16th - 18th June

16th June day 467

I woke with quite the hangover. Immediately i got some water on for a coffee and took a cocodamol to ease my head. Ian had made up some porridge and handed me a packet. To flavour our breakfast ian had mixed in nuts, raisins and chocolate. It was a good way to start the day. We collapsed camp and picked up the coastal path again.

As we hiked my pack proved more and more unbearable and my sun burnt back helped matters less. It felt like  barbed wire rubbing on my shoulders and back. It was an easy hike once we got started and the rumours of the path being severe seemed a little over stated.

Suddenly there was a steep ascent immediately followed by a steep descent  into a valley which would have been  perfect for camping. Sheltered from all sides with lovely flat grassy areas. Clean fresh water flowed over waterfalls out to the bay. We weren't stopping though. For us there was a very steep climb up the other side away from the campers paradise. It was calf pumping. The real testing walk was now upon us. Ahead would be a series of climbs each getting steeper and higher. It was exhausting work and we could both feel the burning in our muscles. I was suffering quite badly and each step would grate against my burns.

Still we were determined but looking back at martin, his face said it all, sweat was dripping from his beetroot coloured face. This was goliath and i felt like david but stripped of my sling. We both looked up only having got half way. Not a word was spoken. We both took a deep breath and step by step we climbed towards the heavens.

Reaching the top would under normal circumstances have been a point of celebration but ahead we could see another olympus sized ascent following a steep descent towards hell. These were the birth pains. this was the battleground, nature versus man.

We began our descent coming across a small hut built by poet and playwright ronald duncan. It was a lovely spot and an udeal place to rest. Somebody had left water in two emptied milk containers. It was time for a well earned brew and to break out some of martels flapjack.

Feeling strong again we gathered ourselves together and headed down to the next valley and back up the other side. Reaching the top martin and i both stopped. We found ourselves staring at the climb aheaf. "it doesn't matter how long we stare its not going to change. Well not in our life time!" I said. So off we went once again down then back up. The hills kept coming, we just looked at each other and without a single word said took a deep breath and continued on.

For a few miles and several ascents we'd seen the large dishes of the gchq listening post. At the beginning martin said "that'll be just over the next peak" after a while i began to ignore his claims. "I'm never going to believe a word you say again", i commented. They simply didn't ever seem to get any closer. They were always just over the next peak.

Together we persevered and eventually "just over the next peak" came. Before us were some enormous dishes. "I wonder if they can get sky sports" i said as i took a photo. The complex was secured behind several rows of fencing topped with barbed wire. There were cctv cameras every 100 yrds. Martin noticed the fences were also electrified and upon closer inspection i noticed a little sign saying "no photographs".

We continued on. The path now led us down from the installation to the  small valley of duckpool. This is where we met up with Sally whom I'd met along with her husband ian on the coastal path about a week earlier. They'd offered me a room at their bnb for the night saying "it would be an honour if i stopped".

When sally arrived martin and I began to say goodbye but sally intervened and offered martin a place to pitch in their garden. Later that evening when ian returned from cycling he said he'd make up another room for martin. Sally had made us lasagne and ian broke out the whisky and some home made wine. We discussed our adventures and it turned out that martin had climbed some of the same routes ian and sally had. It was a lovely evening and one I'll never forget.

17th June day 468

Having spent an hour before climbing into bed attempting to cram everything from my old 80ltr pack into the 60ltr bergaus ian handed me i managed despite being quite badly burnt to get a good nights sleep waking at 8am to join everyone for breakfast. A heavy mist had settled in overnight which for me was perfect for walking. Ok so the views would be compromised but at least martin and i would be cool over the days strenuous and challenging hike we had ahead.

After being dropped off back at the coast by ian, martin and i began the day climbing the first hills to arrive at the cafe on the next beach about 40 minutes later. The mist was thick with a couple of hundred yards visibility. We couldn't even see the top of the hills we were ascending. Stopping for a quick coffee break we decided to make the rest of our way to bude across the beach. The tide was out a long way and still receding. The mist was also beginning to thin and we were able to fully appreciate the fantastic geological formations of the rocky cliffs. With plates of folded rock and vertical faces it was incomprehensible how the landscape was formed.

As we made our way over the sand which was hard in places and soft in others we came upon the remains if a boiler from an old steam ship. Now covered in barnacles and corals it had well and truly been claimed by the sea.

Bude was now just a little further ahead a town i was familiar with having visited once when i was young camping with the family and again in 2007 when i paid it a visit with Sally to try a bit of kayak surfing. I wasn't too goos at it back then spending most of my time emptying the water out of the kayak after being capsized time and time again.

Bude was where martin and i were to part company. Before we did we grabbed a traditional cornish pasty and stocked up with a few supplies from the super market. I hate goodbyes so martin and i decided we'd go and do the appalaichian trail in the future maybe after I'd conquered the nile.

Leaving bude i set off to follow the coastal path once more. Hiking the shore was simply out of the question. Ahead i had the most difficult section of the coastal path to attack. As i left bude the mist which had appeared to thin out slightly returned with avengence. The coastal path intensified dramatically and the ascents became steeper and more challenging. No longer able to see more than 50 yrds ahead meant i could niether see the bottom or in fact the tops of the climbs. In fact it was becoming more difficult to even see where i was going. Under normal circumstances I'd have to admit i would highly recommend against hiking anywhere in such poor weather. Quite frankly it's dangerous.

After hiking a fair way and descending from the cliffs a town appeared out of the mist quite suddenly.  I'd arrived in crackington. Seeing an inn, the coombe barton, i stopped to get myself a coffee and a bowl of chips. Not wishing to head off into the mist again i started chatting to mel the bar maid who'd served me. I'd hoped she could suggest a small place where i could pitch the tent overnight. She went off to ask around but when she returned she placed a key in front of me and said "i don't suppose i could tempt you with this?". Mel had spoken to the owners about the challenge and had been inspired by my efforts she'd offered to pay for a room. The owners wouldn't have it they told her that I could stop the night and breakfast would be included.

18th June day 469

It was hard to believe that a year ago I'd been camping opposite the island where the novel treasure island was written.

It was sunny and as i got myself ready i peered out i had my first glimpse of the  beach. It had been so misty the day before that I simply hadn't seen a thing other than the inn, its carpark and a few houses near by. Having rested well and filled my belly with a delicious breakfast i set off. The going was hard with endless ups and downs each as steep as the ones before. Making one of the ascents after a steep descent into a narrow valley i met a fella walking towards me. We were about half way. Finding a small area just large enough to pass each other i waved the chap on.

Ray had heard  about some chap hiking round Britain with a collapsible kayak the previous April when he decided to spend a week hiking some of the south coast. I'd only been going for about a month at the time. Now ray had decided to take a week or so hiking this particular part of the south west coastal path. When he realised I had been the fella he'd heard so much about the previous year a huge smile appeared like a Cheshire cat. He quite simply couldn't believe it,  to be honest niether could i. I think it made his day. We said our goodbyes and i headed on to Boscastle where the museum of witchcraft and magic is although with a fair hike ahead and limited funds i decided to get an ice cream and make my way on to tintagel the home of king arthur and the knights of the round table.

It was another hard slog from Boscastle but at least the weather was holding out. As i ventured away from the village along the clifftop path i picked up another companion, a small dog. It reminded me of the hike I'd had with a lost collie some months prior. As we hiked the little dog ran on ahead then when i was out of sight ran back, looked at me with a cocked head as if to say "hurry up" or "whats taking so long". I wondered what I'd do if it was still with me when we reached tintagel. I figured I'd probably attach a rope and take him to find a police officer or call 101 to report that I'd found the little rascal.

Approaching tintagel the dog left suddenly. I guess it probably headed back home so i continued on to find a pitch up on the cliffs just passed the youth hostel and opposite the remains of an old slate quarry collecting water from a spring at the bottom of the castle  as i passed.