Gone to the dogs

Tuesday 1 May – Treyarnon to Port Isaac

The British love dogs – no, they really love dogs. They’re everywhere, in large numbers – including in the pubs. And there are few cats! But then the Cornish coast would be such a great place to own a dog – long almost deserted beaches to run them on – dog heaven!

Coming from Auckland, it takes you by surprise. Aucklanders love their cats and while there are quite a few dogs, nothing like we’ve seen here. And dogs aren’t allowed in pubs.

We were reminded yet again of this when we went to the local pub in Port Isaac for our dinner.

That was a well-earned dinner! Today’s walk, from the YHA Treyarnon Bay to Port Isaac, should have been a relatively less strenuous one. Instead, it turned into a bit of a slog, despite our having cut off a corner or two (it didn’t seem much point walking out and back along a peninsula when there was a perfectly good lane across the base).

Today is May day and the folk in Padstow were putting on a street party. Padstow is of course better known as Rick Stein-ville and is overrun with lots of ways to part people from their money. It succeeded in part with us – we each had an absolutely delicious Cornish pasty! Then it was on to the little pedestrian ferry that takes people across the wide estuary of the River Camel to complete our walk, along the cliffs, along quiet lanes and country paths, aiming (but failing) to beat the approaching rain.

Port Isaac is a gorgeous little fishing village, now a tourist attraction as it’s where Doc Martin is filmed, but still attractive. We dined in the Golden Lion pub, very old (established 1715 according to the inscription) and with ancient wooden flooring. Oh, and some absolutely scrumptious cod and chips!

Tomorrow will be a tough day, 27km of challenging coastal walks, lots of ups and downs….

Distance: 22km