Day 10 Treyarnon to Padstow

I am writing this (starting it anyway) in Rick Stein’s fish and chip shop in Padstow. Cod and chips. Average, it has to be said. But hot, and indoors, out of the rain. Sigh.

I was woken from sleep this morning by a dawn chorus of skylarks. Noisy, but nice, even though it was only 5.15. As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog I was quite tired so fell asleep again until about 6.30.

I had intended to set off by 9 but it was 9.30 before I left. Today was to be an exciting day as I was expecting company! A friend’s sister was nearby and we had arranged to meet.

The morning was marked by sandy beaches. First up was Treyarnon Bay swiftly followed by Constantine and Booby’s Bays. The tide was out, the weather was good, and I made my way round Trevose Head. I met a couple who were walking and camping part of the Path (easier to write than SWCP). They had decided that they would lighten their load by dispensing with sleeping bags, using only sleeping bag liners and thermal pyjamas. This sounded like a mistake to me. I was right, they were regretting it. We said our farewells (I feeling a little smug about my cosy night in my very soft and downy sleeping bag.) Another sandy bay, this time Mother Ivey’s Bay with a lifeboat station just by it. Next stop, the pub in Harlyn as I felt a refreshing orange juice and soda would hit the spot. But where was the pub? I consulted my map -should be very near. I then looked around me and found I had been standing in front of a sign saying Pub, turn left. I turned left. No pub, just a hole in the ground which used to be the pub-and according to a passerby, would be again. Just not now.

Padstow was still quite a few miles away so I decide to cut out the next headland (unnecessary walking really – three sides of a long rectangle).

I took a field path inland and immediately felt as if I were in a different world. A lush, green, vegetated world. More importantly, a world that would lead me quickly into Padstow, my campsite, and tea with Jessica.

On my walk into Padstow I had passed Prideaux Place, an Elizabethan (First Elizabeth, after all I, and probably quite a few of you, live in an Elizabethan house…) house which served teas in the garden, and looked rather quiet. Jessica picked me up and we sat for some time, enjoying the view, and, in my case, the toasted tea cake. Jessica is not walking the length of Britain so does not need to refuel on quite such a regular basis. She had a cup of tea, and gave me a slice of her homemade fruit cake to eat later.

After tea, Jessica drove me into town (did you think I’d walk?) and I had a short wander round before heading to the fish and chip shop. Constant refuelling. Refuelling complete, I scampered back to the campsite -I wasn’t wearing my waterproofs- and spent the rest of the evening listening to the sound of the rain on the tent.