Gorran Haven to Charlestown

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

WALK

CORNWALL

Gorran Haven to Charlestown

Sunday 28 August 2011

My plans for the Bank Holiday got squashed on the Friday evening and so at the last minute, I decided to complete this section of the SWCP instead.

I booked return train tickets online for just £12.00 and then on Sunday I walked the 2.5 miles to the train station and caught the train to St Austell.

A few hours later I was stepping off the train and heading down to the town. I now had 1 hour to kill before the bus would arrive to take me to Gorran Haven and so I did the only thing I could. Right opposite the Bus Stop was Frankie & Benny’s – Full English breakfast for £5.00 and all the tea/coffee you can drink for an extra 99p.

At 13:30 I finally made it to the starting point, Gorran Haven. Gorran Haven had been my finishing point back in April 2010 when I had walked from Place to Portscatho, Portscatho to Portloe and then Portloe to Gorran Haven on a week-long walking break.Although the odds were now stacked against me I eventually manage to drag my backside over to the bus stop and on to the right bus.

I lingered for a few moments on the beach and then turned and headed up the path towards Perhaver Cliffs. My walk had begun, so here I was again. I had 6 hours to make it back the Train Station at St Austell, the weather was fine and sunny but not too hot and I had taken on plenty of fuel courtesy of Frankie & Benny.

I passed by the picturesque cove at Chapel Point and was soon walking through the tiny village of Portmellon. The Cost Path stops here and you have to walk along the road for about a mile to Mevagissey but the walk is short and not unpleasant

I had only covered 3.5 miles by the time I had reached the harbour at Mevagissey but the opportunity to use the toilets, re-stock on fluids and eat freshly made doughnuts meant that my stay here was slightly longer than planned. My greed was rewarded with a steep climb out of the harbour and then several more steep drops and climbs until one very steep hill climb eventually lead me down into Pentewan where I again had to take to the road to navigate around a holiday camp.

At Pentewan I realised that I had only covered 5.5 miles (half way) and that it had taken me three hours! I only had two hours left to get to Charlestown leaving an hour to get from Charlestown to St Austell train station – I had to pick up the pace!

The path consisted of climbs and drops and then more climbs and drops and just in case I needed some variety it would throw in some more climbs and drops but I just kept motoring.

I kept up with the relentless pace until I eventually made it to Porthpean. I was now 1 mile from Charlestown, it was 18:50 and I figured I would make it to the pub in Charlestown and then get a Taxi to the train station – I was going to make it! (Taxi allowing)

I climbed up the steps from Porthpean and started along the path to Charlestown when all of a sudden I was stopped in my tracks – the path was closed and I would have to go around by road

I studied the map and could see that I would be walking back towards St Austell and then turning away from it and at this stage (and time) that did not make sense – especially as the 19:50 train was the last train!

So I walked along the road to Duporth and then continued on foot all the way in to St Austell and the train station – in the end I had half an hour to spare.

David Welch – View Profile

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