SWCP Day 28: Newquay – Perranporth

/ alliwanders

Yay! Back on the Path! A slow but successful walk today. A little over 10 miles and no significant climbs so it was a good test of my shin splints recovery. I had left my big pack for Luggage Transfers to transport so I felt half naked carrying only water and a sandwich in my new tiny backpack but I know it made a big difference.

I was timing the tides today so I had a very early start at 7am. It was one mile thru a residential section of Newquay to the Gannel Estuary crossing. This particular bridge is only passable 3 hours either side of low tide which today was 9am, and it saves several miles of walking around the estuary.

Then it was pretty much circling around headlands and crossing beaches for the rest of the way.

A new type of gate though I’m sure thinner sheep could squeeze through, probably easier than walkers with big backpacks 🙂
I thought I was being clever and walked this beach as it was low tide but at the end was a creek and I had to slog sooo far inland to the bridge that I probably should have stayed on path in the dunes
Around another headland to stunning Hoblyn’s Cove, a narrow slit that’s eroding quite rapidly into the sea
The house above had a bunch of little ponies which came trotting when the man blew the lunch whistle
Perran Sands

About 8.5 miles in I made it to Perran Sands, 2 miles of unspoiled beach and the reason for my early departure. The SWCP is actually in the dunes behind but I wanted to walk the beach but parts of it can be impassable at high tide, ergo 7am start = arriving here at 10:50am, plenty of time.

Now this is a beach! Being so flat the tide rises very quickly. Other than a few dog walkers it was empty for a good mile
More horses! Coming down the dunes to ride on the sand
Finally! Perranporth at the end of the beach.

Perranporth is another little beach town with dozens of people crowding around the bit of sand closest to the car park and the ice cream shops, lol. I had a lovely cake and latte upon arrival while waiting for my room to be ready at the big blue hotel shown above.

I think all systems are a Go for tomorrow which is a longer, more strenuous day. 🤞