Julie goes walking...

I'm not sure if you've noticed but these last three days we've been walking against the flow of the normal route (backwards). Today we finished the stretch between Padstow and Newquay.  We started off where we started yesterday: Constantine Bay. Constantine Bay is a beautiful beach, the houses leading from the main road to the bay are big, decedent and exclusive (expensive real estate). Properties are advertised as 'prestige' holiday homes! The convenience store was the winner of the best cornish pasty 2016, it sold artisan bread... you get my drift, very pretentious.  Along the way there was a few steep ascents, mostly rolling terrain, with lots of fiddley negotiation around more lovely coves and beaches. Luckily the tide had gone out enough for us to walk across Harlyn bay (if not we would have had to wait: the beach is the only route across this section). Although the stsge was only 11 miles, I'm not sure why, but if felt like a real slog today.  Padstow was ...

What a beautiful day its been. The morning started off overcast, but by the time we got going, caught the bus and arrived at Constantine Bay the sun was breaking through the clouds. From then on the weather was perfect for walking: sun (not to hot) and a constant breeze.  The weather made the views exceptional today. The photo's don't do it justice but the colour of the sea is amazing: so many different colour blues. Every bay (and there is many), has golden sand, abundance of space, rock pools (some large enough to use as a small swimming pool), and the sea is enticing (no dipping yet). Some of the smaller bays (harder to access) are exclusive to just a few people.  Colin has been astounded by the sheer beauty of the coastline: the clicking of the camera is constant. I'll say it again: these views, beaches and sea (and for the moment, the weather) could compete with the beaches in the world (including OZ).  The terrain was mostly level: easy walking. We covered about 8 m...

I just typed up a whole blog, tried to publish and lost the lot... it feels like i'm back at work on AIS. Anyway i'll begin again.  Apologies for not posting anything for two days but not a lot had been happening other than sleepless night due to the noise of the heavy rain, thunder and lightening. And oh yes... locking myself out of the motorhome! Picture this: 8.15am julie takes a trip to the toilet block (lucky i dressed and put trainers on), i returned and the camper was locked solid - keys, phone, purse on the inside, me on the outside. Us motorhomers trust our neighbours and leave the van unlocked, and normally Colin would be in the van, but not on this occassion - he was in Southampton. Who knew that unless you unlock the whole van (including the driver/passenger doors), the cabin door locks automatically when shut. Luckily the owner of the site rents a house to a locksmith. I was back in the van within 15minutes, just £60 poorer. Its impressive but scary to watch a lock...

Arrived in Newquay yesterday evening: well in a suburb (about a mile to walk to the centre). We're based in Newquay for about 4 days, the reason being is spring bank holiday weekend/week (camp sites are generally busy), good bus service both ways along the coast, and because Colin needs rail link back to the real world.  Andy, Colins friend, recently celebrated a big birthday (happy belated birthday wishes Andy) and is treating a group of mates to a one day international cricket in Southampton: hotel and VIP treatment included. A good mate! Hasten to say, i'm motorhoming alone this weekend.  There was no coast walking today other than into Newquay. I walked with Colin to the train station: one plateform, one train, we did our brief encounter bit (for those to young to know Brief Encounter is about a married couple whose series of meetings whilst catching a train develops into an intense emotional love. It is terribly british, every one (other than Irene Handle) speaks with a p...

Yesterday (another glorious day) we packed up the motorhome and headed to Bideford where we parked up for a few hours while we finished the walk to Westward Ho! The tide was on its way out when we arrived so once again the estuary was mostly mudflats. The receeding waters reveal 'boat graveyards' (see photo), there were quite a number of these along the river.  The path for the first few miles was fiddley and narrow, winding its way up and down through woodland and overgrown vegitation. Once we reached Appledore we were again on roads and paths. The village of Appledore sits at the mouths of the rivers Torridge & Taw. Its a lovely place with fantastic views of the estuary and the wider coast line. In different circumstances it would have been nice to linger and spend some time enjoying the view and 'Jonhs' delicatessens (not a euphemism). From Appledore we headed out to walk around the headland: shingle and sand dunes, which is now a country park and golf course. As...

After 3 days resting my foot, i decided it was time to test it out. We set off early to walk the 6.5miles to Barnstaple. The walk took us along the old railway line, beside the river torridge: its a flat and tarmac, so nice easy walking (much like Cambridge). The tide was out so lots of mudflats and wading birds: it was very pretty, it reminded me of Norfolk.  The weather was great, the foot felt good, so after reaching Barnstaple we kept going for a  few more miles and ended up walking the full 15 miles to Bideford (16miles including the walk from the camp site). Pain killers are amazing! If circumstances were different i.e my foot was fully recovered i have no doubt we could have gone all the way to Westward Ho, ho, ho, ho! All well we may try and finish this tomorrow. The leather hand bag looks coming along nicely (I'm looking very brown), shame its only my face, neck and arms. If the nice weather continues i might just get out the nipple tassels and go for an all over tan....

My foots a little better today. I spoke with a podiatrist/chiropractor who gave me some advice: to be honest nothing different from Dr Google. To see how my foot was feeling we walked the 1.5miles into Braunton. We found a great factory outlet called 'saltrock', which appeals to the surfer crowds and cool dudes like me and Colin. Spent loads of money, the only thing that hurt was my purse!  By the time we walked back, my foot was uncomfortable: the rest of the day i was resting my foot... more cold compress and anti-inflammatory.  I finished another good book today: two books  in 10 days, thats a total of two books this year.  Fitbit records: 11,466 steps, 5miles, and 0 flights of stairs.  Tomorrow we're going to try an easy, flat stage, the walk from Braunton to Westward Ho. This route is serviced well by regular bus services which means if my foot begins to struggle we can get a bus back.  I have no interesting photo's from today so here's a picture from ...

This morning my foot is more swollen than yesterday because of this its another day without walking. Don't get me wrong its no hardship to sit with my foot resting with a cold compress while, peacefully reading another book in the sunshine. BUT the point of the 8weeks is to walk as far as i can: which over the past couple of days has been zero miles. Frustrating.  Rather than us both being frustrated Colin is walking the 9.5mile stretch from Woolacombe. Hopefully within a few days we can walk it together.  Just want to wish Stacey a quick recovery after breaking her hand: keep me updated.   

No walking today. Dr Google advised resting my foot with 'cold therapy' on my extendor tendons every hour. The info on line indicates this type of injury is common with us athletes! Its caused by overuse (all the ups and downs - you don't get much respite on the SouthWestCoastPath SWCP), another cause can be shoes tied up too tight (so i've looked at other ways in tying up the laces).  Its frustrating not being able to walk, especially as the weather is so nice. Colin's biting at the bit to get moving: he's enjoying the daily challange of each stage so today i've sent him shopping instead.  Not walking also means falling behind the 8week plan. It also adds to the dilemma of stages 8to11: Clovelly to Port Issac, this stretch is remote and not served well by buses,  which means logistically we won't be able to get to and from the path back to the motorhome (if anyone out there fancies a week ferrying me/us to and from the path? You'll have your days fr...

Woke up this morning to heavy rain, which combined with a touch of fatigue and inflammation of my extensor tendons (diagnosed by google): pain and swelling top of right foot, meant we had a slow morning. So not to waste the day and keep the joints from seizing up we decided to walk backwards (not literally). We walked from Brauton (where we're based for a few days) to Saunton knocking 6.5miles off of what would have been a 15.25 mile stage from Woolacombe (still to do). Todays walking was easy, flat walking. Despite this by the time we got back to the van my foot was ready for plunging into a bowl of cold water (not quite the ice bucket challange).  As there are no Sunday bus service to Woolacombe (again finishing this stage will need to wait for a few days), tomorrow we will be starting the big walk to Westward Ho (23.25miles): my poorly foot may mean we need to do this over two days, but watch this space.  Fitbit records: 24,208 steps, 10.6miles and 7flights of stairs. ...

Oh my what a day! 9hrs of walking a route described as: challanging - moderate to strenous parts. This on top of yesterdays 8hrs has left us both feeling exhausted, with tender feet: we're both hobbling, but suprisingly no aches anywhere else, just knackard.  However the weather was with us again today: it topped up the sunburn from yesterday (i'm slowly achieving the leather handbag look), and my hair is becoming sun bleached blond (or it might be more grey). It was another glorious day for walking: blue sky, mostly sun, the odd cloud and a constant breeze.  Despite the amazing views, the Highlights of the day were: the constant twitter of the skylarks (i love them); 'Verity', Damien Hursts 25m bronze statue in Ilfracombes harbour (see photo -impressive); and seals at Morte Point.  My gripe of the day: none of the mileage given in the book, map or sign posts ever agree, just when you think there is only 2miles to the end a sign states 4... arg!  Fitbit records: 42,2...

Its amazing the difference a day makes. Despite waking to blacks clouds and a spot of rain by the time we set off: 9.10am, the sun had come out and remains with us at 9.15pm! The official website described todays walk as strenuous/challenging and yeh there was some very steep sections BUT the views and weather made all of the hard work bearable. Stunning:  it was the first day when the sea was mostly by our side - only a few woodland sections. The view over Exmoor from Hangman Point (1043ft it is the highest point on the south west coast path) was amazing. Thanks for the text Liz, didn't see any goats today though, just me and Colin, neither of whom are graceful or agile.  We both caught the sun today: colin more than me. Tomorrow will need sun cream and hats, its like we're on holiday!  Fitbit records: 37,976 steps, 16.6miles, 206 flights of stairs.  Check out the photo's: it may help to understand the choice between a managers meeting or walking 630 miles!   ...

Heavy rain is forecast for the whole day. The clouds are so low we can't see beyond the campsite. We have therefore decided not to walk today. The low cloud yesterday meant we missed out on lovely views, don't want to do the same on this next stage: the highest point in the whole 630 mile path at the top of the Great Hangman. 

The official book lied, it is in fact 12.5 miles of hard slog: up & down, up & down (repeated quite a lot of times) ascent 1200m. 7hrs of walking in heavy rain, light rain, drizzle and a flash of sun. To top it off the 1.5mile walk to the campsite is up a 20% gradient. We are knackard! Fit bit records: 38,000 steps, 16miles & 211 flights of stairs - one small blister. Despite it all we're enjoying the whole challange. Saw some amazing views, check them out: