Cornwall's coastal path.

I am writing now from St Ives.  Accommodation throughout the last week or so has been tricky to say the least.  This however, has led to some really good experiences not least of which is that I have had four days walking pack free.  I stayed in Newquay for three nights, going out each day, and I have stayed here in St Ives for two nights, going to St Just and walking back today.

 St Just church

 A memorial at St Just.

 The Methodist church at St Just.  Methodist churches in Cornwall remind me of those in the copper triangle back home.

 St Ives (above and below)

Over these days of walking along the coast, here in Cornwall, I have seen some wonderful sights, met some lovely people, heard some interesting stories and had a lot of laughs. I have had reasonable weather fortunately, quite a bit of sunshine, just a little rain, and only one day of strongish winds.

As I walked up the hill into Newquay I stopped at a cafe for a coffee and cake and to escape the rain that had just started.  Here I met a really interesting man, a former policeman, and a karate expert.  He took it upon himself to educate me about Newquay, taking me for a drive around the town showing me such things as where to cross the River Gannel the next day, the hotel where the film "The Witches" was filmed, and the newly restored huers hut, explaining about the phrase "a hue and cry" and the history of gig races.

The restored huers hut

 Crossing the River Gannel at Newquay.

Today, while I was walking through the little village of Pendeen I passed the gig shed.  A man was working in there doing maintenance on the gig oars in preparation for the gig championships at Easter.  Now - "hue and cry" you ask?  It was here, in the gig shed, that I got a further explanation.  A huers job was to watch the water for the pilchards, and when he saw the sea "boiling" with the pilchards he would cry out, the gigs would be launched, and presumably the pilchards would be netted.  There were huers huts along the coast, and most bays had gigs.  Not only were they used for fishing, but also on occasions as life boats, as they are pretty large, flat bottomed boats, very manouverable and stable.

Working on the gig boat, Pendeen.

Here in St Ives I am staying at the Treloyhan Manor Hotel.  The people here are fabulous, good fun and very helpful, with James driving me to St Just this morning to walk the 26 kms back.  Spending the evening in their company last night, and two guests from Rambler Holidays tonight has been great and made my stay in this pretty village quite memorable. Added to that, there is a good piano here and so I raided the music shelf and had a play for half an hour.

Walking along the coast I have been treated to great views over the cliff tops, sometimes scary with the close proximity to the edge.  I have loved seeing the bird life along the way, watching the seagulls soaring in and around the cliffs.  There is also the mining history in evidence as I walk along both the cliffs and the roads.

 The path feels as if it is very close to the cliff edge at times.

 At St Agnes.

It is interesting that over the past week I have had a number of people comment on my mention of Cousin Jack, and so I will clarify.  Cousin Jack is not a reference to my cousin, though I can make a claim to this heritage, but to Cornishmen in general.  It is thought to have a couple of explanations. One is the habit of calling fellow countrymen "cousin", and the other is that miners who had emigrated were in the habit of asking for jobs for their cousin and Jack being the most common name they became " cousin Jack".

Its late, I'm tired, and I'm going to let the photos tell the rest of the story.

The steps are going up here, but hidden from the lens is a mirror image with them going down!