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At very long last it is time to start this nonsense. I left Penzance in high spirits and Cornish drizzle to cycle the 10 miles to Land’s End. Arriving just before 9am I quickly dispensed with all the obligatory signpost photos and then cycled round to the car park to meet Nic and Antony; friends of mine who happened to be in the area on holiday. They very kindly offered to cycle the first 35 miles or so with me and their support was very welcome. It really makes a big difference cycling with company. I’m beginning to realise the (mostly) solo nature of this trip might be the biggest challenge.
The first half of the day was a little bitty as the route zigzagged through Penzance, Hayle and Camborne. Whilst this kept us on quieter roads and away from the dreaded A30 it did mean there was never a long enough section to get into a decent rhythm. The afternoon was quite different though. After lunch the route changed to long sections and the going was much quicker.
The final section into Tintagel was hard going. The Cornish version of ‘flat’ is downhill followed by the same amount of uphill. It simply hasn’t occurred to them that there might be a more efficient way. Just as my legs were at their most heavy I hit the longest and biggest hill of the day. I nearly stopped at several pubs, but I resisted (for now) and finally made it to Tintagel Youth Hostel, a very welcome sight perched spectacularly on high cliffs overlooking the Atlantic.
Tomorrow – Tiverton.
