Day 14

August 22^nd Depart Newquay (Harbour)

Arrive Perranporth Accommodation: The Seiners B&B

Distance 20.27 KM | Cumulative Distance: 304.1 KM | Grade – Moderate

Ascent 1,581 FT | Cumulative Ascent: 42,545 FT

Woke at 6 am which is the norm these days, and I had recollection of waking in the night and the rain was pounding down. Rolled over and catched a few more zzz's before jumping into the shower, and getting my back packed ready for the off. I could not wait to get out of Newquay, it is such a tacky place, and the best thing about it was the road leading out !!

After breakfast I headed to Tesco to pick up a sandwich and a couple of chocolate bars, and then it was off. I had seen the signs for the trail on my way in the night previous and it was easy to find again. The road led out past a really neat spot overlooking the water, and I took several pictures of the abode and the sign, I think you will find it interesting.

Just before this discovery I met a women who seemed to be searching for me. It turned out to be my good friend Steve's, new lady friend who was in Newquay on vacation, and Steve is joining her on Saturday. It was a very short meeting, as I needed to push on but I'm hoping to get to know Helen better next weekend when Steve and Helen meet us at The Lizard to celebrate the end of the first leg of the walk. I do think it was very nice that Helen took the time to try and meet me.

The walk now led around the headland and then around the golf course and the walking was very pleasant. At the golf course I faced a dilemma. as there are 4 different ways you can go, the problem being only one was signposted and I wasted at least an hour, if not longer trying to locate the path I needed which would lead me down to The Gannel, an inland waterway that can be crossed when the tide is out. Eventually who should I bump into but Bill, the fellow who had triple by-pass surgery 19 years and has since become a walking machine since his health scare. We eventually figured it out, thanks to some locals who were taking their dog for a walk. Bill was really hoping for a ferry ride because he suffers badly with his knees and feet, but will not let the pain stop him.

We crossed the Gannel and then had to pick our way through the sand dunes and then the trail led us back up to cliffs at Pentire Point and eventually leads down to yet another spectacular beach, this one called Holywell. I said to Bill, if it was 28-39 degrees any of these beaches would rival anything in the Caribbean.

From Holywell we now climbed up and decided to stop for lunch at a most unusual installation, we suspected it might be military in nature, because of its location, but couldn't tell you what it was. We then we rounded the point to where a military base is located, and right by the base there had been a landslide, and if it should happen again in the future there will be a few buildings disappearing. We walked past some amazing bays, it really was picturesque. Today's walk was one of the easiest, and the trail started to head down, down, down to an amazing beach that was at least two miles wide. At the end the trail dropped us onto the beach, and there was hardly a soul, however the folks that were there were totally naked!! The sights you see when you don't have your gun!

The walk on the beach was a long slog, and at the end we had a still climb up, which I think was easier for Bill and I than it will be for some of the holiday makers with all their "stuff".

Finally we reached Perranporth and Bill and I said our farewells and I went in search of my accommodation, which I found in the corner of the harbour. It had been a spectacular day of walking, and apart for a threat of rain, it held off and was very pleasant.

I checked in and went to my room and it was bonus time, as I had a double bed and a bath, which I ran whilst I was unpacking, it was bliss. I quickly dressed and headed into town for a coffee while I waited to meet up with Liz and my sister Shirley, and nephew David. More on that tomorrow, but here's some pictures.