20 March 2013: 23km. Started 09:15. Arrived 15:40.
The day dawned bright and sunny and I was awake early even though breakfast was not served until 08:30. I met the other people staying – a couple there to celebrate their birthdays on two consecutive days 19 and 20 March. My host having taken my boots from me the previous evening had thoughtfully and kindly cleaned them!
It was high tide so I knew that the three tidal bridges across the River Gannel to Newquay would be impassable and the tides were such that waiting would have taken much of the day. There was actually an excellent off road footpath from just outside Crantock all the way to the road bridge. The only problem was the thick, deepy, squelchy mud – so much for clean boots! From the road bridge, I walked easily on a pavement alongside the busy “A” road into Newquay.
In next to no time I was back on the coast path. I spoke to a man who informed me that part of the path ahead was closed as the police were investigating a body found below the cliffs; certainly a salutary reminder to stay away from the edge. He told me that he runs for Newquay Road Runners often running along that stretch of the path. He also told me that he had run 56 marathons and about to run London for the 22nd time. However it turned out that his fastest was just over 3:30 and so I was pleased to say that I had run 3:27, although completed nowhere near his phenomenal running total. The people out on this bright sunny spring day all seemed to be friendly and chatty. Two women who were walking faster than me slowed down to chat and they were also members of Newquay Road Runners. They were only heading to the nearby hotel for dinner though and had no packs. They even offered to sponsor me – but I explained that I was not doing the walk for charity. This was a decision made when I realised that I would raise much more money by working and donating the money to charity for the duration that I would have walked. Having realised that, then being sponsored for an activity that I wanted to do seemed perverse. In addition, whenever I have been sponsored in the past – for example for the London Marathon – the donations are always made by the same group of friends and acquaintances.
I found a pleasant bank to sit on and enjoy eating my sandwich and looking out to sea. There are many car parks along this stretch of the path as it is close to the road. The combination of coastal scenery including the famous Bedruthan Steps, the sea, the cliffs, the quiet coves and beaches and the traditional Cornish stone walls around fields was stunning.
I took a “short cut” to my overnight accommodation from the coast path rather than walking all the way down to Porthcothan Beach. Actually it turned out to be a bit further than planned as I had to detour round some cattle. I arrived for my next overnight stop relatively early. This was also familiar accommodation I had used before so I knew that there was DIY breakfast from a fridge in the room. I paid on arrival in order to make a quick getaway the next morning for a longer day’s walk. Sadly I discovered that the forecast weather would be very different from this day.
Where's Kathryn? 