Back To My 'Ol Hiking Self

Not to sound too cliché but what a difference a day makes. After a bonafide do nothing day in Boscastle I set out the following morning covering the 17 miles to Bude feeling like my old self. Today I blew through the 16 mile stretch from Bude to Hartland Quay, considered to be the toughest section on the Southwest Coast path, feeling like a million bucks and hiking like a rocket. It was kind of strange in a way how much better I feel. It’s that dramatic. The soreness in my legs and knees is gone. Energy is up as well as the enjoyment factor.

There’s not much to Hartland Quay except for a beautiful rocky seaside setting and a couple of old buildings that remain from the days of fishing and trade. Sometime in the late 1800’s one of the buildings was converted into a hotel pub and that is how it remains today.

Of course the first thing I did upon arriving at the Quay was to hit the pub for a pint with fish and chips. I figured after that I’d hike up the road out of town to a farm with a campsite located a little less than a mile away. On the other hand, the forecast is looking grim and the hotel is very reasonably priced. I debated taking a room while I finished my pint. Not wanting to hike up the hill to a potentially blustery campsite I chose to get a room. The stunning setting and reasonable costs coupled with a very hospitable staff made deciding to stay all the more desirable. Also, a full English breakfast is included.

The hiking has been really good with sections of rugged steep trail cut between gentler slopes along a grassy cliff edge. The views are expansive with the sea always just to my left as I walk in a northerly direction. From Boscastle to Bude the skies were sunny. Today the skies were overcast and gray but it was still a decent day to walk. The wind? It’s always blowing at one extreme or another.

The weather is supposed to turn really bad tonight and last through tomorrow so I’m somewhat inclined to stay put if the weather is really bad. I have the time and it’s no fun hiking along exposed sea cliffs with severe weather. A little rain and wind is ok but they are forecasting a potential for hail and lightning which is somewhat and oddity for this part of England. Anyway, English forecast are notoriously fickle so I’ll see what it’s like in the morning.