I take the steep coastal pathway up the Warren which follows the cliffs that will lead me to my penultimate port-of-call, Talland Bay. Talland has a special place in my heart too for both my daughters were christened in the tiny church of St Tallan, one of Polperro’s two parish churches. It’s about 75 minutes walk from Polperro along what at times can be a very muddy and slippery pathway for many of the locals use it for walking their dogs or simply for an invigorating stroll.
Once again, the sea is to my right and I see a couple of fishing boats approaching the entrance to Polperro harbour. Myriad gulls are wheeling around the sterns of the craft in a frenzy as the fishermen will have already started to gut the catch en-route home. The guts are chucked over the side where they are gratefully and greedily devoured by the scavengers.
I walk on, amazed that in three days, I haven’t managed a soaking much to my relief although it has certainly threatened at times. A fellow walker approaches from the other direction and we pause to chat for a minute; he is from London and has never been to Polperro. I tell him what a treat he is in for and impart some local knowledge so that he knows where to get a cheap B & B for the night, as well as a decent beer and some good food.
I march on and soon, Talland Bay comes into sight. It isn’t that much larger than Polkerris but is a straggly village that sits to the top on either side of the beach here. More memories – in the summer we used to have a few drinks in Polperro then drive down the lanes to Talland to set up a barbecue on the shingly beach. After eating we would, somewhat foolishly upon reflection, take a dip in the crystal-clear waters which was a surefire way to sober up.
I follow the lane into the village because I haven’t revisited the church since my younger daughter was christened here in 1983. The church of St Tallan is large for such a small village and is of a curious design. It dates to Saxon times with a bell tower somewhat removed from the main body of the church and is joined to the latter via a small portico. St Tallan was one of the many holy saints that landed in Cornwall in the 8th and 9th centuries where they taught Christianity and founded many of the churches.
That’s it for Talland – no shops, no school, no post office, no pub – for any of these you’ll need to head either way to Polperro or Looe. Even the little car park on the beach is fenced off today with the accompanying ice cream stall looking somewhat the worse for wear.
I leave Talland on the last leg of my hike – the 4 miles to West Looe and journey’s end.