Day 13 - Misery, injury and a torrent of vitriol

Salmonhutch, Crediton to Tiverton - 2/6/08

Come one, come all for a riveting walk along the spectacular Exe Valley Way. We have the ups, we have the downs (none of those pesky flat sections though) and for those of you who dream of a morning of knee shattering fun, there's always the option of an exciting on-road section first thing. If you can tear yourself away from the relaxing asphalt surface (steep camber included at no extra price) then the wonderful Exe Valley Way offers even more to the discerning hiker.

Relive those childhood dreams of exploration as you battle through our specially prepared undergrowth. Our route maintenance experts have been busily crafting a dense foliage jungle just for you and their careful placement of fallen trees and overhanging branches ensures that your time on the trail will be a real challenge.

But, it's not just about physical exertion; there are sights aplenty to be seen as you go. See our glorious hedgerows which come with our personal "breeze blocker" guarantee to provide you with mile after mile of near identical viewing. After the hedges, be sure to enjoy our sodden fields, murky forests and have your camera ready for the unmissable sights and smells of the Tiverton sewage works.

All said, the Exe Valley Way really is the trip of a lifetime so don't delay, grab your waders and come and join us today. As a bonus, act now and you'll get the benefit of our stifling humidity and torrential downpours at no extra cost. The Exe Valley Way - a once in a lifetime experience.

You can probably tell from the above rant (I don't know why it took the form of an advert - it just seemed right at the time), that the route today has not really been one of my favourites to date. Not only has the walking generally been awful, but the constant ups and downs all day have taken their toll and I'm now walking with a distinct limp. It's my left leg this time, just above the knee, but fortunately I've got tomorrow off, so by the time I don the pack again, it should hopefully feel a tad better.

So, focusing on the positives, what have I enjoyed about today? The honest answer would be precious little, although I must pass on a good word for Bickleigh Mill. I came across this lifesaver late in the afternoon after stomping up and down the hills all the way from Crediton. Having found nothing to eat since my modest bowl of breakfast porridge, I was naturally starving and so pretty much anything would have been welcome. My deli board of cold meats, breads, cheeses etc and a cream tea (complete with two giant scones) turned out to be delicious and all disappeared in a matter of minutes.

Sadly, not even a full stomach could improve the bog ridden off road section that consumed the remainder of my afternoon. It seems to be a constant problem down here that even the more prominent footpaths are in desperate need of a spot of maintenance. It's all well and good providing signs and waymarkers pointing across a field but if you can't physically walk across said field without hacking through waist high grass and climbing over fallen trees, then something is clearly amiss. I therefore implore whoever is in charge of the footpaths of Southern England to get out there and "walk the trails yourself" (preferably with a heavy backpack) so that when the next LEJOG walker comes along they can have something positive to say about their journey into Tiverton.

Sun, stroll and the company of fish

Venton to Salmonhutch, Crediton - 1/6/08

It would seem that someone was listening the other day when I was moaning about the wet weather. Today was my first totally dry day since setting off from Lands End and I must say that it made for a pleasant change. The most noticeable difference was probably just packing my tent away dry for a change and it was surprising how much lighter the whole thing was without all of the excess water. Still, it would seem that more rain is on the way for the rest of the week, so I suppose I shouldn't get used to it.

On to today's walk then and really, its not been too bad. No major surprises and its been quite pleasant just to trundle along and drift off into my own little world. It's helped that the mileage for today has not been particularly vast so I've just been able to go at my own pace. It also meant that I've been able to take a generous break for lunch, which is something of a change from my usual sandwich at the roadside.

Speaking of roads, today was yet another tarmac heavy day along the lanes of Devon. Hard on the feet, easy on the navigation is a situation I'm getting increasingly used to. I still find it irritating though when the high hedges block out views of the surrounding countryside for mile after mile. Sometimes it feels like walking in an incredibly long tunnel for the day, which was novel at first but is now getting pretty tiresome. At least now that I'm out of Cornwall, Rights of Way are becoming more prolific so hopefully the coming days will be a little more varied.

I'm staying tonight at the Salmonhutch Coarse Fishery just outside Crediton. I had originally planned to take an extra day off here as a rest day, but I've decided to push on to Tiverton instead tomorrow and take a rest day there. Partly, this is down to the somewhat spartan facilities here at the site (they don't have showers - I had to dunk my head in the sink!!!). However, I also quite fancy a day or two in civilisation after being slightly remote for the last couple of weeks. Besides, spending two days with only fish for company is not an especially attractive prospect.

Just a quickie...

Hi folks

This is just a quick note to apologise for the tardiness on the blog front recently and to let you know that all is progressing well. I am making good progress; I am currently North of Ashbourne in Derbyshire and will be starting on the Pennine Way on Tuesday.

I hope to have a few more blogs up in the next few days, but I have slipped behind a little (??) in writing them up. I will do my best to bring them up to date as soon as I can so that you see what I have been up to as I made my way through several counties on my steady trek North. Thanks for all of your interest and support and hopefully normal blog service will be resumed soon.

Cheers
Chris

Day 11 - Views, sun and an increasing sense of optimism

Bridestowe to Venton - 31/5/08

I've actually quite enjoyed today. I know that shouldn't be surprising, but this first week or so has been pretty tough on my feet/legs/shoulders/knees etc and the discomfort has somewhat lessened my enjoyment. Today however has been the first day where (apart from the last mile or so), I've felt reasonably fresh throughout and as a result, I've been able to relax and enjoy the scenery so much more. This might also have something to do with me taking more rest stops than usual (every hour as opposed to just one for lunch) and whilst it may make the day slightly longer, I still think it's worth it.

Some would argue that the reason for happy feet is that my route today was for the most part, cross country. They may well have a point and certainly the scenery was much more pleasant, though any change from the now over familiar hedgerows is exceedingly welcome.

The day started with the usual lanes replaced by field crossings and a riveting game of "dodge the stampeding cows". I'm sure they were only curious and that if I had shouted "boo" they would have scarpered in the opposite direction, but several tonnes of incoming beef is still a tad unnerving. Having escaped the perils of my bovine friends, it was time to tackle the perils of Dartmoor.

To be fair, I did little more than skirt the edge for an hour or two but even from this relatively lowly vantage point, it was easy to see how people get into difficulty out there. It's bleakness makes it an attractive place to wander on a sunny day but this is a place where the weather can change in an instant and unless you have considerable experience with compass navigation, you might find yourself having an uncomfortable night on the moors.

It seems the weather had some sympathy for my own level of compass skill and the skies remained blue and clear for the duration, though in my route, the paths were well trodden and hardly made for taxing navigation. This meant that I had some truly excellent views of the surrounding countryside, which was so pleasant after the claustrophobic lanes. It was almost a pity to leave, but leave I did, along the Two Castles trail which again coincided with my route and provided and handy way into Okehampton.

The entry into the town itself was made more interesting by the crossing of the local Golf Club. I certainly got some odd looks from the golfers when I stumbled out of the woods, looking like a vagrant and proceeded to plod myself and my pack across their manicured fairways. As a side note, it must be said that 11 days of stubble growth is not really helping me look any less like a tramp, though I'm hoping that by hanging my map around my neck people will get the idea that I'm a long distance walker. This plan doesn't seem to be doing much to disperse the funny looks but perhaps when I hit the Cotswold Way and get into walker territory, I'll feel more accepted. For now though, I grabbed a quick sandwich from the town centre and the scurried back off into the countryside.

In fact scurrying was quite appropriate as I spent the afternoon following the path of the Tarka Trail, which takes in locations visited by the Otter of the same name in the famous book. However, having never read the book, this meant little to me although it would appear that said Otter was rather better at navigation than me (hardly surprising) as I spent much of my time on the trail getting lost (again).

Ah well, at least I made it to the campsite here at Venton eventually and who knows, perhaps by the time I reach John O Groats I might even have developed a sense of direction!

Day 10 - Something, something and a lack of inspiration

Roadford Lake to Bridestowe - 30/5/08

I've been trying to write this blog for the last hour or so but its one of those nights where my creativity appears to have abandoned me and I'm left with little idea of what to write.

To be fair, today has hardly been full of adventurous exploits. that's not to say that it hasn't been enjoyable, it's just not been particularly eventful. Given that the distance for today was a little under 11 miles, it's not surprising that there were few surprises (Does that make sense??). I shouldn't complain though as I have three very long days coming up in a week or so and I shall be wishing I was back on the afternoon stroll that today became.

Knowing that my route was hardly taxing today, I made the most of a nice long lie-in which, despite being under canvas (in the world's soggiest field), was actually very pleasant. When I did finally drag myself out of my sleeping bag, most of my fellow campers were already up and out on the lake in/on their various contraptions. Given how humid it was this morning, it was all I could do not to grab a wetsuit and join them, but being the dutiful LEJOGer I reached for the boots instead. As if to reward my dedication, when I went up to pay for my accommodation they refused to take my money and told me to donate it to my charity instead.

Buoyed by this act of generosity, I left Roadford with a veritable spring in my step. This probably wasn't the best day however for such exuberant movement as the combination of humidity, pack and exertion meant that 20 minutes down the road I was absolutely drenched. Apologies here if I have put any of you off your dinner, but as I have said before I have (and always have had) a tendency to sweat profusely at the best of times and this morning was bad even by my standards. Helpfully, the high hedges lining the road did a sterling job of blocking all and any breeze, which meant that I continued to dissolve as I meandered down the lanes.

Around the time I was re-joining the Two Castles trail, I stupidly started to think that a bit of rain would be quite welcome in order to clear the air. I should know by now that you should "be careful what you wish for..."as no sooner had this thought crossed my mind than the first rumble of thunder was heard. Despite the continued lack of breeze at ground level, said storm somehow managed to follow me all the way to Bridestowe. It then hung around long enough for me to enjoy pitching my tent in the rain (yet again) before disappearing to, presumably, harass some other poor hiker. I'm beginning to think that I've offended the weather in some way as, since setting off on my journey 10 days ago, I've failed to have a single rain free day. I wouldn't mind but I always thought that the South was the warmer and drier part of the country. I'd expect this sort of weather back home, but not here. Ah well, got to love the British summer haven't you!!

Day 9 - Beasties, a Castle and a re-charged battery

Pipers Pool to Roadford Lake - 29/5/08

What a difference a day makes. More specifically, what a difference a day spent lying in bed, watching TV and eating lemon bon-bons, makes. On my arrival at Pipers Pool I felt like death warmed up, but thanks to spending a very lazy Day 8 and another fantastic cooked breakfast (going back to porridge tomorrow will come as a bit of a shock), I'm feeling much much better. My feet are still a little bit tender but at least they are back to their original colour again, which is a considerable improvement.

Before I start on about today's walk, I just have to mention the Rudona B&B where I have spent the last two nights. If you're ever in the area of Pipers Pool/Launceston you really should consider spending a night at the Rudona. It's run by Barbara and Roger and from the moment I stepped through the door they were offering me cups of tea and sandwiches (they must have heard about me) and generally making sure that I was as comfortable as possible. As you can imagine, after a week under canvas this was exactly what the doctor ordered. This morning however, the trail once again beckoned and so after breakfast I said my farewells and set foot once again on my journey North.

The morning consisted of the all too familiar lanes although these did appear rather more abundant with wildlife than usual. Before reaching Launceston I had disturbed countless rabbits, two foxes (which takes my lifetime count of foxes seen to 3!) and an entire family of pheasants complete with tiny baby pheasants.

After the menagerie of the morning, Launceston was somewhat drab by comparison. To be fair, I had already spent a couple of hours there on my day off wandering around and hence I had no desire for a repeat performance today. That's not to say that I disliked Launceston - the Castle sitting proud in the middle of the town was certainly worth a look as was the little coffee shop I had visited, but there was nothing spectacular about the place that would draw me back or detain me. Still, it had served its purpose well in allowing me to re-supply and that's all I could ask for.

With the silhouette of Launceston Castle behind me, I set off along the path of the Two Castles trail - a waymarked route of winding lanes, bridle ways and footpaths that links Launceston Castle with its counterpart in Okehampton (hence the name). As I will be passing through Okehampton in a few days time the trail provides a useful route for me to follow until then - that's the theory anyway. I'm actually staying at Roadford Lake, which is somewhat off the prescribed route but given that it is the only campsite nearby, a detour is the only option.

Before veering off lake wards though, the trail proved pleasant enough if a little boggy in places, though with the weather recently, it is hardly surprising. It was nice to have something other than tarmac to walk on for a change, though the trail does have its fair share, and I know that my feet certainly appreciated having a softer surface for a spell.

From the trail to the lake was a simple succession of roads, which would hardly be worth mentioning if it wasn't for the fact that on one of these roads I (finally) made the transition from Cornwall to Devon. Leaving Cornwall behind has confirmed to me that I am making progress, which is great but it also reminds me that I still have a long long way to go.

Day 7 - Ups, downs and colourful feet

St. Breward to Pipers Pool - 27/5/08

It dawned on me gradually this morning that for once I wouldn't have to bother with my usual ritual of dismantling camp. It was a nice feeling and even nicer to be in a comfy bed rather than my normal 5 star canvas accommodation. Despite the lack of chores, it was still almost 10-o-clock before I finally loaded myself up and staggered back onto the trail. Most of the blame for the delay (besides pure laziness on my part) was down to the fantastic feast laid on by my hostess for breakfast. It turned out that she was actually the head chef over at the pub I had eaten at last night and given how good my meal had been there, I didn't want to waste a single morsel this morning.

Such a filling start to the day turned out to be a very good thing as today turned out to be another long one. It was also probably the trickiest navigation I have had to do so far, as my route took me right across the middle of Bodmin Moor. In fact I not only walked right across the moor but I also did it via the highest point, Brown Willy, which at 1,377 feet, also happens to be the highest point in Cornwall. This means that for the 20 minutes that I spent having a break at the summit, I was higher than anyone else in the whole of Cornwall, which is not something you get to say everyday !!

The downside of bagging the peak before lunchtime swiftly became apparent as, by the time I had scrambled up to the summit and down the other side, I was already thoroughly worn out. Sadly, at this point, I still had some 10 or so miles to go, so there was nothing to do but suck it up and press on. The pressing on went fine for about an hour but upon seeing the sign for Jamaica Inn, my will power crumbled and I found myself suddenly inside this atmospheric little tavern. Being something of a tourist trap due to its connection with the novels of Daphne du Maurier, I ended up paying somewhat over the odds for my afternoon refreshments. Whilst this was a little irritating, the food was fine and the drink was cold and at this point in the day both were exceedingly welcome.

Suitably refreshed, I left the old coaching inn behind me and took a series of lanes to the wide open spaces of Hendra Downs, where I promptly got lost. I've noticed a slightly devious nature in some of the Cornish rights of way. On more than one occasion, I have been lured away from the roads with the beginning of a well waymarked trail, only to have the said trail vanish. It's almost as if the person responsible for waymarking has lost interest after marking the first couple of points and wandered off to do something else. I therefore found myself in the middle of an expanse of common land with only a vague idea of the direction I needed to be heading in. Fortunately my compass came to the rescue and with a bit of common sense (not to mention following field boundaries looking for exits) I did eventually get myself back on track.

This was the last thing I needed at this point to be honest. I was already feeling pretty tired and an extra hour trying to exit the downs all but finished me off. The last hour to Pipers Pool was a nightmare. Everything hurt (it still does) but special mention must go to my feet which felt as though they were being steadily crushed into two large pancakes by the weight of my pack.

Eventually I made it into Pipers Pool and to the front door of the Rudona B&B and a welcome from Barbara and Roger, which started to ease the pain. I've decided to take an unscheduled day off tomorrow to try to give my feet a chance to return to their normal colour (right now they are literally black and blue). It's actually good timing, as I'm running low on supplies and as I should be back to camping again for the next few nights, I really need to stock up.