Thursday 14th August 2014

This evening we meet at St Uny Church, Lelant, also known as St Anta for a walk around the outskirts of the village, including West Cornwall Golf Club and parts of St Michael’s Way. Richard Saundry is our leader and with cloud and some sun ten walkers head south along Green Lane, part of the coastal path. We admire some of the properties and their grounds as we pass Lelant Rail Station and the former station building (now a home) and the road becomes The Saltings. And of course there are wide views across the River Hayle Estuary at almost full tide.

We leave the road and walk through a small housing development and the path leads us to the main road to St Ives, by Elm Farm. The road is busy with evening traffic and at a suitable spot we get across and head up a path in a north westerly direction. Our first stile is easily climbed into a field which brings us to a farm track and then the St Ives Road at the other end of Lelant. Again we cross over after waiting for traffic to subside then over another stile into a field with a small herd of bullocks that are inquisitive and playful and follow us along the field edge. We climb another stile and the bullocks go through a gate into the next field to continue their curiosity and desire to get near us which we avoid of course. Finally, over another stile and the bullocks can no longer follow us – phew!

Two more fields and two more easy stiles and we reach Church Lane and the West Cornwall Golf Club and Course. Our route takes us on marked paths across the golf course – just a few evening players who don’t hold us up or we them. Still heading north west we reach a point where the path divides and we turn east to walk along the railway line (St Michael’s Way). There are far reaching views over Porth Kidney Sands towards Godrevy and also over to Hayle Towans and far beyond.

We come to an official crossing over the railway and cross to pick up the South West Coast Path which leads us along the estuary bank till we reach the former ferryboat crossing and ferryman’s house, then the path turns south to bring us back to the church. Our walk this evening was certainly pleasurable and just under three miles. Thanks Richard for planning and leading your walk and thanks to the members who were able to support us.

Next walk is Saturday 18th October 2pm, planned and led by Howard Haynes, meeting at grid ref SW654252 – the National Trust car park at Degibna – end of Degibna Lane which is by Helston Hospital.