Day 11: Launceston to Nodden Gate

Total miles: 18.8

Elevation gain: 2,430 ft

Time walking: 10:15am – 7:30pm

Miles walked to date: 145.1

Today was the second longest day so far in terms of distance, and close third in terms of ascent, so it was a pretty tough day relative to the rest of the days so far. It was also HOT! I’d broken into a sweat within about 5 minutes (and not just because of the hill I had to climb to get up into Launceston town centre!), and while the morning was hot and sunny, the afternoon turned into hot and muggy.

Upon waking though it was misty, the town and castle shrouded in cloud to the extent that I wouldn’t have known they were there, if I didn’t know they were there! After a thoroughly satisfying full English breakfast (I highly recommend Rose Cottage B&B if you happen to be staying in Launceston), I had the exciting prospect of visiting the castle to entice me up the hill. Despite having a long day ahead of me I couldn’t resist visiting the castle, partly because of the fact I love history, partly because of the rumoured fantastic views and partly because I figure I ought to make the most of travelling the country to actually see the places I visit! The kind lady at the desk looked after my bag while, free from my load, I sprang up the steps to the top (I can tell I’m getting fitter!) to admire the views. Stunning! I could see back to Bodmin Moor and forward towards Dartmoor, and everything in between. Definitely worth taking the time to visit!

With Launceston having grown on me considerably, it was time to pick up the Two Castles Trail which would take me pretty much all the way to my destination for the day, Nodden Gate near Bridestowe, on the edge of Dartmoor. The trail links the castles of Launceston and Okehampton but I haven’t yet discovered why the trail takes the exact route it does – it is rather loopy in places and despite passing through a few villages doesn’t seem to have much of particular interest en route. Still, it was a clearly way marked route which is very pleasant, and it took me into my second county of the trip – Devon! Sadly the ‘welcome to Devon’ sign was a little way up a busy road so I couldn’t get a selfie, but it was satisfying to know I’d finally cleared Cornwall!

After a few miles I came across a couple who were walking the trail who had spotted me earlier in Launceston. I fell into step beside them and it turns out they are considering walking LEJOG themselves at some point, so we had plenty to chat about! All too soon we can across Lifton farm shop and restaurant which was where I was planning to break, so we swapped emails and said farewell.

After stocking up on a few supplies in the shop and chatting with some very friendly staff I ordered myself a cream tea – the first I’ve managed to have! After trying to remember which way around (cream then jam or jam then cream) was the Devon way to do it, I sat on the fence and did one scone of each. Managed to stuff myself silly by polishing off both scones and a whole pot of cream and jam and promptly felt rather sick! Still, that was a fair few calories taken on board…

The next few miles were a mixture of roads and footpaths with little to comment on, except that suddenly a song came into my head that I sang once as a child, called “Look to the Rainbow”. I had the urge to sing it so I looked up the lyrics and off I went, singing over the fields as I walked. I hope nobody was close enough to hear me! It is a lovely song though and the words were very fitting:

On the day I was born, said my father, said he,
I’ve an elegant legacy waiting for ye.
‘Tis a rhyme for your lips
And a song for your heart
To sing it whenever the world falls apart.

Look, look,
Look to the rainbow.
Follow it over the hill and stream.
Look, look,
Look to the rainbow.
Follow the fellow who follows a dream.

‘Twas a sumptuous gift to bequeath to a child,
Oh the lure of that song kept me feet running wild.
For you never grow old,
And you never stand still,
With whip-poor-wills singing beyond the next hill

Look, look,
Look to the rainbow.
Follow it over the hill and stream.
Look, look,
Look to the rainbow.
Follow the fellow who follows a dream.

So I bundled my heart
And I roamed the world free.
To the east with the lark,
To the west with the sea.
And I searched all the earth
And I scanned all the skies,
But found it at last in my own true love’s eyes.

Look, look,
Look to the rainbow.
Follow it over the hill and stream.
Look, look,
Look to the rainbow.
Follow the fellow who follows a dream.

Follow the fellow,
Follow the fellow,
Follow the fellow,
Who follows a dream.

As I came into the little village of Stowford I came across my new friends again and we walked the next few miles together. I realised how lovely it was to have company for a while, and although they weren’t walking as far as me, it was nice to share the journey for a bit. We reached their stop for the night around 4:30pm, and I don’t think they envied me my remaining hours!

My feet were starting to ache by this point, around mile 13. I think it was a combination of several days of road walking and having hot sticky feet, and I started to get a little worried that this was the beginning of the pain. With fortuitous timing the path suddenly leaves the road and heads up a track up the hill. That felt like a loooong hill! it wasn’t the last hill of the day but it was certainly the biggest, and I was very glad when I got to the top and was rewarded with beautiful views back the way I had come, with Bodmin Moor silhouetted against the skyline. Dartmoor, which had remained curiously hidden for all but the start of the day, was yet to show its face.

At the top of the hill I turned a gate too soon and ended up in a corner of a field with the road I was aiming for on the other side of a big impenetrable hedge. And then the first hint of the shakes came, the warning sign that I had not eaten enough today. Suddenly my cream tea felt like a very long time ago! Being hungry or being off-track is bad enough, being hungry AND off track is not pleasant! Thankfully I had my Kendal mint cake to hand and that stuff is amazing! It provided a real boost just when I needed it!

I had half a mile to go before my planned stop to rest my feet and grab some food so I soldiered on, powered by minty sugary goodness. The path led through a rather surreal wood. One side of the path was old fir forest, dry and dead beneath, whilst the other side was young, lush and green. I felt like I was waking through a fairy tale, where if I stepped to the left I’d wither and harden, whereas if I kept to the right I’d be granted eternal youth and beauty. I stuck mainly to the right, just in case…

After making it out of the forest intact Dartmoor finally chose to show itself. What had been a hazy dream on the horizon was now a solid – and somewhat formidable – reality. I stopped and took my boots off watching the weather change over the moors. Thankfully today remained dry despite a few raindrops trying to squeeze their way out!

After an assessment of the map I decided to cut off a small loop of the trail route to enable me to get to the campsite in decent time and to save my feet as much as I could. It meant cutting out a hill fort (if you’ve been reading this you’ll know how I love a good hill fort, so for me to turn one down gives you an idea of how tired I was feeling), but also a mile of the route.

The last couple of miles were tough and my feet were aching the most they have so far this trip. When I saw my pub at the end of a beautiful cathedral-like tunnel of beech trees I could have whooped for joy, as I was tired and hungry! But first things first, the tent goes up, and only then it’s time to get food.

I was camping at the site behind the Fox and Hounds pub between Bridestowe and Lydford and it’s a really friendly pub. On hearing what I was doing the landlord promptly upgraded my small glass of wine to a big one “for having the balls to do that journey” and gave me some money for sponsorship. A woman, her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend overheard our conversation and then we got chatting. What a lovely night that turned into! I love it when you get chatting to people you have so much in common with. It’s crazy, not only do they know the tiny village I grew up in but they lived in a small town about 5 miles down the road! It is a small world indeed! We chatted all evening and then they gave me a big hug as they left. Love hugs!

So after a very nice evening and a big glass of wine I am really struggling to keep my eyes open  long enough to write this, but I know if I don’t write it now it will never get written! I have a feeling I am going to sleep very well tonight, and the excellent news is that the pub serves breakfast in the morning!

So on that note, some beauty sleep required!