SWCP: Bude to Crackington Haven

 

So, finally I’m doing this leg. I’ve been plotting it since the autumn and it was postponed from end of Feb because of my knee accident in Austria and then again from last week because we went to NI instead. I dashed off to Paddington at 5pm yesterday and did the four-hour train ride from there on a fairly packed train that gradually emptied out. Arrived at Okehampton youth hostel, right next to the station, to be pleasantly surprised as I’d forgotten that my room had its own bathroom. Slept pretty well as it was quiet. In the morning at 7am I was amazed to see sunshine outside my window. Then relieved to see that my 7.30 bus was actually ready and waiting - you never really know, until it turns up.

Then a half hour ride to Bude, with a commanding view from the top deck. I was almost the only passenger and it’s still a £2 flat fare to go wherever you like in Cornwall, so the bus company made a loss. Dropped my bag of non-essentials at the very friendly B&B and set off into a warm day, gradually shedding clothes as it hotted up. Managed to buy sun cream from a beach shop after a couple of hours. The weather was gorgeous, the birds were singing and there was a cool breeze. 

Locals walking their dogs - a canine idyll

The only working canal in the UK that meets the sea

The storm tower at Compass Point, overlooking
Summerleaze beach. Built in 1830 but newly restored.

Overlooking Bude Bay

Lots of people on Widemouth Beach (pronounced widd-muth, to rhyme with Exmouth).

I would say today’s walk was just OK. A lot of it was viewless and some of it was hideously muddy - I was stepping and sliding about all over the place trying not to get mud in my boots as it was deep and liquid. Perhaps that’s what gaiters are for? I kept doing a relay with a bloke who advised stepping straight through it as that was the best way to protect knees and ankles. 

At least managed to save my laces

Brief pause by babbling brook.
Still pink from mud ordeal.

Shortly before 2 o’clock I realised that I had a chance of catching the 2.45 bus back and that if I missed it, I’d be stuck in Crackington Haven till the next bus 2 hours later. So I upped the speed (lots of upward steps unfortunately) and ended up running the last half mile to make it in time. Legs like jelly.

About to run up these - relay man in the distance
 with his lovely dog

Great relief when the bus appeared. I was bloody exhausted. Had also not eaten my lunch yet or drunk much of my water. After half a hour sitting on the bus, my legs had stiffened up and I staggered back to the B&B. Back in my room, I had a lovely bath (the tub is in the bedroom!) and ate some tinned fish which has given me a tummy-ache for the rest of the evening. Had a sandwich from home for dinner as consequently not feeling hungry. 

Mmmm

Feet were OK today, more or less. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Think it will be less warm.

SWCP: Perranporth to Portreath

 The walking was all over by 1pm today! But only because I set off at 7.15 in the morning. There seemed to be only two options for getting back to Newquay - one at 2.40 and the other at 4.40. Both taking more than two hours! I didn’t fancy the second timing, which wouldn’t have got me back to Newquay till nearly 7pm.  So I left early enough for it to take longer than six hours (as per the guidebook) and still have time to spare. In the end I arrived just before 1. Took a punt on a three-bus journey gleaned from Apple Maps. Thought it was all a cock-up because the second bus failed to appear, and disappeared from the digital arrivals thingy. Just as I’d given up, it hove into view like a magic trick. I quickly re-jigged my journey to make a different connection and hey presto, got back to Newquay by 3.30! Hurrah for mobile apps!!! It’s difficult getting around in Cornwall because there’s more than one bus company and nobody has amalgamated all the information properly. 

There were more beautiful, pristine beaches today and they all had lots of surfers. The ascents weren’t too arduous and a lot of it was flat, but my feet and legs were quite tired by the end as I’d only sat down for ten minutes or so.

Dawn breaking over Perranporth as I left

Looking towards St Agnes

Hills carpeted in purple Heather and yellow gorse 

Mining leftovers at Trevellas Coombe 

Wheal Coates (Coates Mine) just before St Agnes

Loads of surfing going on
at Chapel Porth beach

Covered mineshaft near Porthtowan

Cornish buses have two phone chargers
on the back of every seat!!!

When I got back to Newquay I checked into my underwhelming but quiet Airbnb (an annex in somebody’s concrete front yard), went to get some stuff for dinner and stopped for a while to watch the surfing and enjoy the views along the coast. Now crossing fingers that my 8.15 taxi will show up OK to take me to the airport in the morning. 

SWCP: Newquay to Perranporth

 Today was quite easy, not much ascent. Set off at 9 and was there before 3. Passed a succession of stunning, pristine, absolutely massive beaches. Some of them had hazy mist coming off the crashing waves with the sun lighting it up - reminded me of the beach in South Africa. 

There were quite a few other walkers today.Highlight if the day was watching a huge, fat seal swim to shore and then laboriously flop up West Pentire beach 😀

Leaving Newquay

Crossing the river Gannel - luckily it was low tide. Followed footprints, Crusoe-like, to re-find the path.

Saw a girl fall into a puddle up to the top of her legs. Her boyfriend struggled to pull her out. Her trousers were covered in wet sand. Yikes.

The final bit of the path up to Perranporth was over sand dunes. Loads of paragliders looping and soaring gracefully around the dunes. Too tiring, so I walked along the beach instead, barefoot. The light was beautiful and the beach was so huge that I was walking alone. Great way to finish.  As I came up to the town beach, the RNLI drove along with their loudspeaker to say that there was a strong spring tide coming in and the beach would be underwater in about 20 minutes.

I went and had a shower in my Airbnb and then went and sat with a coffee in the Alcatraz cafe, overlooking the beach. Watched the tide come in. Lots of people trying to make it across from one bit of beach to the next. A lot of them ended up with wet shorts.

Will have to get up early tomorrow to try and get to Portreath in time for a 2.40, two-bus journey back to Newquay. 

SWCP: Mawgan Porth to Newquay

 

Flew to Newquay via the lovely Ryanair. Left home at 9.30 and was on the path by 2.30. Almost got my hiking poles confiscated at Stansted airport security and had to claim I needed them for health reasons. Was very lucky to keep them. Have bought stamps so that I can post them home on Saturday evening. 

Newquay airport is so small that I was in the cab within minutes of landing.

I’m quite surprised to see that I walked seven miles today - it didn’t feel that long. It was easy walking, not much undulation. It smelled of horse manure for miles. Then a big chunk at the end was through urban areas. I didn’t get rained on! I’ve brought too many jumpers - it feels really warm, 17 or thereabouts.

Just a lot of rocks really. There were loads of surfers in Newquay and on Watergate beach (which was looking much reduced as the tide was in). There’s a beach called Lusty Glaze (sounds like an intellectually challenged Bond girl).

Am having the usually trouble with my little toe. Hope it will be OK tomorrow. Newquay itself is nothing to write home about - seems quite deprived. Lots of chunky, tattooed locals and fast food places. Definitely not chi-chi.

SWCP: Farewell to the path (for now)

Woke up early this morning in the lovely boutique-hotel standard bed and had a little walk from the Airbnb up onto Dartmoor. Sun shining birds chirping, dew sparkling and miles-long view spreading out before me. I must come back here. Among other delights, there’s an 11-mile bike trail along a former railway track called the Granite Way, right next to the Airbnb.

Set off from the lovely Okehampton station. Train from Exeter packed to the gills because of yesterday’s strike. Almost every seat filled. However, I managed to get a table seat. Such luck! 

I feel very strong and sturdy after all my exertions. Without the rucksack I feel light as a feather. (I weighed it when I got home and it was over a stone in weight.) Have been investigating Chilterns walks and have just got Janneke’s agreement to do a walk there this Friday. Ten miles should do it! Huzzah!

SWCP: Morwenstow to Bude

A fairly strenuous up-and -down again today. The sun was out and it was warm - fine when I was in the sea breeze, but very sweaty on the sheltered sides of hills. My pack had my shoes in it for most of the way as I’d had to resort to the sandals again. Hard work! 

The day started with a lovely chat with a mother and daughter, the only other overnight guests at The Bush. The mum walked the path from Minehead to Lyme Regis when she was 21 in THREE WEEKS! they were walking together so she’s obviously still fit as a fiddle. She recommended a few trails elsewhere in England. They recommended taking a bacon sandwich from breakfast and I told them I do that too! 😅

Hawker’s Hut, built into the hillside by eccentric clergyman and poet Robert Stephen Hawker

Not even 10am yet, but looking hot and pink
from all the hills

At Stanbury Mouth  (GCHQ Bude - listening dishes galore) I missed a turning and ended up in a fenced-in corner. I wandered around a bit, wondering if I was being watched by security cameras, and then had to retrace my steps a bit before finding my way back to the path. There were over a hundred sheep, all looking at me - talk about feeling scrutinised! 😊

View towards Duckpool Beach

Duckpool Beach

Lots of green swards on the approach to Bude, sparingly sprinkled with tenets and campervans. They had a great view over miles of pristine expanses of beach. I think the tide was out. There were lots of surfers. Everyone had come out to make the most of the sun.

After looking at Bude a bit, having a swim in the huge seawater pool and getting a nice coffee, I got the 3 o’clock bus to Okehampton and this absolutely glorious Airbnb.

Train home tomorrow - I have to wait till then cos there’s a train strike today.