20180608 St Ives – Zennor

Date: 20180608

Time: 9:50 – 14:25

Distance: 14.1 km

Stay: The Tinners Arms, Zennor

Walk

According to the documentation, this is the heaviest part of the Coast Path. I was also warned by one of the three musketeers (see reports from the beginning) for this part.

The challenge for today was not in the length of the walk or in the height differences. The challenge was in the Coast Path itself. The path was very uneven and especially after River Cove it was much about rocks and boulders. So climbing, watching where you put your feet down and occasionally with hands and feet.
No long route, but quite exhausting.

Before the real challenge started, the Path went through St Ives, the part that is not so touristy.

Shortly after that, as the real Coast Path started again, at Carrick Du, I saw the first seals. They just floated with their head above the water just off the coast. Fortunately, I had my binoculars with me so that I could look at them very well.

After Polgassick Cove I came to the Trevalgan stone circle, the Merry Harvesters. According to legend, some old farmers from the area danced here on a Sunday with a virgin and then turned into stone.

At River Cove it was time for a break. An ideal place because I could spot seals again. This time one was close enough to take a picture. This is not the best picture, but still.

After River Cove the most exciting part of today’s hike started. So far, the path was not very even, but was good to walk and not much different than on other parts of the Coast Path. However, that became different now, big parts went across the rocks and occasionally real climbing was needed to get along. Tiring, but fun.
After a while I met a fellow hiker who had a Didgeridoo and played on it.

Finally, it went around Zennor Head and then it was time to go to Zennor. That lies a bit more inland.
After a visit to the church of Zennor, of course with a corresponding graveyard, I also found my place to stay for today, the Tinners Arms.

Weather

Again fantastic walking weather, nice temperature, cloudy and dry. When I was sitting on the terrace at my final destination, the sun broke through.

Lyric of the day

And because I finally saw seals today, today a song by Jethro Tull, Seal Driver (and yes, I know that a seal driver has nothing to do with the animal 🙂 )

Take you away for my magic ship.
I have two hundred deisel horses thundering loud.
Sea birds call your name and the mountain’s on fire
as the summer lightening cuts the sky like a hot wire.
And you ride on the swell and your heart is alive,
think I’ll make you my seal driver.

I’m no great looker, I’m no fast shakes.
I’ll give you a steady push on a six knot simmering
high tide.
I can hold us down — keep our head to the wind,
or let us roll on the broadside, cold spray flying in,
and we’ll ride on the swell and our hearts are alive.
Let me make you my seal driver.

I could captain you if you’d crew for me
follow white flecked spindrift — float on a moonkissed sea.

Could you fancy me as a pirate bold,
or a longship Viking warrior with the old gods on
his side?
Well I’m an inshore man and I’m nobody’s hero,
but I’ll make you tight for a windy night and a dark
ride.
Let me take you in hand and bring you alive.
Going to make you my seal driver.

Photos