Journal:
A relatively
lazy day today as a consequence of a late start,
tired feet and legs, and the location of the Youth
Hostel.
I started the day by
watching the post-election coverage on TV (and then
listening to the radio reviews most of the day)
before eating an excellent English breakfast in the
B&B. The young couple running the B&B were
very nice and obviously working hard to make it a
good place to stay. I left about 9:30am via
the Newquay town centre and a pharmacy I had spotted
the previous evening where I bought some antiseptic
cream and bandaids to help treat my blossoming
blisters. Usually, I recover pretty well from
blisters, but I'm a bit worried about the depth of
the one on my left heel which causes continual pain
while walking, two days after cutting it open.
I then wended my way out
of town along some main and minor roads. If
the tide was further out, I would have stuck to the
beach, but there were some headlands I couldn't get
around at this time of the tidal cycle. I was
undecided about what my goal should be for the day.
There weren't too many accommodation options ahead
(in my price range) and my late start meant I would
not cover a huge distance unless I walked late
(although it's light until after 9pm). I
gradually resolved to aim for the Youth Hostel at
Treyarnon Bay, hoping they would have rooms
available, and decided to make it an easy day.
The weather threatened
rain although the views were good. Once out of
Newquay, the Coast Path rejoined the clifftops
which, while not as high as in previous days, were
still spectacularly sculpted by the winds and sea,
with offshore crags, and soaring seabirds.
There were lots of walkers and some birdwatchers.
Wildflowers of all colours lined the path and
clifftops and grew out of the many stone walls I
passed during the day.
I stopped at a pub at
Mawgan Porth (along with many other walkers) for a
light lunch of soup and crusty white bread, before
continuing eastwards in light rain and some hail.
My sore feet took some enjoyment out of the scenery,
although I still counted myself to be very lucky to
be hiking along this fantastic path. I reached
Treyarnon Bay and the Youth Hostel at about 3:40pm
and confirmed that it did not open til 5pm. I
bought and ice-cream and Diet Coke from a little
store nearby and found myself a spot in a shelter
protected from the wind and rain, but bathed in the
emerging sun and read my book for an hour.
Very pleasant.
I checked into the Hostel
at 5pm (they had spare dormitory beds) and, after a
shower, ordered the reasonably-priced dinner.
The hostel is a large house sitting on a grassy
slope with a beautiful view over the bay and beach.
There are a number of other people in the hostel
including some cyclists, hikers and a couple of
families with young kids. The only drawback of
the hostel is that there is no mobile phone or
wireless coverage, so this report will have to wait.
I noticed one other hiker, a lot younger and
stronger-looking than me, hobbling very slowly and
stiff-leggedly around the hostel. I don't feel
so bad now.
My camera battery ran very
low today (I must have accidentally turned it on),
so I didn't take as many photos. Tomorrow, my
planned route leaves the Coast Path and heads inland
for a day or so, rejoining the Coast Path at Port
Isaac. I'm looking forward to some country
lanes and footpaths, hoping that the more even
walking will help my aches and pains recover.