To a Long Steep Hill

  Sunday 29 th October We aren’t going to make Fowey.   But we could do Mevagissey.   It’s only 3 ½ miles on from Gorran Haven.   There seems to be a bus back to GH, so we drive to the NT car park again and easily cover the distance over good path to Portmellon, where we have a bevy in the Rising Sun.   It is deserted and they aren’t doing food, so we press on in the rain now.   Mevagissey is quite a substantial place with a big harbour lots of pubs and a very acceptable harbour-side restaurant called the Sharksfin.   We settle in and tuck in.   I have a massive Sunday roast laden with every possible veg including a separate cauliflower cheese which is a meal in itself.   Chris has mussels.   The timetable says our bus is at 16.15 so we mooch around the harbour  and visit a little private museum.   It’s a real Aladdin’s cave.   My stand out memory is that they landed 90 tons of pilchards a day at the height of the now-v...

  Saturday 28 th October We drive to Gorran Haven down increasingly narrow lanes until we nearly bump into a car.   OH – it’s an A2B taxi!   What are the chances of someone else booking a cab into this remote area?   I jump out and ask if he is Steve.   He is and he is totally lost.   He backs up, lets us pass and turns round to follow us.   We find the NT car park on the outskirts of Gorran Haven after opening two gates across the lane. Then follows another winding drive in the cab back to Portloe.   All this faffing around means we are not on the path till 10.30, and the cab has cost £50.00. We head off up the cliff and the weather starts to really deteriorate.   It is sheeting down, but we are prepared and both have anoraks, boots and waterproof trousers.   This doesn’t stop me falling over and sliding down the hill in the mud. We make it to Portholland East where the rain eases.   Amazingly there is a post office and take...

  Friday 27 th October We decide to treat ourselves to a day of rest.   The morning is largely taken up with sorting logistics for tomorrow.   Hard to find a taxi.   Eventually we find a firm in St Austell A2B who agree to meet us at Gorran Haven and drive us back to Portloe. That achieved, we took King Harry Ferry to Trelisske NT Gardens. Lovely day out.   Had baked potatoes in the café, went round the gardens and admired the views.   Tea in the house listening to a well-played piano. We hung out in our flat in the evening with a picnic and glass of wine.   I found myself talking to Barclays about a scam.

  Thursday 26 th October Met Santi at 09.30 again for the trip to Portloe.   The plan is to walk back to Portscatho.   Yet again, the rain has passed Cornwall overnight and it’s a gorgeous morning.   Portloe is a beautiful but sad place.   Picture postcard Cornish seaside village, but practically no one lives there.   All holiday lets and second homes.   It rains a bit in the afternoon.   Main problem is the mud and the slipperiness of the path.   Still very sunny at lunchtime and we both caught the sun. We are fortunate in a way that it’s half term week, because places are open.   We get a welcome cup of tea at Pendower beach.   There’s a couple who order toasties which arrive just as we are leaving.   Shortly afterwards there’s a sharp shower and I am thinking about them eating in the rain. We are back at the car by 16.30.   We have done 7 ½ miles.   In the evening we had pizzas at Thyme and Tide.   They s...

  Wednesday 25 th October Our taxi meets us at 09.30 sharp.   Chris has decoded the parking system and books the day on her phone. £5.00.   Driver is Santiago aka ‘Santi’.   He’s from Barcelona.   What on earth is he doing in St Mawes, we wonder. Perhaps he is a political refugee?   We don’t find out. Taxi is £30.00.   We are on the path at 09.45.   First thing that happens, I lose one of the stoppers on the end of my walking poles.   Annoying.   We then encounter a herd of cows.   They are harmless, of course, but still big and scary.   In avoiding them, we miss the path, and end up having to climb a fence.   This is much scarier for me than the cows.   I am too old to climb fences. Surprisingly, it’s a fine day.   Rain passed over Cornwall during the night. We were practically in Portscatho when we stopped for lunch. It’s only six miles. We got coffee at Thyme and Tide again, did a bit of shopping at the...

  Tuesday 24 th October. We decide to spend the day orienting ourselves and exploring the area.   We found a convenient car park to meet the taxi which we booked from St Mawes to take us to Place tomorrow.   Slight drawback to the b&b.   It’s not really on the coast path. We had a takeaway coffee from the Portscatho Pizza ‘Thyme and Tide’ which we drank gazing at the sea. Back to the Plume for supper.   Fish and chips twice.   Ale for me and wine for Chris.   £51.00 again                                        Portscatho with The Plume of Feathers - our go-to eatery

  Monday 23 October We are definitely crazy.   Weather is always stormy around the autumn equinox, but we are off to the Yellow Brick Road again. This time our destination is Portscatho.   We plan to go back to Place (opposite St Mawes) and start from there hoping to reach Fowey.   Weather forecast is – stormy. Journey is uneventful.   We left home at 10.45, had a good lunch stop at the Sol Café in Chicklade and were in Portscatho (Gerrans actually) by 17.45.   Our super ecological Airbnb was hard to find – tucked away down an unmade road, but it ticked all the boxes.   Real coat-hangars and good shaving light in the bathroom.   All the stuff is high tech and a bit baffling.   We head to The Plume of Feathers by the harbour for a good supper.   Excellent mussels for me and Tagliatelle with mushrooms for Chris.   £51.00.   We will be back.