Day 2 Monday

Wet and muddy so far.

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Day 1 - Sunday Land's End to Nancledra

Walking 11.20am to 7.10pm
Distance walked 18 miles (should have been 16 miles)
Distance left 1059 miles




The off!

I know I can't have today's weather every day on this walk but it was just about perfect. A clear blue sky, sun and not too hot - Cornwall at its best. There were fields of daffodils, gorse flowering with that distinctive smell of coconut and everything so new and spring-like.

We arrived at Land's End, a drive of some forty five minutes, at about 11am. The obligatory photographs were taken at the famous sign post and I started walking at 11.20am. Whilst I would have liked to follow the coast path all the way to Minehead, I felt that this would have been too slow for this walk. I've done it before and will do it again but not on this occasion. This time, I just took the coast path to Sennen Cove and then headed inland. I went up over Carn Brea (an Iron Age hill fort, I think)

Carn Brea

and then briefly visited Carn Euny, the ruins of an Iron Age village, abandoned in 400AD. Then it was road walking (but very pleasant) for a couple of miles to Madron and then bridleways over Chysauster Iron Age settlement.

I was heading then for the site where I am now. There were many footpaths marked on the map but very few signed on the ground. The bridleway I wanted to take me in the direction of the site was closed and I was signed in the opposite direction. Consequently, I had to walk three sides of a square to reach the site instead of straight to it.

However, it was worth it. Higher Chellew site at Nancledra. It only opened for the season yesterday and I have it to myself. The fee was £10.00 but Glynis, the owner generously reduced this to five pounds as I am walking for charity. In fact, she has MS herself. The facilities here are good - the shower I had was 10/10 for heat! A site to be recommended.

Well, that's the first day done. I'm on my way!

Arrival in Cornwall

Had a good drive down to Cornwall today. We're at Point, a small village on the Restronguet Creek, near Devoran. It's a lovely setting, especially when the sun is shining, as it is today.

Across the rooftops to Restronguet Creek, Point

Village Green, Point looking towards Restronguet Creek

We've had supper here with friends and are suitably mellowed. It all seems a bit unreal. No work for up to ten weeks. Tomorrow morning we shall drive down to Land's End, about 45 minutes away. After the obligatory photos are taken, I shall be abandoned there. Actually, that may not be quite true. I think that Chris, with whom we are staying tonight, may walk some of the distance tomorrow with me. The first mile or so is up to Sennen Cove, about the only coast walking on this long trek. After 40 miles walking, on Tuesday, I expect to be back at Point, before heading up to Truro and beyond.

The distance ahead to John o'Groats seems impossibly far and quite daunting. The key is, I think, just to take it one day at a time.

Pocketmail

Success right at the last moment. Isn't that typical? I received a very nice apologetic email from Neil at Pocketmail and because of all the messing about, they've reduced my subscription charge for the three month period applied for by one third. So, now all is OK for postings to this blog by email.

Last day at work today for a while. It all seems very strange. I've had my hair cut shorter than I've had it for a long time. Donations to my charity at http://justgiving.com/geoffgafford are now exceeding my original target. Thanks very much to everyone who has given so generously. As I walk through my home town, £5 & £10 notes are thrust at me and people call out to wish me good luck. It's amazing.

Amanda and I set off for Cornwall tomorrow morning, overnight with friends Chris and Stella near Truro tomorrow night and then, on Sunday morning, I'll be driven down to Land's End and left there.

Pocketmail

Email received from Pocketmail this morning. Seems they haven't received my request for reactivation and payment details sent on 22 March. These have now been sent again so hopefully all will be well.

Pocketmail

Having emailed Pocketmail to reactivate my account on 22 March, I'm a little concerned that they don't appear to have done so yet. I need them to do this so that I can post to this blog each day. It's annoying to say the least. I think they're a small firm in the USA. They have a customer service department. I can email them and I get an automated response saying a representative will deal with my request in 2-3 days. I'd really like to speak to a real person who can probably deal with my request by simply pressing a button. Oh well, maybe it will get sorted in the next day or so.

I had a little play with a friend's Blackberry at the weekend. A lovely piece of kit. I'd love one and I did a test posting to this blog (which I removed immediately) and it worked a treat. I'm not sure I could do long postings using its tiny keyboard and I'd still be dependent on a mobile signal but it would be fun to have one. The cost and tie-in to a 24 month contract makes it a non-starter.

Pocketmail, get your act together!

My other blog

Not much time to post at the moment, what with work and getting ready for the trek. Here's a link to a blogette of a walk I did from Siena to Rome in 2004 http://litehiker-italianjourney.blogspot.com/. I wrote a daily account and it seems a shame not to post it for the world to see.