Day 1 - Land's End to Pendeen.

Today's the day that the route starts from Land's End heading North so the walk starts in earnest or as they say down here ...'Proper Job'.
Yesterday, in bright clear sunshine, we'd been able to see beyond Longships lighthouse to The Scilly Isles on the horizon. This morning there is thin cloud cover and milky sunshine. We can see a long way out to sea but The Scillies aren't visible. 
After a few quick obligatory photographs at the signpost
we headed off, initially along well marked paths, past the "First and Last" coffee shop (not open) and after a few short miles over moor land to Sennen Cove.
The most prominent building in Sennen is the RNLI's lifeboat station which only 7 weeks ago on the 18th Feb, had it's roof  torn off by the 95mph winds of storm Eunice. Apparently, even without a roof, the local RNLI crews ensured that by the following day, both their lifeboats were fully back on station and ready for action! 
We met RNLI shop volunteer Steve and his search and rescue dog Piran (named after the patron saint of tin miners)
at their temporary portakabin alongside the stricken lifeboat station where it was good to see that even on Sunday the roofers were hard at work to get the place up and running again. We passed greetings and best wishes from the Littlehampton crew!
The beach at Sennen Cove is beautiful.
The rock formations along the coast are striking with finely balanced columns of rock - perched high above the sea.

We'd been told that Cape Cornwall would have been an alternative starting point for the walk. We climbed up and could barely stand in the strong breeze at the top. The wall of the Nat Trust car park provided welcome shelter for us to have our picnic lunch.
A striking feature all along this part of the coast path is the abandoned tin and copper mines and their derelict buildings. 
In 1840s, the industry was flourishing and the Levant mine employed 40 women and 180 children. Even in bright daylight the buildings are haunting - you can only imagine how they'd look in the moonlight.
This evening we walked off the coast path to stay at The North Inn at Pendeen. 
The jukebox played an eclectic mix, Eric Clapton: Cocaine, Madness: Baggy Trousers, The Doors: Alabama song, Johnny Cash, Ring of Fire, etc etc  The selection progressed through the evening with the alcohol intake !! 
The game pie was excellent and I'd challenge anyone to find better garlic bread!! A brilliant evening.
Distance walked today = 11miles
Ascent = 1829 ft


Comments

  1. Barrie11 April 2022 at 09:30

    And you're off. Love the blogs. You paint a lovely picture.. Barrie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mike D11 April 2022 at 16:58

    These daily entries are a real treat. Please know they are well received. Proper job of things, I’d say.

    ReplyDelete

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