The plan
The only part of our route labeled “Severe”. Though based on the stats, I don’t understand why it’s tougher than the first day: 8.95\814m ascent\average grade 12%\3:21 hours…so same grade, but less miles and less ascent. We will be ending in the village where Doc Martin was filmed and staying at Three Gates Meadow.
Reality
Sitting in our B&B after a challenging day. I’m finding it hard to compare to yesterday. On paper, today was not as challenging. On my fitbit, it wasn’t as challenging. But I felt closer to “this is too much” toward the end. It’s hard to come off one huge descent and ascent, and face another one very quickly. It was also hotter today, a little bit in terms of temperature but a lot in terms of less breeze.
We started out from Tintagel at about 9:20 again, with a deviation to the Cornish Pasty shop to stock up on lunch food.
Was surprised and delighted to see my mum’s favorite Portuguese dessert available there too!
Had the day promised a gentle stroll, we would have taken the slight detour to visit Tintagel Castle. But coming off yesterday’s loooong walk and knowing that today’s was said to be even tougher, we decided to just look from a distance and continue on our way.
It was a fairly easy walk to Trebarwith Sands, where we stopped for a cup of tea at The Port William, which had a lovely deck overlooking the beach.
It was a very up and down day. Photos never quite capture steepness–this was a very steep descent:
Then, after another climb out, a pause in a patch of breeze for the Cornish Pasty. Yum.
It occurs to me that I take far more photos on descents. I think that might be because I’m exhausted on the uphills, but also because they’d all look up Dave’s shorts!!!!
Toward the end of the long day’s walking, we seemed to encounter more stiles. There was one a bit like the slate one pictured below, but it was immediately preceded by a wooden equivalent, with barely a step possible between them. As Dave pointed out, it looked like the kind of horse jump you find in Three Day Eventing. I almost refused. None of these things are made for short legged people like me!
Some of what should have been the easier parts of today–relatively flat walks along the top of bluffs–were made difficult because the paths were seriously overgrown. This example is running along the edge of a cliff–trip over something and fall in the wrong direction, and you’d never been seen again!
We’re now happily settled into the Three Gates Meadow B&B.
Lovely room, lovely host, lovely shower. Suitably refreshed, we’re heading into Port Isaac (Portwenn of Doc Martin fame) for dinner at the Old Schoolhouse. Will update this post with some extra photos when we get back.
Doc Martin addendum
We hobbled down into Port Isaac, gawking at the various recognizable locations.
