Newquay and Perranporth

View from the hostel

My tent, among the glampers

bike shed security 

As you can probably tell, it's going well. Legs holding up okay, plenty of decent accommodation,  lots of cafes, and glorious weather.  Plus, of course, spectacular scenery.   I'm very sorry that I didnt have better weather to enjoy south Wales in the same way.

If the hostel in Treyarnon Bay was a private house, it would have been owned by a millionaire.  Fabulous location and views.  I had the gentle roar of the waves in my ears as I fell asleep for a warm night, waking with the birdsong to wipe the dew off my tent and arrive first for my all-you-can-eat breakfast.   My clothes had dried overnight in the drying room, and the tent was also dry in the warm morning sun when I returned.

I was heading towards Perranporth,  a modest 30 miles away but 980 metres of climbing..  I've worked out that many of the rivers run east-west, so when I'm heading south, there are many valleys to cross.   I was heading south to St Ives first, via many lovely beaches; Trenance, Mawgan Porth, and Trevarrian to name a few.  It's Bank Holiday Saturday today, and although the roads remain quiet, the beaches were starting to fill up.  It seemes as if every car has a surf board in or on it. All the beaches seem to have life guards on duty.

Quite a few coast path walkers around today (this morning I met a chap in the hostel who is walking the coast path from Lands End to John o'Groats).  Then at Trevarrian, I met a couple and daughter who were running the coast path.  They overtook me up the hill out of the valley.

Approach to Newquay

Newquay

Surf board carrier on a bike

Newquay is a big place, dominating miles of sandy beaches from a crescent-shaped cliff.  It's big enough to seemingly accommodate all different tastes:  the cool surfing set  the shoppers golfers and families having fun on the beach.  I liked it.  I saw several hen and birthday parties, getting stuck in at 10.30am.  I also met a couple of chaps who cycled 4 1/2 miles each day with their boards to go surfing.

Huer's hut

Several more nice beaches followed, variations on a theme of sand and surf in between steep cliffs.  At Crantock, while I was having a picnic lunch, I saw a crocodile coming up the street.

Looking back to Crantock beach

Unusual pub name

No, really!  It was a whole class of schoolchildren, coming from the beach and going to the Post office to buy ice creams.

Perranporth 

Soon, I was in Perranporth, another biggish place with lots going on in the late afternoon.   I stopped for tea in the Wetherspoons and enjoyed apple crumble with ice cream.  I was hoping to get into the youth hostel at Perranporth,  of a bit further on at Portreath, but they were full  (at Perranporth you can only rent the whole hostel).  So I found a camp site about 10 miles and 10 hills towards Portreath, at Porthowan, and had to rush to get there and check in by 7pm.

Trevellas cove

St Agnes

Porthtowan 

I was now in tin mining country, it seems, with remnants of mining in each of the valleys.  Porthowan itself was a lovely beach with a crowded beachside bar,  but the campsite was up the hill a bit further on, and I didn't fancy returning for an evening meal, so tonight I'm dining on cookies, matched with a vintage Fanta, vintage 2033 I think.  The campsite is a bit corporate but everything's fine, and there is wi-fi everywhere.   Just no cafe.