Day 5 - Peppercombe, Clovelly

Total: 98+m / Daily: ~18  / Sunny / Exploding hedges

The exploding hedges reference above is due to the fact that little birds (pheasants, grouse etc.) like to hide in the hedge row and then panic when humans get close. Their panic leads to an explosion of feathers and flapping as the bird narrowly misses my head. I imagine they must have quite springy legs to jump up and then fly? I don't know.

I met a young couple in Buck's Mill and the man asked if I was fundraising. I've now collected my first donation whilst walking and he shared the story of his father who was affected by Prostate Cancer. I listened carefully as he explained what had happened, I like to think I was helping him in some way by listening and after we parted ways he shook my hand and wished my Dad all the best. Walking away, I found myself overcome by emotion, I can't really explain it, but we really had shared a moment together whilst chatting. I wish I had his email address so I could share this blog or even his name, my mistake for not asking. I think when I get some time at a computer I will create a few information cards, business card sized things with a link to this blog and perhaps the charity website or my JustGiving page - there have been a few occasions they would have been useful now.

Sun break and lunch of scampi and chips finished, I set off from Clovelly's New Inn Bar, taking a photo on the way out of the narrow streets and overhanging verandahs which characterise 'England's most picturesque town' according to my guide.

A slow afternoon/evening brought me through many fields of rolling cliff edged fields to a bench and lookout where I could see Hartland radar tower, my finsihing mark for tomorrow. In the previous field I was happily approaching the cows on the path, safe in the knowledge that they always retreat, until I realised that it was a bull. Oh. "Nice bull.. There's a good bull" I  chose to leave the path temporarily.

Day 4 - Saunton, Braunton, Barnstaple, Instow, Appledore, Westward Ho!

Total: 88+m / Daily: ~22m  / Sunny / Bikes: 100s

Last night I pitched my tent next to a little wooden building with the name 'The Shack' carved on a plate above the door frame. Having read 'The Shack', I was a little concerned that I might come across The Holy Trinity in my unconscious state but actually had quite a comfortable night sleep. As a hiker, sleeping on the edge of an 'Area of Specialist Natural Interest' roughly translates as, 'if you sleep here there will be birds!' low flying birds at that. Many birds!

Today began with a long walk along the beach, where the hard sand turned to soft sand for no apparent reason and walking poles were useless. Having said that it was soft underfoot, but somewhat slow going. Missing the turn off the beach into the dunes took me to the edge of the estuary and added 2 or so miles to the day.

I then followed the edge of the estuary into Braunton and linked up with cycle route 'The Tarka Trail' which connects the various towns and forms part of the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route. This meant concrete, lots and lots of concrete. So much concrete that I think the bottom of my feet had began to bruise, on the plus side, the flat meant that my knee was quite happy to pound tarmac all day.

I spent a good 3 hours in the Fremington Quay cafe hiding from the midday sun and decided to sit inside, a mistake considering there was no breeze and no air conditioning. The waitress told me that their kitchen thermometer read 37℃ yesterday, not exactly ideal working conditions!

The Instow Ferry which links Instow with Appledore is listed in the SWCP Association guide as an 'alternative route' but as far as I'm concerned, rivers simply don't count as coast and you should cross them as soon as possible. The book sometimes suggests the ferry and other times (like today) just lists that they exist. The same of true of the (new) Barnstaple bridge, the official route marches you along more concrete into the town and back out. I have enough of a challenge on my hands without having to trace rivers inland!

Feeling ok after fish and chips on the quaysidein Appledore, I wandered on to Westward Ho! ... (that must be shouted whilst pointing west, as if riding a horse) Are there any other place names with an exclamation mark in them? I suspect none with a name to match! The amount of icecream being sold made most of the national papers at some point over the last few days and I suspect Westward Ho! contributed its fair share, the little stalls were everywhere and all appeared to be trading well.

Walking out of the town I met an elderly couple sitting on a bench about 2 miles outside of town who were interested to hear my story. The man was an ex scout leader and DoE assessor for 15 years and had many questions about distances, gear, supplies etc. And he took an interest in my cooking facilities. Show and tell over, I walked a further mile to pitch on flat grass next to a family enjoying a fire together on what I gathered was their first camping trip.

Sunset was brilliant and I briefly thought about how the miles I had gained today would help with my planned day off at Hartland on Monday.

* Photo of my arm shows that it was so hot that when I tried to read the paper, the crossword ended up on my arm.

Day 3 - Ilfracombe, Woolacombe, Croyde

Total: 54m / ~19m  / Sunny / Sunseakers:1000+

The first thing I did today (after sitting up) was to take 2 painkillers. The walk into Ilfracombe wasn't too bad and I feel my pole technique is improving although I'm all over the place going downhill. I was thinking about painkillers and then onto ice as a painkiller. The only reason ice is applied is to numb pain, this can then trick the body into producing less fluid as it thinks the problem is going away, thereby reducing swelling. All of this information comes off the side of my new tubegrip knee support, which (rather worryingly) is white. White is a bad idea for long walks for rather obvious reasons, perhaps it can become my clothes washing indicator.

A fantastic walk around Lee Bay, Bull Point and Morte Point took me past inaccessible sandy coves, a stunning lighthouse with converted holidays cottages, rocky outcrops and undulating hills (of which these ones did slightly more undulating than I was expecting). My first sight of Woolacombe was thousands of sunseakers on the vast sandy beach and the little town perched on the edge. It was slightly later than I had hoped and I found welcome shade at the Sea Breeze Ice Cream and Coffee Shop.

Lunch was accompanied by a show as a lady from Birmingham became more and more irate with her broken down car. One man suggested that it 'sounds like a fault with the petrol pump,' how can you tell? I have no idea whether he was qualified to make that comment, all I know is that it sounds like it won't start!

Across Woolacombe beach I climbed up around the headland and was able to see right the way across the next huge bay (with Barnstaple in the middle) all the way to Hartland, where where I will hopefully be spending Monday night in the YHA.

The Saunton Hotel, starting at £110 per room per night was a little out of my price range, so a pizza beside the beach and sleeping in my tent will do nicely!

If you look carefully at the rock photo you will see two people. One abseiled down the rope attached coiled in his bag and the other clipped in and came down the same rope.

Day 2 - Lynton, Combe Martin

~18 miles / Sunny / 5 Deer

Knee sore within 3 minutes, I decided to alter the 18 mile a day plan to allow me to get used to carrying a heavy rucksack again.

I had a coffee in Lynton and thought about various options, talking them through with the waitress at the one cafe in town open at 9am. Physio means going to Barnstaple to try and get an appointment with someone who will most likely tell me to rest and build up strength. The better option for me is to take a day (well, 12 hours) rest, see if I can find a support and plan to carry on tomorrow. Concious of time, this meant a bus to Combe Martin, but well worth it if I can shake the problem early on.

* Photo, Combe Martin

Day 1 - Minehead, Porlock

~ 17 miles / Sunny
Quite an eventful day, all things considered. After having another chat with Andrew at the YHA about the SWCP and specifically my options for today, I felt well prepared. Three hours later, I had completed the first day according to the 8 week guide book. Arriving at lunch time in Porlock allowed me to hide from the midday sun in The Ship Inn, eating prawn cocktail and drinking amber ales. Doesn't exactly sound like the hard life yet. The end of the day and the following day changes that!

I bumped into two ladies at England's smallest church, so I was informed, in a tiny settlement called Culbone. I sat in the church for a couple of minutes, and although I'm not a particularly religious person, there was a real sense of calm and tranquility inside. Light filtering in through the little windows and the distant sound of water in the stream added to the effect. Annie and .... (is it Jean? Sorry, my phone crashed after I wrote this post the first time ) took an interest in my story and I've decide I need business cards with  my blog/JustGiving details on so that I don't have a repeat of the embarrassing moment when a teabag is the only thing I have to write on. Teabag signed, I headed off wondering why my complaining knee hadn't gone away unlike the ankle and hips, which briefly had a tantrum and then got on with the job in hand.

The niggling pain in my left knee was getting worse on downhill sections. After stopping for supper in a combe with a stream, my knee tightened up and the final few miles of the day were pretty painful. Hopefully a good night sleep would sort it. Despite the perfect location, flat grassy area sheltered by bushes, clear skies, sleeping with the fly off under the stars, my knee began to complain pretty soon into the new day.

Day 0 - Minehead

Having now lost this post three times, what follows is an abridged version of what would undoubtedly have been a literary masterpiece. Now I'm afraid I just want to get the facts published!

Heather kindly offered to drop me in Minehead and we parted ways in Tesco car park a conflicting feeling of excitement and worry came over me as a wandered the aisles picking up the last few things I needed.

In my infinite wisdom, I booked the Minehead YHA without actually checking where in Minehead it was. Turns out to be 20 minutes walk outside the town up into the woods of Exmoor National Park. Despite my initial grumbling and wondering whether I had taken the wrong road, the YHA was a lovely place, wooded on all sides and had plenty of character. There were 4 or 5 other groups there and things were quiet, I ended up with a 4 bedroom dorm to myself.

I slept fairly well, waking only with the noise of people moving around elsewhere in the building. Tomorrow night I imagine will be much more pleasant in my tent with the fly sheet off if the forecast is correct.

*Photo - view from the hostel dining room, it was the same in all directions.

Fundraising Success

I have absolutely smashed my target of £3 per mile and am rapidly approaching £9 per mile!

Absolutely fantastic news!

www.justgiving.com/AlanMacnair