Our final day of our 3 day walk and all change on the weather front and the path front. Gone are the wide paths and high cliffs, the cloudy, dry weather or very warm and sunny weather. Instead we had grey dank clouds, drizzle with overgrown paths full of gorse and bracken. The drizzle itself would have been fine on its own, however it was pushing through the bracken and gorse that got us soaked. The bad paths began after Lamorna and ran through Boscawen and down Boskenna Cliff, they got worse around Trevedran over to Penberth and finished badly on the way into Porthcurno. Not my favourite path by a long way, which was a shame, as the rocky tors were back by the sea and the views were superb. Some of the beaches as we got near to Porthcurno were stunning and some of the sections were lovely across the cliffs, they just need a bit of a cut. Shame more of it isn’t owned by the National Trust. Their sections had been cut back and meant the uncut parts looked even worse. A bit of a damp end to a fantastic few days away, and one we are looking to repeat again next year.
Start – Penzance
Route –South West Coastal Path – Newlyn – Penlee Point – Mousehole – Kemyel Rock – Lamorna – Tater Du – Boscawen Point – Boskenna Cliff – Trevedran Cliff – Porthguarnon – Penberth – Treen Cliff – Porthcurno – Trethewey
Distance – 11 miles Start time – 9.15am Time taken – 6hrs 45 mins Highest Point – 85 metres Trethewey
We’d checked the weather the night before to see rain was sweeping in overnight and then again from around 2pm onwards. The view today towards Newlyn is nothing like the blue skies and sunshine we had seen, some 10 hours earlierLooking across the bay towards St Michael’s Mount and The LizardThis section is mainly pavement and road walking, tough on the feet so early in the walk. This is Newlyn harbourNarrow street in Newlyn, we’d walked past a number of fishmongers selling the days catchLeaving Newlyn and rounding Mount’s BayPounding the tarmac to Mousehole, I was starting to have problems with my feet for the last month or so at this point, with sharp pains building as I walked, the warmer weather didn’t help much and I’d tried softer insoles but it didn’t make any difference. A bit of investigation seems to point towards Plantar Fasciitis and over July and into August I’ve rested more and walked a bit less plus using Ibuprofen gels to reduce the inflammation. Its work in progress.Penlee lifeboat memorial. On 19th December 1981 the Soloman Browne set off from Penlee in hurricane force 12 winds to rescue 8 crew on board the Union Star, a dutch cargo ship, stricken off the Cornish coast on its maiden voyage, carrying agricultural fertiliser. The Union Star had a captain and 4 crew plus the captains family, making 8 in total. Their engines failed crossing Mount’s Bay and they drifted towards Boscawen Cliffs. The lifeboat managed to retrieve 4 of the Union Star crew, but in trying to save the others, capsized alongside the Union Star in 18 metre wavesThe old Penlee lifeboat stationRounding the corner into Mousehole, still walking the pavementThe sun came out briefly as we enjoyed a coffee sat in MouseholeMousehole harbourWalking up out of Mousehole. St Michael’s Mount still visible across Mount’s BayMount’s Bay and The Lizard opposite, we’d hit the first section of head high gorse, holly and hawthorn which was a foot wide in places. We were also following a group of a dozen French walkers, we couldn’t pass them due to the path being narrowHeading towards Kemyel Point through more high wet bracken, we managed to get past the French group as they paused in the trees down thereA good section of path as we rounded Kemyel PointLamorna is in the cove to the right hereLamorna and some thick and wet bracken to push through. We had a sit down there for another coffee.Leaving Lamorna and the signs say the next mile would be difficult walkingA Celtic Cross memorial for a young man who fell here to his deathTater Du lighthouse comes into view this section of bracken was horrid, we were starting to get soaked as water ran down our waterproofs and legs and into our shoes.Looking back at Kemyel PointTater Du lighthouse below usBoscawen Cliffs, below here is the remains of the Union Star and Penlee LifeboatBoscawen Point looking across to Merthen Point, the weather was turning a little here and some drizzle was falling. Making the soaking bracken worse. Again the paths were no more than a foot wide at times here.The paths drops through trees , some respite from the bracken to a beach at St Loy’s CoveThis is part of the coastal path, a bit of boulder balancing needed for around 50 metres before heading up into the trees againMerthen Point and more bracken and rocky tors, Treen Cliff is ahead hereDrizzling on Trevendran CliffsNow this was a bit of a highlight, this little shrew was walking the path in the opposite direction to us, never deviating from the path for about 40 metres of so, I kept following him. Cute little thing, other photos I have are a bit blurred to you can make out the extended nosePenberth Cove, I had a brief sit here to ring out my socks before carrying on, soaked.Raining a bit more now as we walk Treen Cliffs towards PorthcurnoGlorious beaches below but fo rus we just wanted the car.And the end, back at Porthcurno. We’d loved the 3 days, especially the first two, with the last one a bit of a surprise at how poor and overgrown the path was. But we will look to do this again for sure, and hopefully I can get my feet rested, to be able to walk distances again without pain.
Shame about the weather and the overgrown paths. I’ve had similar issues on a couple of recent walks.
I’ve had problems with plantar fasciitis. I saw a physio and he had me stretching my calves for a minute each, every day – worked a treat.
I rested my feet because they hurt! I don’t think tight calves is the only potential cause of plantar fasciitis, but it seems to have been my problem. Standard calf stretch – hands on a wall, one foot back, heel down, minute each leg per day. I was shocked how tight my calves were when I started. (And I need to get back to stretching regularly).
Strange that such a popular path was so badly overgrown. Bracken and Nettles – hateful!
If you do have Plantar then you have my sympathy – I’ve had it a couple of times and it can be excruciating. My tip is to purchase a sort of boot thing that you wear in bed that holds your foot at 90 degrees to your lower leg. Apparently the tendency to stretch out your foot makes it much worse. I strapped mine as tight as I could manage it and worked over a couple of weeks. It’s very common (1 in 5 people suffer it) and they still don’t really know what causes it or have any real solution. Often it just goes overnight without treatment. Hope it does clear up quickly
Might have to look into that boot thing. It has definitely got better since I started resting it at the end of July. Managed Snowdon a week or so ago on the Watkin Path. I’m managing it a bit better with some ibuprofen to help initially and stopping before it gets to bad on walks, plunging my feet in cold streams whilst out helps for some reason as well. Need to look into any exercises that can be done as well.
The calf stretches are good, stand on balls of your feet on a step and just lower and raise your heel. Other one is to roll your heel on a frozen bottle of water. Good luck with ridding yourself of it!
treksandtors 
Hope your foot improves soon. This stretch of the walk I know pretty well but I need a return visit.
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Mid spring would be my recommendation, to avoid the bracken. But the high gorse will be there unfortunately
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Shame about the weather and the overgrown paths. I’ve had similar issues on a couple of recent walks.
I’ve had problems with plantar fasciitis. I saw a physio and he had me stretching my calves for a minute each, every day – worked a treat.
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Going to have to look that up I reckon, did you need to rest your feet first before starting the exercises?
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I rested my feet because they hurt! I don’t think tight calves is the only potential cause of plantar fasciitis, but it seems to have been my problem. Standard calf stretch – hands on a wall, one foot back, heel down, minute each leg per day. I was shocked how tight my calves were when I started. (And I need to get back to stretching regularly).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Strange that such a popular path was so badly overgrown. Bracken and Nettles – hateful!
If you do have Plantar then you have my sympathy – I’ve had it a couple of times and it can be excruciating. My tip is to purchase a sort of boot thing that you wear in bed that holds your foot at 90 degrees to your lower leg. Apparently the tendency to stretch out your foot makes it much worse. I strapped mine as tight as I could manage it and worked over a couple of weeks. It’s very common (1 in 5 people suffer it) and they still don’t really know what causes it or have any real solution. Often it just goes overnight without treatment. Hope it does clear up quickly
LikeLiked by 1 person
Might have to look into that boot thing. It has definitely got better since I started resting it at the end of July. Managed Snowdon a week or so ago on the Watkin Path. I’m managing it a bit better with some ibuprofen to help initially and stopping before it gets to bad on walks, plunging my feet in cold streams whilst out helps for some reason as well. Need to look into any exercises that can be done as well.
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The calf stretches are good, stand on balls of your feet on a step and just lower and raise your heel. Other one is to roll your heel on a frozen bottle of water. Good luck with ridding yourself of it!
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Read about those ones last night, started with the stretches/raising heel to see how I go
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