Ok so just figuring out the best way to do these posts…bear with me if they are all over the place for now!
Total distance: 12.9 miles
Elevation gain: 1,311 feet
Time walking: 10am – 6:30pm
Miles to date: 29.4
Wow, what a glorious day! After a leisurely breakfast and the excitement at the first dots being put on the map we said farewell to our amazing hosts Lyn and John in Penzance and headed back to the coast path for the easy 2.5 mile stroll towards Marazion, with great views over to the moody-looking St. Michael’s Mount. Mum and Spence joined me for this bit but then it was time to say goodbye and head out on my own. It was amazing to have them join me for the first little bit of my adventure, and it felt strange to be saying goodbye – but one of the benefits of being a southwesterner is that for the first few weeks I’ll have a few visits from my family! I’m a few days’ time dad is coming down to meet me in his caravan, yay!
My route today followed St. Michael’s Way, a pilgrim route which would take me pretty much all the way to St. Ives. The joy of following a ‘way’ includes clear signposting, well maintained stiles and gates and usually some pretty views along the way, and today didn’t disappoint! The path took me around Marazion Marsh nature reserve where I saw a baby frog, a heron and lots of birds. The way then continued across easy farmland with stunning views back to St. Michael’s Mount and the bay, once I gained a bit of height. There was not nearly as much up and down as yesterday, thank goodness, as uphill is HARD with a heavy pack! I’m hoping I’ll get a bit stronger and fitter because the pack isn’t going to get any lighter…! At roughly the halfway point I could spy my target for lunch – an Iron Age hill fort which looked like it would have great views. It might seem a bit crazy, to add unnecessary unphills to my journey but oh my goodness was it worth it! At the top there were views back towards Penzance bay and in front of me the northern coastline spread out and I could see a large part of tomorrow’s route. There’s a reason I’m a sucker for a good hill fort! As I was in no rush I had a proper break, taking my boots and socks off and even lying down in the sun for a while. I was quite sad to have to get going again! Three women who I’d been chatting to at the bottom (they were waiting for a DofE group who were behind schedule) looked surprised to see me still there! They’d found their students and were now watching out for them from the top of the hill.
It wasn’t too long before I came across the students myself – they were looking very hot and tired, one lying flat out on the ground (rucksack still attached) and a couple sitting looking like they were on the verge of giving up. They were pleased to see me and wanted to check they were where they thought they were, which gladly they were. When I told them it was only about a mile, or 20-30 minutes to their campsite they perked up and made a last push for it. I remember DofE, I loved it! I think it was one of the things that gave me this hiking bug!
It was pretty much straightforward and downhill all the way into St. Ives after that – a very big downhill which I’m not particularly looking forward to walking back up first thing tomorrow! I was waiting for some smart Alec to point out I was going the wrong way (St. Ives is a slight detour for me), but no one did, maybe I looked too happy, despite being hot, tired and sticky, that they deemed me mad and best avoided… 😉
Well St. Ives lived up to my expectations. It looked so pretty walking in, and ohhh the sea looked so inviting! I had plans to go straight to the hostel, dump my bag and go and jump in the sea! As it turned out, I got chatting to a lovely girl called Beth at the hostel who is walking the coast path by herself during her summer break, and once I’d cooled down a bit the urge to jump in the sea had lessened. We did go and paddle though, and then wandered around St. Ives which is really beautiful and bustling. We ate fish and chips by the harbour and had to fight off seagulls (vicious creatures!), treated ourselves to an ice cream and then went and sat on the peninsula to watch the sunset. And wow, what a sunset! Straight into the sea. An incredible way to end a beautiful day!
I’m not aching as much as I thought I would thankfully, but I expect it will hit me in the next couple of days. Right now, I’m just enjoying the moment! I’m in my happy place 🙂
