Day 58 – 1,000 miles

Perranporth to Gwithian. 19.29 miles, 3,022ft of elevation, 38,152 steps

Today I hit the 1,000 mile total and am now on 1,012 with three days to go. It seems like a lot but in some ways I feel no different to when I just started. Rory did his best to get the Scottish Proclaimers song stuck in my head but luckily it disappeared very quickly – hopefully never to come back.

We started the walk with Rory’s friend Ally who joined us to St Agnes and to a special coffee shop. After coffees, bacon and eggs and a very generous nut selection provided for free I was on my way again. It does seem bizarre that I spent the first few weeks freezing cold and wet in late summer and here I am two months later in late October eating outside in shorts and T-shirt. No complaints from me.

The walk was straight forward as we entered in to full Poldark territory. You could clearly see the copper in the cliffs and the drainage holes drilled to release water from the mines. It was warm but there was no temptation from me to take off my top and grab a scythe.

On closer inspection, there was still clear evidence of massive slag heaps and numerous cliff collapses. This is a dangerous place and the miners must have been put under terrible stress with the threat of the mines flooding or collapsing at any time.

Schooner and I took some time out to have our sandwich lunch (few snacks for him), as we made our way along to coastal path. The good thing about being on the cliffs is it gives you a great perspective of how far you have come or how far you still have to go!

I am slightly ahead of where I was planning to be. I have had the luxury of staying again at Rory’s house so could just push on today and do some good miles. There is a change of route afoot as I am now going to head inland tomorrow and come down to Penzance on the south coast. The forecast is terrible and will be nice to be off the coast for a bit. Kate and the girls have a cottage in Penzance for the next few nights and it means I can approach Land’s end straight from there with relatively easy days on Saturday and Sunday as the girls join me for the last push to the end. I might even have time to watch the rugby on Saturday morning….,

It all seems a bit unreal that it’s finally coming to an end, but am super excited about seeing the family and spending time with them back home. anyway, I cheered myself up with a beer and soak in the hot tub….tough life.