Sunday 07th June 1998 - Day Two, Trebarwith Strand - Polzeath Prev Next

I've never seen so many slugs. Up to Trebarwith Strand and a little way beyond they were little white ones. Now they were big and black. Earlier in the morning they had been small and black.

The day had started early. I woke with a coughing fit at 04:00. 'Pete' was right, I could have just about started walking at four but that's crazy. I nodded off and woke again at 04:25, then I got bored so I started to move, partly because I was impatient to get going again, and partly because I had visions of a farmer poking a shotgun through the tent door and telling me to get off his land. Possibly.

It was very windy which did not help in making tomato and pasta soup, or in packing the tent away. Still at 05:46 I got going into the first climbs of the day. It was here I noticed the slugs were black and not white. If they interbred would they come out grey, or would they be striped like a zebra? Over the top of the headland between fences the National Trust still hadn't cut the grass so I donned gaiters and these made things a lot better. Then, over a stile it was steeply down hill on slippery mud and broken slate, where I slipped a couple of times but held onto a wire fence as many people had obviously done before, bending it out of shape where they held on.

There were some serious ups and downs, but in between was plenty of easier stuff before I arrived at Port Isaac where everyone was still in bed, except for the chap at the general stores. Breakfast part two consisted of three half price Eccles cakes, a snickers and two litres of sparkling water. I also availed myself of the local facilities in the car park as they were open.

I left Port Isaac sleeping and continued to Port Quin through the same mixed bag of walking. By now the slugs were real whoppers. Port Quin is a lot less than it sounds, and what was there seemed to be holiday accommodation. A little farther on is Lundy Bay with a massive hole in the rock to a cove behind. I stopped and sat down on a bench above Lundy Bay where I could see such different weather depending on where I looked. The sun was shining where I was sitting as was a rock outcrop called 'The Mouls' that was nearby with beautiful blue sky behind that. Looking back to Tintagel the hills were swathed in mist and cumulus cloud piled up from nothing just off land, to towering columns which I am sure would make cumulonimbus by the afternoon. I sat there with T-shirt off, boots off and walking socks off in an attempt to get them and my feet a bit drier. My feet were looking ghastly, ghostly as well. The deathly white colour was a combination of no sun and being wet for about seven hours. Passers by gave me strange looks and moved closer to the cliff edge.

I put the boots and socks back on, they weren't completely dry but a lot better. Someone had kindly driven a tractor mower along this bit of the path so it was easy to follow and my feet got progressively drier. There weren't many steps now, the path just undulated. Closer and closer came 'The Mouls' lit in brilliant sunshine as I ambled along, also in brilliant sunshine. There were a few puffs of fair weather cumulus about, one being followed by a helicopter or so it seemed. Eventually the helicopter caught up with it and disappeared what appeared to be inside the cloud. I looked but didn't see a puff of cloud come down from the down thrust of the rotor blades. Shortly after I heard a big but distant boom. I had heard a couple the last evening. I suspect it was a sonic boom.

The path continued turning to the north to go around the headland that is Pentire Point, above Polzeath. Looking over I could see the next bay and some houses. This part is obviously well trodden by people who walk to the two lumps of rock at the end, sit awhile and then go home. A couple of ornithologists were walking towards me, one carrying a large telescope on a tripod, at least I think they were ornithologists and not anything more sinister.

The path turned left at a right angle whereas the day trippers path continued to the outcrops of rock. Halfway along the top stretch I spotted the triangulation pillar on the highest point, although this one seemed to be built from rock. A couple of chaps were driving a Toyota pickup around a field rounding up some sheep. Collies must be extinct in Cornwall because I saw another farmer doing the same thing at Port Quin. Futher along the path did another right angle to the left, (a left angle?) and over the rise I could see Polzeath where I was going to stay that night.

The sun was easing back behind banks of cloud but it didn't matter because I was nearing my stop for the night and getting ahead of schedule. This part of the path was also well trodden and I exchanged a few 'good afternoons' as I approached Polzeath.

Padstow bay.

The thing that impressed me about Polzeath as I walked along was the number of surfers. It wasn't too bad a day for surfing, and one or two got standing on their boards whilst being carried along by the waves. Most lay on their boards and cruised in. Surf City U.K. of A. I sat down on the first bench that I came to and it was an indicator that Polzeath is not without tragedy from time to time. It was in memory of Andrew somebody 1960-1995, the same year I was born, from his mum. A little further was a raised slab to two guys 27 Sep 1996 aged sixteen, and nineteen and a half, with the inscription 'The next wave's for you'.

More immediate matters pressed on my mind, toilet and food. The first satisfied by an amenity near the beach with people changing out of wet suits, and the second by a Spar shop a hundred yards away. I then continued according to plan along the coast path with the intention of cutting back to find a camp site. Here the path was made up for people to walk and view the harbour, and was very easy walking. In retrospect it was a tactical mistake because I walked about two miles to save a couple of hundred yards, and I wasn't going to be rushed next morning because I had to catch the Padstow ferry.

The first campsite I stopped at was overlooking the harbour and a bit exposed. Nevertheless I waited in the shop for about five minutes then noticed it was £8 for the night with car. I wondered what backpackers rate would be. At about the same time I remembered there was another site I had seen, so I went off to find that.

A woman greeted me there and said that the owner wasn't about, but if I'd like to pitch my tent and see him later or at 09:00 the next morning to pay, and she could get me a shower token for 30p. I took the shower token and pitched the tent backing onto a hedge getting the best of any remaining sun. I didn't intend to be about for too long next morning watching it come up. Three ducks came to investigate, people probably fed them but they were out of luck with me. Later, the owner arrived back so I went to see him and he only charged me £4 instead of the usual £4-50, offered me a couple of shower tokens but I'd already got one and gave me a glass of iced coke. What a nice bloke.

I tried to read some Sherlock Holmes which was the book I had brought with me to read. I tried to write some diary but my eyes wouldn't stay open. It had been a reasonably long day.

Next page, Day Three, 8th June 98, Polzeath - Harlyn Bay.

Previous page, Day One, 6th June 98, Newbury - Exeter - Bude - Tintagel - Trebarwith Strand.

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