Day 12 - Bude to Trebyla Farm Campsite, Beeny - 16 Miles

I was awake early, but not ridiculously so, as I sometimes can be on walking/camping holidays. That was probably because of my late night due to all the noise!! I went for a shower and then packed away the tent deciding I'd go and sit on the picnic tables by the shop at the entrance to the site, to write some of the diary while I awaited its opening to get supplies. While I sat there, the cafe opened and so I went for a bacon baguette. I didn't get too much diary written up.. hey ho! I called in the shop after eating and bought 2 litres of diet coke and then set off right along the lane to emerge in Flexbury near Crooklets Beach. The tide was in and so there wasn't oodles of sand evident. The cloud was high and bubbly this morning and rapidly breaking up to let the sun through, but it was quite breezy.

I walked around the low headland on the tarmac path, behind the sea filled swimming pools, the waves breaking over the walls with the tide being in, and then walked around to sit on a bench in front of the sea view guest houses and hotels overlooking Summer Leaze bay and the harbour wall. I seemed to be tired and finding it difficult to motivate myself, probably because I'd planned a short relaxing day today anyway, thinking I'd take my time strolling along sandy beaches and perhaps make it to somewhere around Crackington Haven or possibly even before that as I'd spotted some camp sites on the map at the far end of Widemouth Bay.

Crooklets Beach in Bude	Walking along the tarmac path from Crooklets Beach.
Summer Leaze Beach, Bude.	After quite a long sit I DID make a start and made my way down to the beach car park road, turning left along it to reach the footbridge over the river, which of course, was full and deep with the tide being in. I walked behind the castle and through the car park to join the side of the odd canal here. I turned right along the canal to cross it on the sea lock gate at its end. From here it was across to a few steps and then right along the low tarmacced cliff path at this point. Turning left after a short stroll it was a gentle climb up the grassy headland of compass point. When I reached the compass tower here I went inside and took photos from some of the eight windows, each pointing in the direction of one of the eight main compass points.
Walking along the sea canal towards the lock gates.	The 'compass' on compass point.
The way ahead from one of the compass's windows.	And yesterday's journey as far back as Lower Sharpnose Point.

As I re emerged into the brightness, who should be approaching, but the middle aged couple from yesterday! Certainly a coincidence! With them starting from Bude itself I would have expected them to have long gone ahead by now. They said they were planning to get to a B&B they'd booked some two miles this side of Boscastle! It seemed like quite a looong day to me, with my lazy day plans, but they weren't carrying as much weight as me after all! I set off in front of them, and made my gradual and undulating climb up the grassy headlands between Bude and Widemouth Bay. I overtook another middle aged man carrying a large rucksack and wearing a Hadrian's Wall Walk T-shirt and so I assumed he was doing the Way too, though he seemed to be walking with his wife and daughter? Two women not kitted out for walking particularly anyway!? I made a good pace and the sun was often shining. The rocks and beaches far below me were prettier than I'd been expecting on this strecth of the walk.

At a lonely bench just behind a wall I took the opportunity of a rest, looking out from Higher Long Beak across to the sandy expanse of Widemouth Bay ahead. I had a snack and a drink and rang Karen to see how they were getting on on their holiday down here. They'd stayed last night in the New Inn at Clovelly and were just on their way to visit Hartland Quay apparently.

Looking back at Compass Point and Lower Sharpnose Point beyond as I set off.

And ahead, the cliffs between Bude and Widemouth Bay.

The cliffs and beaches are prettier than expected!

And again.

My solitary bench is just beyond this grassy mound of a wall, with good views ahead to Widemouth Bay.

I waited until the couple from yesterday and the Hadrian's Wall bloke with the two women wandered by and onto the next headland, before I set off again myself, being in no particular rush today. I descended the last little way to a cafe at the edge of the dunes at the north end of Widemouth Sands. I decided to stop for a cold can. I didn't want to drink all of my 2 litres of fluid that I was carrying today, and get dehydrated as I had done at the end of the day before!

Looking back at the cliffs as I descend to Widemouth Bay.

And looking ahead from the now very low cliffs.

Just as I heaved my deadweight rucksack off and started to look for my money, who should run up but Naomi!!! Karen had apparently lied to me when she'd said they were off to Hartland Quay on the phone. They'd in fact been in Bude when I rang and had planned to follow my trail and come to find me. A pleasant surprise indeed!

This was to radically alter my plans for the day!!! While we had a drink at the cafe, David suggested that they take my rucksack for the day and I could meet up with them for a late lunch at Crackington Haven. This has to be the most literal use of the phrase 'That's a weight off my shoulders' that I've ever made!! I of course agreed, even though i didn't have my day sack and would have to carry a map, a phone, a camera and my 2 litre bottle in my hands all the way. I soon got into a routine with them all though!

I set off apace, partly because of my reduced weight, which was a serious advantage and just what my right knee needed, which had been quite painfully twinging on the descents of the previous afternoon. Also, Crackington Haven was quite a long way and pretty up and down into the bargain according to the map. If I was going to get there at lunch rather than tea time I needed to crack on! At the end of the bay, after a short climb, I descended steeply again to a narrow track , which took me over a lovely stream running and sparkling through its tree shaded gully. I then joined the very steep and winding lane up the tall headlands to the south of Widemouth Bay. Not for the first time today, I rejoiced at not having to contend with the huge weight of the rucksack.

Looking back at Widemouth Bay as I climb the first very gentle cliffs at its southern end.

The lovely stream in its shaded gully.

Looking back at Widemouth Bay after much more climbing!

The path along the cliffs above Millock Haven Beach before the steep descent.

After a while and a good deal of puffing and panting, even without extra weight, the path left the lane seawards at the top of the climb. Almost immediately though it was a steep descent into the first major combe of the day - Millock Haven. Its a very pretty bay and I joined the lane again at the bottom of the valley, and then steeply followed it as it twisted its way back up the far valley side. There were good views from here back over the beach and the fabulously folded rocks of the cliffs here.

The steep descent to Millock Haven.

Looking back at the folded cliffs and beach at Millock Haven as I begin the climb out on the lane.

At the stile where the path left the lane, I caught up with the Hadrian's Wall Walk bloke. He seemed to be walking alone now, so I'm not sure where or why he'd ditched his wife and daughter? He was apparently planning to do the whole Way in one go, having the time to do so, and had made a fabulous start already, having made it from Minehead to here in only 10 days!! I had a chinwag with him for a while and then set off again at break neck speed, the thought of making it to Crackington Haven for as early a lunch as possible constantly at the front of my mind!

As I approached Dizzard Point, I went through a wonderfully wooded valley, and trees being something of a novelty on the Way since right up around Clovelly, it was a most pleasant,cooling and shady interlude. Indeed it was only an interlude, as it was only a narrow finger of woodland on either side of a stream gurgling away down its steep sided V shaped valley. The climb up to the trig point on Dizzard Point was gradual, but of course made even easier by my lack of weight today! The next valley descent and ascent were ferocious though! - probably the worst of the way so far, but certainly equalling the worst. The rocky scenery and blue water off to the right though was wonderful, so I had plenty to stop and admire on my numerous breaks to regain my breath and give my burning leg muscles brief respite.

Looking back at Widemouth Bay from further along towards Dizzard Point.

The ferocious descent and climb back out of the next combe!

Another smaller valley was crossed before getting to Cleave. Looking across from here, I could see St Genny's church and made the mistake of thinking that the valley between me and it was Crackington Haven. I soon realised I was wrong and walked all the way out to the point to zig zag down and then back up the other side of the 'false valley'. The beautiful pink heather in contrast to the blue of the sea made a wonderful view though.

Descending down into the 'false' valley at Cleave. Crackington Haven IS around the next headland honest!

Looking back up at the heather from half way down.

After the steep climb up the far valleyside, Crackington Haven finally came into view, the tide being well out at this point. I stopped a few times on my gradual descent from the end of the headland towards the village, to see if I could spot Karen, David and Naomi on the sands, as there was no mobile phone signal to tell them I was approaching. They'd been to erect the tents at a campsite just before Boscastle and get supplies when I'd rung them earlier and we were both on higher ground. I eventually spotted them waving from a table at the back of the pub as I descended further. I went to join them, buying a soda water and a pint of local lager together. I was very thirsty and hot and had already drunk the two litres I'd bought along for the day today!!! I also ordered a prawn baguette and cheesy chips for lunch. It was about 3pm when I arrived so it was indeed a late one!!!

Just as I was about to finish, the Hadrian's Wall chap turned up for a pint. Karen uhmed and ahhd about joining me for the afternoon's walk to the campsite at Beeny where they'd set up the tents.

In the end, as it was a pleasant afternoon weatherwise she decided to stay on the beach with Naomi and David, Naomi having a body board bought for her when I set off clutching my two small bottles of fizzy water in my hands along with everything else!

Crackington Haven finally comes into view at just before 3pm.

I set off at just gone 4pm and reckoned it would take me about 3 hours to reach the campsite, which was fine as Karen and David had bought meat and a disposable barbecue and said that they'd start cooking at 7pm, so that Naomi wasn't too late in bed.

It was hot hot hot and the undulating climb out to Cam Beak had me panting and sweating like a pig. I took my T-shirt off, partly so that I could tie the neck and arm holes off and use it as a makeshift bag, as the carrying of camera, phone, map and two small bottles of water was proving a bit of an annoying juggling act! Steve texted me on the walk out to the Beak and I phoned him back while I had a signal, grateful for the break as much as anything else, and then carried on. The final climb up the Beak itself certainly had me puff in the heat so I sat on the top for a while. I soon donned the T-shirt again though, as the wind was a bit chilly sitting there and the sun was becoming more hazy behind high cloud.

Cam Beak ahead as I set off from Crackington Haven.	Looking back across the beach from further round.
Looking back at Crackington Haven from Cam Beak.	The way ahead from Cam beak, the tallest headland being High Cliff.
Looking back at Cam Beak as I set off towards High Cliff.	It was a pretty gentle and undulating rise all the way up to High Cliff, which, true to its name loomed quite a bit higher than everything else ahead. The views down to the sandy beaches of Little Strand and The Strangles were beautiful all along this stretch. The descent from High Cliff was steep and I toyed with the idea of leaving the coast path here and walking along the lanes to the campsite, but decided that that would be a bit of a shame. So, I made my way down to the intervening valley bottom.

My knee was still complaining on down slopes, so I thanked my lucky stars yet again that I'd got rid of the weight of the rucksack. If I'd been carrying it all the way today, I certainly wouldn't have got nearly so far and with the severe ups and downs before Crackington Haven I'd have probably ruined my knee completely and would have had to give up again! Once again, walking THIS long distance path has proved itself to need another level of fitness and strength altogether!

The climb out of the valley and up Rusey Cliff wasn't toooo bad because it seemed that the path had recently been improved and rerouted somewhat. It zig zagged more gently up to the top of the cliffs over lots of hummocky cliff subsidence of the past than it probably had done.

The beautiful sands of The Strangles as I approach High Cliff.

The cliffs ahead as far as Tintagel.

Looking back at The Strangles from High Cliff.

The view back to Cam Beak from the top of the climb up Rusey Cliff.

The way ahead from Rusey Cliff - Tintagel and beyond from this height.

From this point onwards it was an undulating and gradual decsent along field edges, keeping an eye out for a path off to the left that was marked on the map. I found it just after the sheer black cliff face of Buckator and took to a field edge path running perpendicularly away from the coast path. This bought me to a narrow track between high hedges, which was very overgrown with nettles and thistles, so it was a bit of a leg weaving job to avoid them in my shorts. At this point I only had about 10 minutes to get to the campsite before cooking commenced as well!

I eventually joined a lane and turned right along it, and around a left hand bend before taking the first left along an even narrower lane half covered with moss! Just after a house, I came to a stile on the right into a field of bullocks. With two paths cutting across the valley to the campsite according to the map, I took the right hand one as the bullocks were walking in a long line away from that one. This path annoyingly took me down to the first lane that I'd just left so I could have continued along that and not turned left onto the narrower lane. The stile into the next field from the lane was all overgrown as well which was even more annoying!

Once through, I battled my way up the thistle and stinger infested field of sheep to the campsite. I re-erected my tent as although Karen had tried to be helpful, bless her, it was all twisted and not quite put up right, and the weather forecast had predicted rain. The skies by now were becoming overcast and dark and it seemed they upheld the forecast:(

I had a shower while Karen and David set about barbecuing steak and pork chops. We drank red wine and Bacardi and coke and had a veritable makeshift feast so thank you to them for doing all that for me! It started to rain, as bizarrely, we had quite a pretty red sunset out to sea!! We chatted for a while under Karen's tent awning and then I went to bed tired but much further along the route than I'd expected to be before Karen and David's surprise arrival this morning!

Map of the day's walk:(click to enlarge)