Halfway There (Not!) – South West Coast Path Day 18

Reskadinnick to St Ives – 33000 steps

An early start sees me at Hell’s Mouth by nine. In contrast to yesterday, the sky is swimming pool blue, and the sun warms steadily as it climbs. The wind has dropped away, leaving the air fresh and cool.

Tre-this, Tre-that, Tre-the other – South West Coast Path Day 17

Perranporth to Reskadinnick

38000 steps

“Bays, coves, inlets, cliffs, porths, the sky, the sea, Tre-this, Tre-that, Tre-the other…I’m beginning to take the splendour and beauty for granted, or I’m tired of it, even wearied by its repetitiveness.”

– Simon Armitage, ‘Walking Away’

Perranporth in the morning looks like it has been scoured by a high pressure hose. Which it kind of has, with rain and high winds in the night. A tractor goes back and forth on the beach, scraping it flat with a trailer attachment. There’s no sky, just a low grey ceiling of mist, which fades out near ground level, to permit visibility of a few hundred yards.

Warning Signs – South West Coast Path Day 16

Newquay to Perranporth

25,000 steps

A whole six months have elapsed since I was last down this way. I am worried that the Path may have given up on me. My only excuse is the one I’ve used before – I’ve now reached parts of the Path so remote from London that it takes me a day to get here and a day to get back, which is quite a commitment to make for three days hiking.