Day 6 Friday - Hellandbridge to Treworra Barton

Walking 9.15am to 5.15pm
Distance walked 13 miles
Distance left 985 miles

Last night was somewhat later than I've been used to this week. The church was packed. I don't think I'd heard anything by Messiaen before. They played "Quartet for the End of Time". However, I had "legs" the whole time - caused by a build up of lactic acid, I think; I just couldn't get them comfortable. Sleep was probably what was needed and I may have nodded off once or twice.

I forgot to mention in yesterday's posting that I was VERY BRAVE. I normally try and avoid fields with horses, not being at all confident with them. However, so as not to go on long detours, I resolved to go through all fields whatever may be in them (apart from, maybe, herds of young cattle - the very inquisitive kind that tend to give chase). Yesterday, two paddocks in quick succession had a skittish racehorse types in each, both of which ran circles round me. Then, further on there was a field with ten horses in but they completely ignored me. Today there've been wild ponies and they haven't been interested in me at all. So, it's the racehorsey ones to be wary of perhaps.

David dropped me back at Hellandbridge this morning. A lovely sunny start to the day and I continued along the Camel Trail to Merry Meeting where I left it to follow minor roads to St. Breward.

The Camel Trail

I called in at the PO/internet cafe in St. Breward and, given that I must keep up my calorie intake, I had a cream tea (scones, jam, clotted cream) with a round of sausage sandwiches with Branston to take away (for lunch).

From there to Tremail it was pleasant walking, quite a bit of it off road. For once, I managed to get good radio reception and listened to a performance of Bach's St. John Passion on Radio 3. I had excellent views of Rough Tor for quite a while.

Just beyond Crowdy Reservoir I had hoped to find a path through Davidstow Woods but it was all securely fenced. I had to road walk around the woods but it was then easy to walk across the old airfield beyond.

The map showed a footpath from the airfield to Tremail but it wasn't signposted at all and in places it was extremely muddy. Towards the end of it I was accosted by a farmer who maintained that there wasn't a right of way. He had a good moan about ramblers (meaning members of the Ramblers Association) leaving gates open. I assured him that I had shut all his gates and he "kindly" allowed me to continue through his farm yard to the road. For those readers interested, this path is between GR SX151855 and SX159863.

I then headed for a camping/caravan site as shown on the map at Treworra, just outside Tremail. However, for the past two years, it has been a new development of holiday bungalows. I was directed further up the lane to a place that "did tents". This was, in fact marquee hire, somewhat different. The man there wasn't able to help so I called at the adjoining property, Treworra Barton a collection of holiday cottages owned by John and Maddy, who live in the main house. Ah, the kindness of strangers. I'm pitched in one of the garden areas and Maddy brought me out a tray of tea and cake. Life is good.


John and Maddy are going to the cinema in Wadebridge to see "The Boat that Rocked" and I have been entrusted with the task of shutting in the chickens at dusk. Maddy asked if I'd like to go but I had to respond, "Who'll put the chickens away?" Duh.