Hello all
Two whole days of walking to write about.
So here goes:
I walked out of Coverack on a still and misty morning. I believe that this is the first of that particular weather condition that I have experienced on this walk. It gave me the opportunity to take some photos that shined a different light on the way that the path can look.
The mist appeared to add to the silence that an early morning walk already has plenty of. It was a delightful and slightly out of body experience.
I reached the half way point of the South West Coast Path. But who is taking the photograph?
My good friends and neighbours, John and Jen have come to Falmouth to help me out with some transport issues around the estuaries of this bit of the coast line. I met them at Helford and John insisted that they drive me back to Porthallow to have this photo taken and I am glad he did.
That evening the three of us went into Falmouth and had a splendid fish meal which was a treat for me from them. Delicious.
This morning they drove me back to Helford Passage so that I could walk to Falmouth.
I walked through a lot of fields today, which has added another dimension to the feel of the paths.
The beach near Durgan had some of the best skimming stones that I had ever seen in such quantities.
They real should hold the World Skimming Championships there.
I gathered a few and despite there being a few people on the small beach and me being in my sixties, I couldn't resist skimming them. I'm not championship standard but a couple of them went on for between 15 and 20 skims, but you will have to take my word for it. There are no photos of my action but I did photograph the stones prior to launch.
Two whole days of walking to write about.
So here goes:
I walked out of Coverack on a still and misty morning. I believe that this is the first of that particular weather condition that I have experienced on this walk. It gave me the opportunity to take some photos that shined a different light on the way that the path can look.
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| Coverack just visible through the mist |
The mist appeared to add to the silence that an early morning walk already has plenty of. It was a delightful and slightly out of body experience.
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I can't leave Coverack behind without telling you a story about the last time I walked from The Lizard to Coverack about 12 years ago.
Jennie, her sister Julie, Rebecca (Jennie's and my daughter) and I were staying in Porthallow which is a harbour village about 4 miles to the east of Coverack. The cottage we were staying at had no telephone and next to no mobile signal.
On one of the days I decided that I was going to walk from from The Lizard to Porthallow and as nobody else want to do a walk as long as that, I did it on my own, so I was dropped off at The Lizard.
After I had been walking for quite a time I started to doubt that I'dbe able to make it back because it was very hot and I didn't have enough energy, so I started trying to make contact by mobile phone in the hope that I would get through. I tried many many times without a hint of a connection.
At about 5.00 pm I arrived in Coverack hoping that a town/village of that size might have a mobile signal. Unfortunately not.
So I went into the local pub and asked the barman if he knew of anywhere that I could get a mobile signal in the village.
"Not really, but apparently some of the kids sit on top of the telephone box and get a signal there".
An unlikely story I thought.
I asked him if I could use the pub landline to try to make contact with someone. I told him that I would stay and buy a pint or two. He agreed.
But who to phone?
I had a terrible feeling that Jennie and the others would be getting quite worried by now.
So, I phoned the coastguard. I told them that there was a strong likelihood that someone might report me missing and that they should know that I am not. Also if someone does report me missing, could they tell them that I am in the pub at Coverack and then one of them could come and collect me.
You may be surprised to know that the operator said that I wasn't the first person to phone them with a similar idea and that it happens from time to time.
Then I tried ringing my other sister in law and got through to her, she phoned my son Joe and he eventually got through to Rebecca, who came and collected me.
By the time she got to the pub, I had had a few drinks and was ready to leave. As we drove out of Coverack I couldn't help noticing three teenagers perched on top of the telephone box with their Nokias clamped to the side of their faces.
There were no teenagers on the top of the telephone box this time. Progress!
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Back to the present -
I walked into a large field which stretched away into the distance. What was noticeable was the large amount of cow pats that were all over the grass. There was lots of them and all freshly laid, but not a cow in site. I wondered if the cows had been recently gathered in by the farmer. Suddenly I spotted a few cows looking at me through the mist. Most cows ignore walkers unless they get too close and then the cows move away, but I could see that this was not going to be the case with this lot. They were youngish bullocks and one by one they made their way towards me. As they got closer I counted about 25 of them. They came right up to me and blocked my path. I waved my arms around and made a farmer like sound and they parted just enough to let me through.
Then they all started following me, and as I walked a little faster they followed suit.
Another group of about twenty were ahead of me and closing in from the front in a type of pincer movement. I have to admit to being a bit anxious and started waving my arms at them and making quite a lot of noise. They all fell in behind me. I saw a gap in the wall and made for it and as I passed through I turned around and waved my hands and growled loudly until they stopped at the gap.
I then took a photo of a perfectly innocent bunch of young cows.
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| But just look at their eyes! |
I've got a story about a bull from another walk that I did years ago. It happened near to Golden Cap, so I'll save it until I am walking that stretch of the path sometime in mid June. It's a good story and probably worth the waiting.
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I think we should have a couple of pictures of irises.
__________________________________
I reached the half way point of the South West Coast Path. But who is taking the photograph?
My good friends and neighbours, John and Jen have come to Falmouth to help me out with some transport issues around the estuaries of this bit of the coast line. I met them at Helford and John insisted that they drive me back to Porthallow to have this photo taken and I am glad he did.
That evening the three of us went into Falmouth and had a splendid fish meal which was a treat for me from them. Delicious.
____________________________
This morning they drove me back to Helford Passage so that I could walk to Falmouth.
I walked through a lot of fields today, which has added another dimension to the feel of the paths.
 |
| It was lovely to sit on the grass to eat a snack or two. |
 |
| A small fishing boat and a larger ship making for Falmouth |
The beach near Durgan had some of the best skimming stones that I had ever seen in such quantities.
They real should hold the World Skimming Championships there.
I gathered a few and despite there being a few people on the small beach and me being in my sixties, I couldn't resist skimming them. I'm not championship standard but a couple of them went on for between 15 and 20 skims, but you will have to take my word for it. There are no photos of my action but I did photograph the stones prior to launch.
 |
| A fine collection of skimmers. |
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The tiny village of Durgan was a delight and is now looked after by The National Trust.
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| The building in the foreground is the old school house. Just imagine the children playing in that little area in front. Durgan is well worth a visit. |
As I walked along this morning I had a telephone conversation with Jennie as usual.
After discussing my plans for the day and Jennie's plans for the day and other stuff, Jennie suddenly said.
"Anyway, happy anniversary".
The 24th of May is our wedding anniversary.
I said, "Yes, I know it is. I was saving the best bit for the end of our conversation. You just got in first".
"Oh, really!"
Anyway here is a photo of the happy event.
And here is a "Where's Robbie" picture.
Take it easy.
Rob
That's what you call a tie!
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