Day 21

August 29^th Depart Marazion

Arrive Portleven Accommodation: The Copper Kettle

Distance 17.4 KM | Cumulative Distance: 441.39 KM | Grade - Moderate/Strenuous

Ascent 1,749 FT | Cumulative Ascent: 57,566 FT

Google Map Portleven

Woke at 7 am which I think may be the longest I've slept since undertaking this walk. Can't determine if it's my body telling me something!! We had the fanciest coffee maker I think I've ever seen in a B&B and so Liz made us both a coffee which was not too bad. A decision had been made over dinner the night before, and that was we were going to have Liz's bag shipped by taxi to Porthleven. It's one thing walking with sore feet, but it's another entirely when it's compounded with a sore back, so we loaded all the heaviest items into the smaller back pack, and set it aside.

We had a lovely breakfast overlooking St. Michael's Mount, and then it was time to go. We dropped the bag, and money, off at reception, checked out and by 8-50 am we were on our way. The first 20-30 minutes were taken up with following the road before we turned right and followed the path before it headed left through a tunnel of trees and around the cliffs. The first hour or so was very easy walking, and then all of a sudden we were deposited on a beach and spent the next few minutes picking our way through the boulders before eventually regaining the path which continued through the fields. A second time we were forced down onto a beach and I could not figure out why. This beach was a lot wider than the first and was certainly a lot more difficult, and it became a full on goat imitation exercise. Liz was handling it extremely well, and even carried on when I stopped to tie a loose lace. Finally, after a good 20 minutes of scrambling, we reached the path that led us back up to the low cliff tops. After about 3 hours of walking we reached Praa Sands which was a very small community with a pub and a couple of places selling teas, coffees, ice creams etc, as well as rental equipment if you fancied surfing. We decided this would be a good spot for lunch, so we sat and ate half a power bar each and then I treated Liz to a soft ice cream and I had a small latte. All morning we had seen search and rescue helicopters going overhead, and I reckon there was like one every 10 minutes or so. This got us thinking about the conversation Liz had yesterday in Mousehole. On average there are two rescues per day, from people getting into trouble, and worse, falling to their deaths!! Very sad.

Sometimes the path makes no sense at all. We were directed down the slipway to the beach, then we went in front of the shops and back up the steps at the side of the 2nd cafe. We then turn right into a field which runs along the top of the dunes for a 150 yards or so before heading inland. Instead of the detour onto the beach and around the shops we could have just gone straight behind the shops and into the field!! Still, it's all part of the magic of this amazing walk.

After moving inland, albeit for a 100 yards or so, the path turned right again and led onto a small road where we had entered a very small housing estate, and after a few minutes we heard the sound of motor bikes, and around the corner came two leather clad guys riding vintage motor bikes. They were not going fast but too quick for me to pull out the camera!!

Ten minutes later I could hear the familiar hum of the motor bikes, and around the corner were the two bikers trying to figure out their next move. Liz and I stopped to chat with them for a few minutes and I was able to get pictures of the two bikes. One was a 1929 BSA, which was a very famous motor bike manufacturer, and the second bike was a 1940 Norton, but was not a complete replica, as it had bits and pieces that had been added. The Norton was built for the 2nd World War. After spending a few minutes chatting it was time to get on. We soon left behind the tiny estate and were back up on the cliff tops where we were greeted by more relics from the era of the tin mines, this time in the form of the derelict engine houses. The path was now more in keeping with what I've been used to in the first 2 1/2 weeks of the walk with dramatic ascents and descents. The weather today had also decided to co-operate as well, as for the most part it had been overcast, with some sunny periods, and rain only threatened the once. However, now we were back to climbing the wind decided to introduce itself, and it was quite blustery in places. Still we can't complain as it wasn't raining!!

Finally we could see our last descent which dropped us right down into Porthleven Harbour, although I didn't bother with a photo as the tide was out. We quickly found our B&B, unpacked, showered and changed and headed into town for a well earned drink.

We returned to our room and I started this blog before heading out for dinner, and prior to resuming decided to check my emails and received some absolutely brilliant news which I would like to share with you. Opportunity International's Executive Director, Doris Olafsen, had set a goal of $50,000.00 as the target, and I suspected we were hovering very closely to this number. Well, I received news, via email, that we have blown through the $50k figure and I suspect we are going to be very close to a number in the 57-58k range.

I would like to take this opportunity (pardon the pun), to thank all of those people who supported the Walking People out of Poverty initiative, by making a financial contribution to this most worthy of causes, and please know that Opportunity will put your funds to exceptionally good use. I have every confidence that the entrepreneurial poor will make you very proud of them.

Now for the penultimate round of photo's. I do hope the pictures work out ok, as I noticed last night that the I-Pad Mini's screen was cracked, and these cracks have grown and hope they have'nt ruined or spoiled the pictures I took. First stop in London is to Apples store to get it repaired I guess!!

The first two pictures are clearly St. Michael's Mount, but the 3rd is taken from the rear when we were further round the coast.

Picture taken from the beach. We are about 30 feet below the cliffs and I thought this shot would give a good indication of the erosion that the storms can cause.

Old derelict cottage, which is being used to store water craft !!

Liz, studying our book checking out the route.

English mailbox out in the country. Check the fiendish nettles just to the left of the box. These things cause a nasty sting, but can be "cured" by rubbing a leaf on them that acts as an antidote.

An old Citreon

Coastguard search and rescue

Hair, beautiful hair!!!

1929 BSA

1940 Norton

Tin Mine land again!!

Posted with Blogsy