Mevagisssey to St Austell (March 10th)

This will be a shorter blog although I couldn't get the pictures to upload despite numerous attempts - in the end have had to do each one separately and now I've added a few extra for good measure!

We actually caught the bus to St Austell and walked it 'the wrong way' but you're getting good at coping! So we began with the streets of St Austell and were soon along the road to Porthpean. From here the path became prettier... here is the usual tree for Jac :-) The coast here is quite different from other parts we've walked, this is Phoebe's Point with trees clinging on quite precariously. This is an area for old pilchard cellars and we saw ruins of them in several places.
We ate our lunch here... right out on the end of Black Head, a lovely spot which had been fortified in the iron age. After Big A's reference to AL Rowse, I thought you should see this... not sure if he'd like this particularly either! It's at the entrance to Black Head. Just around the corner from here is a very tranquil place, Hallane Mill, and up the valley behind it, Trenarren. It had the feel of St M P simply beautiful. I really liked this area, called The Vans, with a steep climb through gentle woods.

There were a couple of valleys to cross,

sometimes 'dry'

but one had a little bridge built so high, it seemed to allow for people and cattle to get access down to a little beach.

Here's Tim explaining!

It's strange what things catch the eye... ivy...

birds on a rock...

and the obvious views up or down the coast!

At Pentewan, the old harbour, once used to export china clay, is now choked with sand, the old pilchard cellars were just visible at Portgiskey,

and then we were back to Mevagissey with its charming harbour

busy with boats.