Saturday 14th August 2010 Travelled back down to Falmouth last night and arrived during a wonderful fireworks display. Stayed at Chelsea House" where the lovely 'Donna' donated a free night's accommodation. Bumped into Peter, an old school friend on the beach! We last saw each other when we were 17. He is married now with two children. Stumbled across the Helford Regatta at Helford Passage. What a beautiful place and lively community. They announced my arrival on the pa system and donations came flooding in. Rowing/running races, prize giving and plenty of beer! Not a bad first day back!
Sunday 15th August 2010 (Helford to Coverack - 13 miles) A hard day, as ever. Weather was sunny with a cool breeze. The Helford River is lovely, and the coast along it is full of beautiful coves and beaches. Met some lovely people and received more generous donations. As I was having a mid-afternoon energy low-point I turned a coastal corner and there was a cream tea cafe in an old lifeboat station! Brilliant news! The owner kindly fixed me up with a B&B for the evening.
Monday 16th August 2010 (Coverack to Lizard - 10.6 miles) A misty start but turned into a fine day - completely the opposite of what had been forecast. Lizard lighthouse was in full song. Today was going to be the last day for a while when I was going to be carrying my huge rucksack and my camping kit. A lovely couple called Julian and Tricia had read about my walk and had offered to support me along this stretch of the coast. They collected me in the evening and drove me to their delightful home in Newlyn - the first of seven nights that they hosted me.
Tuesday 17th August 2010 (Lizard to Church Cove) A misty start but turned into a fine day - completely the opposite of what had been forecast. Lizard lighthouse was in full song. Today was going to be the last day for a while when I was going to be carrying my huge rucksack and my camping kit. A lovely couple called Julian and Tricia had read about my walk and had offered to support me along this stretch of the coast. They collected me in the evening and drove me to their delightful home in Newlyn - the first of seven nights that they hosted me.
Wednesday 18th August 2010 (Church Cove to Marazion) Bliss! No heavy rucksack. Tricia and Julian have kindly lent me a small daysack to hold my waterproofs and lunch. I feel like I am floating on air.
Whizzed along the coast. No more plodding up the steep sections. Now I am flying! Well, sort of. Lovely to see St Michael's Mount.
Thursday 19th August 2010 From Penzance to the Minack Theatre via Mousehole. Wet and windy! A glorious section of coastline with incredible sandy coves.
Wednesday 25th August 2010 From the Minack Theatre to Zennor. Gales and rain! Saw seals. One armed lobsters for dinner (purchased for a discount from the local fishermen!).
Thursday 26th August 2010 Dry and cloudy. Zennor to Hayle. Hard going for the first few mils. Julian accompanied me for the day. Saw seals “bottling”… dozing whilst bobbing upright in the water like a bottle! Treated us to a cream tea. My last night with Tricia and Julian.
Friday 27th August 2010 My first day reunited with Mig Bertha (my huge and heavy rucksack!). Started off the day in classic fashion… walking the wrong way! How can I manage that? All I have to do is keep the sea on my left, right? I had walked down the highest, steepest, softest and hardest-going sand dunein the south west of
England before I realised my mistake. Then what? I had to walk back up the highest, steepest, softest and hardest-going sand dune in the south west of England, again… with Big Bertha on board! The sun came out and remained on display for the rest of the day. Stayed in Portreath.
Saturday 28th August 2010 Portreath to Perranporth. Found a particularly lovely camping spot in a disused cliffside quarry. Watched the sun set and the moon rise over stewed dumplings. What a pretty place!
Sunday 29th August 2010 Walked into Perranporth for breakfast and donations. Then a lot of beach walking and more sand dunes! Had 39 winks on a craggy pont until I was woken up by a kind and concerned father and son checking that I was ok! It seems I sleep in an alarming way. The last time this happened was when I had a doze at Lulworth Cove! Stayed in Newquay, which is a party town, so I had an early night.
Sunday 15th August 2010 (Helford to Coverack - 13 miles) A hard day, as ever. Weather was sunny with a cool breeze. The Helford River is lovely, and the coast along it is full of beautiful coves and beaches. Met some lovely people and received more generous donations. As I was having a mid-afternoon energy low-point I turned a coastal corner and there was a cream tea cafe in an old lifeboat station! Brilliant news! The owner kindly fixed me up with a B&B for the evening.
Monday 16th August 2010 (Coverack to Lizard - 10.6 miles) A misty start but turned into a fine day - completely the opposite of what had been forecast. Lizard lighthouse was in full song. Today was going to be the last day for a while when I was going to be carrying my huge rucksack and my camping kit. A lovely couple called Julian and Tricia had read about my walk and had offered to support me along this stretch of the coast. They collected me in the evening and drove me to their delightful home in Newlyn - the first of seven nights that they hosted me.
Tuesday 17th August 2010 (Lizard to Church Cove) A misty start but turned into a fine day - completely the opposite of what had been forecast. Lizard lighthouse was in full song. Today was going to be the last day for a while when I was going to be carrying my huge rucksack and my camping kit. A lovely couple called Julian and Tricia had read about my walk and had offered to support me along this stretch of the coast. They collected me in the evening and drove me to their delightful home in Newlyn - the first of seven nights that they hosted me.
Wednesday 18th August 2010 (Church Cove to Marazion) Bliss! No heavy rucksack. Tricia and Julian have kindly lent me a small daysack to hold my waterproofs and lunch. I feel like I am floating on air.
Whizzed along the coast. No more plodding up the steep sections. Now I am flying! Well, sort of. Lovely to see St Michael's Mount.
Thursday 19th August 2010 From Penzance to the Minack Theatre via Mousehole. Wet and windy! A glorious section of coastline with incredible sandy coves.
Wednesday 25th August 2010 From the Minack Theatre to Zennor. Gales and rain! Saw seals. One armed lobsters for dinner (purchased for a discount from the local fishermen!).
Thursday 26th August 2010 Dry and cloudy. Zennor to Hayle. Hard going for the first few mils. Julian accompanied me for the day. Saw seals “bottling”… dozing whilst bobbing upright in the water like a bottle! Treated us to a cream tea. My last night with Tricia and Julian.
Friday 27th August 2010 My first day reunited with Mig Bertha (my huge and heavy rucksack!). Started off the day in classic fashion… walking the wrong way! How can I manage that? All I have to do is keep the sea on my left, right? I had walked down the highest, steepest, softest and hardest-going sand dunein the south west of
England before I realised my mistake. Then what? I had to walk back up the highest, steepest, softest and hardest-going sand dune in the south west of England, again… with Big Bertha on board! The sun came out and remained on display for the rest of the day. Stayed in Portreath.
Saturday 28th August 2010 Portreath to Perranporth. Found a particularly lovely camping spot in a disused cliffside quarry. Watched the sun set and the moon rise over stewed dumplings. What a pretty place!
Sunday 29th August 2010 Walked into Perranporth for breakfast and donations. Then a lot of beach walking and more sand dunes! Had 39 winks on a craggy pont until I was woken up by a kind and concerned father and son checking that I was ok! It seems I sleep in an alarming way. The last time this happened was when I had a doze at Lulworth Cove! Stayed in Newquay, which is a party town, so I had an early night.