Porthleven to the Lizard, 27 km (with diversion), 584 m climbing

‘True rebels always walk alone’

Today started with a diversion. Only about 15 mins out of Porthleven the Coast Path was barricaded off and there was signage pointing to an alternative inland route. About 50 metres of the path had disappeared in a large landslip. What should have been a 400 metre walk along the coast became a 4.5 kilometre walk around potato fields and then one bank of Loe Pool. This added about 50 minutes to the day but it was a beautiful walk partly through forest. Loe Pool is a freshwater lagoon and is separated from the ocean by a shingle bar, Loe Bar.

Just beyond Loe Bar we came to a large white painted cross. This commemorates the 100 officers and men who were drowned when the HMS Anson was wrecked on the bar in 1807. This tragedy had two consequences. Thomas Trengouse was so moved by the tragedy he invented the life saving rocket apparatus that has been instrumental in saving thousands of lives. In 1808 the Gryllis Act, drafted by the local solicitor Thomas Gryllis, was passed. This allowed bodies washed up from the sea to be buried in the nearest consecrated ground. Before this all bodies were buried on the cliff tops as it was not possible to distinguish between Christians and non-Christians.

A little further on we came to the tiny beach of Gunwalloe. Huddled in the sand dunes is the small church of St Winwaloe. A statue of St Winwaloe greats you in the church grave yard. He was an abbot who came from Brittany in France in the 6^th century, to found the first sacred place on this site. The present church dates from the 13^th and 14^th centuries and has been restored many times since then. It is also called the Church of The Storms.

Next up was another little sandy cove complete with the obligatory surf shop. There was an interesting ‘Independent Surfing Ability’ poster where you could rate yourself as: explorer, learner, apprentice, intermediate, independent, skilled, expert, pro, elite or icon. Above the cove was an enormous nursing home dominating the skyline. Behind this were the Marconi Centre and the Marconi Monument. It was at this spot that Guglielmo Marconi transmitted the very first message ever to cross the Atlantic by wireless. A Morse signal sent from here was received by Marconi in Newfoundland. The signal was a repetition of the Morse code for ‘S’ which if I remember correctly from scouts is three dots. We had our lunch sitting at a bench by the Marconi Monument.

The morning had been mostly of low cliffs with cliff-face paths, long stretches above extensive beaches and the diversion through woodland beside a lake. The afternoon by contrast was on exposed, high, flat-topped cliffs with spectacular coves and bays, some unusual geology and fauna, and long stretches of almost dead flat walking. Looking down on the treacherous rocks you could see why so many ships have been wrecked here. In the afternoon a light drizzle set in so we didn’t get the full drama of the coast and the flat stretches across the high cliffs just became a tedious slog into the wind.

Just short of Lizard Point we decided to go straight to our accommodation in Lizard Village and come back in the morning to look at the point and the lighthouse when we are fresh and hopefully in better weather. Lizard Point is England’s most southerly point.