A walk deep in the Roseland Peninsular in perfect weather which made for a spectacular walk. I was looking for walks for this weekend and was deliberating back and forth. Coastal or Dartmoor. I have plenty of Dartmoor to explore and the weather was set fine, but at this time of year the light is short and I needed to make sure that I made the most of it. I seem to ignore the obvious and decided to drive the longest distance and walk the second hardest of the walks I could choose. Only a drive to the north coast and a walk out of Port Isaac could have been harder! Still I seemed to ignore all of that and set off at 7.30am for Roseland Peninsular, south of St Austell. On arrival I knew I’d picked the right walk, the weather was stunning and in for the day, once some early showery sprinkles and cloud had passed overhead. I knew that I needed to keep pace from the off, it was a long walk and the easy stuff was upfront. Normally I tackle the coastal path first and then the road walk back is easy and far quicker than I expect. This time I switched it around made good time to Caerhays Castle along the lanes. However I underestimated the walk back, especially the part from Caerhays to Portloe, which was far longer than I anticipated. Still a good path to Nare Head sped things up and I made decent time back to the car. There are plenty of great spots along this section of the path, the beach at Portholland is superb, however the introduction on ANPR cameras on the eastern beach has ruined it for the locals. Portloe itself deserves a stop off in the pub (which is up the hill from the coastal path), and both Carne and Pendower beaches are gems. However the best part for me was the inland village of Veryan, it has everything, a pub, village hall, church, shop/post office, toilets, lovely houses and a pond (with Christmas decs in it). It sits alongside Ringmore in South Devon as my favourite village so far on this quest.
Start – Pendower Beach
Route – Veryan – Veryan Green – West Portholland – East Portholland – Caerhays Castle – South West Coastal Path – East Portholland – West Portholland – Caragloose Point – Portloe – Manare Point – The Blouth – Rosen Cliff – Nare Head – Carne Beach – Pendower Beach
Distance – 13.5 miles Start time – 9am Time taken – 6hrs 15mins Highest Point – Somewhere around Treviskey 105 metres
Weather – Lots of sunshine, sprinkles of rain and cloud to start
Starting out from Pendower Beach and looking out across Gerrans Bay to Nare Head, somewhere around 5 1/2 hours from now I’ll be rounding that point on my way back hereThere was some big old clumps of cloud heading my way from inland behind me, but I knew the main weather forecast was for this sort of sunshine and blue skies. The village along this coast is Portscatho. Next time I’m in this area that will be my targetDew on the ground and sun out to seaI’m on the road to Veryan, the valley leads down to Carne and Pendower beaches. Rain in the distance has passed me now and I’m set for sun all dayThe roundhouses at Veryan, £675000 for the 3 bed one on the left called West Roundhouse and East Roundhouse to the rightVeryan church, the village was lovely and had that feeling on a lived in village, which is rare in the land of second home ownership. Normally villages are ruined by there being few people in it, this one seemed to have a better community feeling.Christmas decs are up in the pond ready for the switch onThe two Roundhouses at the far end of Veryan Green, not quite as inventively named as those at the other end. on the right is Right Round House and you know what’s on the left!Walking the lanes to Treviskey and I get views to the south western edge of Bodmin Moor and some of the clay worksHeading down into West PorthollandLime kilns on the beach, clearly Caerhays have put ANPR cameras here but haven’t yet installed the pay meterPortholland Beach, tide is heading out at this pointClimbing up out of East Portholland, the ANPR cameras and pay meter are in the east car park, although there’s a few pull in spaces at the quay edge, plus the terms and conditions board is fenced off currently so I wouldn’t be paying anyway. Gull Rock in the distance.Porthluney Cove, I walked as far as the beach on my walk from Mevagissey to here (here) back in October last year, which feels like no time ago.Caerhays CastleI didn’t spend long at Porthluney before I turned to pick up the coastal path again and head back to PorthollandVeryan Bay all the way to Gull Rock, with The Lizard looking hazy sticking out beyond the rockA coastguard lookout station, now owned by Caerhays estate, I sat in here for a quick break to enjoy the views out of each windowThe old coastguard lookoutBack at Portholland beach and I decided to walk across the sand this time from east to westI had a dip of my feet, yep it was arctic.The steep climb up to Perbargus Point and a chance to look back at Portholland, which is a lovely little beachVeryan BayAlong my next section of coastline. Portloe is tucked in there somewhere with Gull Rock sitting off Nare Head at the far endI think if you look up the Oxford English definition for “nestled” there’s a picture of Portloe in there. there’s also a climb out of it up to the next part of the walk.I’ve climbed up out of Portloe which was another lovely little village, and I’m on Manare Point hereApproaching Nare Head now and some boardwalksKiberick Cove with Dodman Point on the right all the way across Veryan BayGull Rock from Nare HeadI’d rounded Nare Head and started the last section back to Pendower BeachThe coastal path here was good, not too much up and down. The buildings above the beach are at Carne BeachA rocky looking Nare HeadCarne Beach, the tide was coming in and the sun was starting to drop now as it was nearly 3pm at this point. However I fancied that I could still walk the beach back as plenty of people were still doing itGlorious view across Gerrans Bay and plenty of sand left for me to make it across. A few people still enjoying the sun and waterCarne Beach to Pendower BeachI’m back at the car now and looking down to Pendower Beach and back across to Nare HeadSun down Cornwall style at the end of a breath-taking walk. I could have shared hundreds of photos of this walk, lots of blue water below and blue sky above, all of the views were stunning. No pubs today though, although the one in Veryan or in Portloe would make a good stop off point but it didn’t spoil the walk at all for me, perfect as it was.
21st November this one, running a bit behind on walks since going to the Lakes. It wasn’t too bad temperature wise, cold to start and finish but generally long sleeved baselayer and tshirt walking weather. Got one walk left to post from Sunday with the boys, might get to that this weekend.
That’s a grand coastal walk 🙂
I agree with your comment about trying to make the most of the short hours of daylight this time of the year. An early start necessary but still difficult to try anything too demanding without ending up coming down in the dark.
treksandtors 
Superb walk, felt almost warm looking at the pictures but I guess if it was last weekend it was a bit chilly!
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21st November this one, running a bit behind on walks since going to the Lakes. It wasn’t too bad temperature wise, cold to start and finish but generally long sleeved baselayer and tshirt walking weather. Got one walk left to post from Sunday with the boys, might get to that this weekend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a grand coastal walk 🙂
I agree with your comment about trying to make the most of the short hours of daylight this time of the year. An early start necessary but still difficult to try anything too demanding without ending up coming down in the dark.
LikeLiked by 1 person