CARN GLOOSE - Mini Tour Part 2

The View from St Agnes Head

We simply can’t go to Cornwall without going to its very tip to visit Whitesand Bay, sit on the beach and relax a while. Having secured a campsite, pre-booked of course, we were looking forward to a few days re-visiting some of our favourite haunts.

Our journey down from Treamble to Sennen was broken up with a bit of food shopping. After discovering the fabulous Boscastle Farm Shop whilst at Trewethett, (Lovely café with views. The food is delicious. We enjoyed a takeaway Quiche and various meats, fruits and vegetables from their shop. Well worth a visit if you are in the area), we were on the lookout for another Farm Shop. We came across one in St Buryan. Open but not fully, we did manage to buy a few bits and pieces but had to then stop off at a supermarket to complete our shop.

We walked as usual from Sennen towards Lands End with the famous view over Long Ships. Parking in the top car park at Sennen is always easier and you are rewarded with simply stunning views, over Whitesands Bay and beyond.

Our arrival at the Sennen CCC Site was very windy. Lovely wardens greet and meet and as we were there five nights were happy for us to move our pitch the next day to a more sheltered area with a better view. The short walk down to Gwynver Beach is over fields and anyone who has been there will remember the steep walk down those steps to the beach. Not for the faint-hearted, but it had to be done. We enjoyed a picnic and several hours relaxing, paddling and only left when the beach became too busy during the afternoon.

Cape Cornwall

Please click on the arrow to view

With its mining chimney on top of the hill Cape Cornwall makes for a striking image. We have visited here on many occasions and still really love it. Rather than park on the NT car park we always take Carn Gloose and park on the edge of the cliff looking down on The Cape and The Brisons. Full of old mining structures and Neolithic and Bronze Age Barrows, Carn Gloose is an atmospheric place. We pitch up for the day and walk down the steep path to the Cape where we are tempted yet again by the cakes at the little café. We walk around the base of the Cape, up past the National Coastwatch Station to the top. St Helen’s Oratory sits nestled in a dip and cuts a rather romantic picture from here.

A sketch of St Helen's

I want to mention St Just the town just a mile or so from Cape Cornwall. We have seen this town grow and prosper over the years we have visited. Transformed from a quiet empty place to a hustling and bustling centre, with local produce available, many cafes, pubs, galleries and small shops. It has a lovely atmosphere and at its heart Plen-an-Gwari, Cornish for ‘Place of the Play’. One of only two surviving medieval amphi-theatres and written about in documents from the 14thCentury. If you visit look out for the painted lamp posts too.

Travelling back northwards, relaxed and happy, we headed towards the St Agnes Beacon MCC Site. Thankfully although windy some days, the weather was holding. We were looking forward to exploring this part of the coast as it’s a new area for us.

St Agnes Head

We woke this morning to a clear, perfect blue sky and a sublime view from Hygge down the coastline towards Godrevy, where we had spent yesterday catching up with an old workmate of Garry’s. From here you get a wonderful view of the lighthouse and further round you can see St Ives bathed in the morning sunlight. What a wonderful way to start the day.

We dithered over a rather leisurely breakfast before heading out of the campsite and following the road a short way we took the footpath to the SW Coastal Path.

The MCC St Agnes Beacon Site offers superb views over the sea and along the coast. There are no toilet or shower facilities but there are electric hook ups and the usual water and chemical toilet disposal. For anyone wanting to try it bring levelling ramps. It is very uneven and undulating and some of the pitches are very small. But the views!!

The track took us through Cameron Camp Anti-Aircraft Battery, from World War 2, where apparently British troops trained and later the Americans had a base for preparations for the D Day Landings. As we approach the coastal path I thought our earlier walks couldn’t be beaten for beauty but this is spectacular! We have caught it at its best on a lovely sunny day and around every corner there are more wonderful views.

The walk takes a while as we are constantly stopping, photographing and simply taking in the views, along with a few others. There are many comments from fellow walkers on how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful country and who needs to go abroad when we have all this before we finally make it to Wheal Coates. Where the old mining buildings have been restored to make them safe. We mused whether this could possibly have been the mine Garry’s ancestor Josiah Cowling worked in.

Josiah and his family came from St Agnes, back in the late 1700’s, early 1800’s. The buildings seem rather romantic as you can imagine, set in a backdrop of a sparkling turquoise sea. Below us at this point you can see the entrance to Chapel Porth (where there is a great little café where you can buy the most delicious burgers). It’s a heck of a way down there if you fancy a bite.

We complete our circular walk arriving back on Beacon Drive and turn left towards the campsite.

After a short rest back at Hygge, we meander a short way up the lane to Wheal Coates Tearoom where Kate bakes a mean cake or two or three. Believe me we were spoilt for choice. Reassuringly Covid-19 aware, Katy and her staff are very particular to adhere to the rules and we enjoyed a delicious Prawn Roll followed by a scone cream tea for me and a lemon and Blueberry Cake for Garry washed down with a rather refreshing cuppa. Delicious. Thank you Katy. Find them on Facebook.

After this very naughty lunch we took the public footpath up St Agnes Beacon, owned and managed by, you guessed it, The National Trust. Views are truly amazing once again!

Our last morning at this site we decided to pack up early and take Hygge down to St Agnes Head and eat our breakfast overlooking the sea. I will let the photos speak for themselves.

We were very reluctant to leave this beautiful area. We have always loved St Agnes and the coast North of the village so to fall for the Southern SW coast path as well can only mean we will have to come back. Sooner rather than later.

Our next site was in Polruan by Fowey. Privately owned, well-kept and with beautiful views we only stayed overnight. We had managed to get a cancellation and wanted to enjoy the last day of good weather before a bout of rain arrived and the crowds became too large.

With this is mind we wanted to explore a little and walked down the very steep lane into the quaint village and meandered around the narrow streets and out to Polruan Castle. The bunkhouse was built in the 15th century to guard the harbour. Another was built on the opposite bank with a chain running along the seabed between them. The chain would be raised if a threat of invasion or attack was made. Simple but effective.

We took the SW coastal path back to the campsite admiring the views along the way and watching the Harbour Pilot Vessel leading a large yacht into the safety of the River Mouth. A very bustling and active harbour the water between Fowey and Polruan was alive with yacht and boats of all shapes and sizes, plus some fishing boats still working from the harbour.

We really have enjoyed our brief mini post lockdown tour of Cornwall. It has lifted our spirits and reminded us of everything we enjoy about campervanning. The freedom and choices it gives us. How it takes us closer to nature. How it seems to slow us down and makes us appreciate the simple things in life. How it restores our energy levels. And how we get to meet so many lovely people, as we did again on this trip.

Garry is working on a new vlog on YouTube of our trip. Don't forget to look out for it.

Hope it’s not too long before we get away again. With our brand new toilet tent of course!

Bye for now