Total miles: 11
Elevation gain: 848ft
Time walking: 12pm – 5:30pm
Miles walked to date: 126.3
Two days cannot be more different! Yesterday was wet and soggy, today was hot and sticky! I can’t believe the difference, but I am incredibly grateful for it. Overnight there was more rain and some strong winds – it felt like my tent was going to blow away at some points – but at some point the rain stopped and things started to dry out. It didn’t take long for the sun to appear, and in spite of managing to pitch my tent in the only patch of shade in the entire field, I quickly pulled all of my damp gear out into the sun to dry off while I had a coffee in the pub compliments of the landlord. Thankfully I didn’t have far to go today so I could let stuff get properly dry, and the sun was strong enough that it didn’t take too long. Today’s breakfast was boiled eggs, which was very exciting – I bought the eggs from a farm yesterday, and boiled them in my stove! Simple things…!
Today’s route took me along a mixture of country lanes and footpaths. At points during the first part of the walk I had glimpses back towards Bodmin Moor – looking gentle, appealing and somewhat taunting in the sunshine! Early on in the day my walk took me down through a lovely old wood on a steep slope down to a pretty little river, then up again to the other side into a tiny hamlet called Laneast, and I was thrilled that the farmers in this area provide very clear signage for footpaths crossing their farms. It was some beautiful farmland with a tantalising view over to Dartmoor, my destination for tomorrow, and I would have lingered longer but for a buzzard crying out his displeasure at my presence. Having been dive-bombed by a territorial buzzard in the past I was in no hurry to repeat the experience, they are quite intimidating creatures when they are whistling past your head only inches away! He was calling out and circling far too close for my liking so I hurried down into the trees and out of his way as quickly as I could!
The next section of farmland was covered without any further encounters of the animal kind, save for a fox I spotted ducking behind a gate as I entered a field and a few bunnies scattering in front of me. I did see an unusual crop growing in some fields I passed, I think it might have been sugar cane!
I passed through another tiny hamlet called Gospenheale which I realised this evening is mentioned in the end to end book that a lot of walkers follow (I’m not, I haven’t even read it, for some reason!), and it was mentioned by Mark Moxon, the guy whose blog gave me the inspiration to do this walk myself. I realised that this was the place where a friendly farmer had invited him in for a cup of tea and a slice of cake on a rainy day when he was walking a similar route to me. It’s funny, to imagine that he walked that same road, with weather similar to that which I experienced yesterday. No friendly farmer for me though, but I did see a man driving a quad bike with his collie by his side. That collie sure knows how to travel in style!
After a good few miles of road I decided to take to an appealing looking footpath for a slight detour to take in a hill fort. Alas, other than some very friendly cows and a steep hill, there wasn’t really much to see. Still, it provided a useful off-road opportunity to take the boots off and swap out of my waterproof socks which had done their job but were now making my feet sweat.
A few more fields with reasonably well signposted paths and good margins between crops and hedge (thank you farmers!) took me to Tregadillet and on towards Launceston, my stop for the evening. Not far past the ‘Welcome to Launceston’ sign (pause for obligatory signpost selfie (it’s a lejog thing..!)), I find a gateway with a view! Launceston suddenly rolls out below me and the famous Launceston Castle (a Norman castle right on top of the hill) is right in front of me, with the heights of Dartmoor on the horizon providing an enticing backdrop.
For some unknown reason I decide it would be fun to jog down the steep hill into the town (crazy, much?) and I enter the town by the beautiful St. Thomas’s Bridge, a very old pedestrian bridge that used to take the monks to the priory across the river.
I was a bit dubious about Launceston as Mr Moxon had been somewhat scathing about it, and I have to admit the first few people I came across didn’t do much to prove him otherwise! However, my b&b is charming and I have a beautiful view of the castle and town from my room. Reading a little more about the town makes me want to explore a little before I leave tomorrow, and the White Hart Inn just down the road served an amazing rib eye steak, so I don’t really have any reason to agree with my predecessor currently!
So walking wise, today has been fine. One of those days which isn’t outstandingly amazing, but is perfectly agreeable. What was a little more challenging today was realising how difficult it can be to organise the rest of life when you are not there to make things happen! I found out this week that I was finally able to get my cats back (long story, if you don’t know it), but of course currently I can’t actually pick them up or look after them, which is heartbreaking and frustrating! Thankfully, today also showed what AMAZING friends I have, and after putting out a plea for help on Facebook I ended up with numerous offers of help and support. I am genuinely overwhelmed at people’s willingness and desire to help, and it means so so much to me. It actually brings tears to my eyes to know how much my friends have got my back and want to see me succeed. I know some of you will be reading this, so thank you, thank you, thank you, and you know I’d do the same for you xxx
So after a slight wobble I can now relax and focus on my walk again, and continue to raise as much publicity as I can to raise as much money as I can for some truly wonderful causes!
Tomorrow I head towards Bridestowe on the northeastern edge of Dartmoor, following the Two Castles Trail. It’s a longer day tomorrow, 17 miles and I think a bit more elevation, and given that I want to take in Launceston Castle before I head off it will be an earlyish start! At least I’m being cooked breakfast in the morning 🙂
Oh, and tomorrow morning I cross into Devon! I can’t believe I’m 10 days in, one tenth of my journey complete, and I’m STILL in Cornwall!
Night night xx
