I am heading towards retirement but still have a few work commitments to complete before I finally stop work. Today I am travelling to Cornwall for a meeting tomorrow morning and have decided to stay in Fowey. When Lynnie and I visited this area last October we popped in to the King of Prussia pub for a pint and meal. I was impressed with the warm welcome, so when looking for bed and breakfast decided it would be a good spot to stay.
After a long drive I receive a warm welcome and the view from my bedroom is stunning.
I have come prepared for a walk and soon have my boots on ready to head out. When Lynnie and I were here in the autumn we followed what is known as the Hall Walk and I have decided to walk it again. I go through the town to the car ferry that crosses to Bodinnick on the opposite bank of the River Fowey.
This ferry reminds me of being a child and crossing the Itchen from Southampton to Woolston. I have never been keen on being on the water and it was about the extent of my comfort zone. I recall being distraught when my parents booked a holiday on the Isle of Wight and I discovered we would have to go on the Red Funnell ferry. I spent the whole trip close to a life belt! It’s clearly not a genetic thing, my paternal grandfather and great grandfather were both ships’ stokers and my maternal great grandfather was a harbour master and his father a tugboat operator.
The ferry docks on the Bodinnick side beside “Ferryside” once the home of the author Daphne du Maurier.
It is very unusual for me to be walking without a dog, it is quite odd not to be brought to a halt every few yards so they can have a sniff or cock a leg. I walk up the hill passing the Old Ferry pub and then reach a way-marker on the right signed the ‘Hall Walk’. I soon reach a War Memorial overlooking the estuary.
From here the route is clear and easy to follow, there are occasional views out over the estuary, and then I reach a second monument above Penleath Point. This one is known as the ‘Q’ monument and is dedicated to Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, known as ‘Q’.
From the monument there are stunning views of Fowey and Polruan.
A small dog comes around the corner, when with Crosby I have to be wary in these situations because he is nervous of other dogs approaching him when he’s on the lead. Given time he is happy to “have a chat” but anything bounding up to him is viewed as threatening. This little chap sniffs at my legs, obviously picking up the scent of my dogs and then decides I am friendly enough to allow a stroke. His owner and I have a good natter about the area and the joy of being out in the countryside. These brief encounters with strangers are one of the pleasures of walking.
Resuming my walk I follow the path briefly through pasture before returning to the woods to head steeply downhill to Pont.
This is a tranquil spot, but in times past would have been a hive of industry with it’s quay and limekilns on both sides of the creek.
I continue along taking the steep path in front to the 14thcentury church of St Wyllow, Lanteglos. When Lynnie and I were here in October we visited the church, but today I press on because the weather forecast is not great and the sky has become more overcast.
Going through the churchyard I join the road and turn left to pass Churchtown Farm and continue on past the Lantic Point National Trust car park. At the junction in the road I cross to join a footpath on the opposite side to head out to Lantic Point. This is a stunning bit of coast line.
Making a slight detour I pop up to the trig point at Pencarrow Hill at Lantic Point, number fifty-one bagged.
From here I consider following the coastal path to Polruan, but not being comfortable near cliffs I decide the sensible option is to return to the Hall Walk. So I retrace my steps to Lanteglos church and then back down the path and after crossing a lane take a footpath on the left that takes me along the edge of open fields and then onto a wooded path. There are cracking views over the estuary.
On reaching a finger post for Pont Pill I leave the Hall Walk path and head down to the side of the river.
The path then heads back uphill to rejoin the Hall Walk path and I soon reach a World War II Pillbox.
The path enters Polruan and I wander down to the quay where the passenger ferry heads back to Fowey. I am tempted to stop for a pint on this side of the river, but decide to head back to the King of Prussia. I have managed to get around without any rain, but the ferry master tells me there have been a couple of showers down here.
My walk has covered six miles and back in the King of Prussia it is time for a beer. A few months ago I applied and was accepted by St Austell Brewery to become a Proper Job Ambassador. One of the duties in this role, which I take seriously, is to sample Proper Job ale when it is available in pubs I visit. So I settle with a fine pint of Proper Job and watch the world go by through the window. Within twenty minutes it is pouring with rain so I made the right decision to head back across the estuary when I did.
To view this 6 mile route on OS Maps Click Here
To follow my walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer Map 107 –St Austell & Liskeard
9th May 2018
© Two Dogs and an Awning (2018)