Into work early this morning so that I could finish at a reasonable hour and get an 8 mile off road base run in before having to pick up the children from "After School Club."
I decided today to do a loop based on a 8 mile loop from a Cornwall Walks book I own. The walk entitled Lizard Point, Kynance Cove and Cadgwith is described as looking "quite a short distance on the map but this is deceptive, as the coastal path is exceptionally tortuous, though without severe gradients. The scenery is outstanding, especially if a rough sea is running, and the inland leg makes a pleasant contrast with the coastal sections."
From home, I ran down to Lizard Point, the most southerly point in Britain and turned right onto the coastal footpath. From Old Lizard Head I had a fine view of the lighthouse and point. As you look around the rocks off shore have evocative names such as Man of War, Barges Rock, The Stags and Shag Rock. Sadly, all have claimed lives over the years. 207 died when the Royal Anne was wrecked on the Stags in November, 1720. The victims were buried at Pistol Meadow which you run past but sadly there is no sign or plaque for you to remember them by.
From Old Lizard Head the view opens up wuth the shapes of the rock stacks of Kynance in the distance ahead. For a while I ran across the springy level of turf passing Caerthilian Cove and Pentreath before the National Trust's car park for Kynance Cove is reached.. Kynance is one of the places beloved by the "Excursionists" of the 19th Century. Prince Albert bought his children ashore here in 1846 and Tennyson visited the cove a short while later.
I followed the path round the top of Kynance before bearing right across Lizard Downs. The path here was very muddy and wet with a golden colour before eventually arriving at the row of houses on the A3083 called Mile End. (exactly a mile on the road to Lizard Village). I crossed the road (next to Kynance Filling Station) to the track opposite and this soon opens out into a heathy wilderness (albeit muddy) with the tower of St. Grades Church in sight ahead. This was followed by another short section of gritty path that leads to the Cadgwith road. I turned right heading towards Grade and then took the path left, heading for the church. This is a place of tranquillity and I have been to a number of services here. Midnight mass is wonderful made even more of an event as there is no electric power and therefore the church is lit by oil and the organ bellows are pumped by hand.
I left the churchyard at the stone stile on the eastern end and circled the field before joining an enclosed path over a further stone stile and another field and then crossed the road to a white house, Metheven. I followed the lane towards Inglewidden and then turned left for The Devils Frying Pan.. Running down the hill, I then turned right past Town Place, a National Trust cottage. and joined the coast path again. Immediately, I was running past Devils Frying Pan which is a spectacular natural feature of a rock arch below sheer cliffs which curve like a basin around it. Always a great site and even more so today as the sea was in and washing through the arch. Running south back towards Lizard point on the coast path. Running around the cliffs the path was straightforward and Landewednack Church and the Lifeboat station can be seen in the distance. I ran down into Church Cove (conscious that I soon had to collect the children from school!) and then up past Mariners cottage and back towards the village but not before doing a short out and back detour down Green Lane to ensure I could make the run 8 miles.
All in all a great run after work that I used a new app on my phone for called RunKeeper. The whole run was done at a steady base heart rate pace with no negative aspects to it at all.
I am blessed to be able to live here! :-)
Runkeeper
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