Treen, Cornwall

25 May 2018 to 28 May 2018

The annual epic bank holiday trip - sea, sand, cream teas and hopefully not too much fog.

For those as haven't been, West Cornwall is what Cornwall is really all about, beautiful scenery, stunning wild craggy coast line to walk, immaculate granite to climb on, gorgeous sandy coves to surf, swim or just laze in and more tourist tat in St Ives than you can shake a candy floss stick at. Add to that tin mines, the Minack Theater and various other wet weather alternatives just in case, and you're made for a perfect escape from London.

We're staying at Treen Farm Campsite again. A fantastic setting, a mere field inland from the cliff top and coast path, a skip from Logan Rock itself, and a gentle stagger from the Logan Rock Inn. Within a 10-15 minute walk there is a lovely beach at Porthcorno accessible at all tides by coast path & road, and the stunning 'secret' Pedn Vounder beach https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedn_Vounder directly under the campsite for those prepared to scramble. This needs to be vacated before high tide though so be warned. Weather, tides and group momentum permitting we often see Rockhopper penguins gather on one or other beach for a BBQ one of the evenings. They also have a wee shop on site that does a roaring trade in coffee, croissants and pasties of a morning and a whole wealth of other stuff. Plus they usually have some flavour of food vendor on site (breakfast fry up and something different from curry to burgers of an evening) morn and night.

Camping

At the road end, turn right past the "Camping Full" sign and follow the narrow dirt track up a short hill to the campsite gate (track turns sharp left). In the gate then right at reception and again at the toilet block (sign for Rockhoppers). About 2/3rds of the field will be reserved for us and there is usually a rope across to mark our patch - try not to drive through/over it in the dark. There is a hedge up the middle of the field longways. We have both sides of the hedge beyond the rope. Please pitch against the hedge or wall surrounding the field and park against the fence at the end of the hedge or out in front of tents NOT between them. Our host is VERY particular about this and will ask you to move things around if your tent is in risk of being run over or cars are where tents should be. Just go with it ok.

Climbing Guides:

Climbers Club West Cornwall volumes I & II
https://www.climbers-club.co.uk/shop/books/south-west/west-cornwall/
New CC book looks lurvely for those of you who don't have one or just love guides:
https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/news/guidebooks/climbers'_club_guides_to_west_cornwall_volume_2nbsp-10038

Run out of petrol? there'll be somewhere to climb on route!
https://www.rockfax.com/climbing-guides/books/west-country-climbs-2010/

Tide times at the bottom

Bouldering
Not the first thing that springs to mind but some notes here http://javu.co.uk/Climbing/WestCornwall/index.shtml including a big thumbs up for the beaches mentioned above :) Just remember the tide is high middle to late afternoon so not ideal.

Climbing not your thing?...

Apparently you can walk too - there's Left or Right - almost certainly there will be parties going in both directions at least two out of 3 days :)
All joking aside the scenery is stunning and the walking far more enjoyable and challenging than you might imagine from this dodgy description, and there are lots of options (including a bus back for those waylaid by a cruel and heartless ice-cream salesman)

Then there's Surfing (Sennen is a good place to try this - there are two surf hire shops), Kite Surfing, Coasteering, Kayaking, (a quick google will find companies more than happy to exchange a day of adrenaline fuelled fun for some hard earned wonga) Not to mention Tin Mines, Minack, Eden (for the drive back perhaps).

Tides

(are not great time wise with low tide at 10 and 1045 am high tide at 3.30 and 4.30 pm so plan your routes accordingly)

Penzance (Penwith SW)
(GMT so Add 1 hour)

25-May Fri 01:18 H 4.7m 08:00 L 1.6m 13:48 H 4.7m 20:24 L 1.6m
26-May Sat 02:12 H 4.9m 08:54 L 1.4m 14:36 H 4.9m 21:18 L 1.4m
27-May Sun 02:54 H 5.0m 09:42 L 1.3m 15:18 H 5.1m 22:00 L 1.3m
28-May Mon 03:36 H 5.2m 10:18 L 1.1m 15:54 H 5.2m 22:36 L 1.2m
29-May Tue 04:12 H 5.2m 10:54 L 1.1m 16:30 H 5.3m 23:18 L 1.1m
Thanks go to the CC : https://www.climbers-club.co.uk/information-summary-list/tidal-information/