Using the 1:50 has it draw backs, however, specifically that they sometimes do not have the detail you need to make decisions when there are unforseen problems on the route. Our backup is the OS Map service, which we can access either on our phone (when there is a signal) or on the Kindle, where we usually have the sectional maps downloaded, which means we can access them even when we do not have a signal, as long as the Kindle works!
Penhale Camp was established in 1939 to train Anti Aircraft gunners. The T remains of some of the gun sites, searchlight batteries, ‘Pill-boxes’ etc., can still be seen. On 7th June 1940, the camp was bombed by a German aircraft and 23 British soldiers were killed in the raid. In preparation for the D-Day landings in 1943, the American Army Combat Engineer Corps built the 14 Nissan Huts on the Camp, which are still in use today.
Walking in front of the military camp, the ground was rising slightly as we approached Ligger Point, later continuing to rise until we were at the highest point of the day above Penhale Point. From Ligger Point, where there is still evidence of a linear bowl barrow group (3), we enjoyed a lovely view back along Perran Sands and as far round as St Agnes Point where we had walked yesterday. On the other side the view only went as far as Penhale Point and Gull Rock, the slightly higher land cutting off the view to Holywell Bay beyond. There was an Iron Age Fort located on Penhale Point, with only some of the ground archaeology now remaining. Moving on from Ligger Point, we passed the lovely Hoblyn's Cove which offers tantalising glimpses of the emerald sea through its narrow break in the rockcliff formation and, in to the dark recesses of the mine entrance or cave on the opposite side of the cove.
We had been delayed this morning waiting for the office to open to retrieve my Garmin GPS, which was being re-charged. The re-charge lasted as far as Holywell where the device gave up the ghost. Whatever else was put in it, it was not electrical charge.
Coming off the head, which marks the western end of Newquay Bay, there were lovely views across the sands which, given the beautiful day it was, were surprisingly sparely populated with only a few hardies surfing off shore and a sprinkling of people on the beach. The sky and sea were a most wonderful shade of blue and with the tide out there was a great expanse of sand. The foot path we walked on was lined on the edges by wild flowers and, when you looked from the edge of the path to the beach beyond and out over the harbour; busy and colourful with boats and sails, the marriage of wild flowers, cliff face and busy harbour was picture perfect.
On the way round, we passed the private property known as 'The Island', atop of which sits a 3-bedroom house, accessed by the only private suspension bridge in Great Britain. The house actually sits on top of Towan Island. When the tide is in the house is totally cut off from the mainland and can only be accessed by the ninety foot high, one hundred metre long, suspension bridge. When it was last on the market in 2012, the asking price was in the region of one million pounds.
I can testify, that after a hard day's walking in extreme heat, a hot shower and a Cornish cream tea taken in the shade of a sunny day, has wonderful restorative capacities.