Hartland Quay and Morewenstow, Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Patti and I declared a rest day…a notion reinforced by the weather. We awoke to heavy rain and heavier wind: sustained gusts of 40 mph. The six walkers waited the rain out and started out at about 10:30.
Their plan, suggested by a friendly bloke we had seen at all three of our hotels, was to turn inland when the path began to veer onto high cliffs and exposed places. Far too dangerous in this wind.
While the main party walked the path for the first 1/5 of the day, Patti and I watched the violent water, took some pictures, and had a cup of tea. Meanwhile, the others followed the path as it rose onto low cliffs.
Their plan was to follow the path along the sea until they reached a large waterfall and then to turn inland.
This involved quite a but more wayfinding, and presumably second guessing, although everyone put their trust in Gary and his mastery of navigation apps!
The highlight of the day for the walkers was a bovine encounter. In avoiding a muddy lane, they turned into a pasture…and were soon followed by a large herd of cows.
As the walkers turned away, the cows began to follow en masse. Their accounts of this were all, later in the day, accompanied by nervous giggles, suggesting some genuinely scary moments!
Back at the Quay, Patti and I were picked up by a real character. Our cabbie, Trev, was a hardboiled local: about 60 years old, he has been to London precisely once. He loves Cornwall, though, and was full of useful information.
The motorized unit arrived at our lodging, the Bush Inn, around 1 PM.
This is a remarkable place. As the sign says, it wa built in the thirteenth century, and the pub side of the building shows it, with 18 inch thick walls and very low beamed ceilings. The building was originally thatched, but the thatch caught fire fifty years ago and was never replaced.
We made our way down the road toward the sea and the lovely church of St. John and St. Morwenna.
No one knows precisely when the church was founded, but it had long been in existence by 1290; elements of an original Norman church remain in the narthex. Several of the columns in the nave also date from this time: note the beefy ones on the left as opposed to the slender, fluted gothic on the right.
Meanwhile, our hardy companions were making their way through villages, along side paths and narrow roads.
This is the little church in the village of Wellcombe.
The inn wasn’t the only place with thatch!
Around 4 PM they trundled into the inn; Sue wasn’t done walking, so she had me take her to see the church!
We had a very pleasant chat with the publican and two friends when we returned; they regaled us with the very considerable history of the place. And dinner was excellent and surprisingly refined: a leak and blue cheese soufflé, a tangine, a venison bourguinon, and a genuinely excellent lasagne.