Hartland Quay to Morwenstow

Hartland Quay to Morwenstow - Tuesday 30th August 2011

Path Facts - Length: 7.5 miles, Ascent: 2172 feet (est)

In the planning, there was a choice with regard to this stretch. The guide books give Hartland Quay to Bude as 15.4 miles, 4272 feet ascent and suggest this is the toughest walk on the whole coast path. We opted for the optional stop at Morwenstow, splitting the walk into two shortish days, I think largely because my melodramatic description of the full route last time we met caused Andy to start developing new ailments 6 months in advance.

The weather was a bit more overcast in the morning though the views were still great. Breakfast about 8.15 am and due to the short day we took it easy for a bit and waited for the shop to open. It’s probably not the best idea to purchase mementos on route for two reasons: 1) More weight to carry, 2) The likelihood of breaking them.
 

Anyway, that’s what I did & spent the rest of the walk trying to guard a small wooden boat with rigging etc (£2.50’s worth!) from getting squashed.

We started walking gone 10 am. The path goes away from the cliff edge for a while behind St Catherine’s Tor to Speke’s Mill Mouth where there is a 15m drop waterfall described by the SWCP Association as “the most dramatic waterfall on the whole of the path and we do not forget Pentargon ahead”. Pentargon is at Boscastle on Leg 4 so we will be able to compare in the none too distant future.

We stopped at Nabor Point where there was a picnic table at a great viewing point with views North and South for long distances. The view of the new coastline to the SW was beginning to take shape.

We descended to sea level at Welcombe Mouth and stopped for a while on a rock overlooking the beach. Controversially, it was decided to carry on round the beach, missing out about 400 ft of up and down. Though I reckon after a few sums that our excursion to the B&B at Clovelly was at least that (and another mile to the official distance). It's tempting to try and keep as accurate a record as possible but it can become a bit pedantic. Hence, a few detours and minor short cuts here and there pretty much even themselves out.

The other side of "the hill we didn't" is Marsland Mouth and a little way inland the sign that marks the Cornish border!

There were a couple of steep ups and downs before taking the inland path to Morwenstow.

The path goes through the churchyard and comes to a really great tea room. This is a 13th century house and does lots of varieties of teas & generous cream teas! Superb! (apart from wasps). 

  

It’s Time for a Local Interesting Fact!

Morwenstow was home to eccentric Anglican priest Robert Hawker who was known for creating the Harvest Festival as well as writing poetry, wearing far out clothes and smoking an opium pipe in a hut he made from driftwood overlooking the sea. He was also known for giving burials to sailors who died in the shipwrecks. There is a figurehead of the ‘Caledonia’ in the church which foundered in 1842. Thirty or so unknown seafarers were buried there.

There was short walk from the tea shop to accommodation at the Bush Inn, another 13th century building with claims to being the house that “Jamaica Inn” was based on. For all I know, there may be many such claims though the history section on the Bush Inn website claims it was "the only Inn to exist on the wrecker’s coast between Bude and Hartland Point" and hence is a likely candidate.

Bush Inn History: Link

Also a hang out for wreckers and smugglers, including the infamous Cruel Coppinger who also, according to the Bush Inn’s website was “a notorious, sadistic individual who came ashore at Welcombe Mouth in 1792, the sole survivor of a wrecked Danish vessel.” That’s a bonus local interesting fact!

Info:

Accommodation – The Bush Inn, Morwenstow
Location **** A little bit off the path but fine
Room ****
Facilities ****
Noise *** room above pub but noise not too bad or going on too late
Food ***** great breakfast (see below for evening meal)
Ambience **** 13^th Century Inn
Price ** £85 for the room

http://www.bushinn-morwenstow.co.uk/

Food – The Bush Inn, Morwenstow

Quality **** Fair play to them, the Inn uses local ingredients. Good food.
Price ** On the high end. Veg & cheese tart, new spuds & salad. 


Beer

Betty Stoggs **** Link

The folk tale of Betty Stoggs is here: Link

(I think she was reputed to be better looking than Skinner's Brewery's interpretation!)


The Walker’s Strategy Section

The last couple of days have been on the high end of the budget with regard to accommodation and the B&B costs add up. But this stretch of coast is fairly sparsely populated and there aren’t the usual beach holiday locations. All in all, it’s ok to splash out a bit occasionally. Wouldn’t have missed the Hartland Quay experience even if there was another choice! Morwenstow was also an interesting place to stop with the history and the great tea rooms!