Hi, I posted this question on Trip Advisor but had no luck - hoping I might have more luck here. I'm flying to London in a week then going straight to Cornwall by train - to St. Austell and then taxi to Mevagissey, on a Sunday. I always travel carry-on only, so have been looking for advice on whether there's any place in Mevagissey that sells hiking poles, as I'll be hiking for 6 days. I was told of a sporting goods store in St. Austell but I checked online and it doesn't stock hiking poles.
Any thoughts? (I'm really hoping I don't have to pack my own poles and check a bag - I've only checked bags twice in past 15 trips abroad, and both times my bag was lost)
Thanks for any help.
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5836 posts
You could check your trekking poles and carry-on everything else. Legacy airlines (at least the ones I fly) allow one checked bag at no extra cost. Worst case is they lose the poles then you can charge them for the replacement. Second worst case is the poles are delayed and they deliver the delayed poles to you. You would only be out the 30 to 60 minutes of waiting for the missing bag and filing the report.
If you want to do the buy in UK thing, try www.amazon.co.uk and have the poles delivered to your first stop assuming that they will hold them for you.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16317 posts
I cannot help with specific towns in Cornwall as we have only been to Port Isaac, and I do not recall seeing trekking poleson offer in the shops there. I would not want to undertake 6 daysof walking on coastal paths there without them.
On our recent trip to Patagonia with my sister and her husband, she put her Black Diamond z-poles in her carryon with no problem through three airports ( and three more on the way home). The tips are not sharp.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8395 posts
I like the option of checking your poles but keeping the rest as carryon. I've to carryon trekking poles before and been stopped by TSA. I wouldn't risk it.
Posted by
Kingston, Surrey
239 posts
There's a Millets in Bodmin, which is about 10 miles from St Austell, so you could get a taxi there and back.
Posted by
OP
Charlotte, NC, USA
380 posts
Thanks everyone, for your helpful, and polite, responses.
And Edgar .... thank you!! I don't know why I hadn't thought of that. I've already ordered a pair, confirmed it's ok with B&B owners, and they'll be delivered a couple of days before I arrive. Bless you!