LEJOG
Distance walked – 20.0km (12.5miles)
Total Distance – 88.6km (55.4miles)
Always pushing up the hill, searching for the thrill of it
On and on and on we are calling out, out again
Never looking down, I’m just in awe of what’s in front of me
Empire of the Sun – Walking on a dream
Portreath Arms
We stayed in the delightful Portreath Arms last night. It’s a really great pub and obviously a very popular choice with walkers on the South West Coast path as there were two other groups staying as well as us. (Our room was the very top window on left)
We made the decision early on in the planning stage to book all our accommodation up for the entire walk before we set off. I had read several blogs of other people who had walked LEJOG, some of whom had pre-booked and others that booked a few days ahead or tried to wing it on the day. With the latter option, they often had to stay off route or had to expend a lot of energy trying to find somewhere to stay due to the more popular places being booked out.
We wanted as much as possible to be able to walk to the accommodation everyday and not have to worry about booking while on the walk. Our risk however, is that if we get held up by weather or injury and miss a day walking this will cause major problems with our bookings. We do however have ten rest days planned throughout the walk so can always ditch one of these and get back on track.
The full Cornish
As we had a shorter day today we decided to stay for the breakfast. One of the problems with the included breakfast is that it doesn’t get served until 07:30 or 08:00 and we like to get walking by 06:30 at the latest on the big days so that we can get over half the walk done by lunchtime. This means we will usually have to skip the breakfast. Today, however, it was the full breakfast all the way.
Looking down on Portreath Harbour
The walk today was much easier than the past two days and we feel that we are both mentally and physically getting stronger as the days go by. The terrain and geography was subtly different again with gentle rounded headlands covered in lower vegetation with well defined contouring paths. The ups and downs seemed a little more gradual and the paths were less rocky making for easy walking.
We left Portreath and headed steeply up the road out of the village before turning on to the cliff tops. It was a beautiful sunny morning again. Luckily there was only a gentle breeze, not the ferocious gale that we had to contend with yesterday. The colour of the ocean was a deep blue-green that shimmered and sparkled in the sun. I have contemplated going for a swim in the sea before we leave the coast on day 10, but so far the maximum daily temperatures of 11 C have given me metaphorical cold feet. We shall see what happens in the next few days. . . .
Along the MOD fence
We spent the first part of the day walking alongside an enormous Ministry of Defence (MOD) property complete with space-age radar dome. It is surrounded by a high fence which runs for kilometre after kilometre.
We followed the path with cliff on one side and fence on the other until after about five kilometres we descended into the pretty village of Porthtowan. The village nestles between two headlands, protecting it from the cooling wind and acting as a suntrap. We wandered through the village. Families played on swings in the park, people sat outside a cafe, some on laptops, others enjoying the views, builders were renovating pretty cottages and we passed a man white-washing his house. All seemed well in Porthtowan.
Big bench or little Lou
Wheal Coates Engine House
The path took us up and over again and down into Chapel Porth where the car park was full and the beach packed with dog-walkers. We stopped and watched dogs tear up and down the beach chasing balls with seeming indefatigable energy (unlike us). We passed the well-preserved ruin of the Wheal Coates engine house before heading around St Agnes head and down into Trevaunance Cove.
Idyllic lunch spot
Louisa found some great benches in the sun looking down on the cove for lunch. All the public benches in the UK seem to have a dedication to someone who has died. Sometimes they are sweet and moving, other times mawkish. We have christened them ‘death benches’. Today I sat on Mrs and Mr Kneebone (much missed) and Louisa reposed on Douglas (who much enjoyed the view from here).
After lunch it was back on the clifftops and through an area that was extensively mined in the past and remains barren and devoid of vegetation. We passed through one area that looked like a set from 1970s Dr Who. We were expecting cybermen or daleks at every turn.
No daleks??
The weather turned grey and cold and the wind picked up as we walked the last few kilometres. The path clung to the edge of the cliff and became increasingly vertiginous with sheer drops at every turn. It was with relief that we rounded the last bend to descend into Perranporth.
View from our room
We checked into the Merrymoor Inn and spent the rest of the afternoon watching the never-ending activity on the beach from the comfort of our room. Dogs, people, surfers, and even horses. The tide came in rapidly and we were soon looking out at an ocean of water, like we were stranded on a deserted island. It was a great way to finish the day. We will have an early night before heading out on another big day tomorrow.
Today’s Route
8 Responses
Photos are awesome! What I can’t understand is how you have the energy to write and publish such comprehensive posts after walking 20+ kms every day! But keep it up, your audience is appreciating it!
Thanks Matt! Nigel is the writer (far too much energy!), I just take the photos and chat on line!
Great work Nige and Lou. Just caught up on your first four days of walking and blogging. Very exciting, lots of hard yakka and grit involved no doubt and wonderful photos accompanied by engaging, interesting writing. Keep up the great work, enjoy and stay safe. Looking forward to more exciting episodes.
Thanks Daniel! It’s great fun so far!
You are both so amazing. Love the stories and photos from each day. The way you are describing the ups and downs of each day both geographically and personally makes it so authentic. It will be a great book. It also makes me realise that I will forever be a virtual walker on your adventures. Love you heaps and as Louisa says – press on.
Pressing on! xxx
I’m catching up with haste. Wonderful to follow and I am more than a little envious, I must admit. The photos show the British weather at its very best – looks idyllic!
It is truly beautiful on the coastal path. Some rain but not too much 🙂