Coastwalk , South West Coast Path

Porthcothan → Newquay

Distance: 11.4 miles
Ascent: 340 metres
Duration: 4 hours 16 minutes

The Steps
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"The Bedruthan Steps are spectacular at low tide," our B&B host told us over breakfast this morning. Sadly yesterday's sunshine has been replaced by a thick covering of cloud, and the tide was in when we reached these huge sea stacks just a few miles south of Porthcothan.

It was easy to see what the effect would be though: the tide withdraws beyond each of them, leaving glistening white sand towered over by tall columns of rock. Instead the islands were left paddling in dazzlingly clear emerald green water.

South of the Steps the tide began to recede, uncovering beautiful sandy beaches: at Mawgan Porth, Watergate and Porth, all matching the miles of sand that was on show last night at Porthcothan, but covered when we left this morning.

It's been a warm day, but thanks to the cloud not insanely hot. That's not deterred the holidaymakers though, who are out on the beaches and headlands in force to enjoy what they can of the late start to the summer.

We smelt Newquay before we got there. The air was thick with evaporating alcohol. This didn't bode well – I was hoping to find a peaceful seafront café where we could while away the hour before the train arrived. We continued walking through the town in search of such a place and were soon above the harbour on the far side having failed in this mission.

Suffice it to say that although Newquay has its charms (such as the house built atop a sea stack that looks like a misplaced Bedruthan Step), it isn't somewhere I can ever see us returning to once we've continued the coast walk out of it.