Day 19 St Ives to Pandeen ( 13.5 miles/ 22km )

 Day 19   St Ives to Pandeen  ( 13.5 miles/ 22km )

This day came with a little bit of trepidation attached and like the stage from Hartland Quay to Bude, it comes with a reputation.   Reading trail and map guides it is said to be extreme , challenging and severe – with pictures of exclamation marks in red triangles.   I went to bed thinking about it and I woke up thinking about it.   Henry Stedman was much calmer than others – he is like a balm that man.    He said while it is often cited as one of the toughest stages it is also amongst the most stunning.    He just finds the positive and gives confidence.   What makes it challenging is not the distance or any steep ascents or descents , it is what is underfoot.     The path hugs the coastline and it is a large rock hopping path most of the way , boulder strewn with scrambling and eyes down picking a path across it.   

As this terrain makes for slow going,  this 22km seems to take nearly twice as long.   I left St Ives early knowing this –  and it was accurate , I was walking from  8.30 am and I finished at the Pendeen lighthouse at 6.30pm.    Walking into my B and B for the night just after 7pm.    T What also probably adds to its infamy is that it  is remote the whole stretch, no facilities and no phone reception,  luckily St Ives opens early for supplies.       The time taken is not only terrain related ,  it is also down to the stop in your tracks breathtaking scenery of this stage.   Henry was right again.   Part of me feels like it is the South West Coast Path’s  intention to slow people down to take their time in this magnificent pocket of the world.   To look at it , try to capture it on camera, just be in awe of it you had to literally stop in your tracks.   You could not walk and be looking about  – it was a rolled ankle/tripping/ mud sliding accident waiting to happen.   Full concentration on feet the whole day.    

I was blessed , absolutely blessed to leave St Ives in the most spectacular sun shining, cloudless sky of a day.   And it stayed that way all day.   This made a staggering difference.   If it had been pouring rain this would of been a whole dfferent story and I can see why people would not want to attempt it in driving rain with slippery rocks to negotiate for 10 hours.  With that being said , this stage in the sunshine and dry is truly a hikers dream.   It was for me – I love this kind of walking, a bit off track , rugged , rock hopping and scrambling.     If you love that kind of hiking then this is the stage .   

The first indication things are going to be worth every bit of effort is the stone marker as you join the path declaring this An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.    There are 33 in England.   This is one of them.    So with sun shining, outstanding beauty about to unfold and smelling  freshly laundered I started off in rock hopping heaven in a cloud of tropical lilly scented washing powder.   ( I had asked at the B and B that they throw in two scoops of powder for good measure becuase my pants could of walked the trail by themsleves yesterday) .    

The first half of the day stretches along coastline that is staggering to be a part of and framed by the bluest water dipping in an out of small , remote beaches only accessible by foot.   It rises and dips along the coast as you climb your way along – I can not say enough about how wonderfully challenging but absolutely doable this section is – taken slowly the scenery totally takes your mind off the path taken to experience it.   And the concentration just on foot placement allows you to think of nothing else except walking.    It was glorious.    Getting to Zennor Head the sun sparkling on the water and it was time for a sandwich on a rock.   

Then off for part two, heading up from Zennor the path’s surface and the scenery continued unchanged up to Gurnard’s Head and the cliffs of Bosigran  – a mecca for rock climbers.   The kind of rock faces that my Dad would of stood at gazed at for a long time.     I was starting to try to make up time as it finally evened out on the approach to Pendeen light house.     I thought I had arrived as I popped out on the road, my legs like jelly and feeling like they had done more than enough for the day.   It was then after a map check I saw that my accomodation was 38 minute walk up a steep road.     Vivienne, the owner of the Field House Bed and Breakfast had contacted me a week ago to say she would cook me dinner if I would like as the offferings around were few and far between .    She had sent me dinner options and I had chosen a week ago a starter and main course.  It was this that got me up the hill.  I was also so conscious of being any later for fear Vivienne might give my dinner to the dog.  

As I arrived she opened the front door with her apron on and the smell of home cooking and I fell inside with sheer joy to see this smiling lady whose greeting was as warm as the massive Aga in her kitchen,  smelling of something wonderful.   She said I have 3 other ladies who are in a  group doing day walks in the area , they have already eaten but have been waiting for you to arrive!   

I said give me 10 minutes to freshen up I’m a comin!   I got up to my room as fast as the legs could manage and quick wash, change of clothes and walked into the dining room as the 3 beaming ladies from Washington DC all cheered and hooted and hollered and held up a bottle of red wine and said “we saved you a glass!”  It was just the lovelist thing – with my table all beautifully set with a lit candle, fresh flowers and a basket of warm bread – I felt the most content feeling of a whole day of fresh air and scenery that I won’t forget and the challenge of it all.    The meal was a home cooked delight , enjoyed with the inspiring tales and laughter of the Washington ladies and Vivienne making us all so welcome.   I headed up to shower and climb in to bed so content.

To top it all off I felt my Dad was with me all day today.  He would of loved this day , he would of loved hearing about this day.   So this day is for him xxx 

The sun shining for this day….

Outstanding.   Natural.     Beauty.

The trail was alot of this…

and alot of this

Look how clean my lucky top is

Looking back on where I’d come from

Hidden beaches all day

Vivienne xx