20/9/2021 - Perranporth to Portreath (13.07mls)

This was the start of 4 tough days of walking, all around 12mls, and with 2 of the largest height gains so far.

Dropping us off at the beach car park in Perranporth, Fiona then went off to spend time at the National Trust property at Trerice - thoroughly recommended.

It seemed to take ages to leave Perranporth with such good views and so much to see such as the Perranporth Sun Dial ...

Before reaching our lunch stop at Trevaunance Cove we passed Perranporth Airfield much to the delight of DavidA who kept pointing out various light planes, helicopters, parachutists, hand gliders, and even further along, model aircraft being flown over the coast. Justine had glazed over at this point HaHa!

Also before Trevaunance is a deep valley at Blue Mills where old tin mine workings have been used to good effect by The Motor Cycling Club formed in 1901 and where during the early part of the 20th century it began a London to Lands End race. The Blue Hills trials continue and usually take place over the Easter weekend. As well as motor cycles the route is also used for a car hill climb ...

At Trevaunance Cove Justine managed to get a not very good version of hot chocolate and squirt cream sustenance and also kindly treated the boys to huge cup cakes, possibly in a vain attempt to weigh us down for the walk ahead. However, we soon walked off the extra weight as, leaving the cove, we inadvertently walked probably the best part of an extra half mile trying to find the way forward. We eventually realised that the access path was where some workmen were relaying a track turning off the road and in doing so had removed the Coast Path sign.

Much of the next part of the coast is littered with the remains of mine workings such as the Towanroath Engine House ...

There followed a number of steep steps up and down sections until finally we arrived at Portreath where there was a path diversion forcing us to walk down the road into the town via Lighthouse Hill with the Pepper Pot on the top, originally a daymark navigation aid ...

Fiona was there to meet us for a welcome drink after a long day of glorious weather.