about half an hour, Ann said we had to stop while she took off her anorak and put her gators on.  Our walk was becoming increasingly muddy.  Well I didn’t care.  It was a beautiful sunny day.

However, Ann didn’t really know what she had to do with her gators.  She’d got them for Christmas and this was the first time she’d worn them.  She didn’t know if the zips went on the inside or the outside?!  Though when she put them on, they somehow ended up at the back?!  And what a great Christmas pressie they were.  About 90% of today’s walk was through mud.

Having said that – the weather today was glorious.  First Ann took off her gloves, then she took off her anorak, then she took off her ‘thin with all the warmth walking top’.  She ended up just walking in a T-shirt and her winter walking trousers that are lined with fleece.  Today was like summer?!

Today’s walk was about 10 miles and it would have been easy had it not been so muddy.  Even on hard walks we reckon we can do about 2 miles an hour.  There were no really steep up and down bits on this walk but it still took us almost 5 hours to walk 10 miles.  Ann says if it hadn’t been so muddy we probably would have completed it in 4 hours.  She had a real problem walking though.  She was slipping and sliding all over the place.

Anyway I have had such a fab day.  I don’t care how muddy I get.

However I did do one naughty thing;  we were walking along the coast path and had almost reached Par Beach when I spotted a little track that went down through lots of prickly bushes onto the beach.  I could smell that there was a stream down there.  So what I did was – I went down the little track and had a good old wallow in the stream.  Ann knew that was what I was doing because she could hear me splashing around. 

Unfortunately, after I’d splashed around for a couple of mins I decided to wander upstream instead of going back to Ann.

Ann was still on the coastal path and she thought I would come running back to her.  I didn’t.

I’ve never, ever run away from Ann before and she didn’t know what she should do.  She didn’t know whether she should squeeze herself through all the prickly bushes or whether she should stay on the coast path.  She was shouting and shouting me but I wasn’t responding to her.  Fortunately a very nice man with a little girl shouted back to her that they’d seen me in the stream.  The ‘very nice man’ said he’d go upstream to look for me so Ann stayed on the coastal path.

Just as she got to where the coastal path joined the stream I came zooming back to her.  I was a bit wet & soggy but I didn’t know that Ann thought she’d lost me.  I could hear her shouting me so I knew she was close by.  I didn’t know that she was really, really upset.  I’d only been playing for a few minutes.

After that I had to go back on my lead.  We had to walk along the dunes by Par Beach, then we had to walk along the road in Par, and then we had to walk along this really ‘creepy’ footpath which ran between the railway line in Par and the docks.

The footpath was scary.  There was a man walking in front of us and the footpath was very long.  There was no means of escape as there was very high fencing on both sides.  Ann whispered to me that we could be murdered on this part of the path and there would be no witnesses.  Anyway, the man, (who actually wasn’t a murderer after all), stopped to let us past.  He looked about mid 60’s and I think he was just some ‘old person’ out for a walk. 

Once we’d emerged from the ‘scary footpath’ we were back on the coastal path which ran alongside the ‘Carlyon Bay Hotel Golf Course’.  I still had to stay on my lead because there were signs saying ‘please keep your dog under control’.  Apparently if I was off my lead I couldn’t be trusted not to go chasing golf balls?!

When we’d passed the hotel I was allowed ‘off lead’ again as we walked along the coast path into Charlestown.

Today has been such a great walk. 

Another 10 miles of the SWCP walked – YAY!