21/9/2021 - Falmouth to Portloe (11.98mls)

Technically we should have started at Falmouth which was were we finished our Penzance to Falmouth walk in 2014. But as we have been to Falmouth and St Mawes many times over the years we started from St Anthony's Head to avoid the time consuming ferry crossings.

Looking back towards Falmouth on another beautiful day ...

Today turned out to be all about Fiona as you will later see ...

Parking in the NT car park at St Anthony's Head, we 3 walkers were sat on logs at the edge of the car park putting on our boots when a car speedily reversed into the space right next to our car in the almost empty car park nearly knocking David off his log. The driver got out along with his aged mother totally oblivious of us - presumably he always parked where we had parked our car and wanted to make a point - some people eh?

Timing was perfect this morning as we were about to set off when dead on time Justine's consultant phoned for a review of her recent cataract operation - she couldn't have done that without a mobile phone!

Eventually we set off and had only gone a couple of miles to Towan Beach where we were met by Fiona who had parked at the NT car park and cafe just a short walk from the coast path.

So, after a very pleasant morning coffee we set off again passing Portscatho ...

... to reach the Hidden Hut at Porthcurnick where surprise surprise Fiona was spotted lying on the grass in the sunshine. We stopped to chat and had our lunch before moving off again and after Carne Beach we started the tough long climb up to Nare Head. Near the top we spotted a Coastguard vehicle in a field and had a chat - they had been sent to find a handbag that somebody had lost somewhere on the climb up! Surely they must have more important things to do or maybe there was more to it?

From Nare Head we got a good view of a number of ships we had seen throughout the day out at sea off Falmouth and asked the Coastgurads why they were there. The reply was that they would be waiting to dock and were positioned just outside the line over which they would have to pay port duties!

Along the way we saw a number of Shetland ponies on the path ...

... and further along there was another area supposedly with Dartmoor ponies although we didn't see any. Eventually we arrived at Portloe (pronounced Portlow), a very small and quiet coastal village in a valley. The car park was outside of the village but Fiona had parked for some time at the Ship Inn on the understanding that she had a drink whilst waiting for us 3 to arrive to have end of day drinks. The staff were very friendly and welcoming and so we sat at tables on a grassy slope opposite the pub, again in lovely evening sunshine.

On the way back Fiona mentioned that we were low on petrol so we stopped at a country garage but were horrified that they didn't have any petrol. This turned out to be the start of a national panic buying of fuel on behalf of the Great British Public as a result of a shortage of tanker drivers, a situation that was still a problem over a week later. Fortunately we were able to get petrol in St Austell and made it back to Lighthouse Cottage in time for Justine to do a Facebook Live yoga class in support of a Macmillan campaign.