As you all know I enjoy an early morning more than most. This past month has been a little hit and miss with the weather but I did manage to get out three mornings in one week. It consisted of 3 sunrises, 3 different locations and 3 very different mornings for varying reasons. I hiked up steps, swam in the sea and almost missed the sunrise! For all 3 I had to be up early, 2 mornings I got up before going to work and one was on my day off. A friend of mine recently asked me been if I get up super early just so I can take photos and I have a two part answer to this. Part 1 is yes, I get up to capture how beautiful the world looks first thing in the morning, a lot of people just cant seem to get up early enough to be able to appreciate it (its always worth it). Part 2 is that I'm always up early, even on my days off, I'm always super excited to start the day and I cant think of a better way to do that than getting out to the coast and watching the sun rise.
Porthpean Beach
The key to a good early morning sunrise is planning! I always check a website called SunCalc which gives the time and location of the sunrise and sunset for the next day. It'll give you the location and path of the sun and it'll show if the view is going to be blocked etc. The night before I make sure I know where I'm going, charge all camera batteries, bag packed and clothes ready so I can get up and go, there's no time for messing around!
Day 1 and I'm heading out to Porthpean, its not far from mine and it always seems to be quiet. Its 6am and its already a warm morning, I'm in swim shorts and a t shirt as I walk down the slipway. The sky is a deep blue and the sea is very calm, no waves other than the little ripple as the water hits the pebbly beach. The stones are cold under foot as I walk barefoot around to the far right hand corner and get my cameras set up for the sunrise. The sun will be coming up from behind the headland over Fowey in the far distance. I prefer to watch the sun rise over the sea but I want to go for a swim and here is as good a place as any to do that as its so calm. I'm stood in the water, believe it or not it feels warmer on my feet than the cold pebbles. The sun pierces over the headland like a light switch has been flicked on, instantly the dark blue sea becomes golden as the light shimmers off it. Photos captured, timelapses caught, time for a swim! The water feels warm and as I float on my back out beyond the rocks I feel a sense of peace and weightlessness. Now the only sound I can hear is the water as I gently paddle my arms by my side. I wish I could have that feeling every morning!
Day 2 and I've got work so I need to be on time and my feet need to hit the ground running to avoid being late for work. I'm working on the north coast this time and I've decided that I'm going to drive out to Trevose Head. Theres an almost circular walk I can take around the headland which starts at Boobys Bay, goes up and around Trevose Head, past the lighthouse, around to Barras Bay and then back past the RNLI Lifeboat Station overlooking Mother Iveys Bay. As I approach the National Trust car park (and past a sign saying no overnight camping) I can see roughly a dozen or so Campervans, a few tents and no sign of anyone actually awake. I park up and get out, I havent got time to wait around. Its a clear morning but there's a chill in the air, as I start my walk I can see Constantine Bay and Boobys Bay below me, both beaches clear and the waves about 2-3ft already, the sun isn't up yet but there's an orangey glow on the horizon. I'm on the North coast so the sun will come up over the land rather than the sea so I know I'll get a better view the higher I get. The first point of interest is the Lighthouse, sat on the cliff edge it is now used as 4 holiday cottage although the light itself is still in working order and is an impressive sight.
The sun has breached the tip of the land as I clamber up over the hill above the lighthouse, I re-join the SW coast path and step to the side as a runner goes past me.
Here's my entry into Runners World cover competition
The coast path undulates as it goes around and I have to keep my whit's about me as I look to avoid the piles of mess left behind by the sheep, ponies and cows which roam this area. On this side of the headland I'm shielded from the wind which, coupled with the sun now being up makes things suddenly very warm and not yet 7am! Next up on the path is Barras Sitting Point, a bench high up on a mound about Barras Bay. I sit and watch the sun come up fully, the views are of a vast expanse of blue sea to my left, infront I can see Stepper Point and Rock and beyond that I can see Pentire Point above Polzeath, around to my right is Mother Iveys Bay and behind me I can still see Constantine Bay and where I started, the views from here are incredible.
Walking back to the car it doesn't feel like a work day, I've got a spring in my step and feel alive. It certainly beats that tired and sleepy feeling I've felt driving into work before!
Morning 3 and eager to find that feeling again I'm back on the South Coast and this time I'm at one of the final beauty spots before the Devon border. Rame Head is an area of natural beauty and you can see why. I won't lie, the roads to get there are about as narrow as you'll find even in Cornwall and they're even more difficult to navigate when its early morning and foggy! The further I drive the more over grown the hedges become on either side, it feels like I'm being swallowed up by the grass and bushes, the fog getting thicker as my lights do their best to pierce through and light the way and then in a split second its as if I've entered another world, the fog clears and I can see the sea ahead of me. Looking back in my mirrors just to make sure I wasn't dreaming I could see the low lying fog in the valleys and depths below me, it was only then when I realised how high up I was. The car park here is empty, no campervans or tents anywhere, in fact I cant see anyone or any sign of anyone else being awake.
Next to the car park is the National Coastwatch Institution and in the distance I can see St Michaels Chapel. Now if you folow me on Instagram (www.instagram.com/ryanlean86) the you can see this morning on my highlights but for those of you who cant see this I'll try my best to describe this for you. So its 5:35 and the sunrise is in 9 minutes, the Chapel is where I want to get before then and at this point its a small square off in the distance, I'm against the clock!
The field dips down over the coast and then back up again to the chapel, the sun will be rising to my left and currently the sky has a pinky/purpley hue which means it'll start turning orange soon. At the bottom of the dip are some wooden benches with an amazing view over the coast, I can see a few boats out at sea and what looks like a cruise liner, I check my watch, 6 minutes to go. By the time I get to the bottom of the steps I have 5 minutes. Looking up at the steps from the bottom is slightly daunting, theyre large granite steps embeded into the ground for as far as I can see, snaking up around to the Chapel which isn't currently visible. Once I get to the top of these steps I'm greeted with more steps and to my right a spectacular view overlooking Whitsand Bay below me are the famous Rame Head horses and a huge sail boat moored up, time check 3 minutes.
I get to the top with seconds to spare and just enough time to get a couple of photos before the first rays of sun pierce the already glowing sky.
The Chapel is empty and I sit in the back window waiting to capture the sun rising through the side window. Its an incredible vantage point up here, I can see for miles in just about every direction.
Once the sun was up I sat on the other side of the Chapel and watched the horses as they slowly made their way up the bank, grazing as they went. I was hoping to get down to the Penlee Battery but due to needing to get to work I didn't get chance. Its on my list to get back there as soon as I can.
In other news the holiday season seems to be over, its been the busiest summer that I can remember in terms of people and cars. Its not allowed me to get out to the places I love to go as much, but I'm hoping with the promise of a September heatwave I can get out and see those places again. I will begin the beach cleans this month so if you're interested in getting involved please reach out to me on here or any of my social media profiles.
Music - Sleep Easy - Jack Botts
Comments