A slow start today as the walker knew that it wasn't a long day and so we both dawdled; it looked as though it was going to be a fine day weather-wise. I had some jobs to complete - copy pictures of yesterday's walk to email to our technical advisor for publishing this evening, write postcard from "Hugo" to Kirstie's class (he is the imaginary pupil in her year 3, who always gets things wrong and he has come to visit us on his holiday!) and try to sort out why some people are trying to send comments and are having no luck. More on this later...
Interesting people spoken to today included a chap from the Midlands who had just been walking around Barmouth, completing a 50K trail and I forgot to mention the post office lady in Bude yesterday, who had just run the local marathon for the British Heart Foundation. Bet there were lots of ups and downs!
I eventually drove to Clovelly and was supposed to walk back along the Coast Path to meet the walker, but there were 2 ways to go and so, in case I missed him, I did some people watching as they attempted the cobbled stone descent to the village. One couple sensibly turned back as the woman's high-heeled wedges really would not have coped!
Clovelly is lovely, but I would hate to visit it in the busy season. I had problems remembering if I had been to the bottom before. I thought I had, but I am sure my family will put the record straight.
Found a campsite today that has free wi-fi and at the moment the internet is very quick - I hope the shower facilities are as good!
From Bernie:
Today's walk 9.8 miles : Cumulative 165.5 miles
I remembered this as quite a quick & easy stretch from my coastal walk..... I was 15 years younger then! Lots of ups & downs but the scenery, particularly around Hartland Point, is spectacular. Lundy Island emerged from the sea-haze for the first time & then I turned due East, the first of my perverse direction changes on this walk.
Hartland Point
No walkers of any kind seen anywhere on today's walk - no strollers, no joggers, not even any dog-walkers! Might explain why, in several places, the coast path is quite overgrown ( I finished quite bobbly with nettle stings!) & if this season's walkers don't get started soon & tread it down they'll find it tough.
Highlight: a strange one today. In places the coast path dives behind or between towering hedgerows & it's here that it is most overgrown. Out of the breeze & in the sunshine the air was thick with a variety of flying insects to the extent that I had to walk with my hand over my mouth & nose (should have had my Scottish midge-hood with me!). Sounds horrible but the reward was the mesmerising display of flying by scores of swallows enjoying a feast! Sat & watched them for a while despite all the unidentifiable creatures crawling all over me.....
Blackchurch Rock, Mouth Mill
Beer of the Day: a pint of 'Lacey's Best', brewed just down the road in Abbotsham by Country Life Brewery. A good darker bitter.
'New Inn', Clovelly - sampled 'Lacey's Best' here!
Finished the day in Clovelly & celebrated completing Cornwall with a meal at the 'Red Lion Hotel' by the harbour - a tradition which actually goes back to the days of the coastal walk when we tried to finish every county with a celebratory family meal! Might be a bit overweight by the middle of August!
Wendy & Richard: sorry I missed Richard in Bude on Monday but the weather was a bit wild - we may have passed within yards of each other! Thanks for persevering with the comment, it's great to know that people are reading this!
Our technical expert advises me that, at this very moment, she is putting 'something' in place that should enable those of you who have tried and been unable to comment so far to get through to us!
Brief Note from the LEJOG Technical Support Team
For those of you who are having difficulties posting comments, you can now email them to:
Please just make a note on the email of which post it is about (e.g. Day 13) then we can make sure it ends up in the right place for you.
Mr Large [sir] Will you be looking for work after you have finished Lejog? If this is the case I'm sure you would get a position as a Postcard photographer,the pictures are great.Pam
ReplyDeletedo you still have to pay to get into Clovelly as the last time i think it was about £3.50 each ??
ReplyDeletenathan blick
Hi Bernie,can you send some of those heavy downpours up to Braintree its bone dry here and i have an allotment to look after.I know its usually the other way round when tour away but thanks in anticipation! Also i would leave Les to devour the cream teas you stick to the beers.Enjoying all the scenic photos on view. Regards John (Swiss Bell)
ReplyDelete