Will's Walk

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

Just over 13 months ago our boys' dearest friend, Will, was tragically killed in an avalanche.  At the time it was too shocking and too painful to write about and, although the shock is waning his loss is still keenly felt by us all.  The boys had always wondered if it was possible to walk from the Lizard (England's southernmost point) to Land's End (it's most south-westerly point) on the coastal path, in a day and had planned to find out!

In his memory the first "Will Walk" was completed on March 23rd last year when 5 friends of Will's (including our boys) proved that it could, indeed, be done (albeit with some traversing on roads towards the end when it was dark and just too dangerous to continue on the coastal path).  This was an extraordinary feat - on the map it's about 44 miles but in reality it's considerably more as you battle up and down the various coves and harbours en route.

Today would have been Will's 20th birthday so the second "Will's Walk" was held on Saturday and, with both our boys away, Matt and I decided to uphold the family tradition (and give ourselves a massive challenge) and attempt to walk it over two days.  We may be stupid but we certainly aren't stupid enough to think we could even begin to complete it in a day!  The Truro College students set off on Saturday morning.  We, however, set off on Friday morning on a fine but blustery day:

Here we are with Will's parents contemplating the enormous distance we are about to attempt (Land's End isn't even visible!):

Kynance Cove:

Down the Lizard - this, it transpired, was the easiest bit of the entire walk so we were lulled into a false sense of security!:

If you look very carefully into the background of this picture you can just about make out the Land's End peninsula:

Here, too, you can just make out Land's End in the far distance:

Coming up from Kynance Cove - you can see the path starting to go up and down, reality is setting in!:

a "wtf" moment!:

4.5 miles down, only 40 to go ....:

Approaching Mullion Cove:

Mullion Harbour:

Poldu Monument:

and what it says:

the incredibly battered postbox in the bridge at Poldu Cove:

Approaching Church Cove:

At this point we could look right back past Mullion to Lizard Point:

Approaching Loe Bar and Porthleven - starting to get very blustery here and the path is rather too close to the edge for comfort!:

Coming down to Loe Bar, where waterproof trousers had to be put on rather hastily (not easy in a howling gale!):

On Loe Bar, looking up The Loe:

Porthleven Harbour - scene of those appalling storms a few weeks ago:

Across the other side of the harbour some storm damage is clearly visible:

Rain approaching Lizard Point:

Looking back to Porthleven - the path can clearly be seen winding up and down - this was one of the hardest parts of the walk:

The mine stack at Trewavas - you can clearly see how narrow the path is, which also made it hard going (especially when we were caught by gusts of wind):

Imagine mining here - and, indeed, building these mine buildings!:

As can be seen from this last photo, the sun was going down and we cracked on as far as Kenneggy, when the rain started lashing and it was well and truly dark so we headed up the main road where we got a lift into Marazion.  We were drenched and freezing cold and very grateful for a hot shower and warm meal.

As we left the coast path and headed up to the road there was an almighty crack of thunder overhead.  We like to think it was Will telling us we'd made the right decision!

Tomorrow - Marazion-Land's End .......................

"Juliet" Summer Tweed from Debbie Bliss

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

 

Need I say more?!  

Beautiful yarn, beautiful patterns.  This is a truly gorgeous yarn from Debbie Bliss - a real winner.

See all the patterns here.

And all the yarn colours here.

I really don't have enough superlatives to describe this yarn - it is simply, perfectly gorgeous.

The only problem is, which one to knit first?

Sundays are for Walking

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

As is well known on this blog, Sundays are for walking; however, we've had a few difficult weeks of it - one week when it was so wet I physically couldn't have been wetter, didn't dare get the camera out, gave up avoiding puddles small lakes and just waded through them and - for the first time in a very long time - very nearly lost my sense of humour whilst out on the moors walking.

Then there was the glorious day when we discovered that Matt we had left the camera on so the batteries were dead (it was his fault, I'm just trying to be nice cos he reads this) and then this weekend just gone the mist was so thick we couldn't see a mine head until we were upon it but we walked anyway but there are no photos (working on the theory that thick mist isn't the most riveting thing to be photographing).

So ... herewith we have photos of a walk we did about a month ago when a) the weather was pretty good, b) the camera was working and c) there was no rugby to rush back for (yes, I've had that scenario as well).

And, in case you're wondering what all this walking is about - well, firstly it's to get/keep fit (obviously), secondly because it's hard to resist when we have such glorious scenery on our doorstop and thirdly (and probably the most apt) is because we have a memorial walk which we are attempting to do this very weekend from Lizard to Land's End along the coast path.  That's 44 miles in total (although I've just seen one site which says it's 46!) so, no, we're not attempting it in one day (although some brave, young, fit students from Truro College are) so we're walking attempting to walk from Lizard to Marazion on day one and Marazion to Land's End on day two.

So - as part of the training, we did a glorious walk along the northern coast path back in February.  We walked from home to Nine Maidens (or Boskednan Stone Circle):

and then over the top and down to the north coast path at the Rosemergy Climbing Centre:

then along the coast path to Portheras Cove:

from where we headed inland and up to a Quoit we'd never visited before - Chun Quoit:

and thence on the short distance to the Iron Age Hillfort, Chun Castle:

(with Greenbarrow Mine {and home} in the far distance).

From there we followed the lane and path to Men An Tol:

(which we pass on nearly all our walks but rarely stop and photograph, despite it being one of the most popular and photographed ancient sites in West Penwith!)

And then over the moors to Greenbarrow Mine, home and tea and toast!

Before our epic adventure this weekend, look out for new yarn which has arrived here so will be online very shortly ...................

And, in case you're wondering, yes I am anxious about walking 44/46 miles along the coast path this weekend and, yes, it's going to be a challenge (which is, kind of, the point!).

New Yarns (and patterns) from Rico!

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

So ... just in time for the lovely, spring weather we're currently enjoying (doesn't it make such a difference when there's a big, glowing orb of warmth and light in the sky - and it's amazing how quickly the ground starts to dry out and how everyone is instantly more cheery!) more summer yarns have arrived in stock - this time from Rico.

You may remember that I knitted a little summer top in Summer Print last year:

which I wore A LOT thanks to the glorious summer we had.  Well ... Rico have now brought out new colours (both plain and multi) and new patterns so, clearly, this interesting tape yarn was as successful for them as it was for us!  Here are the new plain colours (scroll down through the multi colours to find the plain ones):

and here are the new multi's, which you can see are a slightly different style to last year's:

and here is a quick selection of a couple of patterns (all of the patterns can be seen down the left hand side of the yarn page):

 

 

As well as Summer Print we had new CROCHET patterns in Rico's Cotton Soft (50% cotton, 50% acrylic blend) and we know how desperately everyone is searching for good crochet patterns so take a look at these:

and two new MANLY colours in Superba Bamboo sock yarn:

Personally, I like it when men wear jazzy bright socks but I know that many won't so here - just for them - two grey/blue plain "normal" colours!

I don't know about the rest of the country but here the days are glorious but there's still definitely a nip in the air in the evenings so warm, knitwear is still most definitely required!

St Piran's Day

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

Last Wednesday (March 5th) dawned dry and bright (for a change), which made it the perfect day for the annual St Piran's Day parade down Causewayhead.

St Piran is the patron saint of tin miners and has gradually evolved into the Patron Saint of Cornwall with the St Piran's Flag (white cross on black background) now used as the symbol of Cornwall.

The children paraded and danced and the bands played - well done one and all - it was great to see the streets so crowded with proud parents and onlookers:

 

You have to really admire these small children playing instruments such as the flute and oboe whilst parading down the street!

I wonder how many other small towns across the UK are so proud of their patron saint?!

Tomorrow - new yarns (and patterns)..........................