| Hike Southbound through Britain with Daryl May Click for Northbound hike |
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| Days S53 - S65 English West Country | |
| Southbound Home Start hiking here Scottish Highlands Central Scotland Southern Scotland North of England English Midlands English West Country Northbound Home |
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Time of departure: 8.00 am Time of arrival: 2.00 pm Place departed: Whiddon Down, Devon Place arrived: Bridestowe, Devon Miles: 15 Cum miles: 871.7 Percent complete: 89.8  James House B&B, Bridestowe ***Cost for bed and breakfast: £35 ($70) |
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Gayle and Mick, fellow-hikers who left Land's End for John o' Groats on April 15, emailed me
today. Reading my journal, they've inferred that we're a day apart and converging rapidly.
In fact, they're in Launceston tonight and heading east; I'm in
Bridestowe and heading west to Launceston and beyond. Our paths may
cross tomorrow, or not. Regardless of whether we meet, the thought of
northbound and southbound end-to-enders sharing their "trajectories"
through use of Internet communication is a sign of the times. Not that
many years ago, all communication was by postcard or payphone. If
people met enroute, it was either by coincidence or longstanding
arrangement.
Gayle and Mick's blog is a well-written and entertaining read, available here. When I reached Land's End, I took a photo of their entry in the visitor's book, and sent it to them for the blog. It was dry today, and started cold but ended warm. I didn't overdress, as I did yesterday, and shivered in the morning. Having developed a heat rash under my backpack waist belt and straps yesterday, I preferred shivering to sweating. I ended the day on the West Devon Drive, which is probably the old A30, in the pretty village of Bridestowe. Having left Whiddon Down early, I was able to stop early. With time on my hands, I took a stroll through the village, photographing a sundial on the wall of the Royal Oak (once a pub, now a home), visiting the church graveyard (not my usual pastime), and researching and booking accommodation for tomorrow night. I dined on a half chicken, chips and salad at the White Hart, which is the village pub and restaurant, and enjoyed a pint of Sam's Poundhouse Devon dry cider. The West Country is where much of Britain's cider comes from. I've recovered from my ill-gotten can of warm Strongbow at Church Minshall a couple of weeks ago. The Jameson B&B seems a nice place, since I felt at home there. |
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| Day S58 © 2007 and 2008 Daryl May Day S60 | |