Walking Englishman's 1000 Mile Walk

Photograph Gallery Stage 76 Truro to Gweek, Monday 8th August 2011

The Story:

And so on the 12th Monday morning of the 1,000 Mile Walk I had reached the penultimate stage. Today I would walk about sixteen miles from Truro, the only city in Cornwall to Gweek, a creek village on the western edge of Helford River which locals told me is often smelly when the tide is out. Tomorrow I would walk about fifteen more from Gweek to Lizard Point and that would be that, the 1,000 Mile Walk, or 1,120 mile walk in fact would be over. Lest I continued walking on water!!!

Looking back I recall the excitement of waking, having self catering breakfast at our great Truro B&B and then setting off with Strolling Steve on a day we would spend half of by ourselves and then the other half walking with Dave and Chris (We had thought the boys were joining us too but they had too good a night). From the off Strolling Steve and I walked at a fair old lick, firstly out of Truro and then down a long leafy road with hardly a vehicle to be seen during our four mile journey along it until we passed Coopers and reached Pound Lane Farm. We did that first four mile in precisely one hour, a speed I could not have contemplated weeks earlier in those days when putting my feet to the floor was a pain in itself. Despite intermittent short spells of throbbing in the base of my feet I was all hale and hearty now and full of energy. The reason for haste was twofold, one being the scheduled meeting with the rest of the team at Ponsanooth, the other being our physical energy – Strolling Steve and I were both full of walking now.

From Pound Lane Farm we left the tarmac underfoot and walked along bridleways for a short while to Helston Water before resuming the pace on tarmac once more for a further two miles to Lowertown where we availed of another green lane to Estlake which put us back on tarmac once more all the way to Ponsanooth where we met Dave and Chris by the local village shop. On meeting the boys we had done just over eight miles in two and a half hours so we stopped for a break at the shop; a bite to eat and a drink too. After the break the four of us set us to continue the walk together for the rest of the day to Gweek. The start for Chris and Dave was a tough one with an immediate 100m ascent from Ponsanooth via Cot Hill to Tregoose. After Tregoose we left tarmac once more to follow eerily strange bridleways to Tory and beyond to Roseath. Trees with quirky interesting shapes, invading ivy, clinging moss and fallen leaf were accompanied by odd stone shapes, stiles and stock barriers giving us a short section of the walk full of interest which captivated our thought throughout; all the way until we reached Trevales Farm when our attention was shifted to a very friendly pig that was intent on doing the rest of the walk with us. As we walked past the pig followed us out of the farm and it took a particular liking to Dave who had to curtail his walk and lead the pig back to the farm. It took a few attempts to final convince the swine! Leaving the farm and the pig behind we also passed a Hereford Bull but he didn’t appear as intimidating as some seen on the walk previously. After the adventure of strange lanes and curious farm animals we broke off the walk to take a break at Polkanuggo Quarry. It was a lovely day now, sun shining, warm and pleasant, a great time and a great spot for a sit down, chat and refreshment.

Soon after the break we were at tarmac road again and after making a careful crossing of the busy A394 that links Falmouth to Helston we continued along more quiet tarmac roads for another two miles before cutting off from south to west to Job’s Water and then to Maen Cottage before hitting road again on a southwest course to Brill. The going was good, we all chatted lots, the sun continued to shine and only very infrequent traffic bothered us to step in from the middle of the road to the side. From Brill the walk continued in the same vein with a slight descent to Gweek making for a very easy end to the day. On reaching Gweek Dave and Chris went to the pub while strolling Steve and I checked into our digs and changing for a night out in Falmouth with the boys as a final flourish before finishing the walk the next day. We had a good night out in Falmouth too before the great finale.

The Photographs:

Daniell Road, Truro

Truro Cathedral as seen from the south of the city

The lovely long and quiet road from Truro

Viaduct near Perranwell

Lush Cornwall near Trewedna

Green lane walking near Trewedna Water

Strolling Steve strides down the road to Ponsanooth

Taking a break in Ponsanooth and they have only just started their walk!

On the climb of Cot Hill from Ponsanooth towards Tregoose

Spooky tree

Chris works out the former use of this interesting feature

Eerie looking lane at Roseath

Dave Brock and his friend the pig

A Hereford Bull watches us walk by at Trevales Farm

Raw materials at Polkanuggo Quarry

In conversation at Polkanuggo Quarry

Mike, that is the way to the Lizard.....

.......yes indeed guys, that way!

Lucky for us the beast was out flying

In the land of the little people

Red Admiral at lunch

Getting closer, I can almost smell the sea