Distance: 16.5 miles
Time: 6 hrs 55 mins
Weather: Cloudy
Cumulative distance: 944.8 miles
A day on the South West coastal path - an exhilarating clifftop hike, followed by a sea front walk through Penzance and Newlyn.
After a family breakfast, and once Daniel was finally ready to depart, we set off along the path to the opposite side of the harbour. Hannah joined us for the first few minutes, then returned to the prospect of her other love, shopping.
We joined the South West coastal path and, within minutes, we were walking along the undulating, honeysuckle clad clifftop track, with magnificent views along the rocky coastline and down to the crashing waves below. We encountered a number of old industrial ruins along the path, as well as wild ponies and a peregrine falcon.
We stopped for lunch (inevitably, Cornish pasty) and a pint of Trelawny ale (well, a coke for Daniel) at Marazion, where the clifftop path gave way to a flat track along the sea front to Penzance. The route then alternated between roads and footpaths through the fishing town of Newlyn, before we turned around the coast and arrived at Mousehole (pronounced 'Mauzl'), where we had a family room booked at the Ship Inn.
We had a delicious meal at the Ship (I opted for wonderfully fresh mackerel) and I sampled the HSD ale from St Austell brewery. Afterwards, right outside our bedroom window, we were treated to a display from a troupe of Morris dancers.
So, the end is nigh. After months of planning and training, followed by eight weeks of strenuous walking, the final day is about to dawn. It's difficult to believe that this mammoth journey is nearly over, but I really have run out of country, so Land's End is an appropriate conclusion.
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