I woke around 8:30am so much for getting up early. It was still raining outside. I pulled back my sleeping bag and looked at my stomach. It was thin, really thin. My hips and ribs showing promenantly through my skin. I was eating well but still below what i needed to gain some fat. Beside me lay the necklace, a good luck charm joanne had given me years before. I'd never taken it off.
Gradually over the past 15 months the string that wrapped round my neck had been fraying and during the night finally snapped. With the cord lay out on the ground sheet i could see how the cord had split into three and how each had slowly worn away. It felt strange not having it dangling below my neck rubbing against my chest.
I had breakfast and it stopped raining. The sun peered between the clouds. I wasn't superstitious but somehow simply putting the talisman away in my wallet didn't feel right. I took it out again and reached into my trouser pocket and pulled out a length of paracord i always kept close to hand. I cut it to length and threaded the good luck charm on before tieing two slip knots. I then put my head through the loop and tightened the necklace so the charm rested against my chest.
Leaving camp i began my first ascent of the day. A zig zagging path back up high above the sea. The skies were threatening but i still sweated as i made my way towards my first descent of the day. I'd covered a mile. One lousy mile. Had i reached my limits, the limits I'd been searching for. Not possible, i was still breathing, my heart was still beating. I held my breath to listen to it thump.
Ahead was my second ascent. It was higher than the first, a set of steps that reached towards the sky disappearing out of sight. It was getting warmer so i took my rain jacket off and attached it to my pack.
I wanted a mochaccino or how ever you spelt it. I wanted a steak with Yorkshire pudding followed by strawberries and clotted cream. I wondered how many mount everests I'd climbed since Minehead. After the third ascent i was given a short reprieve. The trail was reasonably level as it wound along high above the sea but this was short lived.
By the time I'd arrived at Polperro I'd lost count of how many ascents I'd made that morning. I could smell chips. I wandered the narrow streets following my nose.
The way to Looe was relatively kind to me and arriving at the town marked quite an important milestone. I now had less than 300 miles to go. At 10 miles per day it would take me 30 days to reach Southampton, at 20 it would only take 15. But could i keep that sort of pace up.
Leaving the wilderness behind me i began to walk past the row of housing leading towards looe. Seeing the Island view cafe i decided to celebrate the milestone by treating myself to a coffee. While ordering i mentioned my achievement to the lady serving. As it turns out her colleagues father had been responsible for creating one of the most famous coastal paths in the world. She gave me a double hit espresso and treated me to a couple of packets of dried fruit to go and a slice of chocolate torte.
Fueled by caffeine and chocolate i left the cafe and headed towards the harbour to meet the guys from the local lifeboat. It was the launch of the rnli's respect the water campaign. Their philosophy was that prevention was better than rescue or fatality. After being shown round and introduced to the crew who had an excercise on that night i was handed some badges and stickers and helped hoist the new respect the water flag.
It was getting late by the time the excercises were over and too late to make any further progress so under advisement i headed up to the old gunnery emplacement at the top of the hill to find somewhere to camp. Reaching the top i came out onto the grassy fields that had been described to me. They weren't level though. I looked around and saw a couple of lads laid out on the grass watching the sun set.
Cameron and Alfie were around 18 yrs old. Young and free. They'd dropped a couple of micro dots and some ecstasy earlier that evening. I went over to ask them if they knew anywhere I'd be able to pitch up and ended up sitting with them chatting away as the lay on the grass gurning their faces, loved up and completely tripping out.
"You look familiar, are you famous? " Alfie kept asking. "Not as far as i know " i replied each time. As the night drew in the temperature fell. Eventually Cameron and Alfie decided it was time to head home and listen to some tunes in the warm. We headed over the fields and Cameron showed me a secluded spot among the trees just large enough to set up camp. It was perfect and i felt sure I'd be undisturbed during the night. They guys headed off still enjoying their psychedelic experience as i pitched the tent and settled in.
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