St Ives to Porthmeor Cove

14 May 2024

Distance on Coast Path: 11.5km; ascent: 349m

Total distance: 17.3km; ascent: 510m

Walking time: 4h 48′

Total time: 6h 55′

Overnight: The North Inn, Pendeen

Extract from SWCP Handbook

St Ives to Pendeen Watch. Distance: 22.0km. Ascent: 1045m. Grading: Severe. Timing: 7 hours.

There are no settlements on this section and the character is lonely and remote. It is also tough going, with rocky scrambles and boggy lengths. But it can only be described as a magnificent length. Stark cliffs, rock pinnacles, tiny scenic coves with translucent water, rugged exposed headlands – all are here. Inland, the view is often of empty moorland. This is the Coast Path at its most awe-inspiring. Prepare for its rigours, then enjoy the wonderful experience.

From time to time I read about the achievements of ultra-endurance athletes and am awed by their physical and mental strength. Wondering about the concepts of ‘stamina’ and ‘endurance’ I once searched and found technical sports science definitions, not all in agreement. But I came up with my own summary: endurance is how the mind keeps the body going when the body’s stamina is exhausted.

I had a restless night with the guidebook words going through my head and when I set off at 8.40 I was already in a poor state of mind, half expecting I wouldn’t finish the whole section. I’d found a way to join the path a couple of kilometres after St Ives without going all the way down into the town and climbing back out again, and it didn’t help that lazy attention to detail meant I took the wrong route from the start and had to backtrack a kilometre or so to get on the right path.

Rough seas off The Carracks

Once on the Coast Path, ‘gruelling’ was the word that kept coming back to me. There were no big ups and downs but the level was constantly changing. It was rough going underfoot with stones, rocks, boulders and bog. The forecast had been for dull but dry weather and I’d dressed accordingly, but every so often sharp rain squalls blew in from the inland moors on strong gusty winds, soaking my trousers and becoming more frequent and longer as the day went on. I wasn’t enjoying it, and my spirits got steadily worse.

I reached and passed Zennor Head, where a track leads inland to the village and its pub. It was tempting, but I still had enough energy and will-power to keep going. But it didn’t last. Over the next few kilometres with more rain and the unchanging Path giving no respite I realised I no longer felt confident enough to carry on: it was like I wasn’t in control of what was happening any more, and not knowing what was still ahead made me seriously question whether it was safe to carry on.

I stopped to look at the map and saw I could get to the coast road from Porthmeor Cove. Once on the road I could get the coastal bus to my overnight stop in Pendeen. I baled out.

Carn Galver engine house, Rosemergy

Reaching the road I checked the bus times on my phone and found the bus wasn’t due for the best part of an hour. There was no shelter so I decided to walk along the road to the hamlet of Rosemergy, passing on the way the relics of the Carn Galver tin mine. Some overhanging trees gave some shelter from the rain while I waited for the bus. The lower deck was full of bedraggled hikers.

And so I arrived at the North Inn in Pendeen. It turned out to be a classic local village pub with afternoon drinkers and a smokers shack outside. I was given the key to large room with a sea view in an annexe where I rested and slept for an hour. I had a substantial early meal in the bar before going back to my room for an early night.

For the next section of the Coast Path, Porthmeor Cove to Pendeen Watch, see Day 26.