I’m still convinced that if I’d left my clothes in the youth hostel drying room that they’d have come out more wet than they went in. It was a little unpleasant putting on wet clothes in the morning, but I’m sort of used to that, even when they’re not wet from rain they’re wet from exercise, but within a couple of hours of waking today everything was totally dry. I considered myself very lucky. I do wonder how I’d have coped if it’d been another day like yesterday.

To get the tent and my boots also dry during the day was the real bonus that I didn’t expect. It was both a physical and metaphorical weight lifted.

Do people still live here

After my ‘drying’ stop I got to this lighthouse. I think I’d like to live in one of these. With modern technology I wonder if the owners need to do much. I think I remember watching on Blue Peter as a kid the process for changing the bulb on the main light. I remember it being quite an involved task. I don’t suppose it’s like that anymore.

I can definitely see why people hark back to the old days. Sometimes things did seem better – for example I think I’d enjoy changing that light – but I don’t think we remember correctly and miss out all the bad bits.

Searching for breakfast number 2

I’m not sure if it’s my lack of patience, or maybe my dislike of crowds, but I rejected every cafe I came to. I just wasn’t in the mood to squeeze myself into a cafe. So I kept o going to the next place and then looking there.

I can see why these places are so busy. The beaches are wide and long, and the surf looks like a surfers paradise. So it made sense. But I really wasn’t in a mood to mingle (or pay £10 for a chicken burger). So I decided to keep moving on despite the fact I was getting hungry.

Why it’s better twice

I went the right way today. On more than one occasion. The big difference today was at Stepper Point, when last year, for no discernable reason, I walked to the monument and then decided to go back on myself for a bit and then cut across some fields. In my defence the path is hard to see until you’re right on top of it but that’s not much of an excuse. Today though, no mistakes were made. I feel like I’ve done it properly now.

It’s always strange here, looking over the water to Pentire Point and know you won’t be there for several hours despite it only being a few hundred metres away.

Longer than you think

I eventually arrived at Padstow early afternoon and decided I had to eat. I was going to grab a takeaway fish and chips but then treated myself to the restaurant instead. It ended up being very expensive so it really was a false economy turning down the places earlier – but now I had to eat and knew I’d be stupid to delay further. Besides, it was nice now to take the weight off my feet.

Now fed, and thinking clearly again, I decided the best course for the day would be to go to a shop to buy provisions for later and then get the ferry over to Rock and walk for a few miles, away from the busy areas, to find a place to camp.

So easy

It’s funny how once everything is sorted, fed and supplies, everything else just slips into place.

It was still a decent walk through Rock and Polzeath but it was nice enough. Once through there it’s a climb to Pentire point, a quick glance back at some of the coastline covered that day, and then all eyes on finding a camping spot to spend the night.

Luckily, there was plenty to choose from. Last year I walked too far and ended up struggling to find anything before dark. This time, I was pitched up by 8:30 and looking at the view through the tent door.

The only strange thing was a man, appearing over what I thought was a cliff edge, making me jump as he walked by my tent. He was friendly enough though and we both said hello.