Tintagel to Port Isaac - Monday 23rd April 2012
Path Facts - Length: 9 miles, Ascent: 2740 feet
The weather looked pretty bad on the start of this walk. From the B&B the rain was hitting the window and the wind could be heard gusting. Are we fair weather walkers though? Well probably, but nonetheless, after stealing ourselves with what must have been a 10 egg scrambled egg on toast + home made bread (v. nice thank you Bosayne!) we ventured into the cold and wet.
It was cold at first but not as bad as anticipated from inside in the warmth of the B&B. The rain was fairly light and eased off becoming intermittent.
The path is joined again right next to Tintagel castle and I was trying to get a moody photo with the rain and the mist, conjuring up the atmosphere of the place but ended up with Andy inviting himself into the photo, complaining that I needed "people interest" - so this turned out more Monty Python and the Holy Grail:
"Your mother was a hamster and your father smells of elderberries..."
Local Interesting Fact
According to a little book I picked up at Boscastle called "Walking with King Arthur in Cornwall", contemporary chroniclers in the 6th century recorded the name Artos, a Celtic derivation of the Roman Artorius. He was possibly from a noble Celt family or half Roman. Artos was described as a skilled soldier, charismatic leader and fought against the Saxon invasions. It is fairly certain that the Saxon infiltration of the West Country was halted by at least a generation due to "inspiring leadership".
The path was fairly level for quite a while outside Tintagel and we had an early-ish stop at Trebarwith Strand at a great little tea shop called the Strand Cafe. There were no more obvious stops before Port Isaac.
There was a stretch of path where the martins were swooping close to the ground, below the cliff edge and close above. Port Isaac soon became visible further down the coast.
There were again dramatic cliffs and coast today, a particular North Cornwall sort of rugged beauty.
The rain was intermittent but came down fairly hard at times and coupled with a stiff breeze off the sea. This was perhaps one of the few occasions where the famous "cow barometer" folklore was unambiguous. It wasn't particularly that they were lying down or standing up but the fact that they were huddled together behind a hedge! One or two only moved out because of interest in the photographer! Though it does still have to be said that the cow folklore in this situation only really clarified that it was already raining. Predictive cow/weather correlation is still an infant science...
This was meant to have been a shortish day and it was fairly easy for the bulk of the walk, saving up a few virtual staircases for the approach to Port Isaac.
We were going to stop at Port Gaverne which is just before Port Isaac but it looked like food wasn't on. So there was one more short stretch up the hill to Port Isaac before bringing the day's hike to a close.
The priority was to locate a suitable tea shop. This desire was amply fulfilled by the rather good Victoria House Cafe.
This was a very particular Port Isaac kind of tea shop, being fairly typical in terms of available fare (cream tea etc) but having a very strong beardy folk music theme going on.
The B&B was on the far side of the village up the hill but excellently located, overlooking the harbour and with the coast path running right along the end of the garden. A sunnier view from this spot will be available in tomorrow's installment!
Info:
Accommodation – Hathaway Guest House
Location *****
Room ****
Facilities *** fine but cramped bathroom
Noise ****
Food ****
Ambience ****
Price *** £84 for the room (steep by usual standards but probably reasonable for Port Isaac)
http://www.hathawayguesthouse.co.uk/
Food - The Golden Lion
Quality ***** really great veg cumberland sausage which they went out of their way to prepare for us having run out of any other veg option
Price *** £8-ish
http://www.goldenlionportisaac.co.uk/
Beer
Tribute ****
Trelawny ***
Just back from our Hartland - Port Isaac walk (thursday-sunday). We bailed at Tintagel though because a) we wanted to have a poke around the castle and our pace until then had allowed for no sight-seeing, and b) we were told the cliff valleys between Tintagel and Port Isaac were murderous. Since we'd already done a good half day that day we didn't fancy it. Yet you make no mention of this severity. Were we sold a pup? Is that stretch in fact a walk in the park? Or are you super fit? We will return to do it - though will make it a day's walk in itself.
ReplyDeleteHi Jane - this stretch is 2740 feet which is definitely a fair bit above average ascent, particularly over a 9 mile stretch. I did say the following, "This was meant to have been a shortish day with below average height gain and it was fairly easy for the bulk of the walk, saving up a few virtual staircases for the approach to Port Isaac." So I was wrong about the height gain being below average but right about the staircases towards the end of the day. I will edit.
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