Tuesday 25 July 2017
I spent the 23rd and 24th in Newquay, mainly hanging out on Towan Beach and exploring the town. The tides continue to be very extreme: at high tide, the waves crash violently against the harbor wall, while at low tide, they recede by about half a mile.
I drank wine and ate crab with my hostess last night, and have been feeling somewhat under the weather for most of the day today. Catching the bus to Padstow was straightforward. But then there were waaaaay more people hanging around Padstow harbor than I expected. I'm honestly not sure what the draw was, other than being another seaside town in Cornwall in high summer.
The next stage of today's journey was to get the ferry across the Camel estuary to Rock. It was low tide, the crossing took less than five minutes, and honestly I probably could have just waded across. As it was, after being put ashore, I had to walk a considerable distance to the nearest inhabited beach, Daymer Bay. Then I had to walk up the hill to Trebetherick, the nearest place on the bus route. I've had a fantastic run of warm, sunny days, but I was praying for a cloud and/or breeze today. Eventually I made it up the hill, shambled into the Mowhay Cafe, and promptly downed two pitchers of water.
Somewhat restored after the water and a brief lie-down in the stone bus shelter, I caught the bus to Port Isaac. After a couple of further adventures, including being given incorrect directions to my accommodation and then being unable to get in because I didn't realize the ring on the courtyard gate turned, I'm now safely ensconced in my Airbnb.
**********
Wednesday 26 July 2017
A low-key day in Port Isaac today. I got up, had breakfast with my host Martin before he headed out to work, watched an episode of Frasier, and promptly went back to bed. It was a rainy morning, what can I say?
When I woke back up, the rain had stopped and I was famished, so I headed out and had lunch at one of the numerous little teahouses in town. Then I walked the quarter-mile into Port Gaverne and out onto the bluff immediately opposite the house where I'm staying. Yesterday evening at high tide, I watched some daredevils jump off it into the water below. This afternoon the tide was out (though rising), but the views from the bluff were still very pretty.
I had pizza from the Angry Anchovy for dinner, and now I'm winding down for the evening. Tomorrow, Tintagel!
**********
Thursday 27 July 2017
I'm writing this sitting on a bench outside the Tintagel churchyard. A brisk wind has been blowing all day and it's been raining at regular intervals, but for now it's dry and the sunset promises to be picturesque.
Tintagel is supposed to be the birthplace of King Arthur, and it is a very airy-fairy New Agey sort of town. But after more than a week of alternating between sleepy coastal hamlets and heaving beachside resorts, this is actually a welcome change. Tintagel has good vibes, and I'm feeling a sense of wellbeing that's been absent for a while. Not that I've been feeling bad, exactly - just kind of directionless.
I decided to spend this extra week in Cornwall, rather than hopping a train for Bristol from Newquay, mainly because I need to establish credibility with Airbnb and cancelling ALL of my bookings would look very bad. I'm not exactly sorry for this decision, but it has meant kicking my heels for an extra week, feeling restless. I've tried to be outdoors as much as possible, but I still feel like I've seen more of the inside of guesthouse rooms than I would like.
But that's about to change! I'm headed for Bude tomorrow, and from Bude I will be making my way to Bristol and thence to Sedbury to begin Offa's Dyke. I'm leaving things open-ended from there at the moment, but I do know that I'm going to begin with shorter days and see how they go.
**********
Friday 28 July 2017
Four pounds and fifty pence (around $5.75) for a single load of laundry - highway robbery. But I have clean clothes and a clean towel again, courtesy of the launderette in Tintagel.
Laundry sorted, I caught the midday bus to Bude. On the way, we passed through such towns as Boscastle, located at the bottoms of the narrowest and steepest valleys I've encountered yet on this trip; so narrow and steep they're practically ravines. I'm grateful I'm not hiking them.
Bude so far is a rather unsightly town, its appearance helped not at all by the unrelenting drizzle and high winds that have been today's weather. Maybe it'll improve when the sun comes out? At least my Airbnb is cozy.
I have lost my raincoat. I realized in Port Isaac that I hadn't seen it in a while, but I figured it was just stuffed somewhere in the depths of my rucksack. But I searched it thoroughly just a few minutes ago, and it's definitely gone. Oh well. There was no money or anything in the pockets, just my SWCP map (LOL), and it was getting close to needing replacing anyway.
**********
Saturday 29 July 2017
I explored Bude this morning, while it was overcast but not yet raining. The beach is small and not as picturesque as the other beaches I've seen in Cornwall, but there were still plenty of people out there today, determined to have fun. After the beach, I took a walk down the high street. I found a Mountain Warehouse and bought a new raincoat, plus a small pair of gaiters. On Monday I need to visit the post office and send some stuff home.
**********
Monday 31 July 2017
After a quiet final day in Bude yesterday, today was a day of travel. I got the midday bus from Bude to Exeter, then the train from Exeter to Bristol. My hotel room is pretty grim - the lighting is pretty poor. But the bed is comfy. Time to start planning Offa's Dyke in earnest!
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Friday, September 22, 2017
LEJOG Walk Diaries: Cornwall part 1
Monday 17 July 2017
Land's End to St Just
Distance: 6 miles
Start: 10:20am
Finish: 5:00ishpm
Weather: Sunny and warm
Today was not an auspicious start.
I got a local bus from Penzance to Land's End this morning. I had heard horror stories about Land's End being this unbearably gaudy fairground, but it really wasn't that bad as far as tourist attractions go. I saw of bunch of people walking down to this one headland in particular, so I hiked down there too. I'm not sure whether it was the actual Land's End headland or not, but it was pretty. After that, I found the official Land's End signpost, got someone to take my picture, and headed off.
The South West Coast Path is a continuous series of steep climbs and drops. It is vague in places and badly waymarked. I actually lost the path somewhere in the vicinity of Sennen Cove, barely a mile past Land's End. I followed country lanes and farm tracks for a while, figuring "This is okay. It's more direct and I can't go far wrong as long as I keep the ocean on my left side." But after encountering my first dead-end farm track (after doing about three laps around the same potato field), I began to get nervous.
Eventually, with the help of some fellow walkers, I found the SWCP again. What followed was the most abjectly miserable mile and a half I have ever walked.
The name of the game with the SWCP is VIEWS. It wants you to experience the VIEWS, which are admittedly gorgeous. However, this means that it follows every headland and meandering beach slavishly, and makes a journey that should span one mile span three. It switchbacks down cliff faces seemingly for the hell of it. It couldn't care less about where you *actually* want to go. By about 4pm, I was exhausted, sunburned, and very afraid that I would be physically unable to climb the next cliff, and I was still not quite at Cape Cornwall, barely halfway to my goal for the day of Pendeen.
If you ever need proof that guardian angels or Trail Magic exist, go on a trip like this. When I finally rounded a headland just south of Cape Cornwall, I saw the most beautiful sigh I've ever seen: a parking lot with cars in it. This particular parking lot was for a very lovely and remote beach. I wanted to climb down the rocks and go for a dip, but the very real fear that I wouldn't be able to get back *up* the rocks prevented me. Anyway, a parking lot meant people, and people meant salvation. I was able to hitchhike into St Just with a very nice lady and her two children, and from there I caught a bus to Pendeen, where I am now ensconced in the North Inn.
So, decisions. I've already decided to take a B-road to St Ives tomorrow, rather than the SWCP. It's much more direct, with about three miles less to walk. My experience today, plus the horror stories I've heard about this section of the path in particular, decided me. After that, I'll decide things day by day.
Now I need to figure out how not to feel like a fraud right out of the gate. I didn't write down any hard and fast rules for myself, but maybe now's the time to do so.
1) This is a walking holiday. Walk, but remember you're on holiday.
2) Any form of transport that makes sense for the situation you find yourself in is appropriate.
3) Don't sacrifice safety for hubris.
So today was humbling. But I'm trying to absorb the lessons and move on.
**********
Tuesday 18 July 2017
St Just to Zennor
Distance: 8 miles
Start: 10:30am
Finish: 4:00pm
Weather: Windy and overcast in the morning, clearing in the afternoon
To make up for yesterday's shortfall, I began the day by taking a bus from Pendeen back to St Just and starting my day there. After one false start (in which I began walking toward Cape Cornwall rather than St Ives), I got on the B-road connecting these towns and commenced road-walking.
This went well at first, and I made it back to Pendeen within an hour. But then the miles of pavement-pounding began to tell on my feet. It was quite windy today, and unfortunately I was walking into it for most of the day. And then the sun came out. Ordinarily this would be welcome, but all it did today was aggravate my sunburn.
I hobbled into Zennor and caught a bus the final five (uphill) miles to St Ives. I'm sunburned, chafed, blistered, and in pain. Unless something drastic happens overnight, I'm not sure I can walk to Gwithian tomorrow. I certainly can't backtrack to Zennor and do all those uphill miles back to St Ives. So what do I do instead? Plans are formulating. Stay tuned...
**********
Wednesday 19 July 2017
I spent the first part of the day exploring St Ives. It's a very attractive seaside town on a hill sloping down to the water. It might almost be in the Cinque Terre, in Italy. I had my first-ever Cornish pasty (lamb and mint) and sat by the harbor, people-watching. I also found a Boots pharmacy and bought some sunscreen and aloe.
At around 2:30pm I caught a local bus to Gwithian, my next planned stop. The B&B where I'm staying is extremely nice, but Gwithian is a rednecky little place, with at least two caravan parks to its name. I had a dinner of softshell crab burger at a little local dive.
I've been thinking all day long. There's a bit in Bill Bryson's book A Walk in the Woods where he realizes he is never going to finish the whole Appalachian Trail, and with that realization comes freedom. Freedom to do the sections he wants to do, and not any of the sections he doesn't.
The SWCP is not what I expected. It's tough going and vague. It's a poor choice to start a long journey with, especially in the height of summer. I didn't enjoy the bit of it I attempted. Neither am I enjoying road-walking, as it's very hard on the feet.
I'm doing this trip for my own enjoyment. Not for a charity, and not to please anyone else. So why shouldn't I make alterations? So here's the tentative plan: I'm going to stay in Cornwall a bit longer, then head on up to Chepstow to begin Offa's Dyke. I'll do the Wye Valley section, or maybe the whole southern half, we'll see. And then I'll take things from there! More plans to follow.
**********
Thursday 20 July 2017
I had a leisurely beach day today. After leaving my B&B (and gifting them my tent), I climbed up into the towans, or dunes, directly behind it. I was trying to make my way to the shore and appeared to be doing so. But while the ocean appeared to get closer, the people on the beach weren't appearing to get any bigger. I found out why when I got to the far end of the dunes and found myself at the edge of a small-to-moderately sized CLIFF. Deciding to make lemonade, I stretched out a safe distance from the edge and read for a while.
I was nervous about finding my way back out of the dunes, as the paths through them are quite a maze, but I did find my way out quickly, and proceeded on foot through Gwithian proper and to Godrevy Point. I had a light lunch at the seafood restaurant there, then climbed up to the carpark (the long way round, as it happened), to ask where to catch the bus. Turns out Google Maps lied to me and there was no bus stop at Godrevy. Deciding to make lemonade again, I went and hung out on the beach for a bit. It was a pleasant day and lots of families were there. I saw lots of surfers and boogie boarders in wetsuits, and one brave soul in nothing but swim trunks. I stuck my feet in - it was COLD.
After a while the tide began to rise and the weather began to turn, so I went back to the carpark and took a cab to Porthtowan.
Tomorrow I will walk. It's only 8 and a half miles to Perranporth. I don't regret taking these two days to take it easy and recharge, but it's time to find my focus again. Onward!
**********
Friday 21 July 2017
Porthtowan to St Agnes
Distance: 5 or 6 miles
Weather: Rainy
I've decided not to keep track of my start and end times anymore for the time being. It just creates an artificial sense of pressure that isn't helpful at the moment.
When I woke up this morning it was sheeting down rain. I had an argument with myself over breakfast. Take a bus to Perranporth and call it a day? Walk? Walk partway? Initially I thought I'd take the easy way out and bus it to Perranporth. Then I got to the bus shelter and realized that the only bus of the day wasn't coming until 5:15pm.
Forward march!
The climb out of Porthtowan was rocky and laborious, made more so by the rain. I was practically walking in a creek bed in places. But I made it to the top and then the mile and a half to Chapel Porth, where I was fortified with hot chocolate and encouragement by the cafe and lifeguard staff hanging out there.
The weather began to clear, so I pushed onward. After the climb out of Chapel Porth, the path evened out and was actually quite pleasant for the next few miles. This is the kind of walking I signed up for! Eventually the path descended into Trevaunance Cove, on the north fringe of St Agnes, where I bought a sausage roll and watched the surfers for a few minutes.
As I climbed out of Trevaunance Cove, the dark clouds rolled back in, and by the time I got back to the clifftops, it was bucketing down rain again. This time with wind! The path immediately started descending again into yet another cove...and I stopped. By my reckoning I was more than halfway to Perranporth, but according to the map I had three or four more headlands to get around in this wind and rain. And once I got any significant distance down this hill, I'd be committed.
I turned around.
I had intended to double back to Trevaunance and take the steep road up to St Agnes, but I actually found a branch trail that led from the clifftop right into the St Agnes town center. In true capricious fashion, the weather cleared again by the time I got there. My timing was excellent, because the bus to Perranporth pulled up within about ten minutes.
Perranporth is a funky beach town. It kind of reminds me of Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina. My hotel (a pub with rooms, really) is a bit divey, but it's only for one night.
**********
Saturday 22 July 2017
After checking out of my accommodation in Perranporth, I spent the morning hanging out on the beach. The tides in this part of the world are very extreme, I've noticed. When I first got into Perranporth yesterday, the high tide came all the way up the beach wall and right under the windows of my hotel. This morning, the tide was far, far out - a quarter mile away or more.
At about noon, I caught a bus to Newquay (and slept through most of it, to my embarrassment). By the time I got there, I still had nearly three hours to kill before I could check in to my Airbnb, so I spent the time mooching around. The central part of Newquay reminds me of all the worst parts of Myrtle Beach - tacky, loud, and touristy. Luckily my Airbnb is on a residential street, but still near the high street and the water. After getting dinner in town, I ventured over to Towan Beach. It was a spectacular sight. A lone house sits on a high rock, connected to the mainland by a bridge. The way the evening sun hit the water was gorgeous.
I found myself itching to walk today. Sitting on the beach in Perranporth this morning, I could see where the coast path wended its way up the cliff and disappeared around the headland, on its way to Newquay. It was a surprisingly beguiling sight. And as I sat around Perranporth and Newquay killing time today, I found myself wishing more than once that I'd responded to that siren song.
Land's End to St Just
Distance: 6 miles
Start: 10:20am
Finish: 5:00ishpm
Weather: Sunny and warm
Today was not an auspicious start.
I got a local bus from Penzance to Land's End this morning. I had heard horror stories about Land's End being this unbearably gaudy fairground, but it really wasn't that bad as far as tourist attractions go. I saw of bunch of people walking down to this one headland in particular, so I hiked down there too. I'm not sure whether it was the actual Land's End headland or not, but it was pretty. After that, I found the official Land's End signpost, got someone to take my picture, and headed off.
The South West Coast Path is a continuous series of steep climbs and drops. It is vague in places and badly waymarked. I actually lost the path somewhere in the vicinity of Sennen Cove, barely a mile past Land's End. I followed country lanes and farm tracks for a while, figuring "This is okay. It's more direct and I can't go far wrong as long as I keep the ocean on my left side." But after encountering my first dead-end farm track (after doing about three laps around the same potato field), I began to get nervous.
Eventually, with the help of some fellow walkers, I found the SWCP again. What followed was the most abjectly miserable mile and a half I have ever walked.
The name of the game with the SWCP is VIEWS. It wants you to experience the VIEWS, which are admittedly gorgeous. However, this means that it follows every headland and meandering beach slavishly, and makes a journey that should span one mile span three. It switchbacks down cliff faces seemingly for the hell of it. It couldn't care less about where you *actually* want to go. By about 4pm, I was exhausted, sunburned, and very afraid that I would be physically unable to climb the next cliff, and I was still not quite at Cape Cornwall, barely halfway to my goal for the day of Pendeen.
If you ever need proof that guardian angels or Trail Magic exist, go on a trip like this. When I finally rounded a headland just south of Cape Cornwall, I saw the most beautiful sigh I've ever seen: a parking lot with cars in it. This particular parking lot was for a very lovely and remote beach. I wanted to climb down the rocks and go for a dip, but the very real fear that I wouldn't be able to get back *up* the rocks prevented me. Anyway, a parking lot meant people, and people meant salvation. I was able to hitchhike into St Just with a very nice lady and her two children, and from there I caught a bus to Pendeen, where I am now ensconced in the North Inn.
So, decisions. I've already decided to take a B-road to St Ives tomorrow, rather than the SWCP. It's much more direct, with about three miles less to walk. My experience today, plus the horror stories I've heard about this section of the path in particular, decided me. After that, I'll decide things day by day.
Now I need to figure out how not to feel like a fraud right out of the gate. I didn't write down any hard and fast rules for myself, but maybe now's the time to do so.
1) This is a walking holiday. Walk, but remember you're on holiday.
2) Any form of transport that makes sense for the situation you find yourself in is appropriate.
3) Don't sacrifice safety for hubris.
So today was humbling. But I'm trying to absorb the lessons and move on.
**********
Tuesday 18 July 2017
St Just to Zennor
Distance: 8 miles
Start: 10:30am
Finish: 4:00pm
Weather: Windy and overcast in the morning, clearing in the afternoon
To make up for yesterday's shortfall, I began the day by taking a bus from Pendeen back to St Just and starting my day there. After one false start (in which I began walking toward Cape Cornwall rather than St Ives), I got on the B-road connecting these towns and commenced road-walking.
This went well at first, and I made it back to Pendeen within an hour. But then the miles of pavement-pounding began to tell on my feet. It was quite windy today, and unfortunately I was walking into it for most of the day. And then the sun came out. Ordinarily this would be welcome, but all it did today was aggravate my sunburn.
I hobbled into Zennor and caught a bus the final five (uphill) miles to St Ives. I'm sunburned, chafed, blistered, and in pain. Unless something drastic happens overnight, I'm not sure I can walk to Gwithian tomorrow. I certainly can't backtrack to Zennor and do all those uphill miles back to St Ives. So what do I do instead? Plans are formulating. Stay tuned...
**********
Wednesday 19 July 2017
I spent the first part of the day exploring St Ives. It's a very attractive seaside town on a hill sloping down to the water. It might almost be in the Cinque Terre, in Italy. I had my first-ever Cornish pasty (lamb and mint) and sat by the harbor, people-watching. I also found a Boots pharmacy and bought some sunscreen and aloe.
At around 2:30pm I caught a local bus to Gwithian, my next planned stop. The B&B where I'm staying is extremely nice, but Gwithian is a rednecky little place, with at least two caravan parks to its name. I had a dinner of softshell crab burger at a little local dive.
I've been thinking all day long. There's a bit in Bill Bryson's book A Walk in the Woods where he realizes he is never going to finish the whole Appalachian Trail, and with that realization comes freedom. Freedom to do the sections he wants to do, and not any of the sections he doesn't.
The SWCP is not what I expected. It's tough going and vague. It's a poor choice to start a long journey with, especially in the height of summer. I didn't enjoy the bit of it I attempted. Neither am I enjoying road-walking, as it's very hard on the feet.
I'm doing this trip for my own enjoyment. Not for a charity, and not to please anyone else. So why shouldn't I make alterations? So here's the tentative plan: I'm going to stay in Cornwall a bit longer, then head on up to Chepstow to begin Offa's Dyke. I'll do the Wye Valley section, or maybe the whole southern half, we'll see. And then I'll take things from there! More plans to follow.
**********
Thursday 20 July 2017
I had a leisurely beach day today. After leaving my B&B (and gifting them my tent), I climbed up into the towans, or dunes, directly behind it. I was trying to make my way to the shore and appeared to be doing so. But while the ocean appeared to get closer, the people on the beach weren't appearing to get any bigger. I found out why when I got to the far end of the dunes and found myself at the edge of a small-to-moderately sized CLIFF. Deciding to make lemonade, I stretched out a safe distance from the edge and read for a while.
I was nervous about finding my way back out of the dunes, as the paths through them are quite a maze, but I did find my way out quickly, and proceeded on foot through Gwithian proper and to Godrevy Point. I had a light lunch at the seafood restaurant there, then climbed up to the carpark (the long way round, as it happened), to ask where to catch the bus. Turns out Google Maps lied to me and there was no bus stop at Godrevy. Deciding to make lemonade again, I went and hung out on the beach for a bit. It was a pleasant day and lots of families were there. I saw lots of surfers and boogie boarders in wetsuits, and one brave soul in nothing but swim trunks. I stuck my feet in - it was COLD.
After a while the tide began to rise and the weather began to turn, so I went back to the carpark and took a cab to Porthtowan.
Tomorrow I will walk. It's only 8 and a half miles to Perranporth. I don't regret taking these two days to take it easy and recharge, but it's time to find my focus again. Onward!
**********
Friday 21 July 2017
Porthtowan to St Agnes
Distance: 5 or 6 miles
Weather: Rainy
I've decided not to keep track of my start and end times anymore for the time being. It just creates an artificial sense of pressure that isn't helpful at the moment.
When I woke up this morning it was sheeting down rain. I had an argument with myself over breakfast. Take a bus to Perranporth and call it a day? Walk? Walk partway? Initially I thought I'd take the easy way out and bus it to Perranporth. Then I got to the bus shelter and realized that the only bus of the day wasn't coming until 5:15pm.
Forward march!
The climb out of Porthtowan was rocky and laborious, made more so by the rain. I was practically walking in a creek bed in places. But I made it to the top and then the mile and a half to Chapel Porth, where I was fortified with hot chocolate and encouragement by the cafe and lifeguard staff hanging out there.
The weather began to clear, so I pushed onward. After the climb out of Chapel Porth, the path evened out and was actually quite pleasant for the next few miles. This is the kind of walking I signed up for! Eventually the path descended into Trevaunance Cove, on the north fringe of St Agnes, where I bought a sausage roll and watched the surfers for a few minutes.
As I climbed out of Trevaunance Cove, the dark clouds rolled back in, and by the time I got back to the clifftops, it was bucketing down rain again. This time with wind! The path immediately started descending again into yet another cove...and I stopped. By my reckoning I was more than halfway to Perranporth, but according to the map I had three or four more headlands to get around in this wind and rain. And once I got any significant distance down this hill, I'd be committed.
I turned around.
I had intended to double back to Trevaunance and take the steep road up to St Agnes, but I actually found a branch trail that led from the clifftop right into the St Agnes town center. In true capricious fashion, the weather cleared again by the time I got there. My timing was excellent, because the bus to Perranporth pulled up within about ten minutes.
Perranporth is a funky beach town. It kind of reminds me of Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina. My hotel (a pub with rooms, really) is a bit divey, but it's only for one night.
**********
Saturday 22 July 2017
After checking out of my accommodation in Perranporth, I spent the morning hanging out on the beach. The tides in this part of the world are very extreme, I've noticed. When I first got into Perranporth yesterday, the high tide came all the way up the beach wall and right under the windows of my hotel. This morning, the tide was far, far out - a quarter mile away or more.
At about noon, I caught a bus to Newquay (and slept through most of it, to my embarrassment). By the time I got there, I still had nearly three hours to kill before I could check in to my Airbnb, so I spent the time mooching around. The central part of Newquay reminds me of all the worst parts of Myrtle Beach - tacky, loud, and touristy. Luckily my Airbnb is on a residential street, but still near the high street and the water. After getting dinner in town, I ventured over to Towan Beach. It was a spectacular sight. A lone house sits on a high rock, connected to the mainland by a bridge. The way the evening sun hit the water was gorgeous.
I found myself itching to walk today. Sitting on the beach in Perranporth this morning, I could see where the coast path wended its way up the cliff and disappeared around the headland, on its way to Newquay. It was a surprisingly beguiling sight. And as I sat around Perranporth and Newquay killing time today, I found myself wishing more than once that I'd responded to that siren song.
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Week 2: Newquay to Bude, or English Summer Rain
This has been a week of contrasts, as well as a profitable week for the First Kernow buses at my expense. From Newquay, I made my way up the coast to the quiet and picturesque town of Port Isaac. Then I went to the decidedly New Agey town of Tintagel, the supposed birthplace of King Arthur, and finally to the somewhat larger and more industrial town of Bude. Three very different places to finish off Cornwall and get prepared for the next part of this trip.
My run of good luck with the weather finally ran out this week, but such is life.
After more than a week off, I'm raring to go again. My rucksack is lighter. My body is acclimated and in better shape than when I first arrived. I start Offa's Dyke on Thursday. Go, go, go!
Cheers, y'all.
My run of good luck with the weather finally ran out this week, but such is life.
After more than a week off, I'm raring to go again. My rucksack is lighter. My body is acclimated and in better shape than when I first arrived. I start Offa's Dyke on Thursday. Go, go, go!
Cheers, y'all.
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Week 1: Land's End to Newquay, or A Rough Start
I hope you all know how much I love you: I'm typing out this whole thing on mobile.
By a show of hands, how many of you have read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson? I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't. It is, in my opinion, Bryson's best and funniest work. Anyway, the bit relevant to this post is this: Bryson and his travel buddy Katz are walking the Appalachian Trail. Despite some difficulties, things are going well. And then they get to one of their stopovers, the visitor center for which has a floor-to-ceiling map of the Appalachian Trail. They then realize two things: first, that despite several weeks of walking, they are barely a foot off the ground per this map; second, that they are never going to finish the whole thing.
Here's the thing, though: the second realization doesn't make them feel disappointed. Instead, it makes them feel RELIEVED. Now that they know they can't finish the whole thing, it means they don't have to; they can just do the bits they're the most excited for and most want to do instead.
I had my Bill Bryson moment on the third day of this walk.
I must take some ownership here before I go on. I did not plan my route through southwest England well. I figured I'd take the coast path and that would be that, not realizing just how difficult the coast path is. And it is difficult: frequently rocky underfoot, ascending and descending precipitously into every cove, clinging to every headland like Overly Attached Girlfriend. The path is often vague, frequently accompanied by other paths crisscrossing the hillsides and cliff tops. It is also poorly waymarked, making it difficult to tell whether you're on the correct path at any given time. Simply put, the Southwest Coast Path is a bitch.
I thought roadwalking might be a viable alternative, but that has not been the case. Roadwalking is very hard on one's feet, and comes with its own obvious risks (i.e. CARS).
So on the third morning of my walk, instead of setting out for Gwithian from St Ives, sunburned, blistered, and in pain, I had a leisurely morning in St Ives and did some serious thinking and soul-searching. And here is what I decided.
I'm going to continue dotting through Cornwall on foot and via bus for another week or so, because despite the trials of the past week, this is a really beautiful part of the world and I am enjoying it. And then I'm going to skip ahead and resume my walk at Sedbury, the southern trailhead of the Offa's Dyke Path. I'm not committing myself to compleating from there - in fact I think it's likely that once I've finished however much of Offa's Dyke takes my fancy, I will probably skip right on up to Scotland. There is a big swath of Scotland that I do want to finish, so that will probably be the new "serious business" part of my walk. I may even decide to tack on another Scottish long-distance path that was just opened earlier this year, and which has piqued my interest.
So that's the meat of my past week. When I have access to a real computer I'll transcribe my journal entries, but I wanted to go ahead and get my altered plan out there first.
Cheers, y'all.
By a show of hands, how many of you have read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson? I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't. It is, in my opinion, Bryson's best and funniest work. Anyway, the bit relevant to this post is this: Bryson and his travel buddy Katz are walking the Appalachian Trail. Despite some difficulties, things are going well. And then they get to one of their stopovers, the visitor center for which has a floor-to-ceiling map of the Appalachian Trail. They then realize two things: first, that despite several weeks of walking, they are barely a foot off the ground per this map; second, that they are never going to finish the whole thing.
Here's the thing, though: the second realization doesn't make them feel disappointed. Instead, it makes them feel RELIEVED. Now that they know they can't finish the whole thing, it means they don't have to; they can just do the bits they're the most excited for and most want to do instead.
I had my Bill Bryson moment on the third day of this walk.
I must take some ownership here before I go on. I did not plan my route through southwest England well. I figured I'd take the coast path and that would be that, not realizing just how difficult the coast path is. And it is difficult: frequently rocky underfoot, ascending and descending precipitously into every cove, clinging to every headland like Overly Attached Girlfriend. The path is often vague, frequently accompanied by other paths crisscrossing the hillsides and cliff tops. It is also poorly waymarked, making it difficult to tell whether you're on the correct path at any given time. Simply put, the Southwest Coast Path is a bitch.
I thought roadwalking might be a viable alternative, but that has not been the case. Roadwalking is very hard on one's feet, and comes with its own obvious risks (i.e. CARS).
So on the third morning of my walk, instead of setting out for Gwithian from St Ives, sunburned, blistered, and in pain, I had a leisurely morning in St Ives and did some serious thinking and soul-searching. And here is what I decided.
I'm going to continue dotting through Cornwall on foot and via bus for another week or so, because despite the trials of the past week, this is a really beautiful part of the world and I am enjoying it. And then I'm going to skip ahead and resume my walk at Sedbury, the southern trailhead of the Offa's Dyke Path. I'm not committing myself to compleating from there - in fact I think it's likely that once I've finished however much of Offa's Dyke takes my fancy, I will probably skip right on up to Scotland. There is a big swath of Scotland that I do want to finish, so that will probably be the new "serious business" part of my walk. I may even decide to tack on another Scottish long-distance path that was just opened earlier this year, and which has piqued my interest.
So that's the meat of my past week. When I have access to a real computer I'll transcribe my journal entries, but I wanted to go ahead and get my altered plan out there first.
Cheers, y'all.
Sunday, July 16, 2017
London and Penzance: last-minute preparations
Made it safely to London after a long journey. (But then long journeys are the main thread of this trip, no?) Icelandair is very nice, but I will not fly through Keflavik airport again. It is quite possibly the most inefficient airport I have ever traveled through; even worse than Charles de Gaulle in Paris.
I had a low-key couple of days in London. I went to Evensong at Westminster Abbey on 14 July, and spent most of yesterday mooching around Regent's Park and Foyle's bookstore, people-watching. I have to say, I spent most of my time in London wanting to be elsewhere and wishing I'd booked my train ticket for yesterday instead of today. The nerves and homesickness that accompany the beginning of most long trips, combined with the anxiety about what I'm about to undertake, had me feeling considerably down. And then it's the middle of tourist season, so there were far too many people about, including a busload of German high school students who rocked up to my hostel yesterday afternoon and proceeded to make continual noise until about 2am.
I got up and headed for Paddington as soon as the sun was up this morning.
Now that I'm in Penzance, I'm feeling somewhat better. It's quieter, and I can focus on the task at hand. I'm in the process of re-packing my backpack right now, and already contemplating what to throw away. My hoodie is candidate number 1. I expected to be wearing it for most of this walk, but the weather actually looks to be quite warm for most of my time in the southwest, and my backpack is already fuller than I would like.
We're gonna get there.
Cheers, y'all.
I had a low-key couple of days in London. I went to Evensong at Westminster Abbey on 14 July, and spent most of yesterday mooching around Regent's Park and Foyle's bookstore, people-watching. I have to say, I spent most of my time in London wanting to be elsewhere and wishing I'd booked my train ticket for yesterday instead of today. The nerves and homesickness that accompany the beginning of most long trips, combined with the anxiety about what I'm about to undertake, had me feeling considerably down. And then it's the middle of tourist season, so there were far too many people about, including a busload of German high school students who rocked up to my hostel yesterday afternoon and proceeded to make continual noise until about 2am.
I got up and headed for Paddington as soon as the sun was up this morning.
Now that I'm in Penzance, I'm feeling somewhat better. It's quieter, and I can focus on the task at hand. I'm in the process of re-packing my backpack right now, and already contemplating what to throw away. My hoodie is candidate number 1. I expected to be wearing it for most of this walk, but the weather actually looks to be quite warm for most of my time in the southwest, and my backpack is already fuller than I would like.
We're gonna get there.
Cheers, y'all.
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Departure day!
I'm off the airport in about half an hour, and then to Gatwick via Boston and Reykjavik! See you on the other side.
Cheers, y'all.
Cheers, y'all.
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Packing
T-minus five days until I leave for London. In a serious departure from tradition, I am actually packing my bag several days in advance. And I'm glad I am, because this is already turning into a comedy of errors.
To anyone reading this who is in the market for a sleeping bag: BUY IT IN PERSON. Do not buy it online, sight unseen. I bought one online, congratulating myself on the amazing price I got for it. I opened the box today, and it is FAR too big and bulky. Even in its stuff sack, it would take up the majority of the space in my backpack, and the dimensions are far too ludicrous to attach it to the top or bottom. So now I have decisions to make: bite the bullet and go shopping for one at REI, wait until I get to London and go shopping at Cotswolds, or just attempt to do without a sleeping bag altogether. The third option will mean committing to B&Bs and hostels and render my tent an emergency shelter...but really, I thought that might end up being the case anyway.
Anyway, here'sWonderwall my packing list as of right now:
Clothing:
- 4 tops (3 for walking in, 1 slightly nicer one for days off)
- 3 pairs of scrub bottoms
- 1 pair of jeans
- 3 sport bras
- 10 pairs of underwear
- 10 pairs of thick socks
- 10 pairs of thin socks, to be worn under the thick socks
- 1 pair of boots
- 1 pair of flip flops
- 1 hoodie
- 1 raincoat
- 1 beanie
Toiletries and medications:
- Shampoo
- Body wash
- Deodorant
- Anti-chafing gel
- Lip balm
- Bug repellant
- Hairbrush
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Eyeliner
- Towel
- Contact lenses
- Prescription medication
- OTC pain meds, for migraines as well as general aches and pains
- Blister bandages
Camping and navigational gear:
- Tent and accessory gear
- Maps
- Compass
- Trekking poles
- Headlamp
- Whistle
- Swiss Army knife
Electronics and entertainment:
- iPhone and charger
- iPod and charger
- Outlet adapter
- Journal and pen
- Book(s)*
The Really Important Stuff:
- Passport
- Cash and cards
*What to read that's going to last me the entire trip? I know, I know, the obvious answer is to join the rest of the world in the 21st century and get an e-reader. But I like actually holding books in my hands, dammit. Right now I'm planning to bring all three books in Sharon Kay Penman's Welsh Princes trilogy and ship them home as I finish them. They're reasonably dense and should last a while if I pace myself...we'll see.
Cheers, y'all.
To anyone reading this who is in the market for a sleeping bag: BUY IT IN PERSON. Do not buy it online, sight unseen. I bought one online, congratulating myself on the amazing price I got for it. I opened the box today, and it is FAR too big and bulky. Even in its stuff sack, it would take up the majority of the space in my backpack, and the dimensions are far too ludicrous to attach it to the top or bottom. So now I have decisions to make: bite the bullet and go shopping for one at REI, wait until I get to London and go shopping at Cotswolds, or just attempt to do without a sleeping bag altogether. The third option will mean committing to B&Bs and hostels and render my tent an emergency shelter...but really, I thought that might end up being the case anyway.
Anyway, here's
Clothing:
- 4 tops (3 for walking in, 1 slightly nicer one for days off)
- 3 pairs of scrub bottoms
- 1 pair of jeans
- 3 sport bras
- 10 pairs of underwear
- 10 pairs of thick socks
- 10 pairs of thin socks, to be worn under the thick socks
- 1 pair of boots
- 1 pair of flip flops
- 1 hoodie
- 1 raincoat
- 1 beanie
Toiletries and medications:
- Shampoo
- Body wash
- Deodorant
- Anti-chafing gel
- Lip balm
- Bug repellant
- Hairbrush
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Eyeliner
- Towel
- Contact lenses
- Prescription medication
- OTC pain meds, for migraines as well as general aches and pains
- Blister bandages
Camping and navigational gear:
- Tent and accessory gear
- Maps
- Compass
- Trekking poles
- Headlamp
- Whistle
- Swiss Army knife
Electronics and entertainment:
- iPhone and charger
- iPod and charger
- Outlet adapter
- Journal and pen
- Book(s)*
The Really Important Stuff:
- Passport
- Cash and cards
*What to read that's going to last me the entire trip? I know, I know, the obvious answer is to join the rest of the world in the 21st century and get an e-reader. But I like actually holding books in my hands, dammit. Right now I'm planning to bring all three books in Sharon Kay Penman's Welsh Princes trilogy and ship them home as I finish them. They're reasonably dense and should last a while if I pace myself...we'll see.
Cheers, y'all.
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