Alfred Wainwright famously said ‘There is no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing’, and this was proved true today!

We were delighted to be joined by Liz, Paul and kids, and Ruth, Tom and kids to see us off at the start of our journey from Lands End to Pendeen. Otto, our youngest grandson had already decided to join us, but Hugh (our eldest grandson) and Liz also decided to accompany us. However, the weather forecasted was strong winds and heavy rain, and neither Hugh nor Liz had the appropriate wet weather gear – and even David neglected to put on his waterproof trousers!

The route is spectacular and the company of the kids kept us entertained. But by the time we reached Bottalack for a pub lunch, Liz and Hugh were soaked to the skin – Liz maintaining that she was as wet as if she had swam in her jeans! Fortunately Paul was able to collect them. However Otto was determined to complete the walk and is enthusiastic to join us again tomorrow to ‘walk with Grampy!’

The big advantage of having Otto with us this week is that our luggage is transported by his parents, making our journey lighter and easier!

A backward glance

I’ve had a long life, landscaped with its ups and downs. The ups have not been too high nor the downs too deep, much like the journey before us. The hills will not be the highest in the land nor its valleys the deepest; instead a delightfully un-extraordinary journey but one well worth the making.

The mob set off from the iconic sign like a stampede of rabbits, none knowing which way to go or what path to take. Then, like a murmur of starlings we all fell in line behind Grandma, who always knows best, leaving Hoppy (Delia) and the Dads to escape in their cars. I settled at the rear with Ruth and Ophelia as the rest disappeared over the horizon intent on making Scotland by tea time. There were plenty of puddles for Ophelia to jump into while the angry sea got the attention of her escorts. At Sennen Cove Delia and the Dads miraculously appeared in a Cafe window, so Ruth and Ophelia, already tired of my company, decided to head back with them to their warm lodgings, taking Bertie too.

Then Otto who can walk and talk for England became my perfect companion and entertainer as the weather took hold on us. Being charged with not allowing the wind to blow him over cliff edges, he explained that he understood the danger. You see Grampy, when you splash onto rocks it hurts even more than doing a belly flop into water. As I pondered the intelligence of this comment I offered him a bite from an 8 ounce piece of rump steak that I’d scavenged from the Lands End hotel the previous evening. (This idea of a portable nourishing snack was passed onto me by our son Adam). Anyway, I clearly remembered offering him a ‘bite’, but had to watch helplessly as it got chomped chewed and swallowed like he hadn’t eaten in a week!

Otto is curious about everything having questions and views that you and I would never have – we call them Ottoisms. Describing the sound of the sea (which was making conversation difficult), he said it was like being at St Mary’s when the Saints scored a goal! Only there it only lasts for a short time and then nothing – but here it’s even louder and never stops. We then went on to discuss how the oceans, mountains, and very ground under us all fell out of the sky. Of course we were falling behind Lizzie and Hugh who were struggling to keep cheerful in the company of Carol clad in water armour while every stitch of their clothes was at saturation point. Rescue came at The Queens Arms, Botallack. Then we were three, with heaven’s watery worst for company all the way to Pendeen.