From: St Ives to Gwithian
Distance: 10.3m / 16.48km
Cumulated distance: 34.8m / 56km
Percentage completed: 3.38
It was like walking in Narnia after the expulsion of the White Witch today .. thaw happening everywhere, with emerging daffs and primroses at every turn. AND I was able to walk the South West Coast Path!
It did mean a bit of rain at the start of the day. But it was a small price to pay for the rise in temperature and the melted ice.
St Ives from my attic window
St Ives was every bit as pretty as I’d imagined, with its narrow, winding streets and gorgeous art in every shop window. I could have spent a lot of time looking round all the galleries and shops, to say nothing of the money I could have spent .. but the SWCP beckoned.
Inviting galleries and shops
Tempting shops for walkers
The harbour at St Ives
The South West Coast Path is the longest national trail in UK at 600 plus miles. It’s meticulously maintained and a joy to walk, taking you along some of the most picturesque parts of the country. There are a lot of steps and some steep gradients which had me puffing a little today but the views are just glorious.
View from the Path
As I walked I kept having to peel off layers, so warm it was getting. Half way into the day I came to Hayle Estuary, a place I’d been really looking forward to reaching on the walk. In the spring up to 18,000 migrant and wintering birds flock here. It’s a particularly attractive place for birds during very cold weather, as it’s the warmest estuary in the UK, never freezing over .. even when storms like Emma try their best. Along the walk are helpful notice boards telling you what you might see. I love the names we give birds! Just read this lot which were around for me to see today: oystercatchers, ringed plovers, sanderlings, dunlins, black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits, whimbrels, curlews, greenshanks and redshanks. Who on earth thought of the word whimbrel to describe the brown-streaked wader from the curlew family? Along with many others they have brought a richness and whimsy to this English language of ours.
Walking around Hayle Estuary added an extra 3 miles to my journey today. But there was little option to do anything other than walk around it, unless I didn’t mind getting extremely wet. And anyway, it was a real treat to see such fabulous birdlife. Sorry I’m not bringing you any photos of them .. an iPhone just can’t get close enough. The bit of the walk that took me through the outskirts of Hayle had its compensations and it’s humorous elements ..
Icy indulging me with a cuddle
Who’d have thought he’d be in Cornwall!
While I don’t stand a chance of learning much Cornish (yes, it is an official language), I did take the time to find out from the landlord at Pendeen what some of the prefixes mean here. They are everywhere! Apparently, there’s a rhyme which goes ‘By Tre Pol and Pen / Shall ye know all Cornishmen’. Tre denotes a settlement or homestead, Pol indicates a body of water such as a pond and Pen signifies a hill or headland. All I can say is that there must be a lot of houses, ponds and hills along the Cornish coast!
At the end of St Ives Bay lies the teeny village of Gwithian. It overlooks the Godrevy Lighthouse which stands on a rocky island of its own. As I was walking towards it the sun came out and the whole landscape was transformed.
On the edge of the cliff looking out to Godrevy Lighthouse
I was extremely surprised to find out that it is the very lighthouse which features in Virginia Woolf’s ‘To The Lighthouse’, one of my favourite books. Surprised because in the novel, the Ramsay family see the lighthouse from the Isle of Skye in Scotland! Artistic licence I guess.
Looking back to the south I could see where I’d walked from over the day and it made me feel .. very happy!
View back to St Ives
My stop tonight is the delightful Nanterrow Farm. It was a bit of a trek from Gwithian but the curious cattle and the signposts along the very muddy track put a smile on my face and the welcome from Linda and Glynn was awesome. Only down-side is the absence of wifi and signal .. but hey, who needs these when the hostess takes the time to track down a pub with an internet connection and then drives you there! Fantastic hospitality.
Curious cows on the track to Nanterrow Farm
Black Dog Tails
Nellie was awarded the Heroic Hearing Dog of the Year Award for alerting her non-hearing owner that there was an intruder in the house.
Chons da, Jules!
Thank you! Should so like to meet you .. which part of Cornwall do you hail from? x
So pleased to hear from your comments and see on photos that the weather is improving Jules , may the worst be over and the temperature keep rising so that soon you will need the shorts that Helen is offering to send you ! Big hugs xox
Certainly warmer today but also a lot wetter in the afternoon! Our Sydney walks are paying dividends .. climbed Heartbreak Hill many times today without the calves complaining too much! I’m loving the socks you bought me for the evenings .. you think of everything! xx
Sounds like another wonderful day. I’m totally jealous that you are doing this. Seems that everyday will hold it’s own special memories and adventures. Enjoy! Glad the T shirt is walking along with you, even if I’m not!
Working on getting choppered in to the WWOM so I can have a good catch up with you and all the gals!! Thanks for the messages .. mean so much. x
Rushed home from the Opera House (having seen a fabulous talk – Women in the Age of Trump with Fran Lebowitz, Francesca Donna and Sophia A Nelson) to make a cup of tea and read your blog! Am hooked and living vicariously through it! Bravo. Xx
Oh Frannie, you are wonderful! I can just imagine how you’d love to be seeing all of the places I’m seeing. xx
I’m in awe and jealous of your trek. I wish I had your courage, tenacity and willpower to tackle such a huge feat and for such a good cause. Plus it looks like great fun despite the weather! Your such an inspiration and I will enjoy reading your daily blog with enthusiasm. Take care xxx
Steen, what a wonderful message to receive .. thank you SO much. It’s a cause which is so close to our hearts. Will be good to have your mum and dad joining me later in the journey! xx
What a contrast in weather over 3 days! I am loving waking up to your blog, photos and black dog tails……..x
Thank you! I love writing the blog at the end of the day .. lovely to recall all the precious moments. x
Wonderful! Now you are really on your way. Such joy to experience. x
Marilyn, I just do not know how you could have done this walk and camped .. big respect! x
Camping was fun and sometimes our only option. I did very much enjoy though the times we were able to stay in a pub, have a hot meal and a warm bed! Certainly makes one appreciate the comforts of life.
Gorgeous pictures, especially the cows (… and with the exception of the occupant of the red car!). When is your rest day? It will be so well deserved.
Thank you Woze! On to Newquay tomorrow and then a rest day .. with massage and hair appointment already made! x
Great read and so glad to hear you saw some sun today.
Hope you had a great night and look forward to your adventures tomorrow xx
Great sun this morning, following by sleet and torrential rain .. almost like being in Melbourne! Thx for keeping in touch. x
That’s exactly the same route that I trod. Beautiful. And I’m glad the thaw has found you.
And it just keeps on getting more beautiful!
With you every inch of the way Jules! Some gorgeous landscapes despite the weather! Xx
Thank you, Lindy .. lots of rain today but then sunshine to brighten the day! Jx