Day 17 - Porthcothan to Newquay - 11 Miles

An earlier than normal start for this trip, despite the lengthy slushy trudge to the single shower at the end of the farmhouse. Amazingly, no one else seemed to be up so I didn't have to wait for the dubious pleasure! I used 2 x 20p coins in the shower and trudged back to the tent to pack the soaking thing away! It had rained repeatedly during the night... what a week to pick to come away walking and camping! after such a generally nice summer too!

I'd packed away and set off for the day at 8.45am. I passed the old man farmer on my way by the farmhouse - I'd obviously seen his son the night before when arriving. I had been going to retrace my steps of last night to return to the coast path, but he told me to carry on down the track to the end and turn left to emerge at a small bay. The track bent almost back on itself and so I cut down the field and climbed a fence to get onto the coast path again. It seemed that had I done what the farmer had said then it would have been right as I walked down the few steps to the small bay... oh well!

The small bay of Porth Mear with its stream after leaving the campsite at Porthcothan.

And again as I climb out and look back at Trevose Head.

I was struggling to get going at all today!!! I was constantly yawning while walking/hobbling along! I think I'd done too much the day before!! But if I hadn't then I'd only have had more to do on this my last day of walking, to get to Newquay! I climbed up out of the first bay and then across a headland of cows and calves. When I reached the top I could see Newquay in the far distance... a faint smudge that still looked an awful long way away in my current yawning state! Sad to say, that at this point, I think I just wanted this attempt to be over and done with NOW! This minute!! I rarely remember being more shattered than I was at this point!

I trudged on regardless, with many stops for rests. The Bedruthan Steps were the first real point of interest and I was even quite bored by those at first glance from out on the headland. They became a bit more spectacular looking as I walked along the headland to draw level with them and look along the bay in which they lie. I walked along the clifftops behind them, and at almost the far end near the information centre I went out to the viewpoint to sit and look back at the stacks from that end of the bay.

A small arch as I walk along the high but mainly flat headlands towards Park Head.	Looking down at the sea at the end of Park Head
I walk in from Park head, looking south to view the Bedruthan Steps.	I draw level with the first beach, the stack here called Diggory's Island.

Looking back at Park Head as I walk behind the first beach.

The Bedruthan Steps looking south.

The Bedruthan Steps after climbing up past the Information Centre, with Park Head behind and in the far distance, Trevose Head.

I wearily climbed all the steps up towards the information centre, but took the cliff path off to the right before reaching the centre, and followed this all the way round to the next bay at Trenance. I descended down the edge of the bay and decided to walk the last bit to the bridge over the river, on the sands. I decided to stop at a cafe by the bridge and over the road for some breakfast. I had a veggie breakfast with bacon as well, which seemed an odd thing to order, but the girl taking the order didn't bat an eyelid. The food was quite nice, probably the best cooked breakfast of the week as the b and b ones hadn't been very inspiring! The sit down for a prolonged half an hour was even nicer though!

My beautiful approach to Trenance Bay with wonderful heather.

Looking back across the sandy expanse of Trenance Bay from Berryl's Point.

It was a gradual climb up out of the bay after dicing with death on the road for a few yards from the bridge up to the hairpin bend. Although a gradual climb, it was still tough enough on a day like today! From Trenance it was supposedly 2.5 miles around to Watergate! The small inlet of Beacon Cove between the two bays was quite pretty. I stopped for another rest at the back of it. I needed to change my camera's memory card and any further excuse to have a prolonged sit wasn't needed today! By now, the sun was pretty much shining! I trudged onwards, having to contend with heat fatigue on top for the rest of the walk into Newquay! Watergate Bay was a long sandy stretch (3 miles long apparently?) and I walked high up on the clifftops at its back until a gradual descent to the village (a few houses clustered around the Watergate Bay Hotel) just past half way along the bay's length. I didn't stop to have a look around, but instead carried on across the busy car park and then up the gradual ascent up to the clifftops again. I succumbed half way up though, and sat on the grass exhausted to watch the surfers out to sea and the people on the beach below me. A plane kept flying over, towing a banner behind it warning people to 'Swim between the flags'. A bit over the top if you ask me, but hey ho!

Beacon Cove between Berryl's Point and Griffin's Point.

The long 3 mile stretch of sands at Watergate Bay as I walk in from Stem Point to walk along Strasse Cliff at the back of the bay.

Looking back as I climb up out of Watergate.

Looking back at Watergate from further along the cliffs towards Porth.

And the way ahead with Trevelgue Head sheltering the next bay of Porth and Newquay beyond.

The next bay was Porth, right on the edge of Newquay. It seemed a pleasant beach, but I trudged right around it on the road, which seemed a long way, as there was quite a deep and wide stream running along the nearside of the beach blocking my way onto it. The sun was quite hot now, and my shoulders were killing me along with my feet, especially a blister that I'd developed on my right foot just behind my toes because of walking for several days with wet boots!

I had to stop again at the top of the steps down to Lusty Glazes. I enjoyed looking down from the lofty cliffs to the people surfing and having fun on the beach below. While I stood there a couple of people did a death slide out to the middle of the beach and then climbed down ropes to reach the sand!

Sandy beach just this side of Porth.

Porth as I walk around the road.

Lusty Glazes from my rest stop.

I carried on into Bude town centre. The place physically seemed quite beautiful with its plentiful covey beaches enclosed by small headlands of sheer cliffs jutting out into the blue seas, but it was thronged with people all wandering aimlessly about on the pavements. They seemed generally to be typical amusement arcade brigade types and there were several of those to amuse them on my walk down the main street. I followed blue signs all along the main street to the Tourist Information Centre. I'd held secret hopes all day, since setting off, that I would actually be able to get a bus back to Bude today, though my head had told me that this was incredibly unlikely in this part of the world where public transport generally isn't that good but on sundays is none existant! The crowds of annoying people on my walk along the street had helped to make me more desperate to get away as soon as possible into the bargain!

The final walk along the grassy 'prom' into Newquay Centre.

Beach near Newquay Centre.

When I asked the bloke behind the desk, he looked doubtful, but then thought I could do it! The trip back to Bude alone would take me 5 hours though and I'd have to go via Exeter and god knows where! hmmm ok! Maybe not then! Things would be slightly better the next day on the monday, but even then the journey would take me 2.5 hours with one change. I decided I'd have to get another B&B for the night then as I couldn't face the walk out of town to another campsite and the consequent walk back in in the morning to catch the bus! The bloke behind the counter looked dubious again!!?? Apparently I'd picked the busiest weekend of the year to arrive, due to some surfing championship being held there that week! Sigh! Good planning there then Matt! As usual! Whoops! There DID turn out to be two B&B's that showed up with single rooms on his computer. The first one he tried had a room when he rang, but he didn't seem that keen on sending me there saying it seemed quite expensive and so tried the other one. They had no rooms left and so I said that I would take the first one at The Welcome Guest House. I expected the worst for my £26, from the bloke's reaction in the information centre, but in reality when I walked there it wasn't that great, but I was so tired that it would certainly do me!

I showered and went out for a wander. I had a couple of pints and a Subway Veggie Delite for my tea, and wrote up some of the diary in The Central pub. It wasn't a particularly pleasant atmosphere though.. a bit of a drunk lads night out around town feel to the place in the evening so I called in at the Londis shop and then walked back to the B&B for sunday early evening TV and then sleep!

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