Day 2. Penzance to Bodmin

Day 2/16    Tuesday August 22.

Penzance to Bodmin.

 Distance:        88 (Km) 

Time:  6:04

Average Speed:          14.4 (Km/ hr) 

Ascent:               1222 (m). 

Heart Rate:          122 (beats / min). 

Cumulative Distance:           103 (km) 

Cumulative Ascent :           1323 (m) 

Punctures so far : 0

They know how to make hills in Cornwall. And at one point today I thought I was at home in Tipp.

I was up and left at 7am this morning with both panniers loaded riding shotgun.

 The road into the centre of Penzance was quiet; had the road to myself. The economy of Penzance originally depended on mining and fishing but now on tourism. Possibly because of its mining heritage it is actually twinned with Bendigo in Victoria, Australia.

 I cycled down to the harbour and picked up the Coastal Path by the waters edge. So much for my ‘last look at the sea’ that I spoke of yesterday.After 5 km  St Michael’s Mount came into view, an attraction that can be approached by foot at low tide.

My route then turned inland on quiet country lanes till I passed through St Erth and then down into Hayle on the other side of Cornwall. Hayle was a major port for tin and copper in its day and had a major Explosive Works established here originally for mining and later diverted to the WW1 effort. The area now has been redeveloped as a nature reserve. Here I had clear access to a road temporarily closed to motorised traffic.

Once I left the coast it was all hills again. Some pleasant sights along these country lanes. I paused at well-maintained St Gwinear’s Church. 

The usual bike stands don’t work properly with panniers on, so I developed my own model - jamming the front brake and a prop adopted from a piece of golf equipment. Works a treat!

I passed along lanes and cycle paths on the edge of Camborne, meaning ‘crooked hill’ in Cornish. ‘Cam’ also means crooked in Irish. As the taxi driver told me yesterday ‘We’re not English, we’re Cornish’

Camborne was one of the richest tin-mining areas in the world till the end of the 19th century, The towns landscape features many chimneys from the mine pump houses. I stopped at the Dolcoath pump house but many more appeared along  my route.

Quiet paths brought me back out into the country again.

Many establishments along the way fly the Cornish flag featuring a white cross on black background. Over one premises (The Old Rectory) there was our own tricolour proudly flying in the breeze.

In time I dropped down into Redruth, meaning ‘red ford’. But strangely it’s the ‘ruth’ ( from rothe) that means red. And the beginning of the word comes from the Cornish word ‘rhyd’ meaning ford. Every day is a school day!

And Mick Fleetwood, a co- founder of Fleetwood Mack was born here in 1947. Not many people know that.

At 52 km I dropped into a Garden Centre coffee shop in Goonhavern for a bite but had to select from their Breakfast Menu. Too early for Lunch.

And still the roads ahead rose before me both country lanes and the more major roads. My Garmin registered 9 majors today and each time it indicates a pictograms of the climb and other relevant data. These climbs all registered above 10% gradient and one came in at 21%. I didn’t try to conquer these and politely walked up parts of them. But apart from these 9 majors, it was all up/down/up/ down. It came to a point where I hated to see a down-hill, knowing what was coming after that.

And I wasn’t the only ‘mad man’ on the road. He was on my route for a while, then disappeared.

St Columb Major was an interesting stop.

 I think we might have opposition here. A large painting in a historic building in the centre of town claims that it is ‘The Home of Hurling’. And details give an idea of what’s involved. Apparently twice a year (around Shrove Tuesday) the neighbouring parishes have a hurling match. Now, no sticks involved. The game involves two teams of unlimited players who endeavour to carry a silver ball to goals set 2 miles apart. No referees, no written rules ( just points of etiquette that are generally observed). The carry-on in some of the details of the painting (2006) give an indication. 

Interestingly, wasn’t it on the occasion of a Wexford landlord bringing his local team over to Cornwall to play a game of hurling against a team of one of his buddies to settle a wager and the Wexford team wore yellow sashes around their waists to distinguish them that gave rise to our Wexford teams still referred to as the Yellowbellies.

But time to move on and gobble up a few more hills. Great views of green countryside from the high points.

Just as I came near to Bodmin and crossed the Camel River I hit into that 21% devil of a climb. But I was consoled in that I was almost at my destination.

Trehellas Hotel appeared on my right just at 3pm in great heat. My room is in the coach-house and the bike is stabled behind the premises ready for another early start tomorrow.

And what will tomorrow bring? You guessed. More hills and hills on those hills. All part of the enjoyment and satisfaction of a cycling expedition.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.