South West Coast Path Day 14.
Distance today: 20.4 miles.
Total distance: 1354.1 miles.
Accommodation: campsite.
I’d set my sights on ending the day in St Ives. I think I’d only been there a couple of times before but there was some arty fanciness to it which made a nice change from your typical seaside town – as long as you didn’t mind fighting your way through the crowds. Between me and there were the usual complement of cliff tops and beaches.
The first main landmark was Godrevy Point with Godrevy Lighthouse just a short way out to sea. What is it about lighthouses that makes them so … likeable? Do we find them reassuring? Are they simply a nostalgic link to the past? Is it the drama of them being out in all weathers, amidst the crashing waves? Or is it just the child-like simplicity of their iconic shape? I don’t know, I just like them. That said, this one was particularly annoying from a photography point of view. I struggled to take an interesting shot because I am incompetent there was very little around it to give it any context. Whose idea was it to put it on an island?
From Godrevy to Hayle, the trail followed what was essentially one long beach. Actually, strictly speaking, the SWCP ran parallel to the beach but I was content to walk along the sand. At one point, I passed a woman walking a dog and I’ve never seen a dog so excited about going in the sea. It would look at its owner, as if waiting for permission and when it got it, it would jump headlong into the waves. Again and again. It was a lovely, joyous thing to watch.
The River Hayle provided an inconvenient obstacle preventing me from getting further along the beach without taking a massive detour. Had I read the guidebook more closely, I would have known about it but I hadn’t and so every extra yard and every extra decision became a personal affront. It just felt like there should be a handy bridge somewhere. Either that or a lower tide. When I did finally reach the next part of the beach, the waymarkers seemed to send me on an unnecessary rollercoaster of a route when I could have just as easily walked along the beach. As I say, frustrating.
The closer I got to St Ives, the busier the beaches became and with an azure blue sky and an inviting sea, it was all looking very Mediterranean. Once I reached town, I spent a couple of hours there, stocking up, charging up, wandering around, getting in peoples way, and finally treating myself to a pint of Proper Job.
My campsite for the night was Hellesveor Holidays and was about mile inland and uphill. On my way there, I think it’s fair to say there was a moment. After 1300+ miles of walking, I saw my first road sign with the magic words Land’s End on it. I was getting close. As a bonus, the campsite was nice as well. More campervans than tents – as are the rules – but with facilities that had been done with a bit of thought and design. 2 more sleeps to go?
