Day 30: Lessons learnt from a month of hiking

Start: Looe

End: Millbrook

Miles: 12

Total miles: 402

Today I had the realisation that I have been walking for a whole month. I wanted to reflect on what I've learnt:

1. People can be very nice

Often spontaneous memories of hiking adventures do not always feature dramatic sunsets or moments of despair but the kind strangers that you met along the way. The South West is not short of kind people. I've been offered cups of tea, given camping chairs to sit on and had many friendly, supportive chats. So if you see me wandering eastwards on the South West coast this summer, offer me a encouraging smile  - you have no idea how much it helps! 

2. My body will adapt

Back in phase 2 my feet were suffering and sore, but they have since calloused and adapted. My shoulders and back have strengthened with the weight I carry daily, no longer feeling the discomfort I felt on the first week. My legs no longer ache after a long day on the hills. The theme here is patience, keep moving forward and your body will adapt.

3. It's a mental game

We train our bodies to develop endurance for the long days and have the strength to carry the weight and climb the hills, but rarely do we consider training our mind-set to cope with long tiring days on a trail. For me it helps to focus on the rewards that make the hard work worthwhile whether that’s the scenery, seeing the progress you’ve made on the map or simply the feeling of relief when dropping your pack at the end of the day. Maintaining a positive mind-set is essential and even though this inevitably can waver, I try to keep these periods brief and find ways to return to a positive plane. I like the mantra 'The trail quits before I do', eventually some miles down the line the path will end and I will achieve my goal.

4. Don't think about getting to Poole

This links to my previous point, looking at the whole route on a map is overwhelming. The weight of the trail in it’s entirety is heavy. I have told myself to not think about the finish, to not think about arriving home until I reach Weymouth. I know the stretch well from Weymouth and it's a couple of days from home. Here I can allow myself to think of the comforts from home as they are reachable at this point.

5. Prioritise food and rest

Having decent food and rest is essential for me. If this means finishing a little later as I've stopped for a more substantial lunch then it's worth it. I try to listen to my body, shorten my days when I need to and refuel at any opportunity I get. On a hike as long as this, eating well and allowing rest is key to my success.

Last night was a long one, the wind and rain persisted stealing any opportunity of sleep. I was happy to get up and put my tent down. At least I've rested I thought, even if I didn't really sleep. Today I'll head back into Looe as I'm meeting my friend Laura who is joining me for the stretch to Plymouth. She's not arriving until the afternoon, so I'll relax in Looe and find a cafe to shelter from the rain. I can always rely on Laura to support me with my adventures whether it’s sending me supportive messages or coming to meet me along the way. When I hiked the South Downs Way, she came to meet me and gave me a tea and proceeded to lay out a picnic blanket with high calorie treats. This resulted in a fellow hiker referring to me as the ‘princess of the South Downs Way’. This time Laura won’t be just passing by to deliver sustenance, she’ll be getting fully involved - completing a couple of days hiking and a night camping. She didn't have much in the way of hiking and camping gear but between me and her partner Ben, we managed to fully kit her out.

After Laura arrived we left Looe and picked up the path. It would be a later finish, given we were starting in the afternoon but we had a table booked at a pub near camp to keep us motivated. The winds were high with persistent drizzle and the visibility was poor, barely seeing a few metres ahead at points. The hills were pretty steep as the route repeatedly climbed back onto the cliff after descending to a village. Considering this was Laura's first hike carrying all the camping gear, I was certainly impressed with how she did. This was not exactly a beginner's route and coupled with the burden of a heavy pack, this was not an easy task. But she didn't complain, instead using humour to get through the long day.

Once we arrived at camp we went to the onsite restaurant and were ecstatic to get cold drinks and stodgey food. We were then faced with the challenge of putting up her 3 man tent in high winds on an exposed pitch. Delirious and hysterical from the long day, we battled with the tent in the wind. We eventually won the fight and escaped the weather. The tent felt huge compared to mine, I felt I had been upgraded for the night. Sleep came easily and my body was grateful to be resting.