Thursday: 18th May: Weather: 9°C to 18°C: Cool Start then warm and sunny
Par to Polperro: 21.0k walk: 8h 30m: 8.15am to 4.45pm: 1 x 50min shop, 2 x20min stop: Ascent: 875 metres
Accommodation: Crumplehorn Inn at top of Polperro
Coffee at Gribbin Head Lighthouse
Fishing boat leaving Fowey Harbour
Almost at Fowey
Fowey to Polruan ferry cost £2.80
Lunch at Polruan overlooking Fowey
Dry paths and wlld flowers
A tribute to Beryl on Lansallos path
14th Century Church, Lansallos
Home for tonight - Crumplehorn Inn
Highlight of our day 5 was was getting to Fowey to wander around the village we had visited on our 1980 cycling trip and to then do a slight detour before Polperro to walk the same road we had cycled in 1980. Reminiscing about the past.
Annie’s Air BnB was absolutely one of the best value for money we have stayed in while walking the SWCP - spotlessly clean and so comfortable. After chatting to home to catch up with the grandkids, our breakfast at 7.30am is fresh berries, hot croissants and meusli.
It’s a cool 9°C when we leave Annie’s at 8.15am, following her instructions to re-join the SWCP via the mobile home park at the end of Par beach. It’s so much easier walking today than yesterday. The path is wider, less overgrown and less up and down and at 10.15pm we arrive at the red and white banded Lighthouse on Gribbin head with views up and down the coast. Coffee time, but we’re still full from breakfast so no bikkie with coffee.
More good paths on the way to Fowey with great views all round, and no big ascents or overgrown grasses. And no mud! We’ve been amazed at the good weather we’ve had for the past 5 days with cool mornings and warm sunny days up to 18°C. No rain means no mud! Five years ago when we did the first half of the SWCP, it rained almost every day for 25 days, and every day without fail we walked ankle deep in mud. This year, it’s obvious that a few weeks ago it was very muddy, as the mud has dried with deep plod indents from tramping cows.
With such good paths and good weather, we arrive at Fowey earlier than expected and stroll an extra kilometre to the village centre buzzing with tourists. It was much like Charlestown with limited food stores but heaps of restaurants and hotels. After 45 minutes of strolling around, we buy a small lettuce and onion to add to our cache of food for dinner tonight. Then back to catch the ferry to Polruan, which takes just 5 minutes and costs only £2.80, far cheaper than the £8 St Mawes ferry of a few days ago.
Climbing steeply out of Polruan, it’s 1pm and time for a cheese sandwich lunch on the seats nestled among the wild flowers, overlooking Fowey Harbour. There’s still 11k to go to Polperro and the path becomes up and down and very steep in places. We stop for an extra cup of tea and see an old church at Lansallos up on the hill and from our map, it’s on a B road leading to the Crumplehorn Inn, our stop for the night. We take a joint decision to go that way and revisit the road we cycled down 43 years ago. There's a side path off the SWCP up to Lansallos via a pretty track beside a gurgling stream. It’s a popular path for locals walking down to the little Lansallos beach. In 15 minutes we’re at the 14th Century St Ildierna's Church at Lansallos which is a Grade I listed heritage parish church surround by headstones revealing a long history.
Following the quiet country lane with it’s high hedges, we arrive at the Crumplehorn Inn at 4.45pm. After checking in and dumping our bags, we’re down to the beer garden for a pint of Madri and I have a half pint of Guinness. Half an hour later, our Norwegian friends who we had met on the ferry crossing, turn up tired and grazed from falling over. We were pleased we made the detour through Lansallos.
Back to our room to sort photos and have dinner - same as, same as last night, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, bread and cheese with a another Madri ale and Guinness. The room is on the second floor and very quiet. Time to blog before bed at 10pm