01/05/16 - The Ups and Downs of Morwenstow

Distance - 4.5 Miles
Geocaches - 3
Walk Inspiration - Jarrold Pathfinder Cornwall, Walk 13
Pub - The Bush Inn, Morwentsow, St Austell's HSD

Got to love the UK.  Yesterday's walk was completed under the most photo friendly blue skies.  Today, we awake to what the Scot's call "Dreich".  Grey Skies, rain in the wind.

It's not everyday that I am in Cornwall, so the opportunity to complete another coastal walk cannot be missed.  My two potential walking partners bail.  Mrs Mappiman has not packed waterproofs.  The 13 year old labradoodle was never going to manage two walks on the bounce.

So I head off for a drive from Marhamchurch to Morwenstow that can only be described as thrilling.  Miles of single track lanes where the hedges are 6ft either side.  Gradients that I felt even a BMW X5 was going to struggle with.

It was an understatement to say that I was relieved when arriving at Morwenstow Church - even if all available parking had gone.  A retrace of the last 1/4 mile and I find myself parking on a green outside a 13th Century pub.

Serendipity is my favourite word in the English Language.

Quick look at the Church and then off for a couple of caches on the path to the coast.

Vicar was a famous opium smoker.  We will come back to the Church later in the Blog.

The guidebook suggests that this 4.5 mile walk will take 3 hours.  The coast path explains all.  I have never seen a collection of ups and downs.  1020ft of ascent.  That's half a mountain in old money.

Vicarage Cliffs

The Roller-coaster starts as I fall off the end of the World

It's a puff and a pant up a cliff, quickly followed by a treacherously slippy descent back down.  This continues until Cornakey Cliffs, where the sea has re-claimed a section.

Diversion Ahead at Gull's Rock and the Devil's Hole

The coastal section is over at Marsland Mouth, where an uphill track leads me inland.  I meet a huge posse of walkers - the ones who nicked all the parking at Morwenstow.  The leader offers me advice on where the footpath has been diverted at Marsland Manor.  I ask if he is local and he says that he is from Shropshire but has walked this route every year for 36 years.  What can you say?  He likes what he likes.

At other farmhouses, Cornish route finding is provided by friendly farmers.

Simple Enough?

Soon back at the Church.  And here's where I make a resolution to blogfans for all eternity.  I will start researching my walks BEFORE I undertake them.

The guide details some of the history of the Church.  As well as our Druggie Vicar, Rev Hawker, the churchyard is famous for the many graves of lost sailors.  One particular mass grave for the crew of the Caledonia that ran aground in 1842 is marked "Unknown, yet well known".

I would have been interested in seeking this out, instead, I find myself taking photos of the final resting place of a Mr Dick Trick.

When will I grown up?

Mr Dick Trick

There's no doubting that the church is a fascinating place.  Maybe this partly explains why the walk is scheduled to take so long.

Say goodbye to Morwenstow Church

Heaven's really open now - but fortunately, it's 12:05pm and I am back at the 13th Century Bush Inn.

And what a gem of a place.  Unchanged on the inside, retaining its old farmhouse feel.  Also, incredibly popular and three deep at the bar with hungry families ordering lunch and stopping me getting at my HSD reward.

Finally broke through the hoards to claim my reward

Unchanged inside for centuries

The Bush - a 13th Century Boozer - Rain on Camera Lens