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| Hartland Point |
Following what is now a regular routine of very late nights and very early mornings compounded by wrinkly-type dithering, we left our delightful caravan (supplied for a week, by Richard, a friend of the family), on Tuesday in time to start the Clovelly to Bude sector by 1015. My progress was frustratingly slow due to heavy mud, high winds and persistent rain, but I eventually arrived in Bude,(i.e., Cornwall) in time for Pat to shovel me into the car and race to the nearest Fish and Chip shop for a dose of protein, carbohydrate and, of coarse, salt.
More worryingly, there were signs of some spare parts beginning to fall off as I ran along the Path. Calf muscles and groins were beginning to grumble but any attempt at serious mutiny was soon squashed with threatened use of Transvasin and other putrid potions.
Bude to Tintagel
A more dangerous development however was the increasing strength of the wind especially on the cliff tops and Wednesday emerged as the jealous twin to Tuesday, determined to bring about my downfall with a ferocity of unimaginable blasts. On two occasions I was quite literally thrown to the floor but fortunately landward of the Path. Who said September was always a benign month? But soonTintagel, where Pat bumped into friends David and Margaret Cox of Camberley Badminton fame,was conquered and I ran triumphantly into the arms of my ever-patient wife only to be highjacked by our stalwart buddies, Jill and John Reid who had driven all the way from Milford on sea simply to make a gesture of welcome. How about that then at the end of a 28 mile run?
Padstow to Newquay
At last, Thursday,8th, introduced the real September. Gone were the gales and the sheet rain, to be replaced by warm breezes and mainly dry skies although remnants of mist still swirled around the summits. The only interruption of the day was the need to attend a blood-letting clinic for warfarin assessment. In fact the return of sensible weather plus the more level terrain allowed me to overcome an achilles intervention and complete the fastest marathon distance to date on day 7. We finished the day with a pint of superb Cornish ale courtesy of Jill and John on their last day. This marked the end of week 1: and so to bed.
Well done. Watch out for Katia which is threatening to be worse than your tsunamis but it may only hit the land of our fathers. I heard the Proclaimers are re-writing their famous song but they cannot get some words to rhyme with Cornish places. Cheers
ReplyDeleteIan
Don't know where you were on Friday 9th Jack but Any Questions was recorded in St. Ives! Did they know you were on your way? Keep up the good work. All the best, Dave & Lorna
ReplyDeleteHi Pat,
ReplyDeleteRather hard going so far, have been thinking about you both.
Fingers crossed the good weather holds, and the rat poison is sorted.