Week 6: Falmouth to Plymouth - Day 34

Veryan to Portholland
6 miles
Word of the day: Headlands


After a long (10 hours) and comfortable night we set out in the mizzle to re-join the coast path near Carne Beach. Stopped to sketch a very flowery path through low trees below Polcreek and above Pennarrin Point.  Passed a perfect bivvy spot inside a ruin at Tregagles Hole.

Walked up onto Nare Head with its spectacular gorse and far reaching views (at least that's what the book says - we couldn't see much!)

Stopped to sketch but it rained - a lot! Eventually did the above sketch - surprisingly intact considering it was so wet and I had to prise the pages apart that evening. Walked on to Portloe, the low point being a tasteless lunch of lukewarm bland mixed grains and cold tinned fish in miserably wet conditions (a suitably grey meal for the grey day). We passed Broom Parc, the house used in the filming of The Camomile Lawn by Mary Wesley; a lady I was lucky enough to meet when she lived in Totnes.

The last section from Portloe to Portholland was a bit strenuous and we were glad when we arrived at the Penvose B & B (and the wonderfully named Jingle House). It was two miles back to the pub so we were very grateful when April and Ben offered to make us dinner. 

Week 6: Falmouth to Plymouth - Day 33

Falmouth to Veryan
10 miles
Word of the day: Campions

After an obligatory wet start, two train journeys and two ferry crossings we arrived in Place to start week 6.


After a breezy walk around St Anthony's Head we stopped on Towan Beach to sketch. A lovely lunch of lentils and tinned fish was interrupted by an unexpected rain shower - not good when using water soluble pastels! Working can be very difficult in these cold and windy conditions because the world is limited to just beyond your hood, all peripheral vision is lost. A break between the rain showers is very welcome.

Our feet hurt a lot towards the end of the day so we stopped for a paddle at Pendower Beach - this helped us up the final hill to Veryan. 

The village contains five round houses - built by a vicar for his five daughters (round so there were no corners for the devil to hide - or maybe they were just cheaper to build!). Stayed at Treverbyn House, a very comfy B & B run by Tim and Heather.

Week 5: Penzance to Falmouth 'In the Studio'

After getting over the stiff legs I tried really hard to get straight back into the studio to start the daily prints. I didn't make it into the studio for over a week. This reluctance to start was difficult to explain as I was happy with the sketches and ideas that I had collected during the walk. I finally realised that part of my brain had convinced itself that I had finished the project as I had already editioned 260 prints and had an exhibition. So, after having a firm word with myself I finally got down to it again.

This carborundum & drypoint print is called "Jackdaws at Carrick Luz" - Day 30. I am particularly pleased with this one as the day itself was a difficult one. I had struggled all day to find anything that I wanted to draw and had effectively written it off, I was just walking with a totally blank mind and only sore feet to focus on. As we trudged across the plateau towards Coverack a flock of Jackdaws flew across our path. The image, although fleeting, was very powerful, a quick memory sketch that evening and the days work was done. I love the way that the birds look like abstracted black shapes at first and then as they separate they take on their bird forms. I may do this image as a larger colour monoprint.

I am taking part in the Totnes and Dartington Open Studios again this year. It runs from 24th - 27th May and my studio will be open from 10am - 5pm. On show will be the daily prints from Outline South West as well as many other prints for sale off the peg.

See link for on-line brochure: http://www.totnesopenstudios.co.uk/exhibitiondetails.html

Week 6 - Itinerary

11 May Falmouth to Portscatho
12 May Portscatho to Boswinger
13 May Boswinger to Pentewan
14 May Pentewan to Par
Back in the Studio
29 May Par to Fowey
30 May Fowey to Looe
31 May Looe to Tregonhawke
 1 Jun Tregonhawke to Plymouth

Week 5: Penzance to Falmouth - Day 32

Word of the day: Castle

Maenporth to Falmouth

6 miles

On the path from Maenporth to Swanpool we came across this memorial to Falmouth's Home Guard who "...watched 1000 dawns across these great waters which form our country's moat." One of an increasing number of relics from WW2.



One or two showers this morning but a sharp horizon for the first time this week. Stopped at Pendennis Point to sketch the fortifications with St Mawes in the background. 

A good first week back on the path, finishing on a beautifully sunny day in Falmouth. I managed to get enough sketching done to take back to the studio. Hopefully, the studio work will be easier than last time as I have already established a way of working. The next blog post will be from the studio. 

Week 5: Penzance to Falmouth - Day 31

Word of the day: Wild Garlic

Porthallow to Maenporth

11 miles

Wonderful sculpture on the beach marking the half way point (315 miles down - 315 miles to go). 
Walk immediately diverted by a large landslip (one of many we have seen this week) but soon back on the path and admiring the colours of the bracken and bramble stems - had to stop and sketch them.

Round Nare Point and headed inland to Gillan Creek where James (a graduate of Bristol Uni) ferried us across.  Then a long muddy stretch through the trees to Helford and another ferry crossing.

Along the park like coast below Trebah and Glendurgan Gardens and then sketched at Mawnan Shear. Nearly got blown over on exposed Rosemullion Head and then passed a grove of sprouting gunnera looking like a scene from Alien.  

Finally arrived at Maenporth to be met with a cream tea by Gail & Arthur Shiers at the Avalon Guest House http://www.avalonmaenporth.com/. Finished the day off with a succulent bit of fish at the Cove Bistro - hosted by the effervescent Hana! http://www.thecovemaenporth.co.uk/

Week 5: Penzance to Falmouth - Day 30

Word of the day: Jackdaws

Cadgwith to Porthallow

12 miles

Walked to Poltesco where there is a very elegant new bridge, the design of which is based on the hull of a boat. Spent some time on the beach next to an old serpentine works and pilchard store.

Whilst walking through muddy areas of heathland with little change in the scenery I found my mind wandering quite a bit. It was heavy going underfoot - walking for hours like this is very tiring! We had lost the epic rock features as soon as we turned the corner at Lizard Point. Although still beautiful the landscape here is very different, softer and less extreme. The combination of dull weather, muddy conditions and overall lack of enthusiasm made today difficult from an artistic point of view. 

As we approached Coverack we were diverted inland at Chynhalls Cliff by a landslip. We were very pleasantly surprised when we stumbled on a field full of sculptures by Terence Coventry http://www.terencecoventry.com/ 

The sun came out whilst we were admiring the sculptures and my enthusiasm returned! 

A late afternoon walk around very muddy Lowland Point was followed by a quick paddle in Godrevy Cove to ease our sore feet. A good meal and a very comfy night in the Five Pilchards Inn. 

Week 5: Penzance to Falmouth - Day 29

Word of the day: Serpentine

Mullion Cove to Cadgwith Cove

10 miles

Back to Mullion Cove with huge waves breaking over the harbour wall whilst sketching an old building. 

Walked on over much boggy ground to Soapy Cove - so called because of the soapstone (talc) that used to be quarried here. It contains a fantastic array of rock formations and colours, black glossy rock with bright orange and green lichen.

Although it's not sunny and you still can't see the horizon the enormity of the cliffs here on the Lizard cancel out the need for perfect light.

Walked around Lizard Point (most southerly point on British mainland) in sunshine and took the obligatory most southerly cheesey photograph! This place also has the most southerly cafe and a house selling the most southerly eggs produced from the most southerly chickens.

Walked on to Cadgwith past the beautiful new lifeboat station (http://www.thelizardlifeboat.org.uk/). Thanks to Dave Issitt, a climbing buddy of Tim's (and member of lifeboat crew), who gave us a bed for the night in Lizard.