19th - 21st June

19th June day 470

My legs were seriously aching and i felt exhausted as i crawled from my sleeping bag. Seagulls were calling out and the sea below the cliffs was making a continuous soothing  white noise. I boiled some water for a coffee and opened the ice cream box martel had given me. I still had 4 slices of flapjack left. That was breakfast.

It was nicely overcast with a cool breeze as i set off towards port William. The day was going to not surprisingly be another tough and physically demanding hike. No sooner had i reached the top of one climb i had another descent with the inevitable ascent waiting for me at the bottom.

Gradually the clouds cleared and as lunchtime approached i found myself sweating and feeling quite uncomfortable. I was about two miles short of port Isaac when while making another ascent i came across the opening to a cave. It would have been rude to simply pass it by so i dropped my pack and grabbed my head torch. Thankfully I'd picked up some new batteries a couple of days before so with a nice bright beam i ventured in.

The cave turned out to be a tunnel, a very long tunnel. Keeping my head down i was able to walk with my back arched as the tunnel descended below. After a while I was able to see light emanating from an opening ahead. I wondered if it was once used by smugglers. I didn't know where the tunnel would lead but had a good feeling i would eventually emerge in some secluded cove or bay.

The entrance at the bottom was much larger than the one at the top and sure enough as i left the tunnel i found myself on the shore of a small bay below the clifftop path. An ideal place for smugglers to offload their contraband. What an awesome discovery. How long had it been their and what had the smugglers brought ashore.

Returning from whence i came i re entered the tunnel and made my way back up to the coastal path and collected my pack. Port isaac was but a few more miles away and a relatively easy hike. Arriving in the village i went up to the coop to get a couple of rolls and a pint of milk. Whilst sat outside on my pack i was approached by faye who was on the local lifeboat committee. Faye called chris the lom and arranged a place to camp in his garden and although i was going to keep hiking that evening with at least another 5 hours of light left. Faye insisted I stop for a beer and watch a free show down in the harbour outside the boathouse performed by the fishermans friends folk band.

Why ever not. After munching on a roll and finishing off my milk i headed down to the harbour to meet some of the crew and have my evening meal. There was a flurry of activity at the station, the tv program doc martin was filmed in port isaac and today they were shooting a scene down at the harbour.  Martin clunes the doctor in the series wasn't present but there were an incredible number of people there just to shoot a few seconds of footage. I watched with amusement. Once filming had stopped the band setup and crowds gathered. I had a really good evening with everyone at the station.

20th June day 471

Once again it was a misty morning. I hadn't slept well on the front lawn. The road the other side of the wall had cars passing what felt all night. At 8am my alarm went off and i wanted to roll over and bury my head. I got up though and packed my kit away and headed inside for a slap up breakfast. Around 10am chris took me back to the village so i could continue my journey along the coastal path to a place called rock. This was where I was going to make my next crossing in hoolley.

Heading up from the boathouse passed doc martins cottage the next few miles would consist of more strenuous ascents and descents. It was beginning to feel like no sooner had i got up then i was heading  down again. The path was certainly not getting any easier and my thoughts were with martin. I wondered how he was coping and how much further he'd managed to get.

Eventually though the path did get easier but my troubles weren't over. Hayfever had begun to kick in. More so in my left eye. It was painful and the more i rubbed the worse it got. Arriving at port quin and spotting a drinking water tap i decided to stop for a coffee and to drop a couple of antihistamine tablets. I could barely see.

Gradually the antihistamines took effect and my sight returned. I grabbed my pack and set off. At first it was a steep climb along a road but i was soon to veer off and rejoin the path along the clifftops. The mist was getting heavier now and the views lesser and lesser. Which was a shame as I'd been looking forward to seeing this part of the cornish coast with its turquoise blue waters and ravenous rocky cliffs.

It had just passed 1pm by the time i decided to take another short break. My breaks were what i was convinced had allowed me to continue for so long with very little injury. It was also a good reason to take my environment in even with the impaired views. I was about to set off again when i saw a young lad hiking at a tremendous pace.

Stuart was taking some time out to hike the cornish coast in aid of macmillan. He'd started in bude and had met martin who'd told him of my quest. We walked at great speed together over the next mile or so. Stuart was averaging 3mph even with the ascents. I wondered how long it would be before his pace affected his performance. I was able to keep up although I was breaking a sweat until we hit a set of steps. My new nemesis. Stuart was only carrying 9kg in his pack stopping at youth hostels each night. My monstrous pack was now my achilies heel. I simply couldn't keep up with stuart as he thundered up the steps like they didn't exist. Like gravity played no part in his mission to reach Plymouth. Before I knew it he was way ahead. as he looked back i waved him on, a distant fairwell and good luck.

I carried on at my usual pace, enjoying what little i could see when the mist temporarily thinned. Just around the corner i heard my name called out. It was ian and sally out on another of their coastal adventures. Polzeath was just round the corner the surf and beach littered with surfers, kayakers and paddleboarders. As i climbed down off the cliffs and began crossing i wished i had the time to stop and join in. The mist had now begun to thin out and my hopes of crossing the camel estuary increased.

I continued on to rock where the estuary narrowed considerably and was the best place to get into the water. I was feeling tired and hungry and knew i would need to get water before i set off so i looked for an open cafe or bar and ordered a bowl of fries and a lemonade. The mist began to thicken once more and it became obvious a paddle would prove to dangerous as i couldn't see the far side. It had faded out of existence.

With water in my bottles i decided to head back to the dunes and pitch up for the night. The tide had turned now and was coming in and i didn't fancy having to paddle into the unknown against it.

21st June day 472

With the peace and quiet of the dunes i was able to get a good nights rest and woke to a slightly better day than the day before. For breakfast i finished off the last two chunks of flapjack and had my usual coffee. The plan was to wait for the tide to turn and then ride the current from where i was down to a beach on the far side of the river camel.

Having packed up i headed off towards the shore to look for a good place to get in whilst also looking for a place to get out on the far side. The waters looked calm although the wind was funnelling up the estuary. Eventually i found a reasonable place to launch so i worked with haste to get hoolley ready. The tide had now begun to turn and head out which was what I'd hoped for.

Pushing away from the shore i began to paddle. At first i was against smallish swell but as i ventured further across it became apparent that the calm waters weren't so calm after all. Getting about half way across I found myself in the deep channel.  The waves were rising and dipping a good two to three feet. Some were breaking. Keeping a level head and turning into the waves i rode over the top and down the other side all the time keeping an eye on what was to follow.  This simple crossing was gradually turning into one of the most exciting paddles of the trek and my gopro was safely stowed inside my pack. I was slightly gutted but on first impressions didn't feel it was worth capturing on film.

Having battled my way passed the channel i began to surf hoolley the rest of the way. Catching whatever waves i could ride. Things calmed considerably the closer i got to the shore and running the raft ashore proved easier than the launch from the other side.

Rejoining the coastal path i was met a continuous stream of day walkers all out for a pleasant stroll. There was a nice cool breeze and ample cloud cover. The lack of decent meals was taking its toll on me and i could feel my body slowly devouring itself. Stopping briefly at trevone i made myself a coffee and nibbled on an energy bar before setting off towards Constantine bay home of d.h. Lawrence.

Compared to the recent challenges of coastal path the route ahead was pleasantly simple and not in the slightest bit strenuous. The ascents were gradual as were the descents. The weather had been good to me too other than the occasional gust knocking me slightly off balance. Gradually i made my way round headland after headland along the way enjoying quite reasonable views and coming across falcons looking for prey below took my time.

As I'd been hiking I'd been nibbling on some mixed nuts and raisins I'd picked up hoping they'd stave my hunger and provide me with enough energy to see through the day. It didn't seem to work though so when i found a sheltered valley with a stream i decided to break into one of the last remaining ration packs I'd been saving. Chilli con carne washed down with another coffee. This left me with just one pack now and i didn't know when I'd next receive more supplies. Only having 96p in my wallet i knew i wouldn't be getting any more money deposited in my bank till Tuesday which was still two days away. I also only had a couple of snickers and energy bars left too. Those I'd have to save for the Monday.

Feeling refreshed and energised i carried on hiking. Newquay wasn't much further now and i wanted to be camped nearby before nightfall. My pace had indeed picked up though the goodness of the chilli powering me on.

It was around 9pm when i passed watergate,  an unusually posh tourist village where the world surfing championships are held. I felt really out of place. Trying to look inconspicuous i quickly located the coast path and headed up to the cliffs and safety. Newquay was now a mere two or three miles away and i knew I'd have trouble finding somewhere quiet  to pitch. Coming across a small sheltered patch on the cliffs just big enough for my tent i set up camp. I had just enough water with me for two coffees so set about making one leaving just enough for another in the morning. Dinner would consist of a snickers and an energy bar. Delightful.