Padstow to Efflins

13 September 2009 - Padstow to Efflins

Distance - 15.3 miles

Weather - Sunny

We stayed at - Efflin's Farm, Bedruthan Steps, Wadebridge, PL27 7UU Cost - £70.00

Today we were back on the SWCP and back to good paths, gentle gradients, sandy beaches and more importantly, no ting-ting of cycle bells!

The walk down the side of the River Camel to the coast path was really rather beautiful, especially as yet again, we had a gorgeous day. I can confirm this, because as I look through my walking notes they are all marked by sweaty suncreamed hands!

The beaches at Harbour Cove and Hawkers Cove featured acres of creamy sand, glittering in the morning sun. There were lots of people taking dogs for walks or already starting to sunbathe.

Past the Coastguard lookout at Stepper Point we passed by a number of deep craters, Pepper Hole, Butter Hole and later in the day, the most spectacular of all, Round Hole. I think these craters are caused by the ground above falling into a sea cave, but I may be wrong. In any case I hoped no more would appear whilst I was wandering across!

At Mother Ivey's Bay there was a very James Bond looking life boat station and further on at Trevose Head we passed by the lighthouse. An obligatory ice cream was consumed at Constantine Bay, where we left the sea for a bit to follow a narrow road and track round the grassy Treyarnon Bay. The SWCP then passed by some lovely little sea stacks called the Minnows Islands and took us round the inlet of Porthcothan Bay. The guide book suggested this at the stopping point for today, but I couldn't find any accommodation here, so we walked a little further along the path past some more sea stacks, known as the Trescore Islands.

At Porth Mear, we took a well used footpath inland which met up with the B3276 and our accommodation for the night at Efflins Farm. Our room there was splendid and the owner prepared us a lovely evening meal of pasta. He also told us the tide times and urged us to get back onto the track the next day before the tide came in, so that we could wander on the beach at Bedruthan Steps.