Day 10: 02 Apr 2014; St Gennys to Elmscott

Walk descriptor	LEJOG2014		Day	10
Date	Wed 02 Apr 2014		Start to end time	08h 26m
Start point	St Gennys		End point	Elmscott
Miles today	21.27		Cu miles	198.73
Ft today	3,902		Cu ft	36,381
Route miles left	1,274.00		Route ft left	157,337
Today’s weather	Started off raining then deied up abpit 11 and weak sun shone briefly. Overcast all aftyernoon, drizzle in evening. Easterly breeze. About 14 C

Today’s location (the red cross in a circle shows where I am at the moment)		GPX based track of today’s walk (click here to access to access downloadable file)

Commentary

“I was well rested after my unexpected night under a roof at Coxford and after four cups of tea and a caffeine laced energy gel bar for breakfast, I was positively buzzing. I hadn’t been particularly looking forward to this stage of the walk, as I’d heard from other walkers that the coastal path north of here was especially challenging. Also, I was aiming for Elmscott Youth Hostel for the night which even on a conservative estimate was over 20 miles away.

I started off in heavy rain – not the most auspicious beginning to the day – but it slowly brightened up and by the time I got to Bude, at 8 miles, it was almost sunny. It was a lot milder than lately, so for much of the day I was walking in a T shirt. The cool Easterly breeze stopped me getting too sweaty.

In order to make the day more manageable, I had re-planned my route to take in quite a lot of road-walking. In order to help ease the monotony of road-walking, I put my earphones on and switched on my music. It certainly helped pass the miles though I am sure my one-sided karaoke must have startled the occasional walkers who I met coming the other way!

In fact the day went straightforwardly – I managed to walk the coast path more than I expected and I didn’t find it quite as excruciating as on earlier days. I suppose 10 days of hiking must do something for the stamina. En route, a couple of large hares hopped by to check me out – they seemed enormous – like small deer, almost! And near Bude, bluebells were coming out in the hedgerows – really feeling like spring now.

The seascapes are changing a bit too – the cliffs are every bit as impressive as further south, but seem to be more shale than granite now. And – after 10 days walking, at 195 miles today I finally left Cornwall and entered Devon. Tangible progress, of sorts!

Overnight at Elmscott youth Hostel tonight. It’s very simple but just what I needed. Self catering tonight for the first time, too – if you really want to know, I am having macaroni cheese and chicken tikka, followed by ambrosia rice pudding and custard. All from cans, of course. Mmmm..”

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


Curious inhabitants of this drain near St Gennys. Yes, they are goldfish	Dramatic and forbidding rock slabs plunging to the sea near Bude

I couldn’t help wondering if the inhabitant of the upper left window of this pub at Bude had perhaps been enjoying Mother’s Day a little too much?	This well camouflaged but enormous hare came to check me out on the path near Houndapitt Farm

This inscription on the bridge near Welcombe proclaims that King William IV donated the princely (well kingly I suppose) sum of £20 towards its construction in 1836 “Fear God, Hour the King”!	For a moment when I saw this sign I thought I had taken a wrong turn somewhere and was rather dramatically off course…

Surfers on Widemouth Bay. Not very inviting, but they seemed to be enjoying it!