I’d just got past Bude and was now walking the last couple of miles on the coastal path before I would turn inland to get to a campsite. I’d been wild camping now for three nights in a row, which wasn’t as high as my record on this trip of four, but I was definitely ready to have a decent shower so a campsite was on my wish list.

I suppose I could have probably stretched it out for one more night and done one more wild camp. I was low on battery power, but there was just enough for another 24 hours, and I had one packet of supernoodles left so I wouldn’t starve. But there was another thing putting me off spending another night near the path. The coast line around here was clearly, and obviously, eroding at quite an alarming rate.

Now, I don’t claim to be any kind of expert on these matters. I don’t know what a part of the coastline chooses to fall into the sea on any particular day. I have no idea how often this happens or how much goes each time. I assume it’s weather and tide related but I don’t know which combination causes the most damage. I assume each part of the coast is made up of different types of rock and formed in different ways which makes some parts more susceptible to cliff falls than others – but again, I know nothing about what is stable and what is not.

But what I do have is a pair of eyes and I could see where large parts of the land had just disappeared. Where a clear path, that used to run straight, now just stops at the edge of a drop, and then continues 100 yards later on. I could see big cracks running up the side of a cliff which then continued along the top – surely just waiting to fall. I saw one couple sat on the edge of one cliff, and in my opinion, sat on the wrong side of a crack running along the floor. Maybe I should have warned them.

I found some sections particularly interesting when a section of land had just dropped by a few feet. So not quite a full collapse but definitely the start of one. These sections would be great to camp on because they’re slightly shielded from, the now diverted, path. But I think you’d have to be quite brave and confident that it wasn’t about to make its final, several hundred foot trip, to the beach below while you were there.

Yeah, campsite for me tonight.

Another great night

The goats didn’t get me overnight and, despite my slight concern about my camp, I slept really well.

I can gauge retrospectively how nervous I am by a particular wild camping spot by what I wear to sleep in. If I’m totally comfortable I remove all my walking clothes and put on my ‘clean’ shorts and t-shirt. These are the clothes I make sure stay dry, no matter what, so that I’ve always got something to put on at night even if I’ve got soaked in the day. It’s nice to sleep in these.

If I’m really nervous about a spot, where I think there is a chance I’ll have to evacuate quickly, I sleep in my walking clothes. This isn’t very nice but I know that I’m good to go – just in case.

Well last night it was somewhere in between. I must have been a bit nervous because I slept in my walking t-shirt and boxer shorts, but took everything else off. So a bit of a compromise. Luckily my nervousness did not affect my sleep and I had a very good night.

Maybe I subconsciously knew the goats were looking after me.

I’ve found everyone

I’d just walked over Cambeak on my way to Crackington Haven – I was excited that I’d soon be getting my breakfast roll and luxury hot chocolate – when a couple walking the other way called out to me. They asked me if the route over Cambeak that I’d just walked was ok. I said it was fine, a bit of a climb but the path was in good repair so I’d happily walk it again. There was an alternative route that cut it out, which avoided the climb, but I didn’t take that as it wasn’t the coastal path. One of the couple told me they’d been advised against it due to subsistence so wondered what I thought. I said it was fine – the path was well in from the edge. It made me chuckle that they’d asked me because they took the diversion anyway. Maybe I don’t look trustworthy.

It was very quiet when I arrived in Crackington but it was before 9 and the cafe wasn’t open yet. I sat down at one of the cafe’s outside tables as it was due to open in the next few minutes. There weren’t many people around so I figured I’d just wander in after opening and order. Suddenly, and I’m not quite sure when this happened, there were about 30 people milling around. A big queue was forming and all the tables were filling up. It was the strangest thing.

They all looked like they were fresh and ready for a days walking. I think some had come from the hotel but most had arrived in cars. Grabbing breakfast, getting all their kit ready and then most heading off on the trail toward Tintagel in a long line while a few queued at the bus stop. And then it was quiet – they’d all gone.

A big part of me was glad I’m doing this walk backwards because today, the normal way was busy, and my path was quiet. It was such a strange contrast though. Some days I don’t see anyone for hours, and today, I saw everyone in one go. Another thing grabbed me though, they all looked so clean, whereas I look quite tramp like, I wonder what people must think.

Not so difficult

This section of the path is quite notorious among walkers for its difficulty. Maybe that comes near Hartland Point but today it wasn’t so bad. The path is in a good condition and it’s really just a case of, slowly, putting one foot in front of another. Eventually each climb is achieved and each descent navigated. I find not thinking about the next descent and climb is the best approach. Just take them one at a time. If you think of the whole it can overwhelm.

The only problem today really was me. I had a few technical issues with my website so was constantly stopping and talking with Jenny to resolve them. But that wasn’t the main problem. It appeared that I didn’t need much of an excuse to rest. It could be in the form of a bench, or maybe a suitable looking rock, or even just a bit of ground. Any opportunity I saw, I sat.

So progress was very slow, but I was really enjoying myself. I originally did consider making this a long day but obviously my brain and body had decided otherwise. I was ok with this though and when I got to Widemouth Sand I’d decided I’d take time to get a very late lunch and then get a little past Bude and call it a day. Slow was better today.

It really worked as well. I compared my emotions this time to last year and I was so much calmer walking through Bude. I didn’t go the wrong way as I did last time and I enjoyed being in the town.

Should have gone to Sainsbury’s

I decided not to divert to a shop in Bude as I thought it better to get to the campsite, set up camp, and then walk to a coop. In hindsight this was probably a mistake because the walk was long and all along a road, the last part being a main road.

So once I’d shopped I decided to try a different route back – this was even worse. I’d definitely made a mistake there, but it was worth it once I got back to my tent and ate my Calipo. I’d been dreaming of it all day.

Then it was to the toilet block for the first shower since I was at the youth hostel and then back to my tent to eat all the goodies I’d just bought.