In this latest blog, I thought I’d make a start on one of my New Years resolutions a tad sooner; to write a little something about each and every ramble we go on, so as to have a wonderful reminder about our adventures together, to capture a few memories, and to share with you all a bit of history and knowledge of each corner of Cornwall our boots wander across.
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To kickstart this New Years resolution, I thought I’d begin with yesterdays glorious ramble…
Penzance to Newlyn: 5-miles
Sometimes, things don’t always go as planned. This particular ramble was proof of that. Originally, we were meant to be rambling from Newlyn to Mousehole but unfortunately, the decision was made to change the route due to some serious shin-deep needing wellies kind of mud, forecasted gusty winds and heavy hail-showers. Even though it meant a much more urban based ramble rather than a coastal path one, I decided to change the route from Penzance to Newlyn instead.
As Tanya (rambling and general bestie!) and I pulled into the car park at 9:30am, I was feeling a little apprehensive as to whether everyone would still enjoy this walk when originally, they were expecting a much more picturesque coastal ramble. However, the anxious butterflies soon flew away when the smiling and eager to get walking faces of my ramblers started congregating around my van, whom all of which, turns out, were really looking forward to embracing this new change in route.
Starting Point: Harbour Car Park (TR18 2BG)
Our route started from the Harbour Long Stay Car Park, which can be located near the Wharfside Shopping Centre, Penzance. This is a Cornwall Council pay and display (pay on exit) car park. There are facilities available - although you pay 20p a wee - and the bus stop and train station are close by.
On leaving the car park, I took the group past the shopping centre, over the bridge and towards the Jubilee Pool (where we had a quick nosy at all the swimmers!) before continuing all the way along the promenade and beaches, to the picturesque fishing village of Newlyn.
Jubilee Pool
The Jubilee Pool can be found along Battery Road, Penzance - right at the start of the promenade as you reach Penzance. This geothermal heated pool is the UK’s largest most celebrated Art Deco sea water lido and tickets can be purchased online or at entry.
Here are a few fun facts I pulled off of their website:
The whole pool contains 5 million litres of sea water.
This combined system means that the temperature of the pool can be sustained with a very low carbon footprint. It is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom and will act as a showcase for geothermal, low carbon heat supply.
It has no mechanical filtration and minimal chemical treatment for a natural sea water bathing experience and a robust cleaning regime to keep it clean and safe.
It is triangular with the longest side 98m long and 56m width in the widest part.
Jubilee Pool’s £1.8m investment project is a great demonstration of the power of community. Nearly £540,000 of the funding came from a public share offer resulting in an organisation truly owned by the community with 1400 shareholders of which 970 are local people.
There is also an indoor and outdoor café with a takeaway hatch open on their top terrace offering a seasonal picnic by the pool menu, fresh Yallah coffee and local tray bakes from St Ives Bakery.
Penzance Promenade
This iconic promenade stretches all the way from the Jubilee Pool to the fishing village of Newlyn. It’s a beautiful walk where you can get down to the stony beach below via various steps and stone ramps along the prom.
Many use this flat stretch of concrete as the perfect terrain for roller skating and skateboarding, where others like to sit on the benches watching the world go by, with views of St Michaels Mount, Mounts Bay and Newlyn for company.
Penzance beach stretches for around a mile along the length of the Promenade (which dates back to the 1800’s) and is mostly shingle, with a few patches of sand.
Newlyn Fisherman Sculpture
After reaching the end of the Promenade, you’ll find a large bronze statue of a fisherman, at the edge of Newlyn Green. This 3.2metre statue shows a fisherman casting his line as the boat arrives in port. It was built to honour fishermen who have passed over the years, with twenty plus local men having died fishing since 1980.
Money was raised for the statue locally and the life-size bronze casting was made by local sculptor, Tom Leaper.
Newlyn Art Gallery
Next to the seafront you’ll find the Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange, which was designed by Passmore Edwards, and built in 1895 to display the works of the Newlyn School artists. Today you’ll find mainly contemporary work with the work of The Newlyn School now being displayed at Penlee House Museum in Penzance.
The Exchange is the galleries second venue and is a major contemporary art space in the centre of Penzance that opened in 2007, at the same time as the pavilion extension was completed at Newlyn Art Gallery. Formerly the town’s telephone exchange, the building retains the original industrial feel of the building and features a large t-shaped gallery and a striking glass façade that runs the entire length of the building. (Taken from the website)
Newlyn
After the group had finished swigging some water and looking around the sculpture, we made our way into the heart of the village. Newlyn is a seaside town and fishing port in south-west Cornwall and lies on the shore of Mount's Bay. It forms a small conurbation with the neighbouring town of Penzance.
The village is home to one of the largest fishing fleets in the UK, with over 40 acres of harbour. The fishing industry is one of the most important in the county, contributing millions of pounds to the Cornish economy each year. You’ll see a variety of fishing vessels in the harbour, including crabbers, beam trawlers and long liners.
Did you know, in the 16th century the port was torched by a Spanish raiding party before being rebuilt, which means very little of old Newlyn remains today?! Many of the white painted and stone faced granite cottages were saved from demolition because of the outbreak of the Second World War.
The Newlyn Fish Festival is held on August Bank Holiday Monday each year, when stalls and cafés take over the quays for the day.
Urban Rambles
One of my favourite parts of this ramble is the variety you get around every corner. One minute we were trawling along the pebble beach, then we’d find ourselves looking out over a harbour, before suddenly finding ourselves in a leafy garden in the middle of Penzance town. After a mooch around Newlyn and a diversion to the harbour and toilets, we made our way back via the leafy goodness of Penlee Park and Morrab Gardens.
Penlee Park
Surrounding the Penlee House Gallery and Museum, Penlee Park contains species from all over the world. Once owned by the Branwell family, it was purchased by the town in 1946 as a living memorial to locals lost during the Second World War.
This park is also home to the Penlee Park Open Air Theatre; a unique outdoor theatre space that has celebrated Cornish, national and international performers since 1948.
Morrab Gardens
Tucked away in the heart of the town and dating back to the 1880’s, you’ll find the leafy lined walkways and bright open spaces of Morrab Gardens.
As you walk around these windy pathways, keep your eyes peeled for an ornate cast iron fountain, Victorian bandstand, ponds and war memorial; all of which are hiding among the palms, olive trees and bamboo.
Final Leg
Our final part of this delightful 5-mile urban ramble took us past The Chocolate House (which is actually a holiday cottage) and along the cobbled pavements of Penzance town, where we finished our 5-mile ramble dry and mud-free.
This easy to moderate walk could be adapted to be a more accessible route as it is mainly on pavements and paths. It only has one steep incline that can put a slight burn into the butt, but overall it could be a route you do if you are after a slower paced, more gentler walk.
It was such a lovely way to see the town and surrounding area and it goes to show that Cornwall isn’t all about the sweeping or rugged cliffs of the Cornish coastline; beauty can be found everywhere - even on a car-lined street.
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