Day 104 - Wednesday 7 April 2004 - Gorran Haven to Caerhays Castle

 5 miles walked today

1089 miles walked in total (10.471 average)

I knew, when I woke up this morning, that I didn't want to walk and, when the rain came down on the drive to Gorran Haven, I nearly decided not to bother.  However, by the time we'd parked and I'd booted up, the sun was shining and I was ready for the off at quarter to ten.

I had a slight climb up to Pen-a-Maen and followed a very slightly undulating path past Vault Beach and round to Dodman Point.  There were lots of walkers out today and I stopped and chatted quite a bit.  The sun was very warm at this point and I was walking in just a teeshirt, my fleece tied around my middle.  I had a stand off on the path with a cow who was also walking the coast path, but in the opposite direction to me!   It soon turned tail and fled though!

The path meandered down for a long while to Hemmick Beach and, at this point, I was making quite good time so decided to head to Caerhays for a lunch stop.  Mum and Dad were visiting the gardens so I thought I'd probably meet them there.

As I rounded Greeb Point, the wind got very fierce so the fleece went back on, although I never really warmed up at all and, by the time I got down to Porthluney Cove, the waterproofs were on too to keep out the biting wind.

I sat on the beach to eat my lunch - right next to the car in case Mum and Dad turned up.  As I got up to head off again - albeit in a grumpy mood - Mum and Dad appeared with cups of tea, which decided me to get a cup of tea from the cafe and give up for the day.

The schedule is right out of the window now, but, when I planned what to walk each day, I didn't factor in weather, tiredness, bad moods, etc, and think I've overestimated my general ability and fitness.

Oh well, better luck tomorrow.

Day 103 - Tuesday 6 April 2004 - Charlestown to Gorran Haven

 10.5 miles walked today

1084 miles walked in total (10.524 average)

We're definitely getting more organised as I was walking at 9.30 am today.  Mum and Dad walked down to the harbour at Charlestown with me before I headed up the woodland path to Porthpean.  I had to seriously watch my step today as the path was littered with badgers' setts.  My senses were assaulted today - the views were superb, the smell of gorse, sheep and cow poo was overpowering and a very angry buzzy thing flew into my ear which caused much shouting and jumping up and down to dislodge it!

I walked downhill to Trenarren and Hallane and admired the gardens.  One chap told me that his rhododendrons had been flowering in December and most had gone over now.  One of my favourites - periwinkle - ran riot in the hedgerows.   The path at Hallane was in woodland beside a waterfall which trickled lazily to the sea.

I got to Pentewan at midday and stopped for a breather, two miles short of Mevagissey.   Pentewan had a fantastic beach and there were plenty of people taking advantage of the good weather.

I had to follow the road out of the village before getting back on footpaths to Mevagissey.  There were hundreds of people there - where have they all come from?!

From here, I was on road to Portmellon before heading out to Chapel Point and round to Colona Beach and Turbot Point.  According to my guide book, I had an easy three and a half miles from Mevagissey.  However, I didn't think it was any easier than the seven strenuous miles I'd done this morning!  The views were absolutely stunning - the sun was out and the light was fantastic with the sea being a gorgeous turquoise blue colour.

As I came into Gorran Haven, the cliff had suffered erosion so the path was detoured through a local farmer's field.  I jogged downhill into Gorran Haven - it feels good to stretch my leg muscles out with a bit of a run at the end of the day - to meet Mum and Dad and have an ice cream on the beach before heading back to Truro to visit the cathedral.

An excellent day - I think I've finally found my walking legs.  About blinking time!

Day 102 - Monday 5 April 2004 - Fowey to Charlestown

 10.5 miles walked today

1073.5 miles walked in total (10.524 average)

We were more organised today so I was ready to walk at 9.45 am in Fowey.  I had a quick dash down to the harbour to get the postcards I forgot to buy yesterday and then a smart climb out of Fowey and round to Readymoney Cove.  I met another walker there who'd got the overnight train from London to Par and who had walked the six miles to Fowey in three hours.  He told me to watch out for the mud and the field of excitable cattle!   It didn't take long to find them - I knew I was in the right place as they all scarpered in different directions in their general panic!

Primroses, violets and gorse bordered the path again - lovely.  It was very cold today and very windy - I had to take shelter wherever I could get it.  As I came down through the woods into Polridmouth, I came across the most amazing house with immaculate lawns and its own pond, which I had to cross over stepping stones.

From here, it was a very steep uphill to the Gribbin, an eighty-four feet high daymark built in 1832, a red and white striped tower which I've seen for pretty much both days so far.  As I rounded Gribbin Head, I was assaulted by the wind which had been really fierce.  The path along the top has been easygoing and I followed it down to Polkerris before another hike up and over to Par Sands.  These sands reach for half a mile at low tide and, even though it's early April and extremely bracing, there were still lots of families on the beach, albeit wrapped up snugly in their fleeces and waterproofs.

From here, I was on road through Par until I rejoined the path through the China clay works.  The path had a seven foot high fence either side of it and everything was covered in a fine film of white clay dust.  The shrubs and trees along the fence - including ivy and pines - looked as though they were covered in snow.

The path emerged from the works at Spit Point and I was soon walking through a couple of golf courses - it was only a matter of time!  I got chatting to one chap about the building work going on down on the beach.  A contractor is building nine hundred apartments at Carlyon Bay, doubling the amount of properties already there.  I asked how many of the existing properties were second homes or holiday homes and he reckoned half of them were not inhabited all year.  It seems unfair to me that investors can buy second homes and thereby push property values up which prices first time local buyers out of the market.  The national newspapers all week have published headlines "property prices up by 18 per cent".  How's anyone supposed to be able to afford anything?

From Carlyon Bay, I jogged!  It was all downhill though so it wasn't a major burst of energy that was needed from me.  And it helped to keep me warm too - by this time I had teeshirt, fleece and coat on.

I'd arranged to meet Mum and Dad on the lock gates at Charlestown and I was only five minutes later than I said I'd be.  

Charlestown had a tall ship in the harbour and I'd seen one sailing all day as I walked along the cliffs.  Quite a little heritage centre . There were lots of people milling about so there's obviously a lot of people on holiday at the moment.

I've really enjoyed today, despite the biting wind.   I'm only half a day behind schedule, but hopefully I'll make that up over the next few days.

Day 101 - Sunday 4 April 2004 - Polperro to Fowey

 7 miles walked today

1063 miles walked in total (10.524 average)

What a brilliant day!  A great start to my fortnight in Cornwall.  I'd been slightly dreading it as my guide book said I had a "strenuous" seven miles to Fowey and that "we advise anyone unaccustomed to coastal walking that this is one of the toughest sections".  Bring it on!

Dad was directing me to Polperro so we went the mega scenic route and didn't arrive until about ten thirty!  After sorting my feet/ boots out, we wandered down to the harbour and I started walking properly at just before eleven, after arranging to meet at the ferry in Fowey at two thirty.

All the spring flowers are in full bloom - daffodils, magnolias, camellias - together with rhododendrons and even roses.  So I knew I was in for a treat and all day I've seen primroses and violets.  The gorse, as ever, has been in flower too so the smell of coconut has been strong in the air.

It was very sunny although I had the odd spot of rain (or maybe sea spray?) although never enough to put my coat on.  It's obviously been quite wet down here as the path was quite muddy in places.  I only fell over once though which was a bonus!  (Good job I brought my Radox with me for a soak later!)

The hills today were hard - Chapel Cliff, Hard Head, Lansallos, Raphael Cliff.  There were lots of people about - on the beaches at Lantivet Bay and Lantic Bay and lots of small children being dragged along the paths by over enthusiastic parents to get to the beaches.  There were a lot more people out and about the nearer I got to Polruan and I spoke to one lady who said the path from Fowey to Par (my intended destination) would take a couple of hours.  However, that would take me until five and it was getting quite cold and I was worried I'd lose the sun.  I rounded Blackbottle Rock to walk on a lovely grassy track into Polruan and followed the coast path acorn sign down to the ferry point.

The ferry ride was very exciting as it was quite choppy! 

Fowey looked beautiful and a place you could easily spend hours mooching around and exploring.  As I got up to get out of the ferry, a wave came over the top of the boat and got me!  Mum and Dad on the quayside thought this was quite entertaining.

We had a cup of tea and I had a sandwich while I tried to make up my mind whether to carry on to Par.  I would dearly have loved to carry on, but my sensible head took over and I called it a day.  I've really enjoyed today and the last six miles could have spoiled the whole day for me if I'd had a bad time.

Still, seven miles isn't bad after six months of complete inactivity!

Day 100 - Thursday 25 September 2003 - Looe to Polperro

 5 miles walked today

1056 miles walked in total (10.56 average)

Mum, Dad and I were parked and ready to walk just before ten o'clock today.  We'd woken up to very grey skies and were fully expecting rain, but were very lucky indeed all day.

As we walked through West Looe along the quayside, we watched an egret in the mud and followed a baby seagull with a crab in its mouth as it hopped along the harbour wall.  We followed the road up the hill towards Hannafore Point where we were on the coast path proper through fields and up and down between hedgerows towards the look out point at Hore Stone.  We saw a kestrel, numerous buzzards, three tiny stonechats and Dad complained about the hundreds of butterflies divebombing him as he walked!

We took it very steady today - about a mile an hour!  But it was good fun and I kept pointing out that it wasn't meant to be a race.  Shiriin had told me a story earlier this week about a conservationist friend of hers.  When the groups build steps into paths, they put really steep ones in to deter elderly people from going along a path where they might get into trouble so these steps are called "granny stoppers"!  I told Mum this and she was less than amused!  Especially as we were going up quite a steep hill at the time.

There were lots of benches along the path today which was good, although we didn't sit on them all!  There were loads of walkers about today too - a veritable little highway.

We were looking forward to a cup of tea at Talland Bay and I was quite nervous that the cafe would be closed for the season.  However, we weren't disappointed!  Talland Bay was lovely, with lots of purple coloured rock that looked, from a distance, like it was covered in heather.  Absolutely gorgeous.

We had a little bit of uphill after Talland which soon levelled out and we stumbled upon a granite cross covered in the names of Royal Navy personnel lost during the Second World War.  From here, the path was fairly flat with just a slight slope downwards.  We could see a small lighthouse on the edge of the cliff and big paths going up the next headland.  Dad was quite perturbed that we'd have to climb these paths, but I checked the map and the lighthouse was where we needed to divert inland into Polperro.

Nothing could have prepared us for the village though - absolutely perfect.  To come into it from the cliff path is definitely the way to see it - the small harbour full of boats and the extremely narrow streets full of houses and no cars was brilliant.  We had a good long mooch around, a beer in the pub, a sandwich down by the harbour and a leisurely stroll up to the bus stop to get back to Looe.

It's been a great day - I've really enjoyed walking with Mum and Dad.  I ignored all the comments about "not respecting your elders by dragging us up all these hills" and I'm sure they enjoyed it really.  (The photos of them looking knackered and laying on their beds when we got back to the flat would make most people think they'd had a rubbish day, but at least they were smiling!)

But it's been quite sad too - this is the last walking day of my holiday and I have to admit a few tears have been shed.  I won't be walking for some time now as it's too far to drive down for just a weekend.  I'm going to have to find another hobby now for a while.  Not for ever though - I'll be back!

Day 99 - Wednesday 24 September 2003 - Portwrinkle to Looe

 7.5 miles walked today

1051 miles walked in total (10.616 average)

Mum and Dad dropped me at Portwrinkle this morning at 9.45 am and Mum walked the main street to the harbour with me while Dad minded the car.  We could see the first two hills I had to climb and Mum told me later that she couldn't watch me as the path seemed too close to the cliff edge.

I struggled up these hills and the views were magnificent back to Rame Head and on to Looe and beyond.  My guide book grading today was "strenuous, moderate in parts".   Where were the moderate parts then?!

I had a steep down the Battern Cliff into Downderry and then a level bit through the village and along to Seaton.  On the cliffs, I saw buzzards, kestrels and hundreds of butterflies.  I could hear a lot of wildlife in the hedgerows, but didn't stick around long enough to discover what it was that was making all that noise.  I'm not that brave!

I really liked Seaton which had a huge sandy beach and was very well patronised.  I had to climb up Looe Hill here and had a bit of road walking before joining the coast path again up through woods and past the monkey sanctuary.  I got quite hot and had loads of sit downs from this point on.

At Bodigga Cliff, the footpath became tarmac as I walked through Millendreath, which again had a nice beach and was backed by loads of chalets and holiday homes.  It's been so hot this summer and the holiday season has been extended because of this so there were still a lot of people on the beaches which was good to see.

I had to climb up Plaidy Lane which was a bit of a killer at the end of the day.  However, this lane became a footpath and it was only a short step into Looe. 

I really liked Looe with its narrow little lanes and pasty shops.  I met Mum and Dad down by Banjo Pier and we wandered up and down the lanes, stopping for a beer and then a pasty to soak it up.  Not only is Looe a very touristy place, but it's a working fishing town too and there's a big open fish market beside the quay.

I've really enjoyed today and have persuaded Mum and Dad to walk with me tomorrow.  (Andy later told me that it would take them four days to do the five miles into Polperro - cheeky git!)

Day 98 - Tuesday 23 September 2003 - Cremyll Ferry to Portwrinkle

 13.5 miles walked today

1043.5 miles walked in total (10.647 average)

Mum and Dad travelled down from Norfolk yesterday in the torrential rain that had been forecast.  When I woke up, it wasn't too pleasant here and, despite Karen trying to bully me into walking anyway, I had a day off!  Which is probably why I'm aching so much today.

Mum and Dad dropped me at Cremyll this morning at 9.45 am in bright, but cool, sunshine and I set off to walk through Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, telling them I'd meet them at Portwrinkle at about four o'clock.  

It was quite bizarre walking through the formal gardens and temples of Mount Edgcumbe House while being so close to the shore and looking over Plymouth Sound.  The noise of gunshots accompanied me all morning, although the only place on the map I could identify it as coming from was the ranges at HMS Raleigh at Torpoint.

I had to walk through the deer park and kept an eye out for these lovely creatures, but the only wildlife I could see and hear were frisky squirrels chasing each other.  It wasn't long after I came out of the woods that the heavens opened and I was soaked.  However, it didn't rain for long and, by the time I walked into the villages of Kingsand and Cawsand, I'd dried off completely and was gently steaming.  My coat soon dried off and was back in the rucksack.

The tea room was shut on Tuesdays but the local enterprising church community had opened its own tea room in the church hall between 10.00 am and 12.00 noon each Tuesday, so I had a very welcome sit down and chatted to the Church Warden for half an hour.  It was very encouraging that the locals had taken up the cause for their community so enthusiastically.   Half of the local houses are second homes so the villages effectively die in the winter.  There are only 600 population full time but it was reassuring that it's not just old people that live there, as there's also a junior school in the village with about thirty pupils.   These younger residents are also catered for in the school holidays when workshops are put on.  And I was party to a conversation about a dancing class that's happening this evening and there are two yoga classes a week too.  Very uplifting indeed.

My guide book mentioned that the villages were a major smuggling centre in the 18th century when bladders of brandy were taken to Plymouth, concealed beneath women's skirts.  I'm sure the lady Church Warden would not have encouraged this type of behaviour!  I have to say I chuckled at this little gem, imagining the swishing noises emanating from the ladies' petticoats and what reasons they must have given for all the sloshing about!

From Cawsand Bay, I had a very pleasant level walk out to Rame Head and its ruined chapel.  There were a number of naval ships in the bay cruising along beside the smaller pleasure boats and yachts.  The views back over towards Devon were superb and made up for the lack of scenery due to fog on Sunday.

As I turned the corner at Rame Head, it all got a bit breezy and blustery.  I sat and looked at the chapel for a while and thought it was a fabulous spot for such a spiritual place.  (Thoughts of weddings entered my head again, but I thought it might be a bit unfair to make guests walk four miles in their finery up and down all those hills to reach their destination!)

The path got a bit more up and down energetic as I passed through a very posh shanty town full of shacks dotted about on the hillside.  However, I was soon walking along the road through Freathy and around Tregantle Fort before climbing up through fields and then across another golf course into Portwrinkle.  I got a major shimmy on coming down the hill, practically jogging.

I've really enjoyed today, although my feet and legs ache.  That'll teach me for having a day off!

Day 97 - Sunday 21 September 2003 - Noss Mayo to Cremyll Ferry

 10 miles walked today

1030 miles walked in total (10.618 average)

We decided to have a lay in this morning after yesterday's exertions so we didn't leave the flat until nine o'clock.

Karen had very kindly offered to drive me to the ferry point so I could carry on from where we finished yesterday and she then drove round to Wembury car park to meet me.  And, because we were finishing in Plymouth and weren't too sure of where to park, we only took one car today.

So I strode out this morning at ten o'clock in the thick mist - I heard the boats' sirens, but couldn't see a thing.  And, according to my guide book, the views over Newton Ferrers, Newton Creek and the River Yealm are splendid - I'd missed a treat.

Although very cloudy and foggy, it got very warm and I strode into Wembury at eleven o'clock in my teeshirt with my fleece tied around my middle to meet Karen.  We discarded fleeces then and went for a cup of tea in the cafe where people were gathering for a beach clean, one of many going on in Devon and Cornwall this weekend.

The walking was great when we finally started - very easy going and, in fact, I had my sandals on all day.  It wasn't long before we mentally crossed off the coves en route and headed round to Bovisand Fort where we had to climb to walk round to Jennycliff Bay and down to Mount Batten Point where we jumped on the ferry over to Sutton Harbour.  We walked over a huge plaque on the ground at Jennycliff, saying "Welcome to Plymouth.  Please wipe your feet."  Brilliant!

From the harbour, it was a short stretch to Plymouth Hoe and the lighthouse - we still didn't have much of a view over Plymouth Sound as the sun hadn't come out yet.  

We walked down towards the Cremyll ferry, but had a break for lunch at the Plymouth Pavilion, a theatre which was hosting an Ideal Home Exhibition this weekend.

It was all residential pavement pounding to get to the ferry point which was quite grim and tough on the feet.  But at least the sun came out for a while then, so it wasn't as depressing as it could have been.

It's been a great weekend - Karen and I have certainly covered some miles and I'm now ready to set off around Cornwall, my next county.

Day 96 - Saturday 20 September 2003 - Bantham to Noss Mayo

 15 miles walked today

1020 miles walked in total (10.625 total)

After some rushing around with cars this morning, Karen and I were walking just after nine o'clock.  The weather forecast was great so fleeces were left behind and we strode out in good spirits looking forward to a significant leg stretch.

We could see the Burgh Island Hotel very clearly and discussed what we would have when we got back later.  However, that was a long time away so we put it out of our minds and thought about our first break, which would be at the Dolphin Inn at Kingston, where we'd left my car.

We had some horrendous hills to start with - Toby's Point, Hoist Point and Beacon Point - before heading round to Wonwell Beach and the lane that led up to Kingston village.  It was very hot all day and we were gasping by the time we got to the pub.  We sat down for about an hour before driving round to Mothecombe where we started the other side of the River Erme.  We'd worked out we could wade across for two hours at low tide which, this morning, was between five and seven o'clock!  Hence the car left strategically to drive around to the other side.  The morning's walk, despite being very strenuous, was superb and we both really enjoyed it.

From Mothecombe, we had a walk down the hill from the car park and then up through woods and along the cliffs to Anchorite Rock, where we found a couple laid out, seemingly knackered!   They lived in Wembury so knew what we were putting ourselves through!

We had a couple more hills to climb - Blackaterry Point and Beacon Hill - before heading round to Stoke and its caravan park.  Our guide book promised that, from now on, our walk would be "easy" - about blinking time!

The path over the Warren became a grassy, slightly inclining, path and this was lovely to walk on.  There were loads of people about and it was good to see so many people walking in the late afternoon sunshine.

The coast path at this point used part of the nine mile drive made for the carriages of the guests of Lord Revelstoke of Membland Hall, which no longer exists.  It's obviously a very well used path.

At Gara Point, we did a right turn to walk towards the ferry crossing between Noss Mayo and Warren Point, but we didn't get there until five thirty and the ferry had stopped running at four!  So we trudged on down the hill, with tired and aching feet, to cross the estuary at Noss Mayo to the pub.  There was a big sign on the pub door saying they were shut until six so we crossed back over the estuary to the Ship Inn, a much more accommodating hostelry.  The pub was fantastic and we had a great view of the boats of Noss Mayo and watched an egret wading through the mud and seaweed.

We called for a taxi, but had a considerable time to wait - when it did turn up, it was a Mercedes!  How posh were we in our smelly hiking gear?  We got back to my car at Mothecombe and sped round to Bigbury to pick up Karen's car.  However, it was eight o'clock at this time and very dark, so we didn't manage to get our tea at Burgh Island after all.  However, we got to our new flat near Looe just after nine and celebrated my 1000 miles and Karen's leaving her job with a bottle of champagne.

It's been a really brilliant day - very hot and clear and with some fabulous hills and views.

We knew we were going to sleep well tonight!

Day 95 - Friday 19 September 2003 - Salcombe to Bantham

 13.5 miles walked today

1005 miles walked in total (10.578 average)

I was ready to walk at Salcombe at 8.30 am and was pleased that it was cloudy again - much more comfortable to walk in.

The worst bit of the whole day was the uphill road walking at the start to South Sands, although the beaches themselves were lovely.  I was glad to get onto a proper path though and get out to Bolt Head.  As yesterday, the path was rocky and passed very close to the cliff edge, but I was reassured by the steel railings along the most precipitous bits - it was very blustery today and I would have felt a bit vulnerable without this fencing.

From Bolt Head, the path levelled out along the Warren and provided some fantastic clifftop scenery.  Not only that, but the springy turf was really good to walk on.  I had quite a downhill to Soar Mill Cove with the corresponding "up" the other side and was perturbed to be overtaken by grannies in sensible shoes and with walking sticks!

I got quite excited at seeing a tea room at the top, but decided to push on to Hope Cove as the sign said that it was only a mile and a half away.  Inner Hope and Outer Hope were beautiful and I was just blown away as I walked down the hill to reach them.  I did stop for an hour to have lunch overlooking the sea and could quite cheerfully have sat in the hotel lounge all afternoon.

However, I got going again and had some amazing scenery to look at all afternoon round to Warren Point and could see the Thurlestone Rock as I walked around.

Thurlestone golf course was very popular and, as the path goes through the fairways, there were signs up requesting that walkers let the golfers play their shots before continuing.  One group waved me through and I waited for the next group who were all terribly polite and thanked me for waiting.

It wasn't long after this that I started my final descent to Bantham where the pub was just shutting, the ferry stopped two weeks ago and one of the villagers told me the 'phone box was no longer working.  Aaarrrggghhh!   I took a chance at the 'phone box and found out my informant was a bit of a joker - git!   So I waited for my taxi back to Salcombe and it wasn't long before I was back at my car.

I've had a fantastic day and completed my first thousand miles.  Which I intend to celebrate at Burgh Island Hotel tomorrow with a pot of tea, which is probably all I'll be able to afford there!

Day 94 - Thursday 18 September 2003 - Stoke Fleming to Salcombe

 13 miles walked today

991.5 miles walked in total (10.547 average)

Today I've decided to put all thought of my missed six miles out of my head and just carry on with what I can do.

I was walking at Torcross at 8.15 am - my guide book said today would be strenuous so I wanted an early start.  This and the cooler, cloudier weather has helped enormously today, although the views have suffered a bit for the lack of sunshine.

I had a mini uphill past the hotel and up to fields before coming down into Beesands, a working fishing village with lobster pots piled up all along the front and a van proclaiming "Britannia wet fish sales".

From here, I had another mini uphill to North Hallsands.  The old village of Hallsands can be seen from a viewing platform at the foot of the hotel, where they didn't start serving tea until eleven o'clock.  Bugger!

At the end of the 19th century, 650,000 tonnes of shingle was excavated from the beach to make concrete for the Devonport docks, thereby removing Hallsands' natural sea defences.   On 26 January 1917, an abnormally high tide coincided with an easterly gale and twenty-nine cottages were destroyed, leaving one untouched.  Two of the survivors, the Trout sisters, were awarded a sum of money from the family of a German seaman they'd rescued and they used this money to build the house which became the hotel on the cliff.  Most of the villagers were evacuated to this dwelling while further accommodation was made available.   It was a very moving display and it certainly made me think that we mustn't underestimate the power of the sea.

From Hallsands, I had a couple of miles round to the lighthouse at Start Point.  The signs today have been excellent and have included mileage as well as direction.  However, one sign really made me laugh - 168 miles to Poole one way and 462 miles to Minehead in the other!   

The path was superb - very close to the cliff edge and involved a lot of scrambling over rocks which I love.  I'm not sure how the grading is worked out as I didn't think it was very strenuous at all - it was tricky but not hard up and downs.

The scenery was amazing - lots of rocks and sheer cliff faces - I could see why you'd need a lighthouse here.  As I got round to Prawle Point, I climbed up to the coastguard lookout and had a look at the visitors' centre which is in a shed!  In 1994 when two Cornish fishermen died below the recently closed Bass Point coastguard lookout, a group of local people set up an organisation to restore visual watch along the UK coast.  Thereby, the National Coastwatch Institution was created and the first station opened at Bass Point.  There are now twenty-three stations open and each one is responsible for its own funding, equipment and building maintenance.  Apparently these volunteers don't just watch out to sea, but coast walkers are kept an eye on too, which was very reassuring.

There followed more up and down from here to Gara Rock Hotel which I'd been relying on to get lunch and I wasn't disappointed.  It was full of walkers!  There were signs up everywhere requesting us all to remove our boots before entering.  

From here, it was downhill all the way through woods down to East Portlesham where the ferry runs over to Salcombe.  I was still having 'phone problems, so asked the chap who ran the cafe at the ferry point whether I could give him some money to ring me a cab.  He told me that if I got back to the cafe at five o'clock I could have a lift as he had to go through Torcross to get home.  Fantastic!

So I went over to Salcombe and mooched around for a couple of hours, buying postcards, shopping, having a beer, etc, and just people watching.

I've really enjoyed today and I reckon I could even do that walk again.  But not today!

Day 93 - Wednesday 17 September 2003 - Dartmouth to Stoke Fleming

 4.5 miles walked today

978.5 miles walked in total (10.521 average)

Today was either a disaster, or a blessing, whichever way you look at it.

I got into Dartmouth at 8.30 am, after saying farewell to Shiriin - we got up at seven so that she had enough time to pack up all the spare cheese for her picnic lunch!  I'd run out of credit on my mobile 'phone, but couldn't manage to put any more money on as the whole Vodafone system had gone down according to the lady in the 'phone shop.

So that meant I couldn't walk to where I needed to get to as there was no way I'd be able to summon a taxi back to the car.  I waited until the Tourist Information Office opened at 9.30 am and discussed with the manager where I could get to that had a 'phone box and she also gave me some taxi numbers.

I finally started walking at about ten o'clock in thick mist so didn't get any of the views back to Kingswear.  However, the sun soon burnt the mist away and then it started to burn me!  My first down was to Compass Cove and I sat for a while and listened to the sea gurgling around in the caves - it sounded like water going down a plughole.  From here, I had an up then towards Little Dartmouth but I found a bench at the top.  I was trying to develop my new strategy of sitting only when I needed to and not just when I wanted to.

I checked out my guide book during this break and it told me that the coastal path is all on main roads as the local landowners don't much like walkers on their land.  After a while I set off and got chatting to a local who told me to get the bus as the road to Torcross was horrible.  Basically, he reiterated what the guide book said.

I was having a mini break during another climb when I got talking to a couple who were walking Minehead to Poole - they take a week out every year and this is their fifth stage.  They reckon they'll have it finished next year.  They had also got the bus as the road was very dangerous.  I didn't totally dismiss the idea of walking, but all these signs were going some way to convince me otherwise.

And, as I got into Stoke Fleming finally - lots of uphill and it was scorching - there'd been a bus/ lorry collision which decided me not to walk on the main A379 road.  The bus back to Dartmouth wasn't due for ninety minutes, so I stopped for a drink and a sandwich at the Stoke Lodge Hotel.  I was asked whether I'd like to sit in the garden, but I'd had more than enough heat and elected to sit inside in the cool lounge.

The bus signs were the wrong way round at Stoke Fleming so, as soon as I got back to Dartmouth, I went and reported it at the Tourist Information Office so they could contact the bus company.

I'd dropped some camera films off in Dartmouth yesterday that wouldn't be ready until four, so I mooched around for an hour, did some window shopping and got caught up in the crowds who were watching the filming going on in the harbour.  The BBC were in town with some of the actors from "Down to Earth", a Sunday night drama series about yuppies moving to the country.  The girl in the camera shop was very excited as some of the actors had been in to the shop - bless her!

So, effectively, I've had a half day off.  I'm going to drive a bit further round the coast to start tomorrow and have an earlier start to avoid some of the heat.  I'm going to give the bit to Torcross a miss which I know I'm going to stress about, but that road really is a nightmare.

It's just something I'll have to live with.

Day 92 - Tuesday 16 September 2003 - Sharkham Point to Dartmouth

 8 miles walked today

974 miles walked in total (10.586 average)

Shiriin and I were walking at nine o'clock this morning and were aware today was "strenuous".  And boy, it certainly was.  It's been very hot all day and we've had hill after hill to contend with.

We had a major hike dowhill to begin with to Man Sands and Shiriin told me she was glad she didn't have to walk up that one!  We had a mini sit down on the beach at Man Sands - the first sit down of many today, as there were many strategically placed benches all day.   We then had hikes up and down past Long Sands, Scabbacombe Sands and Scabbacombe Head.

Most of the land we walked on today was owned by the National Trust and there were signs of new bracken growth and estate management everywhere.  A sign warned of Shetland ponies and I thought this a bit odd, as surely Dartmoor ponies were the nearest native ponies to here?  The presence of these animals at least explained the enormous amount of poo on the paths!  One of the ponies ran at me which was a bit of a shock - it could probably smell all the food in my rucksack!

We carried on around Ivy Cove to Pudcombe Cove and, as we shut the gate which kept the ponies in, a black snake tried to slither across the path behind us, but Shiriin thought he might have just eaten so was feeling a bit heavy and couldn't get across.  We spent some time watching him and speculating whether we could see a mouse shaped bulge in his belly!

There then followed a walk through woods and we decided it would be a good idea to have lunch in this shaded area, so sat down on steps and tucked into sausage pasta bake - last night's leftovers - and bread and various cheeses.   How very civilised!  We sat and looked at the sea and the rocks through the Scots pines and Shiriin noticed that we'd seen no wildlife - no birds and no squirrels - in the woods.  The only sound we could hear were leaves falling and the distant chug chug of boat engines.

After lunch, we walked a tiny bit further round and saw the entrance to Coleton Fishacre gardens, but they were closed today.  Some of the gardens had spilled out onto the path so we walked past a few hydrangea bushes and fuchsias too.

We had even more hills after lunch, but pushed on nevertheless to Battery Point and had a mini detour off the path to look at the gun emplacements and railway where the cannon balls used to be rolled down to the weaponry.

We walked through Warren Woods to head into Kingswear.  These woods were on the estate owned by the late Lt Col Jones, the Falkland Islands VC, and the path has been dedicated to his memory.

We had some fantastic views of the River Dart and the two castles - Kingswear and Dartmouth - as we came down the hill, but we still weren't there.  We had a knee crunching road descent before finding steps that led down to the ferry.   Shiriin took these at a cracking pace and informed me it was a "falling" technique she had perfected.  However, I've already fallen over this week (plus a quite major stumble again today) so I decided to take it more slowly.

We finally got into Kingswear at three ish and immediately got the ferry over to Dartmouth, got ice cream, postcards and cream tea sorted within ten minutes!  The ice cream shop sold scones, clotted cream and pots of jam so we had an al fresco cream tea on the harbour wall - well placed to be in all the tourists' holiday photos!

We had quite a productive time in Dartmouth - I dropped off a couple of films to collect tomorrow, Shiriin found the shampoo she'd been searching for to take back to Lesotho, and I found plasters and stamps.  And we still had time for the ferry and a pint before getting our taxi back to the car.

And the best bit of all is that, after today's trek, Shiriin's still speaking to me!

I've really enjoyed spending time with Shiriin - it's great that we're both comfortable in each other's company and don't feel the need to natter on incessantly.  Which is just as well because, every time we went up hill, she was about half a mile in front of me!