Coastal Paths And Tin Mines
When you’re walking the North Cornwall section of the coast path, it goes something like this. You can see the next headland what looks to be not too far ahead, but then you realise that to get to that headland you have to descend the steep ravine and then make the long climb up the opposite bank until you reach the summit of the next headland, from where you can see the next headland what looks to be not too far ahead, but then you realise that to get to that headland you have to descend the steep ravine and then make the long climb up the opposite bank until you reach the summit of the next headland, from where you can see the next headland……well you get the picture.
That summary is actually a bit of a plagiarism from what is still my all time favourite travel book, “500 Mile Walkies” by Mark Wallington. I have no idea how available that book is these days, but for my pennyworth, every hiker and/or traveller with a sense of humour should read it.
Tuesday May 11th. The walk from Padstow to Pentire Point involves taking the ferry across the estuary to Rock and then that superb walk past the dunes and Carn Brae, across the beaches at Daymer Bay and Polzeath, from where we cross Pentireglaze Haven to head uphill to the Point itself. Pentire Point is the northern tip of the Camel Estuary, and as we stand right on the top, right on the edge, we are once again looking out across vast expanses of ocean, like at The Lizard the previous day. If The Lizard is a place for perspective and reflection, then Pentire is the spot for exhilaration. The air we breathe feels so marvellously clear.
What is not clear though is the sky, and we are caught in a couple of heavy squalls, but we’re grateful that the bigger of these seem to skirt the estuary and sweep out to sea. We get wet, but it could easily have been worse, and there are at least snatches of sunshine between the squalls.
By Wednesday though the weather demons have made a complete takeover and it’s less of a washout and more of a deluge. Our plan today was to visit a few new towns and do a bit of a tour of tin mines, but we only get as far as Perranporth before the torrential rain forces us home and apart from a brief call at Bodmin the day is a lost one.
Thursday however is very much brighter and so we hit the postponed trail starting at…..
PERRANPORTH
As you climb the coast path away from Padstow, the dominant fragrance is the beautiful musk of the gorse; in Marazion, that oh so familiar scent of drying seaweed (the smell of the sea) takes over; but here, climbing the path on to the cliffs above Perranporth beach, the air is heavy with the scent of the wild garlic whose white blooms shine bright amongst the bluebells and thrift.
Perranporth is yet another glorious beach, vastly expansive at low tide, backed by rugged cliff faces and yawning caves and facing the beautiful blue Atlantic with its sparkling surf and constant roar. We have made an early start today, and the combination of morning sun, crashing surf, low tide and few visitors all make for a satisfying first hour, and we have chalked up our 10,000 steps even before our first coffee.
The wind off the Atlantic is cold as 2021 continues to confound – even the best days here the temperature is only reaching 14, but in yesterday’s rain the maximum was a paltry 8 degrees (46 fahrenheit). That is extremely low for mid May and the averages are still struggling below the norm.
What Perranporth town lacks in quaintness it gains in laid back holiday feel, we are clearly in summer destination territory here and holiday shops and cafes abound. It is essentially a beach town, and enjoys being so. Our morning here is very pleasant, but we soon recapture the quaintness of Cornwall with our next destination at….
ST AGNES
You just cannot help being charmed as you turn the corner and drop down the steep hill and enter this charming village. St Agnes is a couple of miles in from the coast, this is neither a fishing village nor a beach resort, but instead this is a village which was at the very heart of the Cornish tin mining industry. Quaint old buildings lean forward over the winding road, wisteria and clematis cling to house fronts, peace and quiet reign supreme.
In the centre of the village sits the church with its characterful steeple, villagers shuffle in and out of the bakery with cheery hellos. It all feels very genteel, it’s hard to imagine there is ever a raised voice here. It’s equally hard to imagine the thriving industry which once dominated both the village and the lives within it, not to mention the incredible hardship which was the lot of the tin miner. We climb the hill out of the village to explore more….
TIN MINES
This stretch of coastline is dotted with the remains of the numerous mines which are today one of the best known iconic images of Cornwall. Most of these mines produced both tin and copper and enjoyed a heyday of success producing a sizeable proportion of the UK’s output of both metals.
There is history of mining in these parts from the Stone Age right through to final cessation in the 20th Century, although the greater production ceased in the century before. Around St Agnes in particular there are plentiful remains and some of these structures are remarkably well preserved considering their exposed location and the constant battering by the Atlantic winds.
The lanes from the village and a short hike across heathland brings us to the narrow and attractive Chapel Porth cove, from where we climb the coast path up to the ruins of Wheal Coates. Most mines here are prefixed by the word “Wheal”, thought to be a derivative of the Cornish word “huel”.
Workers here would walk the two miles from their tied cottages, climb down into the deep shaft over 600 metres below ground, and then walk more than a mile in tunnels under the sea. None of this daily journey, or its return, was counted as work time, these guys were only paid when actually digging for the product. It must have been an incredibly tough life, poorly paid and extremely dangerous: the history of the mines is littered with disasters and fatalities.
As if that wasn’t enough, dust in the lungs meant that life expectation for tin miners was short, with most not living beyond their 40s. These days it’s hard to even imagine a life like that, hard labour and financial struggle only to be killed early by that same work.
At the end of our best day so far, weather wise, and exploration of a piece of Cornish history, it seems appropriate to indulge in some rather decent fish and chips and a couple of beers on our return to Padstow harbour. Speedboat rides and pleasure craft are moored up for the night: many ways of earning a living in modern day Cornwall are just a little bit different from the days of tin mining.
21 Comments
normareadtalktalknet
Fantastic ‘travel guide’ with some amazing photo’s ⭐️
Phil & Michaela
Thank you. There are so many wonderful places to visit down here 😍
wetanddustyroads
Such beautiful photo’s! I love how you’ve captured the colour of the ocean and Perranporth beach is really lovely! Thanks for the history and photo’s of the tin mines – I’ve read about them before, but your photo’s gave much more insight.
Oh yes, and glad for a bit of sunshine – between those rainy ones!
leightontravels
Hey guys, another wonderful instalment from Cornwall. It all looks gorgeous, particularly the views from Pentire Point. You’re not going to believe this, but this morning I noticed I am no longer following your blog. I tried to re-follow but got a WP message saying “the feed cannot be followed at this time”. Yet another gremlin, I’ll keep trying to follow throughout the day. Keep up the great work!
Phil & Michaela
Something is going wrong with this WP demon shit…!
Toonsarah
What a fabulous post, with beautiful coastal scenery, a turquoise sea to die for, and those atmospheric old mines just begging to be photographed 🙂 All I need is a share of your fish and chips, and beer, and I will be in heaven 😆
Phil & Michaela
Cheers Sarah, yep it’s not too bad round here…
Lookoom
Your introductory words are funny, but it’s true that the goal of a walk is often quite elusive. The history of the miners is sadder, it makes us measure the progress since those not so distant times. Even if our fate is better, there are still things to improve. Good combination of photos and reflections, thanks.
Annie Berger
Entranced yet again by your ramble to some more picturesque spots I’d also love to explore some time while still able to scramble among the rocks!
Gilda Baxter
Wow guys, gorgeous photos and descriptions of a wonderful little corner of England. We have been visiting this area for the past couple of days. I have been keeping an eye out for you two on my wanderings around here. The weather has been a bit of a mixed bag, but it has certainly not stopped us from exploring. Keep having fun and we might even cross paths at some point 🙂
Phil & Michaela
Hi Gilda, we have been looking out for big Bill 😁 This morning is a bit of a rainy one isn’t it, we haven’t ventured out yet, hoping to get out soon though for a walk on the coastal path. If you coming anywhere near Padstow let us know and we could meet up for a beer 🍻
Monkey's Tale
What a beautiful coast. I love the rugged aspects of it with the blue waters. The view from the mines is so pretty and is such a stark contrast to the lives of those miners. Thanks for the tour! Maggie
Phil & Michaela
Thank you. The colour of the sea is spectacular and so different to the other side of England where we live. We love the different moods of the Atlantic, last time we were here it was so tranquil, this time it has been crashing in. The mines are interesting, we had planned to visit one of the museums but they have been closed due to Covid. They re-open tomorrow so if we get chance we will call in.
rkrontheroad
A picturesque coastline with dramatic clouds for wonderful photos!
Phil & Michaela
Thank you – yes sometimes there’s good photos in bad weather!
Heyjude
You’ve certainly caught the beauty of Cornwall (though I’m not sure the horizon slopes in quite the way it does in some of your photos😉 ). You’re not wrong about all those uppies and downies! One reason why I do not do the coastal footpath walks. St Agnes, by the way, does have a little beach which is very nice. And Porthtowan is fabulous when empty like that. I’m not so keen on it in August!
Phil & Michaela
Oh we thought we’d caught the famous “sloping horizons of Cornwall” quite well ha ha ha!!! We really enjoy walking the coast path, even with all its testing sections, the views compensate for the effort on a regular basis.
Heyjude
It’s true that the best landscapes / seascapes are from above, but some of those paths scare me! I can cope with Chapel Porth, just! Have you walked along the coast towards Port Isaac?
Phil & Michaela
Yes – we’ve previously walked from Port Isaac back to Rock. By remarkable coincidence, we’ve been back there today – walked the inland route to Port Quin and then back to Port Isaac along the coast path.
grandmisadventures
Beautiful pictures! I love rocky coasts to walk along and charming towns to wander through. It was so interesting reading about the tin mines there! And I’ve taken your suggestion on the book and have been scouring the internet trying to find a copy 🙂
Phil & Michaela
Definitely worth a read!