Here are some photos from our snorkelling at Maenporth during the last weekend taken by Bex..wow lots of colour underwater !!

I have just returned from a further walk along the South West Coastal path starting in Penzance and finishing in Plymouth, so completing the Cornish part of the route. Overall the weather was variable with some hot sunny days but a few days when rain dominated the daytime but invariably raining at night
I got the Heritage Coast bus to Exeter and then on to Totnes to stay at Bex and Tony. I then took the train down to Penzance and was on route by 11 o’clock to Marazan past St Michael’s Mount to Cudden Point and on to Porthleven to a National Trust campsite not far from the coast. The following day the path crossed Loe Bar onto “The Lizard” proper, Gunwalloe Cove and a coffee stop at Poldhu Cove and then onto Mullian Cove. There were lots of different flowers to photograph along the wayside but not enough time to identify them all, maybe on another visit when I have time to wander. By the end of the day, darker clouds were on the horizon and it wasn’t long before rain started as I reached the village of Lizard and “Henry’s Camp”.

This colourful campsite reminded me of Coffee Bay in South Africa and was a welcome stop with a pub just up the road.
The next day was a long walk to Helford River to meet up with the family to celebrate Ems birthday on Monday. I had to reach the ferry by 5.30 pm to get the last ferry crossing. The first section was about 3 ½ miles to the village of Cadgwith and then an inland route past the quarries after Lowland Point. This part was mainly through rain but this eventually cleared near Godrevy Cove, which is a quite isolated beach just around the corner from the old quarries. The rest of the trek to Helford wasn’t too exciting as I’d decided that the tide was too high to allow me a short cut across a river and that meant a tedious walk along roads (with some shortcuts over fields). After a coffee at Helford Landing, I strolled along to Durgan beach to meet Bex and Tony for a lift to Pennance Farm Camping just south of Falmouth.

We had a welcome break in the weather for Saturday and a motor boat trip to explore the river and get lunch in Helford near the quay. Later we went to Maenporth beach to snorkel in the calm waters of the bay. This was the first time I had really been able to see underwater and enjoy the clear view amongst the northern rocky shoreline. The sea at this time was very calm so we all enjoyed the experience as we had the full wet suit gear and snorkels that seemed to work well.


The weather then turned, so after food and games, we had to retire at ten o’clock in the rain and awake in the rain. In the morning we parted, me to continue on route to Falmouth and the rest of the family to go home, to hopefully escape the bad weather. The weather was terrible with storm winds and persistent rain and although Falmouth harbour looked calm, they had cancelled the Ferries to St Mawes as the company told me that the sea was too rough to attempt the crossing. The forecast was better for Monday so my plan was to find a roof for the night and try the first ferry at half-past eight in the morning. I’d soon found the “Jacobs Ladder” Hostel, a few minutes’ walk from the quay to get food and dry my now soaking kit. Why is it that all waterproof gear (no matter what you pay!) doesn’t work when exposed to persistent rain?
The ferries were running the next morning so I set off in light drizzle to St Mawes and then another ferry to St Anthony to meet the coastal track at Bohortha. The route to Porthholland was pleasant as the day had improved so I continued on to Treveasgue Camping just off the route. The next day was to Par Sands to reach Fowey and another short ferry. The weather, although very humid, did hold but I did manage to get confused in Par Sands but soon found the route over the cliffs to eventually descend into Fowey and the foot-ferry to Polruan, two pubs and a campsite up the hill!


The next day I awoke to dense mist so I descended back into Polruan to pick up the coastal path. This in fact turned out to be the toughest day of this stretch of the walk with what felt like continuous ups and downs for 6 ½ miles, mostly in the rain. I only met one other person, like me loaded with gear; he had walked from Plymouth and aimed to finish at Land’s End. By the time I’d reached the picturesque harbour of Mevagissey, the sun was shining as I enjoyed a full breakfast! Then it was onwards to Porthpean and lunch in the sun on the beach with the holidaymakers but spoilt a little by a seagull stealing my chocolate bar! The route then seems to get lost on a longish road walk around Duporth. By the time I reached Looe, the tide was out so I had a tour of the town to get around the harbour rather than a ferry crossing. The next stop was Seaton for a large apple crumble on the beach and a short walk along the road to a campsite at Downderry.

The last day’s walk to Plymouth looked easier on the map but as I found there were still a few hills to climb. The rain cleared early and I was soon in the village of Portwinkle and then straight through to a “MoD Danger Area” and more rain. At least the diversion from the Range is mostly on a footpath at the side of the road or sometimes with a hedge between. The path follows the minor road with some diversions up and down the cliff but eventually curling around to Queener Point (in the rain) to Cawsand and then Kingsand. Here I had a pub lunch before moving on to Cremyll and the ferry to Plymouth to meet Bex. The route goes through a deer park and Edgecumbe Country Park to reach Cremyll and the sign welcoming folks to Cornwall; but for me a goodbye to the coastal Cornwall and back into Devon.
From here I went back to Totnes and then home the next day. I have only a last section from Plymouth to Exeter to walk and then I’ve completed the entire South West Path; maybe I’ll do this in the autumn if I survive the Pyrenees in a couple of weeks!