24 April 2013: The Next Few Steps

52 weeks ago I painfully walked into Alston. I was tired and knew full well that my knees needed a rest, there was no question of my continuing without 3-4 days of R&R. To speed up the recovery I went to first one, then a second, physio. This soon proved necessary as, far from soon feeling better, they continued to be extremely painful such that they kept me awake at night and  walking, even without a rucksack, proved challenging.

I did not imagine for one moment that recovery would take so long-but a year later I am able to try walking again. Last Saturday (20 April) I resumed my walk.

In the company of John (my son), Loreen (his girlfriend), and Millhouse (the dog), I walked 6.7 miles from Alston to Knaresdale. I had never walked in such a crowd during the previous 600 miles and what a delight it was. The Sun was shining (most of the time), it was warm (most of the time), the route was flat (all the time-it was next to the railway), it was downhill, my rucksack could not have weighed >2 kg, and there was a pub with beer and chocolate pudding at the end. There could not have been a better return, I had lovely company, Sue picked us up and I felt OK at the end. I am now planning when to get up to Hadrian’s Wall and perhaps even carrying a heavier sack. The rest of the journey will be in short stages and will take a year or two, but for the first time I think I might actually complete it.

Will post some photos later- they are stuck in my phone and I can’t get them out!

Mike

10 June: Photos, Days 14-21

By this stage of the walk I was confident using the camera on my phone and had a good judgement of how long the battery would last. I was therefore taking more photos with this and posting them on the blog. Henceforth there are fewer photos from my main camera to post.

Day 13 to 16, no photos to add to those already posted.

Day 17, to just beyond Bridgewater

Some lovely woodland as I passed over The Quantocks, including this recently laid hedge.

Day 18 to Cheddar

I camped the previous night in the village of Bawdrip – on hills just NE of Bridgewater. Having dropped off these hills quite quickly I started on the Somerset Levels with 5 miles without crossing a contour line. By the end of the afternoon Cheddar was visible with the Mendips behind.

 

Day 19 Cheddar to Congersbury

I saw several of these trees and really do not know what they are.

Day 20 Congersbury to Easton-in Gordano

The day began with a delightful walk through a nature reserve along the last of the old railway I had walked the previous day. I passed the village of Yatton with a most peculiar church, St Mary the Virgin. Built around 1400 with a spire on top of a tower, the spire was shortened 200 y later.

Day 21 to Chepstow

This is the M4 road bridge, I passed under this one.

It took me 45 min to walk over this, the M48 road bridge.

Approaching the road bridge I passed this splendid house -I think it was an old Customs house.

In the village of Aust was a vineyard and a church having a turret in one corner of its tower. I subsequently saw several such churches on my walk, something I had never noticed before.

10 June: Photos Days 10-13 of the Walk

Day 10, Sandymouth Bay to Hartland

Just one photo to add to my blog-a photo of Hartland Abbey in the distance. Taken from the village of Hartland about 4.30 by which time dusk was already beginning to fall.

 

 

 

 

Day 11, Hartland to Westacott (2 m E of Bideford)

This proved to be the very best day’s weather of the whole trip up to Alston, wall to wall sunshine, hardly any wind, hot-and only the 19 March!

At the time I described in my blog the lovely woodland I passed through en route to Clovelly. Here is a photo. I spent nearly an hour passing through woodland like this and did not see a soul.

I also described the very steep cobbled streets of Clovelly and seeing the milkman delivering using a sledge to carry the milk. Every house had at least one of these sledges by their door.

It really was an amazing day, here is a view of the coast I was to travel that afternoon and a photo of me.

The footpath stayed hard on the coast so that there were many views of Clovelly as I left it behind, and then views of the coast looking N.

By 4.30 I had nearly finished the day’s walk and was about to head inland to the farm I was to camp at. The sun was getting low, providing a great view of the coast I had walked along that day. Typing this on a cold, grey, wet June day I have to pinch myself to remember that all this was back in the middle of March!

Day 12, To Barnstaple

Just one photo to add to those already posted-primroses in full bloom along the old railway track to Barnstaple.

Day 13, Barnstaple to Brightlycott Barton

This was less than a couple of hours walk out of the town and up the hillside to the N. I had a lovely view of the bridge over the R. Taw I had crossed the day before.

There was a marvellous sunset that evening. Shame about the caravans in the foreground-but what colours in the sky.

3 June; Photos: Days 7-9 of the Walk

Day 7, Wadebridge to Tintagel YH.

After the sun of the previous day this was a very misty day throughout. There was so much water in the air I was surprised it did not actually rain. The route was entirely “cross-country”, small intimate fields, all grass.

I passed “Jobs’ Cross” en route. The stem is Celtic and was found being used as a bridge over a stream. The top was recently made to fit on top. It has not weathered well.

There are some splendid tea shops in Tintagel and I was well provided for. Shopping (so a big tea that night) then down to the youth hostel passing the church (some of which is 11 or 12th century) on the way.

The youth hostel had been a quarryman’s cottage. It had a spectacular location right on the cliffs. Later that night it cleared and I could see the lights of Port Isaac, some 6 m SW across the bay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 8, Tintagel YH to Coxford (1 m W of Crackington Haven).

Tintagel Castle was built in 1233 by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, when there was already a suggested association with King Arthur.  The castle is on the mainland and on the adjacent island are the ruins of a Celtic  monastery. I had the castle ruins to myself which made it even more atmospheric. I met  some other visitors as I left who took my photo.

 

 

 

 

 

It was then a delightful walk along the coast in a half light as the cloud was so low. Two photos showing from where I had just come, and where I was going.

 

 

 

 

 

And what was revealed as I progressed.

“Rocky Valley” a few miles before Boscastle.

Day 9: Coxford to Beyond Bude.

I struck due North, missing some headland to rejoin the coastal path about 4 m before Bude. Rain threatened from the outset. I could see squals moving in from the sea and the cows clearly knew rain was imminent.

This was the heaviest rain I had had since starting. Cold and heavy but fortunately it passed in a couple of hours so later on I had sunshine as I entered Bude. En route I passed this very impressive folded rock strata at Millook. Apparently the rocks create especially big long waves that very good surfers can ride.

On leaving Tintagel the day before I had seen large white buildings on the horizon when looking North. Nothing was marked on the map and I was intrigued that a new hotel or such like  might be given planning permission to create such an intrusion on the view. They became clearer today as I advanced towards Bude where I discovered that it was a satellite of the Cheltenham GCHQ complex. The second photo was taken the following day as I walked straight past the complex (I thought I had better take the photo from some distance away as iIthought I might get arrested if I stopped at their front gate to photograph).

After a splendid pot of tea in Bude I loaded up with food at the Co Op and set off for my home for the night, Sandymouth Holiday Park.

Stone walls changed character again.

The holiday park was really pleasant. A fantatstc location with great views over the sea. I started my day just beyond the headland seen in the far distance of this photo.

They had only opened the park the day before so it was still pretty quiet-but did have a small shop and a bar so all very pleasant. Again, mine was the only tent so I had a a huge field to myself. They had a problem with the water supply to the toilets and shower block so gave me a key to a nearby chalet. The central heating was on, and I had a lovely hot shower in a warm bathroom-luxury. Staff could not have been more friendly and helpful. They had saved a leaflet advertising a “baggage-carrying” service for those walking the coastal footpath and were most concerned the following day that I had been OK as there had been a hard frost overnight.

29 May: A Message To Everyone

I had never read a blog before starting my walk, let alone written one. It has been a real delight writing it as it has felt like sharing the walk with companions. This has been reinforced seeing the comments and how many people access the site and has made my solitary walk much less lonely.

I would like to say “thank you” to each and every one of you.

A friend pointed out to me yesterday that every walk is composed of two halves. There will be more posts over the next few days as I finish loading remaining photos and then, hopefully, I will continue “LEJOG (second half)” over the next year.

Mike

29 May: Progress Report

I stopped walking on 25 April having got to Alston. About 650 miles done and another 500 to do with nearly seven weeks available in which to complete it. My knees had been painful for a week and for the last two days had made any progress uncomfortable (and sometimes rather slow!). I hoped a few days rest would solve the problem but this has proved not to be the case.

Physios have explained that the blood supply to ligaments is not good and consequently healing is relatively slow, up to 6-8 weeks. They were encouraging though that I might get back walking sooner than that. Each week I hoped they would be good enough to initially do some local walks with just a day pack, perhaps then further afield but staying in B&Bs to save carrying camping equipment, and only later carrying a full load. I have now been resting and receiving physio treatment for five weeks. The knees have improved such that I am no longer woken at night or need painkillers but walking remains painful. I tried 40 min last week and spent the rest of the morning moving around very gingerly. Clearly I am not going to get any walking at all done before my return to walk on 11 June. My LEJOG walk has therefore definitely paused for the foreseeable future.

I do intend to complete it.

I hope that later in the summer I will be able to do some of the nearer route, perhaps as far as Jedburgh, using weekends. I might manage a week in the autumn if the weather is reasonable and I can take the necessary leave. That would get me to the start of the West Highland Way. 24 more walking days would get me to John O’Groats-perhaps I could get a good bit of that done in May of next year. The weather in Scotland is often relatively settled then and it is a quieter time of year for me at work.

So, I may finish in about a year’s time. That would mean using another year’s annual leave on this project, leaving nothing for holidays with the family. I think I would like time with them-in which case I might finish in May 2014! All very speculative but at least possible.

During the next week I will post my remaining photos and later, add more to my blog as I resume the walk.

13 May: Photos Days 4-6

Day 4, St. Agnes to Newquay.

The campsite at St Agnes was delightfully situated, a small flat field 300 feet up just off the coastal footpath. It was immediately at the end of the runway of a small airfield but mist rendered it inoperational while I was there. I had the tent section of the site to myself as was often the case through March.

The morning started very misty-but dry

The walk began along a very eerie section of the coastal footpath. There was much evidence of mining, the path ran along very steep, exposed sections of the cliffs, and as here some parts were quite desolate. All cloaked in mist at 9 in the morning.

It was brighter as I approached Perranporth. This is the view of surfers I described in my Day 4 blog on 12 March. What a long time ago that seems now (but looking at this photo and my maps brings it all vividly back).

After a pot of tea I set off across Perranporth Beach, 3 1/2 m of firm flat sand and hardly a soul:

And 5 min later the sun came out! It was shortly after this that I made my first attempt at sending a gps location to some of my friends. Sue subsequently told me it placed me well out to sea.

By the afternoon I was approaching Newquay. Fortunately the tide was out so I could use the tidal footbridge over the R. Gannel this saving me 2 m walking inland to cross the river. It had become misty again.

I decided to walk to the West of the town to buy a gas canister and save me looking for it the following day. I then had 40 min retracing my steps to my hotel in the East of the town. The next day I passed the shop as I left for the next stage!

Day 5, Newquay to “Old Macdonald’s Farm”, near Treburrick.

My blog described the difficulty in finding the right way out of Newquay, but once I manged this I had splendid coastal scenery. The farmland was also richer with a mixture of arable and dairy farming. The day remained a little misty but the cliffs were consistently dramatic.

In the afternoon I passed above the “Bedruthan Steps”, said to have been used by a mythological giant, Bedruthan, as stepping stones along the beach.

 

 

 

I also met a change in pattern of stone walls. This herringbone pattern is characteristic of North Cornwall and is locally known as “Curzy Way”.

Day 6 (14 March) to Padstow and Wadebridge

This was my first really sunny day. I was away a little after 8 am. Here is the tent, everything else packed in the rucksack.

I used public footpaths marked on the map to cut a corner and save road walking. To the credit of the local authority and local farmers , they were all well marked and stiles properly maintained. This must have been a very old bridge, it took me over a stream flowing down to Porthcothan. At the time I thought it apt to call it “The Bridge to John O’Groats”.

It was very sunny  by the time I got to Padstow and made for a hot walk along the River Camel estuary and onto Wadebridge. The photos show the estuary looking back to Padstow and a hovercraft that had just come from a nature reserve a little upstream.

Wadebridge is not a big town but I was quite struck by how noisy the traffic  was and I had to take great care to quickly become streetwise and learn to look out for fast-moving vehicles.