Walking the South West Coastal Path - Day 6 - Lamorna Cove to Penzance

After our long and strenuous walk to Lamorna Cove the previous day, it was somewhat of a relief to know we only had 6 miles left on our walk, much of it on the flat.



But first, we had one more headland to tackle, involving rocky paths and some scrambling.

It certainly helped that we were fresh from a good night's sleep.

Just outside of Mousehole the coastal path joins the road, offering the first glimpse of the picturesque fishing village.

Narrow streets lined with stone cottages lead down to the pretty harbor. 

There is no shortage of cafes and gift shops in Mousehole. Luckily, it was just the right time for a mid-morning snack.  

Gift shop

From Mousehole, the path runs between the road and the sea, separated from the latter by allotment gardens. Seagulls are obviously a problem judging from the number of scarecrows in this particular plot! 

Further on, the path is a designated walking/cycling path offering wonderful sea views and a grand view of Penzance. 

The fishing port of Newlyn lies between Mousehole and Penzance. It has one of the largest fishing fleets in the UK. 

Perhaps not surprisingly, it also has a pleasant pub called the Fisherman's Arms. The patio at the front of the pub offers a relaxing spot to have a drink and admire the seaview. We couldn't resist. 

Back en route we passed a splendid memorial to the local fishermen who lost their lives at sea. The Newlyn Fisherman Statue was created by a local sculptor Tom Leaper and depicts a fisherman casting his line as he arrives back in port. 

Newlyn Fisherman Statue

The weather in Cornwall is changeable, to say the least. Within minutes of leaving Newlyn, the beautiful blue skies had disappeared and rain looked imminent. 

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Fortunately, the rain did hold off as we walked alongside the pebble beach and by the time we arrived at our accommodation, the YHA hostel, the blue skies had reappeared!

YHA Penzance

We were a little early to check in to our room, but the communal areas of the hostel were open. As there were very few people around we decided it was a good chance to make use of the laundry room as by this point we were running out of clean clothes. After all, there's only so much a small backpack will hold!

My bag on the right, and no, my daughter wasn't carrying half my stuff!

We had booked two nights in Penzance, so with plenty of time to look around the town later and our walk over (plus we now had clean clothes), it seemed the appropriate time to go out and celebrate. The Turks Head Pub, the oldest pub in Penzance, with its gorgeous outdoor patio and scrumptious food (best fish pie I've ever tasted) proved to be the perfect place.

All in all, the walk was a fabulous experience. The scenery was amazing, all our accommodation was wonderful and everyone we met was so friendly. In addition, the sense of satisfaction of achieving a challenge - I'd never walked for five consecutive days over such terrain before - was immense. If you like to walk and are up for a challenge, I'd highly recommend it.  And if you'd prefer something even more challenging, remember, the South West Coastal Path is 630 miles, that's approximately seven weeks of walking!

When Mel is not out exploring she writes contemporary fiction with a twist of mystery and suspense. Her latest novel Trust No One is now available from Amazon.