The Saints Way
I came across the Saint’s Way while looking for an alternative to the South West Coastal path. After walking almost 300 miles of the path I became aware that vertigo and cliffs are rather uneasy bedfellows and have had to put the Coastal path on hold, for now.
The route was believed to have been used by pilgrims making their way from Ireland and Wales to Brittany and the European mainland.
The Saint’s Way runs from Padstow to Fowey, splitting into two routes south of Lanivet, one via Par and the other via Lostwithiel. The total length is around 65km, including both routes.
I’ve split it into 5 to keep it manageable and make it achievable using trains / buses. Using Lanivet as a starting point is useful as it’s easy to get to by bus and is higher than all the destinations, so essentially downhill, although I’m sure there will be many possibilities for sweary hill climbing.
Lostwithiel to Fowey (10km) – Done
Par to Fowey (6km)
Lanivet to Lostwithiel (12km)
Lanivet to Par (17km)
Lanivet to Padstow (20km)
I did walk the Way from Lostwithiel to Fowey in 2018, so no need to repeat that bit. Woo Hoo. It wasn’t the best of walks anyway as you spend a lot of time walking up and around the houses that are situated on the river. I intend to do the rest in ascending order as I haven’t been out in a while.
Par to Fowey
One surprise was a bridge in the middle of nowhere. Subsequent investigation shows that there was a very grand road to Menabilly house, the seat of the Rashleigh family, of which the bridge was part. Turns out Daphne Du Maurier lived there for 20 years. Plus, the pub in Polkerris is called the Rashleigh Arms, I am always interested in where pub names come from. Everyday is a school day.
Well, this was a relatively easy day. A 40 minute train ride with suitable refreshment, followed by a trip to the Spar for a pasty and I’m set to go The route is basically uphill from Par and downhill to Readymoney Cove. From the top of the hill you can see Mevagissey across St Austell Bay, all very pleasant in the sun. I met a smattering of farm animals, some free-range chickens and pigs, as you have to pass through a farmyard.
The best bit was the walk down through the woods to Readymoney Cove. And then the bad news. I couldn’t get a table outside either Pintxo or The Galleon, there was to be no tapas or reminiscing about 1970s underage drinking for me. Oh, well, a quickie in The Safe Harbour while waiting for the bus. As an aside, I recommend the Cornwall Bus app. You can see where the buses are in real-time. No rushing to the bus stop and waiting for ages. The bus deposited me at Par Station with 35 minutes to wait for the next train. The Royal it is then. Pleasant, easy day out and a boost to the Rattler quotient.
