OK, here is our general itinerary for our June 16-27 visit to walk the South West Coast Path in Cornwall. I've booked the B&B's for the first two legs, but would love some suggestions for a third place to stay before heading back to Penzance. I am using the South West Coast Path website and the Cornwall Coast Path Part 2 -- Bude to Plymouth guide book. Big thanks to everyone who has helped so far especially Annhig. This is really coming together now!

Friday June 15 -- leave EWR on overnight flight to LHR (BA Premier Economy so we can get some sleep!)

Saturday June 16 -- arrive LHR at 6:15 a.m. Head to Paddington Station (not sure of how yet) to catch Great Western Railway train to Penzance. Annhig gave some good advice for a late-morning train. Overnight: Penzance, Venton Vean B&B

Sunday June 17 -- Hiking day! Penzance to Mousehole to Lamorna back to Mousehole. Lunch in Mousehole. First Kernow bus (if running on Sundays) or taxi back to Penzance. Overnight: Penzance.

Monday June 18 -- Hiking day! Penzance to Marazion, and visit St. Michael's Mount. Visit Marazion Marsh (thank you Annhig, it looks fabulous!). Bus return to Penzance. Overnight: Penzance.

Tuesday June 19 -- Hiking day! Pick up rental car at Penzance rail station. Leave Penzance. Drive to Zennor for hike. Lunch at Tinners Arms, Zennor. Drive to St. Ives for the afternoon. Drive to Boscastle. Overnight: Boscastle, The Old Rectory B&B.

Wednesday June 20 -- either hiking day or relaxing day. If hiking day, walk from The Old Rectory to Tintagel and return. Or, walk into Boscastle and walk to the north a little and then return. Overnight: Boscastle, The Old Rectory B&B.

Thursday June 21 -- Drive to Port Isaac and then walk around there. This is a must for us as we are avid Doc Martin fans. I'm not sure if we can hike from Tintagel over to Port Isaac in the same day. Possibility to walk from Port Isaac to Port Gaverne and up a little and then back again. Overnight: Boscastle, The Old Rectory B&B

And now comes the part where I have no idea what to do.
Friday June 22 -- leave Boscastle/Old Rectory B&B and go ... WHERE??

Saturday June 23 -- Hike ???

Sunday June 24 -- Hike ???

Monday June 25 -- ??? For sure: drive back to Penzance and drop off the rental car. Overnight: Penzance, Venton Vean B&B.

Tuesday June 26 -- 9 a.m. train from Penzance to London Paddington. Afternoon in London. Overnight: London. Possibly Premier Inn, King's Cross. It's not booked yet.

Wednesday June 27 -- Be at LHR at 2 p.m. for 4:45 p.m. flight LHR to EWR. Quite possibly Just Airports as private car instead of the Tube.

So ---- the big question is where to go after Boscastle. We are thinking that we would like to go to the opposite coast, maybe around Falmouth? but I'm reading it's a big place, and maybe not right for us on this trip. Maybe Porthleven would be nice? Is that a convenient village to stay in for a couple nights in the Lizard Point area?

all (gentle) help appreciated.
--hikrchick

I'd put a hike in on one of the creeks round the Fal Estuary. The views are great and there are lots of decent cafes and pubs en-route. Mylor Creek round the headland to Restronguet Creek (or vice versa) is lovely - I do that walk a lot as my family live there. But there are loads of others to choose from too.

Any other suggestions or advice?

Hi hikrchick... we've been to Cornwall three times the last 7 or so years, visiting friends in Marazion. Last July they took us on a Poldark tour...which included some absolutely breathtaking scenery. In particular I loved Holywell Bay and the mines (Levant Mine, St Agnes Head). Charlestown is a sweet little town. Kynance Cove is gorgeous. Another idea if you have a full day is to take a small plane off of Lands End to the Scilly Islands. You must have tea in the middle of nowhere. You'll see signs just driving along the road...the clotted cream is to die for! We love St. Ives and a restaurant called Porthminster Cafe. Godolphin Arms is a good restaurant in Marazion with beautiful views of the mount. Oh...also cornish ice cream is amazing. Porthleven is worth visiting. We've been there a couple of times for dinner and it's so lovely at sunset. The all-white village just glows.

Now I'm thinking about staying in Lizard so we can hike in that area, from Porthleven over around the peninsula.

I've booked a B&B in Lizard.
So our itinerary is:
Penzance -- 3 nights
Boscastle -- 3 nights
Lizard -- 3 nights
Penzance -- 1 night
London -- 1 night.

Don't know how I missed your thread hiker chick but better late tan never..

Actually you have got some great advice here and I love your itinerary.

I just wanted to tell tell you about the great restaurant in Mousehole we found last week called 2 Fore street. Yes, a pretty prosaic name but the food was anything but.

Well worth making the effort to eat there but need to book ditto if you want to eat at the Old Coast Guard also in Mousehole which St C and her DH loved when we went there last year.

Sorry that's all I can manage on this dratted iPad. Hopefully if you've got any more queries by the time I come back I'll have my laptop back again.

Thank you, Ann! Now that everything is booked I am getting excited. After the past 12 months of being unemployed and job-hunting I am really needing to basically fly away from it all and go walking somewhere pretty. I'm checking the weather for Boscastle and Penzance on my phone so that we'll know what to pack.

Oh -- one thing -- do you think we should bring our hiking poles or is it not very up-and-down and is easy enough without the extra balancing?

--hikrchick

Hikrchick - I have never used walking poles so I'm not really the best person to ask. Also I don't know which bits of the coastal path you are planning to walk. Most of them are no more than a country stroll but some bits are more challenging. I think that if you are used to using your poles I would bring them unless they are a real pain to pack.

As for what clothes to pack - layers!!!

Two weeks from tomorrow! I can't wait!

The best news is that after a year of unemployment I've got a new job! I started last week; part-time for now but I am hoping it will turn into a full-time job.
What this means is that the budget doesn't have to be squeezed so tightly. I think we can splurge and take the Heathrow Express from LHR to Paddington and not deal with the Tube for an hour.

I'm so excited to go walking on the SWCP ! Hooray for being employed!

oh, congrats on the job. Excellent that you can splurge a little.

I hope you have a really great time. If I can help at all, just let me know.