Well it has taken me a while to write part 2 to this verbose story of the Rotund Society’s trip to Pastyland. There is no real excuse, so I wont bother with one. Except to say that when we left Pastyland the England rugby team had just been trounced by South Africa and were, quite frankly rubbish and would be lucky to make the quarter-finals…… in the meantime they have become a different team and are now in the final against South Africa! Hopefully our boys can produce a different result.
Now back to our holiday, which I left around the small matter of a nice coastal walk from Newquay to Padstow - about 23 miles. I think they may have been country miles! The day dawned bright and was not too warm. Ian, L-H and I drove to Padstow to leave one vehicle there and then returned to start our little journey. We bought a 12 hour parking ticket - which should give us plenty of time for fish and chips at the end, washed down by a few pints of Doom Bar, looking at the Doom Bar.
We started our intrepid trek 30 mins late, which is nearly on time for the Arse! As we had walked around the Pentire and fistral headlands on Sunday night, we made straight for Towan beach, and as the tide was out we thought that it would be nice to walk all the way to Lusty glaze beach. Nice views and a bit of gentle bouldering.
After being shouted at a lifeguard for climbing a cliff (it had steps but no sign!) we made our way up some approved steps, down to Porth and as we had been on the go for over an hour a second breakfast was called. Bacon/egg butties were called for. It was at this point I thought - we are behind schedule: it was nearly noon and we weren’t out of Newquay yet!
We headed out across Watergate bay and into Mawgan Porth and go a real glimpse of some fantastic coastal scenery…
… and wildlife.
We stopped at Mawgan Porth for lunch and time was marching on - we weren’t halfway yet and we were behind my idea of a schedule.
We pressed on up another headland and I could now tell that everyone really enjoyed going up hill, the President particular liked them: ‘Great! Another F**king hill’. We pressed on towards Porthcothan bay, which is about halfway… and got there around 3pm. An ice cream later and we made our way up another hill, heading for a series of bays which should lead us to Trevose Lighthouse, and ‘just’ beyond there we would find Padstow.
We headed across Constantine bay, using the sand dunes to avoid another trek across light sand, which strips your strength away. Although on the way down from these L-H miss-timed his dismount and went face first into the sand at the President’s feet - a little too much adoration I think! As we left Constantine bay we could see the lighthouse was near, which cheered everyone up, but not nearly as much as the name of the next bay.
Up another headland we came to Trevose Lighthouse, the one landmark I had highlighted as a visual point from which Padstow was ‘just around the next headland’ (that phrase might end up on my grave stone).
Well you see that on the map (not an OS map) the nest headland didn’t look that far away. But reality was something different.
Stepper point is not the very far headland (I think, but the one with the small tower on it) - but either way, when limbs were beginning to ache and blisters moaning just as much, the sight of what was left to walk was a bit of morale breaker.
My reading of the tourist map was now a bit off as well (why have an OS map? Keep the sea on your left and stop at Padstow!) so Google earth was used for a position fix and at Harlyn Bay the President decided that the way to Padstow was as the crow flew and not around another series of headlands. The breaking of the Fellowship had occurred, the rest of us stuck with the Hobbit (he was now running up the odd hill!!)
We were rewarded by the sun-setting over the sea
… but the sun going down and Stepper point not getting any closer brought a bought of reality to proceedings, and when a sign showed a short cut into the Camel Estuary there was no argument.
We crossed a field, over a fence and rejoined the pathway at Hawker bay.
We made our way up stream, now knowing that Padstow was not far away. Gig boats were practicing in the estuary and the treacherous Doom Bar was covered by the tide. As the sun went down we could also see the effects of no sun cream on Hobbits.
By now the Fellowship was strung out, and was looking quite knackered. We climbed one final hill and there at the top was Padstow.
L-H ended walking from this point in his socks as his blisters were hurting so much. As we entered the harbour area the President was waiting, and looking a lot happier than when we had left him. We limped over to Rick Stein’s fish bar (excellent fish and chips) and then all headed back to Newquay. It was a worn out Fellowship, but we had made it.
We had planned to do the walk early in the week so that we could recover in time for the bale push. The next day we were all walking like old people and the blisters were quite impressive. Had we left enough time?
Just need the Hobbit to make his next move on the Facebook chess site!
