Mevagissey to Gorran Haven (South West Coast Path 47)

Mevagissey: The inner harbour

We are just doing a short stretch today as we have to be heading home. It will make the next key point, Portloe, easier to get to next time. We leave Mevagissey by, inevitably, climbing up from the harbour. The tide is out, but the inner harbour and the village are still picturesque.

The lighthouse on the outer harbour is especially lovely in the hazy morning. The tip of Black Head is visible in the background.

We follow the road round to Portmellon, with its shallow sandy beach and walk along a private road towards Chapel Point.

The coast path leaves the roads and descends to the the cliff edge and then across a grassy area towards Chapel Point. This picturesque group of houses look like they were built for a monastery or artists commune. Pevsner says that they were built by J A Campbell between 1934 and 1939. I have also discovered that the architect's own house is a listed building.

Adjoining Chapel Point is the peaceful Colona Beach.

Now, after a bit a climb, it was along the cliff tops towards Gorran Haven.

We reached the village and descended the narrow street to pass the picturesque St Just's church. Inside it consists only of a short nave with a ship's keel roof. Pevsner says it was largely rebuilt in 1885.

At the bottom you come to the lovely sandy beach with a breakwater to the right.

That's it for this trip. I pondered when we started out from Polperro on Wednesday whether we could still hack it after a six months layoff. I am pleased to report that we can. In fact we can't wait to continue.

Conditions: grey with a hint of rain, cool.

Grading: Easy.

Distance: 3.3 miles. Distance now covered 272.9 miles.

Map: Explorer 105 (Falmouth and Mevagissey).

Rating: three and half stars. A nice short walk with some interesting sights.