Day 10: Crossing into Cornwall

Start: Hartland Quay

End: Bude

Miles: 16

Total miles: 125

I had a wonderful hotel stay yesterday. I now have clean clothes, feel refuelled and energised. The hotel had kindly let me post myself a resupply package of dehydrated meals and this was waiting on my bed. Over breakfast I read today's route description, my guide book refers to it as the toughest stretch of the entire path and the SWCP website confirms this. If there's any day I am up against the toughest stretch it should be today, when I'm well rested and ready. A recommended time of 8 hours is suggested given the 10 steep valleys that need to negotiated. I knew I was in for a long day, but found the prospect of the challenge ahead alluring. So I stepped out of the comfort of the hotel and returned to that wild rugged coastline.

It’s always a strange mix of emotions when you leave the comfort of a hotel and head back out onto a trail. On the one hand, I am well rested, well fed and eager to push further with my miles. But on the other hand, having experienced a night in a comfy bed I know the quality of my sleep is going to deteriorate from here. Day by day the mud will gradually accumulate on my clothes, my hair will become slowly more untameable and I'll acquire more bruises and scratches. It’s only a matter of days before I've gently descended back to that default feral state. 

I started today's walk with Oliver, a man from Dorset who is completing the path in sections over various trips. He told me he had read the route description for today many times, hoping it would change. He was not looking forward to the 10 valley climbs up ahead. After a couple of hours, I pushed ahead and began to tackle the first of the ascents. The route climbed down a series of steep steps, crossed a stream at the base then the ascended instantly. This would be the repetitive pattern of today, unlike previous days there was very little respite between the ascents. I was feeling the weight of my bag today with the resupply of meals and the extra water for the longer stretch.

By early afternoon I'd reached the Bude GCHQ site,  large satellite dishes, high fences with security cameras made me feel like I shouldn't be there. At about valley 8 of the day, I became tiresome of this pattern and my calves burnt. But I kept pushing. Further along the path I met another coastal path hiker. They are easy to spot - huge pack, weathered, propelling themselves along with hiking poles. We gave each other a knowing look and compared our journeys so far. He was the same age as me and was walking in the opposite direction, meaning he only had just over a week to go. He told me he'd felt everything from elation, happiness to loneliness and boredom. We chatted for a while, wished each other luck and pushed on. I aim to be as infectiously positive as him by my day 35. With an hour remaining to get to Bude, the route became less remote and I stopped at a cafe for tea and cake before pushing through the final miles.

I'm now in Cornwall, with the hills of Somerset and North Devon behind me. I'll return to Devon in the coming weeks to complete the South Coast, but firstly there's 300 miles of Cornish coast waiting to be walked over. Today lived up to it's name and was a tough, slow stretch. But it was also one of the most scenic and dramatic. Waterfalls tumbling from steep valleys down to the sea, secluded combes and rocky outcrops. I was happy with how the day shaped up. I enjoyed the sense of isolation and although the endless valley climbs were relentless, I found them rewarding to conquer. I now step into new territory, pushing beyond the maximum I've ever continuously hiked with this pack weight. But today gave me confidence, helping to close the gap between ability and aspirations. I know Cornwall will have many more challenges awaiting. After today, I'm ready to accept them.