South West Coast Path: Par to Polperro

In which: ● sculptures get me underway ● Polkerris works to a different calendar ● candy stripes mark the way ● I progress by ferry once more ● I discover the delights of Polperro

Date: 6 April 2015
Time of walk: 0745 to 1545
Today’s walking: 23.8 km
Progress along SWCP: 22.3 km
Estimated ascent: 990 metres

The Clay Trails are a network of short walking, cycling and horse-riding trails through mid-Cornwall.

A series of sculptures along the trails celebrate the rich mining history and community involvement of the area.

The delightful Polkerris. No dogs on the beach till 31st September, says the sign.

The delightful little beach at Polridmouth with the lowest of a series of artificial pools running up the valley

Looking across Coombe Haven to the lighthouse marking St Catherine’s Point, and across the water Polruan high above the cliffs. The water between them will be my next ferry journey.

Fowey on the left and Polruan on the right.

The pretty waterfront of Fowey, but the streets were crowded with people on this lovely Easter Monday, and as so often when I descend from the quiet cliffs, I feel like I want to return to them as soon as I can. But I shall need the ferry for that…

Leaving Fowey behind on the ferry to Polruan.

Some of the narrow streets of Polruan as they carry the Coast Path back up above the cliffs.

Ah, that’s better – a few people about in boats in Lantic Bay, but the clifftop path is quiet even on such a glorious day. I stopped on the slopes, took off my shoes and socks to give my feet an airing, and had some lunch.

Note the path passing underneath the sloping vegetation as it makes its way towards what my map, accurate but less than fully instructive, marks as “Landmark”.

Arrived in Polperro, and this is my bedroom view.

And after another great walking holiday (the weather was poor the first day, but better then than the last), the next morning it was time to take the bus to Looe and from there the trains back to Suffolk, with what turned out to be a two year gap until 2017 until I returned to walk a bit further to the east.