It was still early enough that the soft silver-sheen of morning light was on the water and we stopped at the top of the brae to take it in. With only light cloud, the blue of the upper atmosphere could break through and in those areas of bright sunlight the colours of sea and landscape were vivid, wild flowers reflecting back the light from drops of rain or dew trapped in their petals and flowerheads. From above Manare Point we had clear views east to Dodman Point, west to The Blouth headland and out to sea across Parc Caragloose Bay.
The views were simply stunning. Where the light did not reach the surface of the water it was a lovely deep green shade that transported you to Mediterranean memories. Coming off Nare Head, where you are at the second highest point of the day (just short of one hundred metres) and you move on to the beautiful Gerran's Bay, the route starts to drop back down to sea level and you can meander on the lovely little beaches of Carne and Pendower. Up on the hillside, little white houses stand sentinel to the sea. To the west, the village of Portscatho gleamed bright in a burst of sunshine.
On the approaches to Porthcurnick Beach the hedgerow of flowering blackthorn was just going over but there was still enough bloom left to give us a treat. Our photographs never do justice to the flowering hillsides or the hedgerows because so much of the spectacle and pleasure comes from the angle with which the light hits the flower head and it can be difficult to capture it on camera with quick snaps. I suspect that to really capture the beauty of it you would need more than the 'point and click' camera that we use and the time and patience to really 'place' the shot to capture the angle that captures the light that captures the moment.
From Portscatho, we were walking just above beach level on a meandering path that was very pleasant walking.. Just before Towan Beach there was a rise as we rose up to Porthmellin Head from where we could see clearly in every direction. To the east, we could see right over to Gull Rock in the Gerran Cove. The view as we approached and passed behind Towan beach was lovely as a little patch of sunshine shone over the sea, sand and grasslands. The quality of the light was exquisite, highlighting colour and texture.
As you leave the beach there are a few signs pointing you in the right direction. Discretely below them hangs a little sign for a tea van that sits about a hundred yards off the beach called 'Thirstea?', which we thought was a nice play on words and fair tickled us.
From Towan the path rises up to Kiligerran Point and then, rising and falling, across Elwinick Cove and then above Porthbeor Beach at about forty metres. Just after Porthmellin Head, we were forced to make a decision as to whether or not we take the coast path to the bottom of the peninsula and round the headland to St Anthony's (my Patron Saint), or take the slightly shorter route across the neck of the headland? For once in our lives, discretion was the better part of valour and we took the route across the neck of the headland rather than go round it. The potential to and the consequences of missing the last ferry were just too great to risk the longer route.
We wasted no time at the other end and quickly set off to walk across town to the hostel. It was a fair walk, about a mile and a half, with the final bit of it uphill. On the way way, we stopped at a Marks and Spencers to buy our eveniing meal, a kind of running buffet of odds and ends, what in Joanna's family they call 'bits'. The last sting in the tail of the day was that we were in an attic room, three floors up a very steep staircase and I can tell you it was a struggle. Once showered and rested, we took it easy the rest of the night, preparing and eating our buffet in the hostel kitchen, chatting to some other walkers, before retiring for the nightbup the weary stairs.