30/09/17 - Pentire Head & The Golden Lion, Port Isaac

Distance - 9 Miles
Geocaches - 8
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, Feb 2001, Walk 1

Seems fitting in it's way that today's blog comes from Doom Bar.  Britain's #1 Bottled Real Ale may be brewed 287 miles away in Burton but the cask ale is still brewed at Rock, which we skirt on our return.

Our walk starts on a grey day at Daymer Beach car park.  Unemployment levels must be bad in Cornwall because they pay a man to take your £5 parking money, feed the machine and hand you the ticket through the car window.  I used to be a Work Study Engineer and feel that the process could be streamlined a touch.

The Camel Estuary - where the Doom Bar Lives

This is a classic coastal walk in surfing territory.  We make our way around to Polzeath, where a full blown Surf competition is taking place.  It's not this that draws our eye, but a conversion of a large Victorian pile overlooking the beach, that is advertising two bedroom apartments for £125,000.  When location is king, this seems a steal.   Inquiries show that £125,000 buys you access to the two bedroom apartment for 5 weeks per year.

It appears that our retirement will happen in the Midlands, after all.

We can afford this view.  For 10% of the year

The walk takes in a circuit of Pentire Head and the ancient fort detailed on the map as the "Rumps".  Lovely walking with conversation about whether we have been here before.   The answer from our repository of walks is no.  At least not since we started blogging.

Heading around Pentire Head to the Rumps

It's a shame to leave the coast, especially when the inland route back is waterlogged.  At least there are helpful signage to aid the rambler.

Avoiding wet feet

Helpful Signage

It's mainly golf courses on the way back but there is a real little gem in St Enodoc's church, reclaimed from the Sand Dunes in the C19th and final resting place of John Betjemen.

St Enodoc's Church

With it's pretty entrance

A fine walk that once again confirms that 9 miles of coastal walking is worth at least 12 of your inland miles.

Sharp's brewery may be just around the corner, but we don't really pass a pub on this route.  So, armed with the 2018 Good Beer Guide, we head off to the nearest recommendation.

The Golden Lion, Port Isaac, Tribute

Port Isaac - home of Doc Martin, the Fishermen's Friends Singing troupe and car parking all uphill from the village.

The streets are still thronged with tourists, even this late in the season.  We wonder if this will impact the chances of lunch.

Golden Lion, Port Isaac

Packed solid downstairs but upstairs, there is room - even if the tables all do have reserved on them.  This is to keep them free for diners, a category we more than fit today.

Our base for this break has been Camelford, where there is only one pub - the Masons Arms.  This is also a St Austell Brewery house but they serve it from gravity fed barrels kept far away from the hand pull pumps on the bar.

The Golden Lion shows the folly of their approach.  The beer is significantly improved by getting a bit of life to it.

And the view was non too shabby also.

What a view.  And Port Isaac harbour through the window