4th - 6th July

4th July day 485

Considering the nights festivities i woke surprisingly early. It was sunny outside and there was barely a breeze. I got my tent which had been drying out over night hung on carls washing line and packed my gear into my rucksack. I then headed up stairs to clear away any mess left from the night before and to say goodbye to amanda. Carl had already got up early and had headed off to meet his son at a festival.

I'd just cleared the table when amanda appeared from the bedroom. "I forgot to take the bacon out of the freezer last night, fancy a steak sandwich? " she said. Every day should be started with a steak sandwich it should be made law. With fresh coffee and a medium cooked steak we sat on the balcony chatting and delaying my departure as long as possible. "Its calling you isn't it" she said. I'd been gazing across the bay at the headland opposite. It was a gorgeous sunny day with very little wind. Very different to that of the day before.

I could have happily stayed another day but I knew i had to get back to the trek and not get too comfortable. It didn't take long to reach Falmouth where my rations were waiting at the local lifeboat station. Alan was the LOM I'd called when i arrived and it only took ten minutes for him get from home to meet me and open up.

We discussed where i had planned to cross in hoolley to the other side of the estuary and with very little wind and the tide just turning things couldn't have been more perfect. Alan then escorted me down to the quay with my kit and box of goodies. When we arrived Alan went off and was chatting to a young lady, i was trying to rearrange my kit to fit the food into my pack ready to head towards the slipway and get hoolley ready for another mile wide paddle. I'd just about fittedit all in when i was approached by another young lady. "I think what you are doing is so inspiring " she said as she handed me a small white piece of card. It was a ticket for the passenger ferry to pick up the coastal path at Place. I didn't know what to say. "It'll be leaving in about a minute, i wouldn't want you to miss it" she said.

I grabbed my pack and slung it over my right shoulder and headed down to the ferry. It felt quite strange getting on board and although I'd been looking forward to another relaxing paddle i also couldn't refuse such a lovely act of kindness. I guess sometimes its ok to bend or break the rules as long as its for a selfless reason.

It was an easy hike round st Andrews point and although the sun was out it wasn't too hot for hiking. Making my way back from the headland i could see what looked like a nice secluded beach some way off. I made up my mind it would serve as a place to stay the night.

Getting closer to the beach i could see another tent, then another. I could hear music. I could see people. My secluded beach wasn't as secluded as I'd thought. In fact it was the venue for a beach party that night. I headed inland away from the music and chatter. I simply wasn't in the mood to party. In fact i wanted an early night to myself.

Away from the crouds at the back of the car park i found a little patch of grass. I could still hear the laughter and the boom boom boom of the bass from the hifi system in the beach but it was muffled and i was tired anyway. Settling in to the tent i broke open a packet of freeze dried sweet n sour chicken, my favourite. 

5th July day 486

I was woken by a loud clap of thunder. Britain's summertime is notorious for being wet and while the rest of the country were experiencing a heat wave i seemed to be getting the worst of it. I took my time having breakfast and waited for the weather to improve.

Around 11am the wind suddenly dropped and the skies cleared. The sun shone down and quickly dried the tent. I jumped into action and got things packed away and set off back up to the clifftop. The day would be spent hiking the increasingly undulating coastal path. Although I had eaten a good meal the night before i was still massively under weight and by the afternoon i began once again struggling to make my way up the hills.

Arriving at doddmans point and well into the evening i looked ahead along the coast. I could see cliffs as far as the horizon. It didn't feel like I'd made any progress but deep down i knew that wasn't the case. Unable to make out any good spots ahead to set up camp i decided that the small level area where i was stood was probably the best i could hope for so i took off my pack and decided to stop for the day.

6th July day 487

Every morning for as long as i can remember it was the same routine. Boil a saucepan of water, rehydrate breakfast and make a coffee. Have a second coffee then put my clothes on while my sleeping mat deflated. Lay out my sleeping bag,  fold it in half and roll it up tight to squeeze bag into its stuff sack. Put the sleeping bag into its dry bag. Squeeze the remaining air from the matress, fold it in three and roll it tight so it fitted into its bag. Pack away the stove making sure it fitted inside the saucepan and put the saucepan into its bag. Take everything out of the tent and go around removing the pegs putting them into their bag. Remove the tent poles and put them into their bag. Fold the tent searching for the best way to fold it before settling on what I'd come up with and stuffing it along with the pegs and poles into its bag.

With a pile of gear on the floor, locate the pockets of the backpack and squeeze everything inside. Finally putting my life on my shoulders and walking away from my home keeping the sea to my right searching for my next temporary camp site.

It was much cooler today and clouds hung motionless in the sky. A couple of miles away was Gorran haven and down on the beach a welcome cafe. I needed to put the weight back on that I'd lost so having a second breakfast was welcome excuse for a break.

From the cafe i headed on for Mevagissey. As i dedcended down towards the neighbouring village, a small cove about a quarter of a mile before i passed a man leant over his garden wall gazing out at the sea. Xle was a musician and singer who lived there with his partner. A chat ensued and i was invited in for a tea and some tesco finest shortbread from Aberdeenshire, arguably the best shortbread anywhere. He simply couldn't believe the journey i had undertaken and almost finished. That is to say i only had about another 350 miles to go. Before i left i was given a bag full of fruit and ghe rest of the biscuits to chow on later although I did attempt to eat as much of the fruit as possible by the time i reached Mevagissey.

Mevagissey was another fishing town quaint in nature with narrow streets lined with shops and bars. But as with every small fishing town or village along this stretch of coast the only way on was by going up. My catchphrase was quickly becoming "you have got to be fucking kidding me!". Reaching the top and looking ahead as far as the eye could see were hills after hills. As i made my way down i muttered "what goes down must come up".

I'd always known the last section of the trek was always going to be the hardest part but i never really thought it would be as hard as it actually was. I seemed to spend the majority of my time stood half way up a climb looking up to see how far i still had to go then turning and looking down at how far I'd come. This continued all day, climb after climb. My mind was slowly wilting, withering away.

I carried on though and as the evening drew upon me and whilst heading down a valley i heard the welcome sound of running water. A stream with fresh clear water a plenty. A seemingly rare commodity recently. I followed the sound til i could climb down and fill my bottles up ready for my evening meal and breakfast the following morning. I really didn't want to continue on but i had little choice. There was nowhere near by i could make camp. I simply didn't know how far I'd have to hike before i could call it a day.

The path now devoid of signs with the little acorn I'd been following had entered beneath the canopy of a woodland. A disadvantage of hiking without a map is the fact that you simply don't know where you're going, where you've been or for that matter where you are. A basic rule of thumb I'd been using was to turn right at every fork or junction and follow it hoping to end up hiking along the coast or at the very least being able to see ahead and plot a route with my eyes. Here all the forks in the trail seemed to lead down to to dead ends or remote isolated houses. Every time I had to turn round and backtrack to the trail and continue on to the next fork. Alot of unnecessary hiking with little progress to show for it.

I did eventually find my way free and a welcome acorn embossed into a wooden post meant i was back heading in the right direction. It didn't take long before my new catchphrase was confirmed. A steep bottomless set of steps would end at the bottom of a set of steps that reached for the heavens and now i was carrying an extra 2kgs of water i hadn't had earlier that day.

My hips were red raw and my knees were squealing out to stop but where. The path was narrow. Ahead i could see a large town but i knew that wouldn't be any good and I simply wouldn't have time before nightfall to hike passed it. Having made the climb i headed back down towards a valley following the edge of a field its back arched steeply. At the bottom and although it wasn't entirely level i found a small corner next to the path. it would do. The wind was now picking up and heavy clouds were moving in above me. I had literally just got pitched and began to inflate my sleeping mat as it started to rain. It was going to be a wet night.