Geoff Jones

Inveterate dabbler in business, travel, gadgets & life

Category: Walks

Plymouth to Noss Mayo on the South West Coast Path

Naval ship

I woke up from a terrible nights sleep with a thumping headache feeling awful. I popped some Nurofen but realised I was probably suffering from dehydration 🙁  I went into Plymouth bought some new inner socks and a 2 litre bottle of carbonated water (Why don’t shops  /garages keep carbonated water in the chiller cabinets? ). I instantly drank 1 litre of it!

Mayflower StepsI reached the Mayflower steps in the harbour and saw the Mount Batten ferry, I succumbed and took the 5 minute ferry instead of walking the 7.5 miles around a very built up area.

I then started the day’s walking, marvelling at the huge blocks of stone that have been carved to act as way markers (till the money ran out at the top of Jennys Cliff).  I quickly reached a fine cafe on Jenny’s Cliff where I took a lot of pics for my sister Jenny 🙂 The footpath has been reinstated so The Guide is incorrect about using the road.

The walk from there was very pleasant, looking at the submarine and all the warships cruising around. Then on through the Heybrook Bay holiday home park and on to Wembury after which it seemed to take an age to the ferry at Warren Point which only runs from 3pm to 4pm. So just as well I omitted the 7.5 mile walk otherwise I would have got there to late!

After the 5min £2.50 crossing with the ferryman bemoaning how few passengers there were it became a lovely walk along the very scenic old  carriage way apparently buit by The Barings. and then back along the top to my lovely accommodation at Worswell Barton Farmhouse where Jackie made me feel very welcome. Their solar heated shower now takes first place in the most powerful one on my South West Coast Path walk 🙂

Later in the evening Philip ran me down to the Ship Inn in the centre of the delightfully named Noss Mayo village (apparently from the French word for nose). An excellent meal too

Weather wise it was a fine day with a bit of sun and no wind.

The pictures  are here, statistics here and Everytrail below

Plymouth to Noss Mayo on The South West Coast Path at EveryTrail

Looe to Plymouth on The South West Coast Path

Coastline

Another long day with just under 19 miles walked and 4780 feet climbed!

The Schooner Point gave me an excellent  breakfast, I particularly liked the way all the homemade items were labelled and the way the cereals were stored in cavernous glass bottles with ladles. Very tidy & brand less 🙂

Sand bully in operationSince I left early it was interesting to see the beach been cleaned with a miniature piste basher, I wonder if it has magnets in to grab all the money folks have dropped during the day. Climbing out past all the luxury homes I soon descended into the distinctly downmarket Millendreath with it’s boarded up entertainment complex’s and hundreds of small chalets. I pondered how places become like this? Did it start with a local parish councillor on the make…

Spiral of 7I then climbed up again  to the rather beautiful spiral cut into the grass and the poster with the mythology behind the number 7, making me think about the role of 7 in my life (born in the 7th month of the 7th year, 28 is 7 times 4…….. then descending through the beautiful woods into the remarkably naff beach cafes, no fancy cakes and china tea cups along the route for me today. then on through the Tregantle rifle ranges with a rather menacing warship lying offshore.

Jagged rocks Then to Cornwall’s answer to a shanty town, Freathy with its multitude of wooden shacks obviously built prior to the planning laws arrival. The road was getting busy so I descended onto the gorgeous beach, which you should leave  near the old boiler from  the wreck. However, in one of my more insane moments I could see a set of steps at the far end and decided to clamber around / over the amazing & dangerous jagged rocks, which at times seemed impenetrable. Reaching  the steps they turned out to lead to the rather exclusive and very private Pollawn Fort wedding centre which rather explained the skip full of champagne bottles. However, I wasn’t challenged so I snook out.

Cawsand beachThe walk continued through beautiful woods and countryside to the amazingly pretty Cawsand village which was in the middle of a May day carnival complete with Morris dancers and Navy wallahs wading in the sea. A Plymouth ferry arrived as I was on the beach so I skipped the last two miles to Cremyll and its ferry and hopped on.

I wandered up to Citadel Road, the b&b centre according to Mike and booked into Kynance House. Then went for a disastrous meal at Cafe Rouge in a distinctly uninviting deserted Plymouth centre.

All the pics are here and stats here, Everytrail below
Looe to Plymouth on South West Coast Path at EveryTrail

 

Charlestown to Looe on The South West Coast Path

Elevation profile Charlestown to Looe

Another epic day with around 24 miles covered at a very respectable speed of 2.7mph, given the over 5,000 feet climbed on the roller coaster section after Fowey,

It was a another cloudy day with odd spells of sunshine later in the day but no wind. The path was very busy in places, well near car parks & villages, perhaps the National Trust should consider dualling them 🙂 The ferry at Fowey was a bargain, £1.60 to Polruan in 8 minutes.

PolperroThe scenery is, as always, stunning if you omit the disaster zone called Par, disused factories, paths full of dog poo and a general air of neglect made it the sore thumb in Cornwalls lovely coastline. The highlight was Polperro which is my favourite place in Cornwall so far, mainly because it was car free and the harbour is been looked after by local people for local people. Another beautiful spot was the Menabilly beach house made famous by Daphne du Maurier. So a walk of contrasts today!

Tonight I’m at the Schooner Point which can claim to have the most powerful shower so far encountered by me on this trip and a reasonable WiFi too.

Todays pics are here stats as always here and the route walked below:
South West Coast Path – Charlestown to Looe at EveryTrail