While our legs might be getting used to walking, I still found the place names wonderful. I had tried to picture what Mawnan Smith might look like before arriving, but did not come close, in neither a good nor bad way. Just different.
Today’s 10.7 miles and 1800 ft ascent was a fine jaunt along the coast. We could have carried on for a couple more hours, but instead, we arrived at our BnB and were OK with stopping! Today had lots of variety!
The walking was not as extreme as previous days. While we saw little sun today, the humidity dropped and the wind was a pleasant cooling breeze rather than something that knocked us over. The first section was very much a path on the coast, but it was so calm and peaceful, which befitted views including mussel beds, a roaming donkey, and Dodman Point on the horizon that we will round after four more days.
We took our first of the day’s two ferries across Gillian Creek. At low tide, you can use some stepping stones and stay dry, but they were probably 15 ft underwater. At our side of the ferry route, there was a phone number to call so I did. “Hello, is the ferry running today!” “Yes it is,” a lady answered. “Great! I’m at the pick up point.” “Oh! I’ll send Will over then.” Will efficiently came and got us, shortening the day’s hike by about two miles, and adding a new dimension to the day’s adventure.
After the ferry, we needed to walk around a headland to the next ferry crossing. This stretch was marked by fallen trees from a storm, perhaps in January this year.
We popped out of the woods and approached the little village of Helford. There were nautical hints and then suddenly we popped out at the ferry dock, and the ferry had just arrived! The ferryman had lived in NYC for eight years but preferred this tranquility to the corporate hustle. We understood!
After lunch, the walking was similar to earlier, through open fields and intermittent woodlands. We passed Polgwidden Cove, which served as a vital secret embarkation point for 7,500 U.S. soldiers of the 29th Infantry Division during the D-Day landings in World War II, but there was no access to it from the path.
At the appropriate point, my map told us to head inland to Mawnan Smith and we passed a farm in our way.
Our BnB was a little standalone self-contained building next to our hostess’s house, with very efficient use of the space for everything we needed. After several hours of rest, the 0.2 mile walk up the road to the pub for dinner manageable!
The Adventures of the Cajunlimeys 