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.
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