Dave Byrnes' Adventures

Land's End to John O'Groats - 2010

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Day: 005
Date: 7 May 2010
Start:

Newquay

Finish:

Treyarnon Bay

Daily Kilometres:

20.3

Total Kilometres:

131.3

Weather:

Cool, mostly cloudy with some rain periods and a little hail.

Accommodation:

Treyarnon Bay Youth Hostel (£18)

Nutrition:

Full English breakfast, soup and bread roll for lunch, ice-cream for afternoon tea, chilli con carne and apple crumble for dinner

Aches:

Feet very sore with several tender spots and legs tired.

Pictures: Here
GPS Track: Here
Journal:

A relatively lazy day today as a consequence of a late start, tired feet and legs, and the location of the Youth Hostel.

I started the day by watching the post-election coverage on TV (and then listening to the radio reviews most of the day) before eating an excellent English breakfast in the B&B.  The young couple running the B&B were very nice and obviously working hard to make it a good place to stay.  I left about 9:30am via the Newquay town centre and a pharmacy I had spotted the previous evening where I bought some antiseptic cream and bandaids to help treat my blossoming blisters.  Usually, I recover pretty well from blisters, but I'm a bit worried about the depth of the one on my left heel which causes continual pain while walking, two days after cutting it open.

I then wended my way out of town along some main and minor roads.  If the tide was further out, I would have stuck to the beach, but there were some headlands I couldn't get around at this time of the tidal cycle.  I was undecided about what my goal should be for the day.  There weren't too many accommodation options ahead (in my price range) and my late start meant I would not cover a huge distance unless I walked late (although it's light until after 9pm).  I gradually resolved to aim for the Youth Hostel at Treyarnon Bay, hoping they would have rooms available, and decided to make it an easy day.

The weather threatened rain although the views were good.  Once out of Newquay, the Coast Path rejoined the clifftops which, while not as high as in previous days, were still spectacularly sculpted by the winds and sea, with offshore crags, and soaring seabirds.  There were lots of walkers and some birdwatchers.  Wildflowers of all colours lined the path and clifftops and grew out of the many stone walls I passed during the day.

I stopped at a pub at Mawgan Porth (along with many other walkers) for a light lunch of soup and crusty white bread, before continuing eastwards in light rain and some hail.  My sore feet took some enjoyment out of the scenery, although I still counted myself to be very lucky to be hiking along this fantastic path.  I reached Treyarnon Bay and the Youth Hostel at about 3:40pm and confirmed that it did not open til 5pm.  I bought and ice-cream and Diet Coke from a little store nearby and found myself a spot in a shelter protected from the wind and rain, but bathed in the emerging sun and read my book for an hour.  Very pleasant.

I checked into the Hostel at 5pm (they had spare dormitory beds) and, after a shower, ordered the reasonably-priced dinner.  The hostel is a large house sitting on a grassy slope with a beautiful view over the bay and beach.  There are a number of other people in the hostel including some cyclists, hikers and a couple of families with young kids.  The only drawback of the hostel is that there is no mobile phone or wireless coverage, so this report will have to wait.  I noticed one other hiker, a lot younger and stronger-looking than me, hobbling very slowly and stiff-leggedly around the hostel.  I don't feel so bad now.

My camera battery ran very low today (I must have accidentally turned it on), so I didn't take as many photos.  Tomorrow, my planned route leaves the Coast Path and heads inland for a day or so, rejoining the Coast Path at Port Isaac.  I'm looking forward to some country lanes and footpaths, hoping that the more even walking will help my aches and pains recover.

ADVENTURE LIST

 

Round Ireland
(2016)

Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)

Via Alpina
(2012)

Australian Alps Walking Track
(2011)

Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)

Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)

Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)

Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)

Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)

Three Peaks Race
(2004)

Appalachian Trail
(1986)

Alpine Track
(1983)

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