SWCP Day 5: Rest and recuperation

Other SWCP posts:

Introduction
Day 1: Minehead to Porlock
Day 2: Porlock to Lynton
Day 3: Lynton to Combe Martin
Day 4: Combe Martin to Mortehoe
Day 6: Mortehoe to Braunton
Day 7: Braunton to Westward Ho!
Day 8: Westward Ho! to Clovelly
Day 9: Clovelly to Hartland Quay
Day 10: Hartland Quay to Morwenstow
Day 11: Morwenstow to Bude
Days 12-14: Bude to Crackington Haven
Day 15: Crackington Haven to Tintagel
Day 16: Tintagel to Port Isaac
Day 17: Port Isaac to Padstow
Day 18: Padstow to Porthcothan
Day 19: Porthcothan to Crantock
Day 20: Rest day, Holywell bay loop
Day 21: Crantock to St Agnes
Day 22: St Agnes to Godrevy
Day 23: Godrevy point to St Ives
Day 24: St Ives to Pendeen Watch
Day 25: Pendeen Watch to Sennen Cove
Day 26: Sennen Cove to Lamorna
Day 27: Lamorna to Marazion
Day 28: Marazion to Porthleven
Day 29: Porthleven to Lizard Point
Day 30: Lizard Point to Coverack
Day 31: Rest day in Coverack
Day 32: Coverack to Maenporth

Day 33: Maenporth to Portscatho

Day 34: Portscatho to Boswinger

Day 35: Boswinger to Pentewan

Day 36: Pentewan to Polkerris

Days 37-39: Polkerris to Fowey

Day 40: Polruan to Polperro

Day 41: Polperro to Seaton

Day 42: Seaton to Kingsand

Day 43: Kingsand to Plymouth

Day 5

Rest Day
Loop of Morte Point, 2.5 miles
19,113 steps (lots of walking to the laundry room and shop and back!)

With four days of walking and 45 miles under my belt, and on so little training, I was sorely(!) in need of a rest day. I had a lie-in and a very chilled out morning resting in the sun, in between getting all my laundry done. Making the most of the sunshine to dry everything, strewn across the tent and grass. 

All the laundry!

In the afternoon I felt rested and revived, so took a walk around Morte Point, giving me a head start on the following day’s walking. The bliss of walking without a massive backpack! So light and fast. The coastline around Morte point is absolutely stunning, with phenomenal views along the cliffs. Pink Sea Thrift flowers drifted everywhere on the grassy tops, waving in the breeze. I had visited here a few years ago with the boyfriend for surfing at nearby Woolacombe, and it was lovely to connect the short section of coast we’d walked then to the rest of the coast path. I was slowly stringing together all my favourite places in the South West, along with discovering new delights.

View out from Morte Point

Looking towards Croyde and Westward Ho!

The lighthouse at Bull Point

Sea Thrift aka Sea Pinks

I circled back round to Mortehoe village in time for dinner, and discovered the little gem that is Rockleigh takeaway, which does home-cooking style food, a welcome change after a non-stop diet of pasties and chips! I had an excellent beef stroganoff with rice, and sat in the village square watching the weekend crowds.

Good dinner!

I had a lovely and relaxing day and felt much better, although the giant blister on my foot did require some DIY surgery. With some boot adjustments my feet were feeling ok after the leg-stretch to Morte point, and the blister was healing. Liberal use of the muscle gel I had bought in Lynton and some backpack adjustments also meant my shoulders were feeling a lot better. I found myself looking forward to getting back to proper walking the next day, despite the somewhat unappealing forecast for a wet and windy weather.