Porthleven to the Lizard (Oct11th)

You will need to put on your rain gear to join us for this section of the walk! We returned to Porthleven in the car and parked in a space spotted yesterday... the tide was high and the little harbour looked very different.
The weather was cloudy, windy and very damp, getting worse as the day wore on and we ended up very wet. However, that meant that it kept the visitors away and though parts of this walk are very popular, it meant we met few people and saw the place as it is meant to be seen! From Porthleven we crossed Loe Bar

a massive bank of sand dropped here by the giant Tregeagle!

There is a stunning stretch of fresh water, The Loe, contained behind it.

Looking back across Loe Bar towards Portleven
I have to include this next picture

because of the name... Halzephron Cove, simply stunning. The path along the cliff top took us down to Church Cove, though I'm afraid it was the golf course that caught my eye and after closer inspection I decided it's a place I would love to play.

Looking back though you see why it is called Church Cove with Gunwalloe Church hiding behind the rocky cliff.

We came across a tall monument beyond Poldhu Cove, marking early skype connections?

The plaque explains it all! From here it was not far to Mullion Cove

where we decided to carry on despite the weather worsening. The island in the middle of the picture is lava erupted from the sea bed around 350 million years ago (so I'm told) and is an important nesting site for cormorants, kittiwakes and shags among others.

Looking back at Mullion Cove.

Coming across signs like this was always lovely,

especially when we had decided to stop at Soapy Cove for a break! The geology gives rise to extensive moorland,

and in this weather we saw its wild character. Soapy Cove or Gew-graze was fascinating with its mining legacy -

they quarried soapstone here and we sat amongst the old mine buildings and slag having a rest before pressing on to Kynance Cove.

A spectacular place, brooding in the mist,

much photographed and visited,

We were very wet

and a bit tired but hurried on to the Lizard to try and make it in time to catch the bus back to Porthleven. We rounded Lizard Point with its off shore rocks and turned the corner for views of the old lifeboat station

and sped up to the bus stop in Lizard Town... relieved to see the bus waiting for us - we just made it! It had been about 14 miles walking and though it was the wettest day so far, it was great to see this area in such a bleak mood.