Gillan to Falmouth

Gillan to Falmouth - Tuesday 3rd September 2013

Path Facts - Length: 16 miles, Ascent: 1600 feet

Well it's debatable how you calculate the distance for today. There are 3 miles or so of coastline in Falmouth so depends where you measure it to. From Gillan to the B&B was about 13.5 miles then we tacked on a jaunt around Pendennis Point in the PM which is about 2.5 miles. Sounds like a really long day but it wasn't that challenging and fairly flat.

A somewhat relaxed breakfast and headed off at about 9 am. Over the last couple of days Andy had been intent upon crossing Gillan Creek rather than walking round and asked a number of people on route. It's apparently possible to cross an hour either side of low tide using stepping stones or wading across. There was also apparently a ferry but only when the tide is high. One typical conversation with a local went like this.

Andy: Is it possible to cross Gillan Creek?
Local: Yes, no problem
Andy: Would you do it?
Local: Oh God no!

So long story short, we took the inland path which started off across the corn fields like a scene out of Lord of the Rings.

The path around Gillan Creek is actually good walking and recommended.  Mostly wooded, quiet and lots of wildlife.

We set a good pace, knocking off the first 5 miles to Helford by about 11 am in time for elevensies.

The ferry is signalled by a user operated board that is opened up to reveal an orange dot that can be viewed from Helford Passage on the other side of the river. £4 each one way.

 

 

Helford Passage:

Stopped at Maenporth for lunch at a beach cafe. Still plenty of beach goers despite it being September and a weekday. Look at the weather though.

Arrived at Gyllingvase Beach on the edge of Falmouth and not far from our B&B. Ice cream and a chill out in shady corner of the park were in order.

 

Went to the B&B and again dropped our packs off, washed up and then walked the 2.5 miles around Pendennis Point.

The shipwrecked fishing boat we'd seen on Day 1 had been transported to the docks at Falmouth.

From our evening jaunt we went straight into Falmouth for food at a Pizza Express with a very good view over the harbour.


Info

Accommodation - Braemar Guest House

Location ****
Room ***
Facilities ***
Noise **
Food ***
Ambience **
Price *** £70 for the room

http://braemarguesthousefalmouth.co.uk

Food – Pizza Express

Quality ****
Price ***

Walkers Strategy Section

It had been fairly warm 22 deg C - ish for the last few days and quite humid. Daily washing of clothes becomes necessary and I regret trying to walk in the heavier of my two walking trousers which I think developed their own internal climate which I wont overly elaborate upon. Probably need to better consider the requirements for warmer and cooler weather on the path. It was freezing back in April and the kit requirements were rather different.

Elevation from Gillan to Falmouth (not including Pendennis loop):

Coverack to Gillan

Coverack to Gillan - Monday 2nd September 2013

Path Facts - Length: 7.5 miles, Ascent: 1750 feet

Very short day today due to logistical difficulties in finding accommodation in or around Helford. So short one today followed by epic ventures tomorrow and the next day.

Awesome light first thing in the morning. Apparently Coverack is popular with painters for this reason. Had breakfast in the Paris surrounded by the sea. Set off about 9 am. Not much open in Coverack at this time. We were hoping to mooch about for a bit due to the short day walking.

Lowland Point looking back at Coverack:

The path goes through the edge of the disused Dean Quarries.

More woodland.

These are the Giant's Quoits which were moved from their original site in the 1960's because of mining operations.

This is Porthoustock. There is still a working quarry here and a nearby MOD outpost hence some stretches of the path today were inland. Porthoustock is allegedly pronounced Prowstock by the locals. I'm beginning to get the rules of local pronunciation. They go like this:

- transpose "or" as "ro" (except when you don't)
- lose a syllable occasionally
  

After Prowstock is Porthallow (Prowlow?) which is.. trumpets, dancing girls, fireworks... the official halfway point of the SWCP. So we just need to do all of the aforementioned... again!
 

Stopped at The Five Pilchards in Porthallow for a rather good sandwich.

Good views today extending right out toward the next few days walking and allegedly to Rame Head just before Plymouth and hence almost at the border of Devon again. By the end of the next trip we would have completed the Cornish stretch of the path.

In the background is Pendennis Point and Castle which look pretty near but there's the Helford River to do before this and hence quite a detour.

This is Nare Point where there is a Coast Watch station which we were invited into to have a browse and a chat. There is some info and a video interview with one of the staff here which explains better than I could what they do.

 

Got to Gillan before 3pm even after taking it very easy and slowly today. Very different sort of scenery around Gillan and Helford.

 

Having had an easy day, we dropped our packs off at the B&B, washed up and walked inland across to Helford for food in the evening (approx. 3 miles). The only nearer pub in Manaccan wasn't doing food. The B&B kindly offered a taxi service to bring us back in the evening.

Info

Accommodation - Porth Vean B&B

The room is in a detached building with en-suite. Basic but perfectly fine.

Location ****
Room ***
Facilities ***
Noise *****
Food ****
Ambience ***
Price **** £50 for the room

Food - Shipwrights Arms, Helston

 

Quality ***** Goat's cheese
Price ***
Beer ***** Doom Bar

Walkers Strategy Section

Coverack to Gillan elevation: