Showers were forecast for today, but we were lucky enough to miss them – until the last fifteen minutes of our walk. We left The Mill House to cross fields and lanes back to the coastal path, and the route to Boscastle, where we stopped for coffee, was very pleasant in the sun. We thought it was going to be an easier day, but once again we faced ascents and descents which were not as steep but probably of greater altitude! We met plenty of walkers on the path today, most stopping to greet us and pointing out the terrain yet to come! Some asked our destination, and on learning about LEJOG, could not hide their incredulity that we should be undertaking this challenge!

As we were finally approaching Crackington Haven, the sky became dark and suddenly the heavens opened and in no time we were drenched as we hastened to the pub in the cove. We decided to have a meal, and to book a taxi to the farm where we were booked in for the night, as there was another mile and a half ahead of us and the rain showed no sign of stopping. Matt, our taxi driver, agreed to pick us up in the morning to return us to the cove.

A Backward Glance

As we left the Inn at Trebarwith Strand ‘Komoot the hoot’ pointed us in the completely wrong direction which we would have taken if a staff member hadn’t said “not that way mate, it goes nowhere”. But our lowest confidence in Carol’s AI friend coincided with his change to be more reliable and by the end of the morning had redeemed himself. It was a pleasant warm walk through countryside to Boscastle where I found myself outside a cafe under an azure sky pouring ice cold liquid gold into a thin tulip glass watching a perfect white froth slowly glide up to the rim. At the same moment two very lovely looking ladies sat down at a table directly opposite us. This was a rare moment to be savoured and not hurried I thought. But too soon, the view and beer were gone and after adjusting Carol’s bag straps we returned to make our ascent up the narrow path that leads to eternal strife. The coastal walk has become a mix of agony and ecstasy in equal measure, but rain definitely tips the scales more towards the painful end.