After getting back from the Lakes in early August, we’d lost our walking mojo. We’d done one walk, the previous week, on southern Dartmoor, but this was now my birthday weekend, at the end of September and we really hadn’t been walking properly for 5 or 6 weeks. Time to start changing that with another coastal walk, something very good. Now we’ve completed large sections of the South West Coastal Path, the majority of these are within an hour of home. In fact we now needed to drive from Plymouth to Newquay, Falmouth, Hartland Quay and Weymouth to hit a section we haven’t done. Apart from two small areas around Mevagissey and another by Polzeath, both of these are a days walking and I had my eye on completing both of these this year. The Polzeath one will need the car parks to become free (after October), so we can do that one in November/December. This meant the South Cornwall coast was our target and the area between Pentewan Sands and Mevagissey. Now this is a place I am very familiar with, as it was our regular haunt for family caravan holidays in the 70s and 80s. I’ve probably only been to Mevagissey 3 times since 1989, despite living down here, so this was a chance to see it again and check that things haven’t changed. Our route would first take us inland around to Mevagissey, passing close to the Lost Gardens of Heligan. We then walked around the harbour before joining the coastal path north to Pentewan, crossing the sands where I would have played for 3-4 weeks of the year during my childhood. A quick pint in the pub in Pentewan village before a walk back through the woods to the car. A lovely part of the coastal path and lots and lots of childhood memories.
Start – Pentewan Valley Trail
Route – Kings Wood – Peruppa Farm – Mevagissey – South West Coastal path – Polstreath – Penare Point – Pentewan Beach – Pentewan – Pentewan Valley Trail
Distance – 7.5 miles Start time – Midday Time taken – 4hrs 35 mins Highest Point – Penare Point 65 metres
Not totally sure it would be one of the first places people would think of when you say Cornwall, but it is a nice woodland with some good trails alongside a river. Running from the seaside village of Pentewan, inland, towards St AustellThe St Austell River, on its way towards Pentewan, we would follow that path on the left for a short distance before crossing a bridge and crossing/handrailing the B3273 for a section. We then hit a path that headed out towards the Lost Gardens of HeliganThis path seemed to go on and on, always in a slight incline which after a mile or so became very tiringStill heading upwards and the valley filled with trees holds the Lost GardensDown in thereWe’ve come from straight on there, and we are heading left here to MevaMevagissey football ground
Entering the town
And here it is. When we used to stay at Pentewan Sands, we would come here most evenings to walk around one side of the quay to the end of the pier on the right, then return and head out to the end of the pier on the left. Then we’d go back to the caravan, thrilling stuff.Heading around to the right hand pier and looking back at the main town. To be fair we often would pick up an ice cream as we headed back around, which would probably be the highlight of the walk for me!This is the ferry that heads towards Fowey during the summer months. Gribben Head is the point away in the distanceAnd the other way to Chapel PointThe thoroughly exciting aquarium, with a few bass, a few crabs and lobsters and some other fish to look at. To be fair it is free (donation only) and I do remember going in when I was a kid, so its been here a long while.My mum has a picture of myself and my brother sat on this wall, so I figured it was time to recreate my part of the photo. I will point out that in that photo we were both wearing aran jumpers!!Climbing up to join the coastal path and looking down to the exit of Mevagissey harbour and across to Chapel PointGribben Point at the back and Penare Point nearer as we leave MevaThink these are Sulphur Tuft fungiA steep climb saw us most of the way up to Penare Point, the small beach down there is PolstreathA bit of sunshine trying to break through as we head towards Pentewan SandsLovely coastal viewsAnd then there it was, Pentewan SandsBefore long we’d found a path down to the beach and I walked across here for the first time since the 80sPentewan Sands with Black Head backed by Gribben HeadMemories of countless games with my grandad, parents, brother and sister all around this place. Match stick racing down the rivulets to the sea, frisbee, bowls, football, sandcastles and lots morePenare Point across the SandsBehind the sands is this caravan and camping park, the reception looks the same, the cafe looks the same. My gran used to get home from her summer holiday and phone them again on the first day possible to book a front row pitch for the following year! I watched Liverpool’s first European Cup victory with my dad here in the bar in 1977 (can’t say I remember it though), so many memories.We had a pint in the Ship InnThen picked up the woodland trail again back towards the carHeading through Kings WoodNow back on the path by the St Austell River towards the car. A walk full of memories and times of fun and sunshine.
Always a great read, with images to boot. Sitting on that wall must have brought back some memories, and I wonder, did you replicate the shot with your boys?
A lovely trip down memory lane as well as a great walk! You will have to rope your brother in for the next trip to recreate that photo properly 😀 (Bonus points if you’re in Aran jumpers 😉 )
Always fun to do a walk that brings back childhood memories. For me it’s the west Wales coast at Aberystwyth and Westward Ho on the North Devon coast.
I seem to recall a day out in the car to Mevagissey. I think it rained, we queued all the way through, couldn’t park and went back to a cheap and nasty caravan at Hayle!
treksandtors 
Always great to relive childhood memories, were the prices in the caravan and camping park the same as the 70’s though! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, if only the prices were even close. Its a lovely spot though and the whole of the Roseland Peninsula is well worth a visit
LikeLiked by 1 person
A nice old romp down memory lane!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah lovely, happy days
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Jo’s Monday walk : discovering Rota | Still Restlessjo
I would happily walk this and I do love those quaint village homes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There were some lovely cottages around the harbour at Mevagissey and Pentewan
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always a great read, with images to boot. Sitting on that wall must have brought back some memories, and I wonder, did you replicate the shot with your boys?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, myself and the boys went to Mevagissey 4 or 5 years ago and I have the same photo as the one of my brother and me. Great memories
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely trip down memory lane as well as a great walk! You will have to rope your brother in for the next trip to recreate that photo properly 😀 (Bonus points if you’re in Aran jumpers 😉 )
LikeLiked by 1 person
May need to knit/purchase some slightly larger aran jumpers than the original photo 🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always fun to do a walk that brings back childhood memories. For me it’s the west Wales coast at Aberystwyth and Westward Ho on the North Devon coast.
I seem to recall a day out in the car to Mevagissey. I think it rained, we queued all the way through, couldn’t park and went back to a cheap and nasty caravan at Hayle!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds like the Mevagissey I know 🤣.
LikeLiked by 1 person