Mon 19th April - Day 3, St Ives to Coombe (17 miles)

It was a brighter start to the day, some blue sky but rain didn’t look too far away. After breakfast I had a shower then cleaned my waterproof trousers & boots, they were filthy after sinking in mud yesterday.
When I left at 9:30 the clouds had all but disappeared and it looked like being a hot day.

In contrast to yesterday I walked in the sun through St Ives, it felt like summer with all the gardens in bloom and I tempted fate by putting some sun block on.

I followed the road to Carbis Bay before I picked up the track in the sand dunes along the railway line to Lelant then back on the road around the inlet to Hayle.

After lunch in a café it was back on the footpath through the sand dunes of the Towans, an area of holiday camps.
The rain started as I came onto the sandy bay at Gwithian, where kite surfers were coming back in, so it was back on with the waterproofs.

With 5 miles to go the path once again took to the cliff top through heather and gorse, but after 3 miles I came off the path and took the alternative road route trying to keep my boots & feet dry.
The rain was easing and had stopped just before I arrived at the campsite at Magor Farm, Coombe at 16:45. I got my first donation for Age Concern here with a £2 reduction on the site fee.

It was not a long day but after 17 miles I was tired, especially as my right foot was sore, due, as I discovered, to my first blister on the ball of my foot. It was time to try out one of Davina’s blister pads.

After having my tea I switched on the phone ready to write up the log and there was a message for me to call Radio Orkney and give a report for the morning broadcast, I had been interviewed the week before so this was an update on my progress.

40 miles completed.