20180601 Padstow – Porthcothan

Date: 20180601

Time: 9:35 – 15:35

Distance: 23.3 km

Stay: Penlan B & B, Porthcothan Bay

Walk

I continue where I left off, Today it goes from Padstow to Porthcothan, a stretch of a little more than 20 kilometers. It will be an easy route because there are not many height differences and where there are, they are not very big and certainly not steep.

From Padstow it immediately goes up and after that along narrow paths with lots of vegetation. This ensures that after a while I am wet again, even though it does not rain. But that is no problem, it will dry up over time. However, I am also covered with pollen, but that too is not a problem since they can be brushed off easily.
After a while I pass the tower at Stepper Point. This is a navigation aid (Daymark) that was built in 1820. Unfortunately, there is little view, it is foggy.

The fog gives the next part that I walk a very special character. I can look over the edge of the cliff, but I do not see the sea. At times, I do not even see the cliff edge. Looking ahead is also limited. However, the Coast Path is easy to follow and occasionally I encounter markings.
I see the mist rolling in from the sea.

After a while the fog starts to rise. Or actually I walk out of it because when I look back, I see more low clouds than where I am.

As I said, today I have an easy route and it goes quite flat over the cliffs to Trevone Bay. Just before Trevone Bay I pass Roundhole Point. This is named like this because there is a huge round hole in the ground (cliff) (in Cornwall they like to call things as they are 🙂 ). Roundhole was formed because erosion created a cave that collapsed over time. It is about 80 feet deep and at high tide, there is water at the bottom.

In Trevone Bay it is time for coffee at a beach café.

After the break, I continue towards some large beaches. First comes Harlyn Bay, then Mother Ivey’s Bay, Booby’s Bay, Constantine Bay and finally Treyarnon Bay. At most baysI walk above the beach, but in Constantine Bay I walk quite a bit over the beach.
At the last beach, in Treyarnon Bay, it is time for a pint at the local youth hostel, I am now about 10 kilometers further and not too far from my final destination.

If I want to continue, Davey shows up. He has caught up with me during my rest day. He stays in the youth hostel tonight and is therefore at his final destination. I have a few more kilometers to go.

During the last part it starts to get foggy again. I pass a few nice rock formations and then Porthcothan suddenly turns up behind a bend.

Today I also saw a number of remnants of installations from the Second World War, but there was not much to see, these were mainly concrete plains.

Weather

The temperature was fine today. However, it was very cloudy and misty from time to time. I walked with my head in the clouds again, not because I was so high, but because the clouds were so low. Due to the fairly high temperature and humidity it was a little muggy.

Lyric of the day

Since I often could not see the sea, the lyrics of today are obvious, Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple. Mist does look like smoke…

We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn’t have much time
Frank Zappa and the Mothers
Were at the best place around
But some stupid with a flare gun
Burned the place to the ground

Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
Smoke on the water

They burned down the gambling house
It died with an awful sound
Funky Claude was running in and out
Pulling kids out the ground
When it all was over
We had to find another place
But Swiss time was running out
It seemed that we would lose the race

Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
Smoke on the water

We ended up at the Grand Hotel
It was empty, cold and bare
But with the Rolling truck Stones thing just outside
Making our music there
With a few red lights and a few old beds
We made a place to sweat
No matter what we get out of this
I know, I know we’ll never forget

Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
Smoke on the water

Photos

20180531 Padstow (rest day)

Date: 20180531

Stay: The Old Ship Hotel, Padstow

Activities

Rest day in Padstow. Since the weather is good, I want to make a boat trip so that I can view the cliffs from the other side.

After first walking a little through Padstow (this doesn’t take too long, but on request some pictures of pubs), I look at the offers of the various boat trips. I decide to go on a boat trip with the Jubilee Queen. An hour and a half, not too expensive and one doesn’t get wet (I did that already yesterday).
I get on board at the quay in the village. Fortunately the boat is not packed full. The GPS track below is from the boat trip and not from a walk (I still can not walk on water).
Afterwards we have to get off the boat on the beach, it is low tide and that means no water in the harbor.

There is a brewery in Padstow, the Padstow Brewing Company. I have to visit them. Google comes to help with an address and the route. First I have a Cornish Pasty and then I walk to the brewery. Along the way I pass the church and the cemetery. After that I have to go a long way along a fairly busy road, without a footpath. Not the best of walking routes.
In the end I arrive at the top (yes, of course it went up). A few more yards and in an industrial area I find the brewery.

I am kindly received in the middle of the bottling plant (or better canning), where plenty of beer is packaged in cans. They have lots of beer in bottles, but unfortunately nothing open … The tasting room is located down in the village.
When the brewer hears that I have come up on foot, he offers to take me down to the village. Given the walking route along the busy road, I gratefully accept his offer.
On the way down we of course talk about beer. He only found Heineken in Amsterdam, so I told him about Brouwerij ‘t IJ, De Prael, De Troost and all the others. The Padstow Brewing Company now exists for 5 years and they brew about 15-16 different beers in small batches. The brewery is running well, which is why they have been able to open the tasting room in the village.
Once arrived in the village, the tasting room is quickly found and that is where the tasting started.

Actually that was my rest day, a boat trip and a brewery visit / tasting. Great day for me!

Weather

Good weather today, better than yesterday. Sunny all day. There were some very dark clouds, even during the boat trip, but in the end it remained dry all day.

Lyric of the day

Today was largely dominated by beer, therefore Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers by ZZ Top:

If you see me walkin’ down the line
with my fav’rite honky tonk in mind,
well, I’ll be here around suppertime
with my can of dinner and a bunch of fine.

Beer drinkers and hell raisers, yeah.
Uh-huh-huh, baby, don’t you wanna come with me?

The crowd gets loud when the band gets right,
steel guitar cryin’ through the night.
Yeah, try’n to cover up the corner fight
but ev’rything’s cool ’cause they’s just tight.

Beer drinkers and hell raisers, yeah.
Huh, baby, don’t you wanna come with me?
Ah, play it boy.

The joint was jumpin’ like a cat on hot tin.
Lord, I thought the floor was gonna give in.
Soundin’ a lot like a House Congressional
’cause we’re experimental and professional.

Beer drinkers, hell raisers, yeah.
Well, baby, don’t you wanna come with me?

Photos

20180530 Port Isaac – Padstow

Date: 20180530

Time: 9:35 – 15:10

Distance: 21.4 km

Stay: The Old Ship Hotel, Padstow

Walk

Today a more relaxed route. The sting is in the beginning, in the first 4-5 kilometers. After that it is not too bad.

I start on time because at the end I have to catch the ferry from Rock to Padstow and I want to be there in time (otherwise it will cost me a taxi).
It is raining, so that is not so good.
I start together with three people that I have already encountered before the last few days, both in hotels and on the path. It is a couple from Germany (from the neighborhood of Nürnberg) and an English friend. I walk faster and lose sight of them after a while. I expect to see them again in the hotel or pub tonight.

Before I start my walk, I first walk through Port Isaac. The town is famous because it the Doc Martin series is filmed here. The hotel where I slept last night is in the series the school building (which it used to be). Port Isaac mainly has many small and narrow streets.

Although the sting is in the beginning, it is not that bad. The hills are not that high anymore, so every climb and descent is a lot shorter. There are a number of steep slopes to take, but I can manage that. However, I have to be careful because everything is wet. Especially on rocky stretches that means it is slippery.

After about 5 kilometer I reach Port Quin, a hamlet by the sea. Normally here in the parking lot one can get something to drink (from an old Citroen HZ), but today they are closed because of the beautiful weather. Too bad, I really would have liked a cup of coffee.
The good news is that the worst climbing is over. Not that it is all flat now, but there are not many height differences anymore.

And then you walk on a not too wide path, along a cliff, and then there are about 10 cows that want to pass you. Going back does not make sense, then you get stuck on a stile. So, crawl against the edge as much as possible and stay as still as possible. The cows have a look at this, they do not trust it completely. Then they pass by one by one. One of the last is a calf and that needs more time before it dares to pass. But in the end it takes a sprint and shoots past. The cow behind it looks at me for a moment as if to say: how dare you against a calf …
All in all, this resulted in some nice close-ups of the cows.

Soon after, Polzeath comes into view, a seaside resort. Despite the bad weather, there is still plenty to do on the beach and in the sea. At least there is coffee here, at a beach bar.

At Polzeath and later at Rock and Padstow, there are huge sand plains. Here they do have real beaches.

After Polzeath it continues via a mainly flat route to Rock, via the dunes, the beach and along the last hill of today.

I’m lucky, when I get to the beach at Rock, a ferry arrives and I can board immediately. They use two ferries today. When we arrive at the Padstow side, it becomes clear why. There is a huge queue waiting.
When I arrived in Padstow, I see that the three people I started with this morning were on the same ferry. In our hotel (we have the same hotel again) I have a chat with them and there I hear that they have taken a short cut. That explains why they have caught up with me.

In Padstow it is very busy. I do not have to get bored here during my rest day tomorrow.

Weather

Well, today finally came an end at the good walking weather. It rained. Fortunately not very hard. From the beginning there was a constant light rain. Later in the day there were dry periods, but the rain kept coming back again.

I had put on my raincoat for and although it was very hot, I kept it on all day.

In the end I was soaking wet, but just like last time only partly because of the rain. Today, especially at the beginning, I had many pieces where I walked along very narrow paths that were largely overgrown with vegetation. That made me the most wet, all that vegetation was soaking wet and so was I in no time.

Lyric of the day

And of course because of the weather, today again a rain song text. One more rainy day by Deep Purple:

Changes, visible changes
Sky looking so forlorn
It looks like the world’s been born
On one more rainy day

Trying to see the sunlight
My heart’s crying out loud
I try to see through the clouds
On one more rainy day

One more rainy day
Once again my mind is grey
This is what a rainy day can do
One more rainy day
One more rainy day

Sun starts shining on through
New day a day with you
It’s strange what sun can do
On one more rainy day

One more rainy day
Once again my mind is grey
This is what a rainy day can do
One more rainy day
One more rainy day

Photos

20180529 Tintagel – Port Isaac

Date: 20180529

Time: 9:25 – 14:05

Distance: 16.4 km

Stay: The Old School Hotel, Port Isaac

Walk

Before I started the official walk today, I first went into Tintagel. The old post office is mentioned everywhere and the church. There are also the King Arthur’s Great Halls. Everything in Tintagel has a connection with King Arthur (even if only in the name). You would almost imagine yourself in the Middle Ages, were it not that it is all very touristy.
At the old post office, which is indeed a very nice and old building, they were preparing for a trade fair.
Then on to the church, which lies on top of the cliffs, a little away from the village. Of course with associated cemetery. There is a special old font in the church. After having taken the necessary pictures, I lit a candle so that the rest of my trip will also go smoothly…

Time to pick up the Coast Path again. I had skipped a piece of today’s route. But that was the piece that ran past Tintagel Castle and I already did that yesterday.

For today, a tough route is predicted. Many ups and downs so to speak. In the meantime I have learned how I can best descend and climb so that I do not have problems with my left knee, but in such a way that I do not overload my right knee and get problems with it.

Almost at the beginning I pass an abandoned slate quarry. I understand that they have got slate here, what I do not understand is why they have left one column. On the other hand, that looks pretty cool now.

As can be seen from the elevation profile below, it went almost completely down to sea level several times and then up again. Especially Dennis Point was a ‘nice’, about 90 meters up and then immediately down again.
Obviously steep as I have come to expect from the Coast Path. This was immediately after Trebarwith Strand, the last civilization before the end point of today. Unfortunately, this was a bit too early for a break, I had just started walking.
Even after Dennis Point, there were some nice climbs and steep descends (for example to Ranie Point, the highest point today). This is the most rugged part of the Coast Path.

After all the ups and downs I finally arrived in Port Gaverne, a hamlet just next to Port Isaac. However, the height differences were not done yet. I had one last climb to get to Port Isaac and one descent.

In the end I was very early done today. Partly because I left on time, but also because the route today was not very long. Time for a pint at the Golden Lion.

Weather

Rain was predicted later in the day. Indeed, official weather warnings were in force regarding thunderstorms and flooding. But these are normally very local and the chance that you are affected is not that big.
Fortunately I did not suffer from this. Today it was mainly cloudy and occasionally sunny. actually good walking weather. The temperature was a bit higher, it was pretty warm.

Lyric of the day

Since I spend the night in Tintagel and everything is dominated by the Middle Ages, today a song by a group that makes medieval music (both acoustic and a combination of rock with traditional instruments). Today Spielmannsfluch by In Extremo:

Es war einmal ein König an Land und Dingen reich
Der saß auf seinem Throne finster und bleich
Was er sinnt ist Schrecken, was er blickt ist Wut
Was er spricht ist Geißel, was er schreibt ist Blut

Einst zog zu diesem Schlosse ein edles Sängerpaar
Einer hat schwarze Locken, der andre ist grau von Haar
Der Graue sprach zum Jungen: “Sei bereit mein Sohn,
Spiel die besten Lieder, stimm an den vollsten Ton!”

:Es regnet, es regnet Blut
Es regnet den Spielmannsfluch:

Es spielen die beiden Sänger im hohen Säulensaal
Auf dem Throne sitzt das Königspaar
Der König so prächtig wie blutiger Nordenschein
Die Königin so süß wie der Sonnenschein

Sie singen von Lenz, Liebe, Heiligkeit
Sie zerfloss in Wehmut, Lust war auch dabei
Ihr habt mein Volk geblendet, verlangt ihr nun mein Weib?
Der König schreit wütend, er bebt am ganzen Leib

:Es regnet, es regnet Blut
Es regnet den Spielmannsfluch:

Des Königs Schwert blitzend des Jünglings Brust durchdringt
Statt der goldnen Lieder nun ein Blutstrahl springt
Der Jüngling hat verröchelt in seines Meisters Arm
Dann schreit der Alte schaurig, der Marmorsaal zerspringt

Du verfluchter Mörder, du Fluch des Spielmann Tun
Umsonst sei all dein Ringen, mit Blut befleckt dein Tun
Des Königs Namen meldet kein Lied, kein Heldenbuch
Versunken und vergessen – das ist des Spielmanns Fluch

:Es regnet, es regnet Blut
Es regnet den Spielmannsfluch:

Photos

20180528 Crackington Haven – Tintagel

Date: 20180528

Time: 9:05 – 17:00

Distance: 22.4 km

Stay: Pendrin House, Tintagel

Walk

Today I walk to the castle of King Arthur (the one of the round table) in Tintagel. Let’s see if I can find that sword in the stone.

Before I get there, however, I first have to cross the highest cliff in Cornwall. The ascent is alternately easy (read not too steep) and less easy (so steep). In the end I’ll manage it up to the 223 meter high top of High Cliff (original name).
But it has not been done yet. It is now rapidly going down and then up again to the top of Rusey Cliff, which is located alongside it and is only a few meters lower.

After this tour de force it mainly goes down with some steep slopes before I am in Boscastle. There are a lot of people in Boscastle, which is probably because it is a bank holiday in England today. At least I manage to get a spot in the beer garden to drink a pint.

After I have also replenished my water supply (which is going very fast today with the warm weather), it goes on to Tintagel. It also immediately goes up again. After that it keeps going up and down with a few steep descents and rises. Eventually Tintagel Castle comes into view, or at least the remains of it. I left this morning extra early because I want to pay a visit. This visit also brings a number of altitude meters with it because the castle and everything that goes with it lies on two hills. But that does not stop me, I can handle the few extra meters.

After I looked around at Tintagel Castle, it goes up one more time to the village itself. Here I have a pint before I go to the B & B for a well-deserved and much needed shower.

All in all, today was a tough day. not only because of the many altimeters, but also because it was very hot. But I did it again 🙂

Weather

Summer weather today, sunny the whole day. There were clouds to see, but they were further away. Actually too hot to trudge up steep slopes. Fortunately, there was a nice sea breeze, which gave a bit of cooling.

Lyric of the day

Because of all the strands (beaches) that I have seen below me and the past few days and because most of them look like you’re indeed stranded when you’re there, today a song from Budgie, Stranded:

Stranded! stranded like a lily on a pond
Stranded!
Stranded and I think that I’ve gone wrong
Stranded! won’t somebody help me get away
Stranded! there between the time of night and day

I’m stranded every way I look
I’m stranded on a river
Stranded like a honeysuckle gypsy to a giver
Stranded like a damsel locked up in a tower
Stranded like a minute stranded in the hour

Stranded! every every every way I go
Stranded! stranded and I think you ought to know
Stranded! stranded I’ve got problems on my mind
Stranded! stranded and I think you’re not my kind
Oh no, you’re not my kind!

Stranded! stranded every every way I go
Stranded! stranded and I think you ought to know
Stranded! stranded like a fish upon a beach
Stranded! stranded and I think it’s out of reach

Well I’m stranded every where I look
I’m stranded in a river
Stranded like a honeysuckle gypsy to a giver
Stranded if you wanna be stranded if you don’t
Stranded like a martian landing in a font
Yeah yeah!

Photos

20180527 Bude – Crackington Haven

Date: 20180527

Time: 9:50 – 15:00

Distance: 18.0 km

Stay: Coombe Barton Inn, Crackington Haven

Walk

Today a more relaxed route. Although there were a few climbs at the last section. Basically everything that a South West Coast Path walk should have:

  • Beautiful views – check!
  • Steep slopes – check!
  • Walking on top of the world – check!
  • Nice weather – check!
  • Bridges over streams that end up in the sea – check!
  • Coffee halfway – check!
  • Beach – check!
  • Waterfalls – check!
  • 300 million year old rocks, which are folded zig-zag – check!
  • Stairs – check! check! check!
  • Other hikers to chat with – check!
  • Pub at the end – check!

Something more about those rocks. The rocks are about 300 million years old and made up of the sedimentary rocks sandstone and shale (mud and other minerals). They were formed in the Carboniferous Period. Over the years the rock layers have become squashed and folded by the movement of the earth’s crust (the tectonic plates) to produce almost vertical strata in some places.
The cliffs at Millook Haven are spectacular, with extensive chevron (zig-zag) folding.

Weather

And again perfect walking weather. Cloudy, occasionally sunny and a nice temperature. Although there were occasionally dark clouds, it has remained completely dry.

It was blowing even faster today than yesterday. That was certainly a challenge in certain parts (where it went down steeply both on the left and on the right). Fortunately, the path was wide enough here.

Lyric of the day

Because there was so much wind today and because in the end we are no more than dust, today’s lyrics are from Kansas, Dust in the Wind:

I close my eyes only for a moment, and the moment’s gone
All my dreams pass before my eyes, a curiosity

Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind

Same old song
Just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do crumbles to the ground
Though we refuse to see

Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind

Now don’t hang on
Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away
And all your money won’t another minute buy

Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
(All we are is dust in the wind)
Dust in the wind
(Everything is dust in the wind)
Everything is dust in the wind
(In the wind)

Photos

20180526 Hartland Quay – Bude

Date: 20180526

Time: 8:40  -16:10

Distance: 27.1 km

Stay: Brendon Arms, Bude

Walk

This is my 10th walking day on the South West Coast Path. And a heavy stage is up for today. All documentation that I have (see Information) warns for today’s stage. Not only is it long, it also goes up and down very often. Since they have predicted rain around 4 p.m., I leave on time. I want to be ready on time so that I suffer as little as possible from the rain.

The first part is very relaxed, at least after the initial climb. I walk without too many height differences on top off the cliffs and through meadows. On top of the world.
Then I reach a picnic bench, here a couple is eating. They make room for me and I sit down to chat and have a drink. I taste their homemade cake and then I walk on.

After a while I arrive at a hut. This was from the poet Ronald Duncan who got inspiration here. With such a view he must have written beautiful poems.

I leave Devon behind me and continue in Cornwall.

Then I am suddenly caught up. That is special, usually I am the one who passes people. It is someone who runs the part that I am walking today. I thought I was sweating a lot, but he is soaking wet from head to toe. When we talk for a moment, there is a constant stream of fluid from his cap. Am I glad that I can walk.

I was not planning to walk to Morwenstow, the route of today is long enough. However, there is a diversion because part of the Coast Path is impassable. This diversion is via Morwenstow. So if I am already there, then it is time for coffee at the Rectory Farm Tearoom.
In Morwenstow there is also a very old church with associated cemetery. Looking at the number of graves, they have either been saving up for a long time, or Morwenstow used to be much bigger …

And again I come across a hut, a very small hut this time, Hawker’s Hut. This hut was made of driftwood by a local clergyman. And again to get inspiration for poems (or to smoke opium). I wonder which one it was…

Now I have to temporarily keep my mouth shut and my thoughts in check. I approach GCHQ Bude, a large eavesdropping station of the English government. Big Brother…

I meet Davey again, just before Duckpool. Here is a stall where they sell food and drinks. I buy a Raspberry Crush, nice and fresh.

The last part is relaxed again, not many height differences. The differences in height are gradual.

The last part goes trhough Bude. Here is a lot of activity, beach tourism and a fun fair. After crossing the river and the canal, I see my sleeping place for the night, the Brendon Arms, on the other side of the road.

I have climbed about 1150 meters today and descended them again also. Not too bad… except that almost all these meters went very steep up and down this time.
The advantage of steep slopes is that you are quickly up or down. That afterwards you need another half an hour to get your breath back, well …

Weather

Great walking weather today. The day started sunny, but then it got cloudy. The temperature was fine, about 20 °C. About 1 pm it looked like it would start to rain, but except for a few lost drops nothing came down. However, it remained very cloudy all day long. Only  just before Bude, the sun came through.

Rain had been forecast for about 4 pm. I arrived dry at 4:15 pm. Then I had a beer on the terrace, but before I finished it, it started to rain (at 4:50 pm). So I was lucky.

There was a lot of wind today, a wind to the sea. So I watched my step on the narrow paths along the cliffs.

Lyric of the day

Talking of Big Brother and the ever-increasing power of government agencies to spy on us, today a song by Muse, Uprising. Let’s hope it does not go that far …

Paranoia is in bloom,
The PR transmissions will resume
They’ll try to push drugs that keep us all dumbed down
And hope that we will never see the truth around
(so come on)

Another promise, another seed
Another packaged lie to keep us trapped in greed
And all the green belts wrapped around our minds
And endless red tape to keep the truth confined
(so come on)

They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious
(so come on)

Interchanging mind control
Come, let the revolution take its toll
If you could flick the switch and open your third eye
You’d see that we should never be afraid to die
(so come on)

Rise up and take the power back
It’s time the fat cats had a heart attack
You know that their time’s coming to an end
We have to unify and watch our flag ascend
(so come on)

They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious
(so come on)

Hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey

They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious
(so come on)

Hey, hey, hey, hey

Photos

20180525 Clovelly – Hartland Quay

Date: 20180525

Time: 9:40 – 15:15

Distance: 20.4 km

Stay: Hartland Quay Hotel, Hartland

Walk

Before I start my walk today, I first go down to the harbor in Clovelly. They are moving someone which means everything on sleds (cabinets, washing machine, everything) and down to the harbor . There is a road behind the hotel near the harbor.
I also take this road and I return to the Coast Path near the Clovelly Visitor Center, after a long climb. I could have saved that climb, based on my overnight stay I could have used the Landrover service. But hey, no patience and so … Once on the Coast Path, a fairly relaxed walk follows through Clovelly Court Gardens with a hiding place called Angel’s Wings and a viewpoint to Blackchurch Rock.

Then it starts going down a few times and back up again. The first time to the beach at Blackchurch Rock. I try to get a good picture of it (with the holes visible), but I can not. For that I would have to go into the sea and I don’t want to right now.

After a few drops and rises, another very relaxed part follows past fields along the cliffs up to Hartland Point. Here it is time for a break and coffee at The Hartland Point Outdoor Café where food and drinks are sold. They also have a terrace and fortunately they have a few parasols open so that I can sit dry (see weather below). They are open every day and certainly with this weather I think that’s very good service. On the other hand, half the terrace is full of walkers, so rain or shine, there is always something going on here.

I only need to walk 4 – 5 kilometers, but these are heavy it says in the SWCP flyer. And they are right, the rest of the route is alternately laid back and then it goes down and back up again, up to 5 times.
At one point I am working my way up with left and right fairly steep precipices. I wonder where that will end and expect every moment that it just stops before me. Then I arrive at the top and what do you think? Nothing but green pastures with sheep and plenty of space …

In the end the last climb is done and I see lying beneath me Hartland Quay. That’s where I need to be, that’s my stay for tonight.
Hartland Quay is a hotel with an accompanying restaurant / bar, a souvenir shop and a small museum. The museum shows that this part of the coast used to have many shipwrecks (10 per mile it is said).

Weather

The start of the day is good, cloudy and not cold. It starts to rain around 11 o’clock. Not hard, also no drizzle rain. Real drops, but not too much. In any case, not enough to make my pants wet, the bushes that I walk through take care of that. I have my light jacket with me, but that is far too hot. In addition, my blouse gets wet anyway, I do not need rain for that with this kind of walk.

To speak with another hiker I spoke to today, we walked with our heads in the clouds today!

Lyric of the day

Because of the rain and because it is a fantastic song, today The Rain Song by Led Zeppelin:

It is the springtime of my loving – the second season I am to know
You are the sunlight in my growing – so little warmth I’ve felt before.
It isn’t hard to feel me glowing – I watched the fire that grew so low.

It is the summer of my smiles – flee from me Keepers of the Gloom.
Speak to me only with your eyes. It is to you I give this tune.
Ain’t so hard to recognize – These things are clear to all from time to time.

Talk, talk, talk, talk – I’ve felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought it would ever go. I cursed the gloom that set upon us, ‘pon us, ‘pon us…
But I know that I love you so. But I know that I love you so

These are the seasons of emotion and like the wind they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion – I see the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient, quotient – Upon us all, upon us all a little rain must fall.
It’s just a little rain oh yeah

Photos

20180524 Westward Ho! – Clovelly

Date: 20180524

Time: 9:20 – 14:55

Distance: 21.0 km

Stay: New Inn Hotel, Clovelly

Walk

After a day of rest, the next stage is up, from Westward Ho! to Clovelly. It is going up and down again today, not as bad as the first few days, but still.

Before I leave, I first replete my water supply in Westward Ho !. On an average walking day, I easily need 5 bottles of water (half a liter). That means that at the beginning of the day I have a much heavier backpack than later in the day 🙂

After a relaxed part immediately after Westward Ho! it is really going up and down again and up and down … So a typical Coast Path route. All in all it is manageable. What really helps is that after the last big climb the descent is very gradual. That descent goes via the Hobby Drive, a road to Clovelly which used to be a toll road. The road is called that way because building the road was a hobby for Sir James Hamlyn Williams.
Halfway through the Hobby Drive I meet a lot of people at a viewpoint. One of those people is Davey, whom I also encountered in Ilfracombe a few days ago. We walk the Hobby Drive together for some time, until Davey wants to drop the pace again.

Clovelly waits at the end of the Hobby Drive. Clovelly lies against the hill and has a very steep main street of boulders. Motorized traffic is banned and all transport is through sledges or donkeys. My hotel is halfway up the hill and I am well on time. Even earlier than my bags. So I will have a local beer while waiting.

In the evening I stay in the hotel and order lobster, which is freshly caught that morning. For me as a non-fish eater this is the first time I eat this … I’m not usually taking pictures of food, but this time I make an exception.

All in all a very successful day on the Coast Path. We are on the road again …

Weather

It was perfect walking weather today. Cloudy, dry and not too hot.

Lyric of the day

Because we are on the road again and because I met Davey again today (respect for carrying all that stuff and camping every night), today a golden oldie from Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Davy’s on the Road Again:

Davy’s on the road again
Wearin’ different clothes again
Davy’s turning handouts down
To keep his pockets clean
All his goods are sold again
His word’s as good as gold again
Sez if you see Jean now ask her please to pity me
Jean and I we moved along
Since the day – down in the hollow
When the mind went driftin’ on
And the feet were soon to follow

Davy’s on the road again
Wearin’ different clothes again
Davy’s turning handouts down
To keep his pockets clean
Sayin’ his goodbyes again
Wheels are in his eyes again
Sez if you see Jean now ask her please to pity me
Downtown in the big town
Gonna set you back on your heels
With a mouth full of memories
And a lot of stickers for my windshield
Shut the door
Cut the light
Davy want be home tonight
You can wait till the dawn rolls in
You won’t see our Davy again

Davy’s on the road again
Wearin’ different clothes again
Davy’s turning handouts down
To keep his pockets clean
Sayin’ his goodbyes again
Wheels are in his eyes again
Sez if you see Jean now ask her please to pity me
Downtown in the big town
Gonna set you back on your heels
With a mouth full of memories
And a lot of stickers for my windshield
Shut the door
Cut the light
Davy want be home tonight
You can wait till the dawn rolls in
You won’t see our Davy again

Photos

20180523 Westward Ho! (rest day)

Date: 20180523

Stay: Culloden House, Westward Ho!

Activities

The first activities of today were of a more domestic nature. Walk to the launderette and do the laundry. That went amazingly well, but I will spare you the details. And no, the lyrics of today do not come from Trafassi 🙂 (I am afraid that this one will elude most of my non Dutch friends, try looking up Trafassi and Wasmasjien and translate the song lyrics).

After the housekeeping was done, it was time to walk to the coast (only a few hundred meters). There I started with all beach bars going from left to right (not that there are so many). Nicely laid back on the terrace, reading a little, working on this report and doing nothing (except watching people).

Well, it was a rest day today after all!

I did some more research on the name of Westward Ho! and learned that:

  • Westward Ho! is the only place on the British Isles with an exclamation mark in it’s name.
  • There is a place in this world with two exclamation marks in the name, namely Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! in Quebec. How about that…
  • Hamilton, Ohio in 1986 tried to add an exclamation mark to it’s name to gain greater publicity. However, that was not really picked up by others and therefore died out. So no Hamilton!.

The nice useless things you find on the Internet 🙂

Weather

Perfect summer weather to spend on the coast. Sunny all day and a nice temperature.

It seems that my luck with the weather is running out. From tomorrow, a number of days with rain are expected. We will see how it goes. I expect to get wet once in any case. Hopefully it is ok and I can walk between the showers.

Lyric of the day

The lyrics of today have nothing to do with what is happening today, but more with what has happened 429 months (or 13057 days) ago. The lyrics of today are for my everything, my Ada. Thank You by Led Zeppelin:

If the sun refused to shine,
I would still be loving you.
When mountains crumble to the sea,
There will still be you and me.

Kind woman, I give you my all.
Kind woman, nothing more.

Little drops of rain
Whisper of the pain.
Tears of love lost in the days gone by.

My love is strong,
With you there is no wrong.
Together we shall go until we die.

My, my, my.

An inspiration’s what you are to me.
Inspiration, look, see.

And so today my world—it smiles,
Your hand in mine, we walk the miles,
Thanks to you it will be done,
For you to me are the only one.

Alright, yeah

Happiness: no more be sad,
Happiness: I’m glad.

If the sun refused to shine,
I would still be loving you.
Mountains crumble to the sea,
There will still be you and me.

Photos

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