Day 2 - Penzance to Helston
After a slap up breakfast I headed off down to the seafront. It had rained in the night but I was greeted with a lovely blue sky. Stopped off at Tesco to fill up on Lucozade for the day's journey and then set off in earnest. Although the tide was out, I just had to take a trip out to St Michael's Mount so hopped on board one of the shuttle ferrys then climbed the (very) steep cobbled hill up to the top. I've never actually been inside the building and it was quite impressive with fantastic views out over the bay from the back. I met an elderly couple on my way down - both were suffering from cancer and they wished me well on my endeavours. I then picked up a baguette for lunch and hit the coastal path proper (took me a little while to find the way down to the cliff but got there in the end!). Up and down, up and down I went and after a while found it was quicker to walk the ups! Each headland I went round gave a brand new view of what I still had to cover : I found some really quant derelict cottages with a whole load of pulleys and winches down to the beach and lots of 'chys' : not really sure what they were for but they were large square buildings with a huge chimney! Stopped for a cornish icecream on Praa Sands and soaked up a few rays! I'd been running for quite a few hours by the time I reached Porthleven and then saw a sign back to Penzance just 12 miles!! Still that was the easy road route, not the scenic clifftop one I traversed! Then more ups and downs to Helston - a couple of really really old cars passed me, one looking exceedingly like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! Helston itself was a steep one roaded town and they were in the middle of putting up the bunting for a floral festival next week. I was staying at The Wheal Dream pub about a mile out of Helston (up hill!). To be honest, it was a bit like the slaughted lamb pub in An American Werewolf in London! Everyone (the barman and 2 locals) looked at me very strangely when I came in dressed in my running clobber with leggings rolled over my knees (well, it had been sunny and warm!). The barman (Dave) had been expecting me hours ago and promptly asked me where my bike was!!? He was a bit shell-shocked when I said I was running! Still, I had a room all to myself so no snoring from others to keep me awake tonight! Took me a while to work out how to lock the door (handle had to be raised) and get the shower to work (pulley to get the hot water!) but apart from that, I was sorted...kettle on then! After a lovely shower, went for something to eat and 'scoffed' a huge roast beef and all the trimmings downed with a pint of lager shandy...yum! I was the only one in the restaurant but there were about 20 people next door waiting for an exciting folk guitar rendition...they were nice enough to let me pass my box round and I raised £26.24 with Dave rounding up to £30. In bed by 8.30! I know how to party!!
After a slap up breakfast I headed off down to the seafront. It had rained in the night but I was greeted with a lovely blue sky. Stopped off at Tesco to fill up on Lucozade for the day's journey and then set off in earnest. Although the tide was out, I just had to take a trip out to St Michael's Mount so hopped on board one of the shuttle ferrys then climbed the (very) steep cobbled hill up to the top. I've never actually been inside the building and it was quite impressive with fantastic views out over the bay from the back. I met an elderly couple on my way down - both were suffering from cancer and they wished me well on my endeavours. I then picked up a baguette for lunch and hit the coastal path proper (took me a little while to find the way down to the cliff but got there in the end!). Up and down, up and down I went and after a while found it was quicker to walk the ups! Each headland I went round gave a brand new view of what I still had to cover : I found some really quant derelict cottages with a whole load of pulleys and winches down to the beach and lots of 'chys' : not really sure what they were for but they were large square buildings with a huge chimney! Stopped for a cornish icecream on Praa Sands and soaked up a few rays! I'd been running for quite a few hours by the time I reached Porthleven and then saw a sign back to Penzance just 12 miles!! Still that was the easy road route, not the scenic clifftop one I traversed! Then more ups and downs to Helston - a couple of really really old cars passed me, one looking exceedingly like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! Helston itself was a steep one roaded town and they were in the middle of putting up the bunting for a floral festival next week. I was staying at The Wheal Dream pub about a mile out of Helston (up hill!). To be honest, it was a bit like the slaughted lamb pub in An American Werewolf in London! Everyone (the barman and 2 locals) looked at me very strangely when I came in dressed in my running clobber with leggings rolled over my knees (well, it had been sunny and warm!). The barman (Dave) had been expecting me hours ago and promptly asked me where my bike was!!? He was a bit shell-shocked when I said I was running! Still, I had a room all to myself so no snoring from others to keep me awake tonight! Took me a while to work out how to lock the door (handle had to be raised) and get the shower to work (pulley to get the hot water!) but apart from that, I was sorted...kettle on then! After a lovely shower, went for something to eat and 'scoffed' a huge roast beef and all the trimmings downed with a pint of lager shandy...yum! I was the only one in the restaurant but there were about 20 people next door waiting for an exciting folk guitar rendition...they were nice enough to let me pass my box round and I raised £26.24 with Dave rounding up to £30. In bed by 8.30! I know how to party!!
Total mileage today : 22.9 miles having 'moved' for 4h 53m and 'stopped' for 2h 44m. Total ascent 2,775' and max elevation 465'
Day 3 - Helston to Trispen (north of Truro)
Woke to rain but this soon cleared. Wasn't expecting a continental breakfast (where's all my energy going to come from!?). Headed off uphill (again!) on the main road but before long was jogging along peaceful country lanes with just sheep and cows for company. Somehow joined the wrong footpath and got a tad lost - asked for directions from a driver but he had no idea as he was on holiday! So, studied the map, retraced my steps and voila...sorted! Paths were a little muddy but negotiable. Came across a derelict engine house that looked very much like the 'chys' from yesterday! Back on the road and through a village called Carnekie...where is everybody? This is like the village of the dead - not a single person in sight, not even a car passing by!? Up another bridleway and stopped on top of a wall to phone John who reckons that all I do is walk and eat ice-cream! Lost the footpath again (they're not very well signposted here in Cornwall!) so just ran straight across the farmer's fields to the lane at the bottom, then got 'attacked' by the farm dogs for trespassing! (should improve their signposts then!). Then a lovely downhill track and across a meadow. Stopped for lunch in another 'slaughtered lamb' pub...what is it with everyone down here...do they not see many single white females dressed in running gear?? Had a fantastic view of a viaduct just before crossing the river then as I approached Playing Place a guy who had cycled LEJOG pressed £2 into my hand - made me very happy! I'm now in Truro library, increasing my internet cafe skills. Underneath a huge viaduct to join 'Quiet Lane' which took me all the way down to a small meandering stream through the village of Idless then through a lovely wood to Trispen. Stayed the night at a great farmhouse called Trevispian Vean (learning a bit of Cornish language - a chy is a wheal or engine house from the days of the tin and copper mining, Tre means farmhouse or homestead and Pen means headland!). This place was fantastic - owned by Nick and Jacqui who couldn't have been more accommodating. I was planning on going back into the village to the pub for a meal but they offered a meal of pheasant pie...how could I refuse!?
Day 3 - Helston to Trispen (north of Truro)
Woke to rain but this soon cleared. Wasn't expecting a continental breakfast (where's all my energy going to come from!?). Headed off uphill (again!) on the main road but before long was jogging along peaceful country lanes with just sheep and cows for company. Somehow joined the wrong footpath and got a tad lost - asked for directions from a driver but he had no idea as he was on holiday! So, studied the map, retraced my steps and voila...sorted! Paths were a little muddy but negotiable. Came across a derelict engine house that looked very much like the 'chys' from yesterday! Back on the road and through a village called Carnekie...where is everybody? This is like the village of the dead - not a single person in sight, not even a car passing by!? Up another bridleway and stopped on top of a wall to phone John who reckons that all I do is walk and eat ice-cream! Lost the footpath again (they're not very well signposted here in Cornwall!) so just ran straight across the farmer's fields to the lane at the bottom, then got 'attacked' by the farm dogs for trespassing! (should improve their signposts then!). Then a lovely downhill track and across a meadow. Stopped for lunch in another 'slaughtered lamb' pub...what is it with everyone down here...do they not see many single white females dressed in running gear?? Had a fantastic view of a viaduct just before crossing the river then as I approached Playing Place a guy who had cycled LEJOG pressed £2 into my hand - made me very happy! I'm now in Truro library, increasing my internet cafe skills. Underneath a huge viaduct to join 'Quiet Lane' which took me all the way down to a small meandering stream through the village of Idless then through a lovely wood to Trispen. Stayed the night at a great farmhouse called Trevispian Vean (learning a bit of Cornish language - a chy is a wheal or engine house from the days of the tin and copper mining, Tre means farmhouse or homestead and Pen means headland!). This place was fantastic - owned by Nick and Jacqui who couldn't have been more accommodating. I was planning on going back into the village to the pub for a meal but they offered a meal of pheasant pie...how could I refuse!?
Total mileage for the day : 23.6 with a 'moving' time of 4.58 and 'stopped' of 2.30. In bed again by 8.30!
1 comment:
Hi Carole, nice to hear that the weather hasn't caused you any problems (I got drenched 3 times today and I was only walking Ralph!) and that you're off to a good start. We're reading your blog each night and are looking forward to the next installment.
Keep well, keep strong, Nicky, Jerry & Ralph x
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