Lamorna to St Loy – a writers walk!
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As I leave reception here, turn left and head up to the top of Well Lane, just as the roadway flattens out, the vast, panoramic view streams into my line of vision and takes my breath away.
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It never seems to matter how often I walk this walk, whatever the weather, it always brings me to a standstill at certain points…..it empties my mind of everything bar the land and sea-capes stunning beauty all around me.
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Then just as you think there’s nowhere to go, short of over the cliff edge, you notice a footpath to the right. Wandering along through bluebells, campions, speedwell, burdock and zigzagging through kissing gates you shortly find yourself in the Honeysuckle Meadow of OliverLand.
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Why OliverLand – well, it was fondly named after the Tangye’s cat Oliver. Derek and Jeanie moved to Lamorna many years ago, leaving the hub-bub of London behind, to take a chance on following “The Good Life”, deep on the moors and scrubs above the valley.
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Although you cannot visit their modest cottage, it’s clear to see through the meadows and not hard to imagine them in your minds eye, lovingly working the land, rearing their livestock and writing their tales about West Cornwall . This expanse of land was bequeathed by the Tangye’s and is now held in trust as a wildlife sanctuary, and all are welcome to wander through and reflect in the hope of finding calm and resolution!
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Turning downwards again, you can drop onto the coastal path at Carn Barges, hardly noticed by a soul and instantly you are drawn to the dramatic rock formation and the blue, silver and turquoise seas. There’s no need to stay on the narrow footpath, just gently step down a pace or two and you’ll find a perfectly angled rock to sit on and wait.
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So why pause? To watch the passers by – bobbing fishing boats, dolphins, seals and just recently, returning native Cornish choughs! If your feeling able and brave, climb down away to flatten areas and set yourself down for a picnic, or maybe some fishing, or maybe just simply sun-bathing with feet dangling in warmed waters collected in rock pools.
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Then upwards and onwards, and just beyond Carn Barges, the lighthouse. Another pause and as you close your eyes, you can see stormy weathers, the light streaming out across the blackened night waters, flashing rhythmic warnings of perilous rocks, out to the sailors. You can hear the echoes of the fog-horn been carried in the winds to weary ears at sea. So the drama unfurls….
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And set a little back from this John Le Carre’s beloved home and retreat.
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Finally, after following the ups and downs of the walkway, you turn a corner and there ahead, St Loy. A hidden gem, a cove tucked away from prying eyes, inaccessible by road unless you are a resident and so often missed, so little talked about. This is a beautiful inlet, a beach of round edged stones, soften by the ebb and flow of the tides, over hundreds of years.
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My mind empties, my breath is still, the moment is safe – inspiration found.
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This is a writers walk……
