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Thursday 16 July 2020

SWCP Day 42: The beginning of the end

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 5: Rest day, Morte Point loop
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 42

Seaton to Kingsand

Approx. 15 miles (5 by bus), 500m ascent

24,705 steps


I planned an early start to beat some of the heat, but I definitely woke up on the wrong side of the bed that morning. I was still grumpy about the rubbish and expensive campsite, and my feet were back to feeling very painful again. I got packed up and was walking by 7am, feeling groggy and cross about it all. A lot of the day’s walking would be on roads, so I stomped off down the quiet country lane and was soon in Seaton proper, which didn’t seem to be much apart from some holiday lodges and caravans, no chance of a breakfast.


Early morning walking

I found that I could walk along the sea wall instead of carrying on up the road, and was lucky that the tide was out as the path seemed to disappear onto the sand at the end of the concrete wall. I found a cut back up into the village of Downderry, and was able to get some supplies at the post office village shop, no coffee though! My mood was little improved as I continued my trudge along the road through the village, finally finding the path winding up onto the cliff. By this point it was about 8.30 and already getting roasting hot. I stopped in the shade of some big trees to eat a scotch egg, and soon had the company of some bitey horseflies also looking for breakfast.


Another hot day on the cards
Morning haze towards Portwrinkle and Rame head

I hurried on, sore feet not enjoying the steep steps to the top of the hill. Of course the views were stunning, with a vast panorama around Whitsand bay looking towards Rame head. This morning though I was a little oblivious to it. I had soon collected a cloud of horseflies, and as the fierce sun was beating down I huffed and puffed and worked myself up into quite a meltdown on that quiet clifftop, shouting at the flies to sod off, and wildly waving my walking poles, which was entirely ineffective. I stomped on growling and trying to throw them off, and had the sudden realisation that I would end my walk when I reached my sister’s house in Plymouth, now just a few miles away. 


At the end of the military road

My decision to start the walk had been quite spur of the moment, and now my decision to quit was almost instantaneous. Perhaps it sounds a bit pathetic to quit because of a few flies, but I had never intended the walk to be a miserable endurance slog, which was why I was taking my time. Although I had wanted to do it for the physical challenge, I also set out to enjoy exploring the coast, and the constant heat and the flies were making it very unenjoyable. I knew now after completing 400-odd miles that I was perfectly capable of the physical side, but I didn’t just want to slog to the end for the sake of it.


A day of long views

At Portwrinkle I found a cafe with a big terrace that was about to open, so I set myself up on a big table, under the shade of the umbrella, and ordered a bacon sandwich. I chatted to the guy behind the till and told him about the walk and that I had decided to quit, which further confirmed my choice in my head. I sat and considered my plan for the day. I was completely sure of my decision to quit, but I did need to get to Plymouth. The next section of the path was about 4 miles along a road, and as there was a bus option I decided to take it, having no desire to deal with traffic and hot tarmac stomping. I sat and enjoyed the cool shade for a good while, then found the bus and got going again, first to Anthony and a bus change, then alighting a little short of Rame head.


Green cliffs
Rame head topped by the chapel

As I got walking again thankfully the breeze at the headland seemed to be keeping the flies away, so I had an enjoyable walk out to Rame head. The views back along the coast were spectacular, the massive sweep of the bay going on for miles. I took a break in the shade of the little chapel at the head, with plenty of people milling around enjoying the scorching day. The hillside was looking parched and there was the constant buzz of crickets. Just a few miles left to do, although the heat was draining so it was fairly slow going. 


Looking down to Plymouth Sound, big warship
Cawsand

I finally found some shade under trees on the approach to Cawsand, although my feet were protesting again at more tarmac walking. I arrived in the pretty village and found an ice-cream, sitting a while by the beach. It was still sunny and hot, so I decided I would change into my bikini in the village toilets, and go for a swim when I got round the corner to the next door village of Kingsand. On my way I passed a bakery that had a board outside advertising takeaway pizza that evening, so I placed an order for later and went and found a quiet spot on the pebbly beach.


More excellent pizza
Touristing

I had a really rather lovely afternoon, taking a dip in the mild sea and enjoying watching families messing about on boats. The pizza was excellent, eaten with a careful eye on the local gull population. I then found my way up the hill to the campsite for the night, in an unusual setting on an old military base (Maker campsite). I was excellent, with very spaced out pitches cut into the long meadow grass (and cheaper than the previous night!). I found a perfect spot looking towards the setting sun and with a view down towards Plymouth. It had been a challenging day, but I was 100% sure of my decision to end the walk, and with all the pressure of another 200 miles removed, I was feeling very calm and relaxed.


The interesting campsite
Pitch with a view down to Plymouth
Tent flap sunset

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