Saturday, 29/04/2017
Distance: 24,6 km (15,3 mi) for a total of 250,7 km (155,8 mi)
Ascent (ca.): 950 m (3120 ft)
Weather: Sunny, then overcast, then sunny again with increasing wind
This was certainly the worst day from a walking perspective so far. I had packed and was away from the campsite reasonably early. But as soon as I set off I felt that the body had decided to use that part of the right thigh which had suffered from a series of muscle injuries three years ago-a side effect of my martial arts training. This isn’t extremely painful but it slowed me down considerably. Creeping through the streets of Bude I already lost a good deal of the time I’d have needed for other parts of today’s stretch.
I somehow managed to get myself to Duckpool along the coast path-if only with a short rest in the café at Sandy Mouth-where I picked up an inland route to Morwenstow. I had planned this the evening before and getting the confirmation from a couple of locals that the green line on the map was not only a right of way but a walkable path as well this was settled to be it.
By the time I reached the town I could already tell the envisaged end point for this day was out of reach. So I treated myself to a real lunch in The Bush Inn. I then navigated some more fields and a wooded valley before rejoining the coast path.
This was a very precise signpost on a farm:
Walking inland I hadn’t realised that the wind had become quite strong again. During the first ascent I had to stabilise myself with my walking sticks otherwise I would have been blown over the cliff. There was no thinking of reaching any point for the night in this wind. So I took the first footpath inland again and “enjoyed” another road walk of 2,5 miles to Elmscott. In the youth hostel I was recognised immediately as the German LEJOGer, a certain Nick had told them about me-whoever this Nick is. And I missed Steve again by one night as in Tintagel, wonder if we manage to bump into each other.
So the best thing to say about this day is “Goodbye Cornwall, hello Devon!” It definitely feels a major achievement to have completed the first county. I knew before that Cornwall is large, but distances are put into a more direct perspective when being covered on foot.
Off for a Hike 
Well done on completing your first county 🙂
That signpost reminds me of one on a small island in the Bahamas. There’s a footpath which ends in a T junction with a signpost pointing left and right – ‘This way’ and ‘That way’, but it doesn’t matter which way you go you just end up at the same place as the path goes round in a large circle 🙂
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Great! This would be different here, but I liked the signpost nevertheless 🙂
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Devon glorious Devon, where it rains 6 days out of 7. Its where I grew up so ought to know!
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I was told that the forecasting for tomorrow isn’t good, but more promising for the days to follow.
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Hi Mike, have you scheduled any rest days into your hike? A good plan now would be a rest day in a town where you could get yourself off to a sports masseur for a good work-over. Alternatively a swim/sauna on a day off. Listen to your Mother!
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I haven’t set up fixed rest days apart from the fact that I want to spend a day in Bath, for example. But I’ve just arranged for a two day stay which will also offer the opportunity to give my clothes a proper washing after living in them for nearly two weeks by now.
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Hi Mike,
take it easy and give yourself some extra treats in-between. I hope in the meantime your thigh is as good as new again and the muscle problem is gone.
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Hi Gerhard, Some treats are hopefully on the agenda for tomorrow. The body still likes to grumble and groan about the efforts asked of him but I won’t discuss this with him 😉
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