View Day 3 from Hayle Towans to Portreath in a larger map
A real storm came in during the night and the morning was wet, windy and dark. It was 10AM by the time I was ready to leave, so I left Backpackers and walked 50 yards to the taxi rank.
The coast is long and I only have a limited time in the UK, and some places are simply not worth the time investment required to walk them. So with apologies to those who live in Lelant, I believe the mud flats known as Hayle Estuary, can be viewed quite adequately as you drive through them on the B3301 causeway (This road doubles as the official coastal path). As the crow files, Carbis Bay to the Towens is 1 mile, by costal path its 6.4 miles, and by taxi across the causeway through the mud flats it’s about 20 minutes.
The taxi was one of those minivans, like a Mums Taxi, so the driver (who must have thought me crazy) suggested I get ready in the back where there was room to stand, in a stoopy sort of way. Hat, Gloves, my ever faithful The North Front hooded coat, my backpack, and all wrapped up inside a $1 disposable rain jacket. I exited the van backwards, feeling like Neil Armstrong as he stepped backwards down the ladder onto the moon: One small step for man….. Ok so I look like an alien, but none-one else is ever likely to be out there on a day like today and see me anyway!
The driver had dropped in one of the many empty parking lots (Car Parks) next to Hayle Towans beach, so following my mantra, “Sea on the left, sea on the left….” I proceeded without looking at my map along the beach and through the dunes to Gwithian Bridge.
By the time I got to the bridge the rain had subsided to a light drizzle and once up on the cliff it was nothing more than a mist. The visibility rose to where I could make out the shadowy shape of Hayle Towans 3 miles behind me, I took out my camera and snapped a picture looking back, and then I saw it! Lighting struck the beach exactly where I had been walking just 30 minutes ago. Kind of gives you the willies. Didn’t catch it in the photo
The path past the lighthouse at Navax is level and actually very well maintained so it was an easy walk and 
just beyond that I was pleasantly surprised to see about 20 seals in the next cove. The 5 miles from Navex lighthouse to Portreath follows the flat path along the cliff. A well maintained straight path runs between two wind braking hedges, with excellent disabled access from each of the parking lots. 
There are periodic views where the hedge has been cleared which are spectacular, and just one chine towards the end of the route. After the chine the path reverts to the norm, but remains relatively flat until it drops down into Protreath.
Portreath has a small grocery store and the Youth Hostel is two miles inland, So I grabbed a few provisions before leaving the town.
The Youth Hostel only had three guests, a couple and me, so again I had a room to myself. I did take the opportunity to borrow some additional covers from the neighboring beds as the heat had been off for some time prior to my arrival. The YHA web site has good directions from the coastal path to this location. Check them in advance because there are no signs on the circuitous 2 mile path. The signs were apparently removed to deter local youths for tormenting the owners.
Distance hiked today 11.5 miles
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