Golden light and stubborn cloud
A relaxed evening route combining coast path, field paths, a quiet beach stop and an optimistic wait for sunset.
I set off at around 4:30pm from the National Trust car park at Bedruthan, following the South West Coast Path towards Pentire before turning inland and descending towards Porth Mear.
From there, I followed a scenic mixture of fields and footpaths towards Porthcothan—the sort of route that occasionally prompts the question, “Am I definitely going the right way?” I reached the beach at around 6pm.
Naturally, I found a quiet, secluded spot—prime real estate for a well-earned cup of tea and something to eat. With the waves crashing, the sea air doing its thing and the spring sunshine putting on a strong performance, it was one of those moments when everything felt just right…until I remembered that I still had to walk back.
After about 20 minutes, I set off again for a slow, meandering return along the coast path, taking time to admire each headland and the spectacular scenery. This was entirely for appreciation purposes and certainly not an attempt to delay the uphill sections.
I stayed until 9pm in the optimistic—some might say naïve—hope of a post-sunset light show. Apart from a few pink-tinged clouds, it never quite arrived. Even so, I captured several lovely photographs and enjoyed a beautiful evening on one of Cornwall’s finest stretches of coast.
All in all, it was a cracking eight-mile walk in dry, warm conditions, with sunshine, a gentle breeze and enough coastal drama to make the reluctant sunset almost irrelevant. Almost.
