the story so far...

"Getting to Land's End"...

Thursday morning I woke to a menacing looking sky over Penzance, but
my mind was taken off the dark clouds by the B&B's full english
brekkie awaiting me downstairs.

If you're ever down this way, David & Sandra rustle up a mean full
English at " Woodstock Coach House"... no, there isn't a discount for
this plug!!

Once I'd wolfed down brekkie, I returned to my room and the unenviable
sight of my bag waiting to be re-packed. Without realising it, the sun
had been slowly showing its beautiful face. so without a second
thought, I said my farewells to David & Sandra and decided to brave
the walk to Land's End (making sure to pray to the bloody unreliable
Cornish weather gods).

A good 11 or so miles later, I arrived at Sea View campsite. As I
walked into reception I asked the two old biddies "have you got room
for a little'en?" and was met with a laugh and a sheet of paper
showing not a single other soul staying in the camp. Most people would
have seen this as a warning sign, but after 11+ miles of carrying an
overly heavy bag, I wasn't one of them.

After I'd set up my very very snug fitting tent (only fits shorter
than normal midgets), I thought I'd throw up my colours and see what
happened. within no more than 2 minutes of lashing my Help For Heroes
to my walking pole, a woman was walking over from her campervan.
'That's what I should have done', I thought, dreaming of not having to
lug my kit around, but have a mate in a campervan following me... not
gonna happen, face reality Ed.

Soon any depressing thoughts about my bag were gone as the wonderful
woman that is Mrs Dewson from Birmingham had sponsored me £10!!
I now had a smile like the cat that got the cream... £10 extra to the
cause and my fears of people not giving two hoots, it was time for a
brew.

Soon after I'd downed a hot chocolate from my billy can, a lost
looking man about 50 or so (hard to tell with walkers as they tend to
be weathered well), asked me where he could pitch up. "no idea my
friend, but I guess anywhere is fine seeming as we're the only two
stupid enough to sleep in tents" I replied with a smile.

"I see your flag there, what are you up to? walking far or finishing
soon?" he asked. "end to end, 1111 miles according to my route" I
replied trying to hide the fear and regret in my voice. "me too,
heading out tomorrow"...

He wasn't exactly a spring chicken, but after he explained he was
gonna camp in the wild and complete it in a lot less time than me, I
didn't need much more convincing that he meant business. this is
getting interesting!

"The official start to the walk"...

After the crappiest nights sleep I've had in a while (foxes seemed to
love my flag), I had the wonderful job of packing a soaking wet tent
into a bag which seemed to have shrunk overnight. With a breakfast of
two asda cereal bars, I could tell things weren't gonna be too great.
the weather had by this time really rolled in and I could see the rain
on the horizon.

After a quick shower to get the spiders out of my hair, I grabbed my
kit and headed for the furthest west point of lands end. having to
wait an hour and a half for a guy to roll out of bed and take my
picture next to the signpost wasn't the greatest start tovthe day but
for a keepsake it needed to be done.

by now the rain had begun and I quickly threw on my waterproofs...
anything now on my body and no longer in my bag was a bloody bonus!!!

It took me all of 1 mile to take the wrong byway into a deadend which
in the rain was not fun at all. finally got to use my compass in anger
though, so maybe not all bad?!

about 3 miles later I had come to the foot of Cairns Brea, a hill at
about 200m above sea level, but looks even more daunting as it's such
an incline. "bugger it, up I go" I unwisely said to myself. at the
top I felt like I could have screamed... not only as my thighs were on
fire, but the hike up this bastard turned into a waterfall, with dark
muddy water about shin high flowing all around my legs. thank god I
bought good boots as my feet were bone dry, even though my sand
coloured trousers now had a new stylish mud ankle design... sexy, but
bloody cold!

on I went to what my OS map told me was a tourist location called
China Clay Works. thought it might be worth a look and it's in the
direction I'm heading so off I trod. about a mile into what can only
be described as a shit hole with the odd signpost warning me "Danger
Mineshafts" ...yep, that's what I said... a kid on a mountain bike
said in a very strong Cornish accent "I wuddna go through thair... I
just put my bike into a puddle and it went in saddle high. had to jump
into a field and got charged by a bull" (gave up writing in Cornish).
fantastic!!!!

a mile and a half of backtracking and one serious blister on my little
toe later, I had finally made it onto the A3071 heading in a beeline
for Penzance. screw the sightseeing, I'm getting there asap!

dreading the thought of walking another 3 miles to a campsite north of
penzance, I gave David and sandra a call and made like the clappers
for their B&B.

I think there's a serious lesson to be learnt from todays
activities... DO NOT leave home without the greatest hits collection
of Electric Light Orchestra. I'd have asked a farmer to put a shotgun
shell in my temple if I didn't bounce along to ELO whilst backtracking.

Possibly a rest day tomorrow but as the weather's supposed to be
glorious, I might trek on ahead of schedule. whatever I do, you'll
hear about it soon - off the record, on the QT, and very hush hush :)