The Adventure Unfolds!    

On Friday the 28th of September Lesley began a 10 day cycle trip of some 375kilometres (233 miles) along the entire coast of Cornwall.  She stopped to say hello to the watch keepers at each NCI station along the way.  As well as all the pedaling, she had to navigate and take photos and then each night she wrote up her diary and sent it with the best of the pictures to be uploaded onto these pages.  Its a remarkable story!

Our thanks to all donators.

Finished packing and headed to the Sydney airport to begin her 22-hour flight to London. Then it will be off to Cornwall for a few precious days of final preparations!!

Well, made it to the UK and with less than a a week before the ride begins, there's so much to do; the bike to prepare, contacts to be made, maps to study, the list is endless!

My base for the last few days has been with my mum, Joan at St Giles, Wadebridge.  The weather is stunning and bright one minute and then stormy, all beautiful. Not sure I'll feel that way about the stormy bit when I'm well off the beaten track with my bike!  There must have been a jet passing by earlier and this is the trail as it drifted off into the evening sky.

Collected the bike from Nige, Bridge Bike Hire. All kitted out with helmet and Macmillan Cancer Support promotional gear and the iconic boxing kangaroo. Heard lots of car toots (assuming for the kangaroo and not my poor bike riding skills) as I did my practice run from Wadebridge to Pendoggett (10kms approx) and then back in late afternoon.

There was time though. for a visit to one of my favourite places in Cornwall, Blisland to visit St Protus & St Hyacinth, Blisland one of Sir John Betjeman's most-loved three churches in England. Also the church my mum loved from her early childhood where her brother Don swayed the incense! It is a most amazing church .. Massive granite pillars leaning in different directions, granite windows placed at random, dank and beautiful .. The wooden freezes, I think Betjeman said from more recent times.

While we were in Blisland the St Breward Silver band were having a practice for the national championship which is this weekend coming - they're one of the top two bands in the country, apparently.

Tomorrow I make my way back to Pendoggett to stay overnight at the Cornish Arms with  brother Jonney and his wife, dear friend Felicity.

The starting point for my trip is NCI Boscastle at 9.30am and from there I cycle around the county to Rame Head. Apparently you can't walk up to the lookout station unless you have "a mountain bike and legs of steel" according to the station manager, John Davis who sent me instructions:

The look-out is a walk from the football field at the bottom of Green Lane - BUT if you intend to cycle up to the lookout (a bit steep and rugged, and slippery when wet - you would need a mountain bike and steel muscles!) or even if you just walk the bike up you'll need to take the track beside the church opposite my house, as a bike will not go through a kissing gate the other way.

Last night I'd stayed overnight at The Cornish Arms (Jonney and Felicity's pub), first night the fire was lit since pre-summer (a concern about tomorrow's ride from Boscastle .. Did I bring enough warm clothes in pannier bags!

Jonney's borrowed bike (so he can join me on the first leg of my journey) is kindly donated by Thomas Hawken, friend and farmer at Poltreworgey next to the pub. A good solid mountain bike which Jonney practiced on by riding around the carpark once or twice.

We're ready for the morning's ride as long as our transport arrives at the promised time of 9.00am - naturally we're not cycling TO Boscastle (10 miles/16k), the plan is FROM Boscastle, the start of the 375km trip. Our volunteer transport is from local Dennis Knight who you could say is a fishmonger (of ancient fish cellars in Port Isaac, now at Rock). He recently had a knee reconstruction so asks Brian Nichols to drive us .. All four pile into the 4-door 'ute', bikes in the back.

Boscastle NCI comes into view as a speck perched on the edge of the cliff.

The tower was an old 'folly' built with summer house in mind back in the mid-1850s, now owned by the National Trust. It became a Coastguard Lookout but was closed along with all other CG Lookouts back in the 1980s.

Volunteers started work on the folly conversion into the NCI Lookout in 2002, reopening in 2003.

A brilliant gathering of blue NCI uniforms greet us along with John's wife, photographer David Flower and local newspaper reporter, cameras at the ready. A few group photos from the point of arrival outside the church and off for the five minute walk along the cliff top to the Lookout.

There are 37 trained watchkeepers, and more in training, who work four-hour shifts at least one day a week, in general during daylight hours (so longer days in the summer).

What about power? The station is a fair walk along the cliff top, there is no mains power, this is generated by wind and solar so they're on 12 volts which means running a PC is not feasible .. But maybe a laptop is the answer? And maybe the funding from the Cycle Cornwall fundraiser can go towards it.

The Lookout space inside is small and cosy, high power binoculars, radar and VHF radio to monitor sea activity and channel 0 (emergencies) and to report to the Coastguard Station in Boscastle any major issues.

And the loo? There is a compost loo, due to be emptied by the station manager John any day now!

We say our goodbyes and head off.  II wondered about the 'midges' - flies (not blue tongue carriers I hoped) that came in patches along the fast, flat stretches of road (remembering to keep the mouth closed!).. But apparently they are something quite different (what?).

 

The views along the way were spectacular - this is from Boscastle looking North, but we couldn't spend too much time admiring the views.

 

 

The high point for me was the sight of the NCI Boscastle volunteers to greet us as we arrived below the station

And cycling with Jonney, giving me huge confidence on my first day and the best company possible, cycling back along our Cornish roads was a very special experience too!

 

The best part of my adventure is sharing the unexpected experience with dear family and friends. I had a few in store for Day 2 of the journey.

Departure party from Wadebridge, my 'home' town, included nephew Sam arriving with his mum Felicity to cycle with me from Wadebridge to Padstow .. And with Toby, our very special pooch who has his own bar named in his honour at the Cornish Arms. Sam's Dad would have been very proud he made it as when I said departure time on a Saturday was 10.00am he seemed very dubious Sam, as a student, part-time worker and teenager, was likely to be slow off the mark. Jac (my even younger niece, Graham's daughter) and her mum Wendy came to wave us off along with my mum Joan. Plus our friend Gill was 'delivered' by hubby Mike to cycle with us, and Gemma and Steve joined us in Padstow

The Camel Trail is the track fro the old railway service axed in the '70s but turned to very good use in the past decade as a cycle and walkway.

The Wadebridge to Padstow stretch of around six miles is always a glorious ride as it almost flat and even gently downhill following the Camel River all the way into Padstow. This section of day's ride was about 6 miles (or 9.6kms) and I had a total of 32kms today.

The slightly podgy Toby was totally excited about the day head, he is going for a big walk.

And he certainly relished the natural spring along the way to cool down in. He made the whole trip happily (and back again).

Had to stop by the famous Rick Stein Seafood Restaurant for a photo as we walked by on our way to lunch at Rick's Café in middle street. Thanks for the sponsorship Rick

Gill joined me and, as a local from there parts, to help navigate to the NCI lookout at Stepper Point.

Looks OK on the map but it's way out on the headland with lots of walking tracks and a few gravel pathways… which do we take?

We can see the rooftop, flags and wind generator of the lookout, but how to get there? As the bird flies didn't work (see Gill and Lesley in the middle of the field, miles away!). !

The look on the faces of Colin Davey (Station Manager) and Terry Webb (Watchkeeper on duty) when he sees Lesley finally arriving with friend, but from the middle a field, should have been captured on camera!

A few days ago these volunteers were involved in a serous incident: a woman fell badly from Bray Hill (across the Estuary) and broke her ankle. NCI Stepper Point were involved in using their power binoculars to pinpoint the location and direct the 4x4 ambulance to the injured person. All ended safely

The Doom Bar, although technically not in the range of the NCI's responsibility (they monitor everything from a line to Pentire Point, across the water, out to sea) is notorious for wrecking - there is a map at the station showing 120 wrecks, dating from 1754, the Britannia, and apparently on Thursday with the very low spring tides you could see the shape of some of these wrecks peaking through the water.

Stepper Point lookout, like all of the NCI lookouts, also reports to HM Customs and Excise any unusual sightings such as a larger number of people returning on a vessel than in the departing one (they register number on board each way), or unusual exchanges between vessels (eg, suspicious packages)!

 

It costs around 4,500 pounds to run this lookout despite having all volunteer staff and labour, and their own energy source with wind and solar. The funds we help raise will be gratefully received to help this challenge.

Right in front of the lookout is a brick building, heritage listed, which was an old WWII gunning station - now used on rare occasions as a loo, so don't go near it!

Time to go and Gill helps guide me back along a different path from the lookout to a road … even so we have some glitches, but all is well and she sees me through to the turnoff to her home at Constantine Bay. T

Another 10 miles of cycling along some of the most spectacular clifftops and I'm in Newquay.

.

As I wonder which turning could be the right one for Lust Glaze (my overnight) a familiar large blue van and Mike and Gill are driving along side me! They came to check that I arrived safely and once again help guide me into Lusty. This is an amazing beach .. A shear drop from the clifftop above which means I must trek down the 200ft cliff drop (by steps) into the beach to confirm my accommodation (I don't take the bike) and yes,

I have the beach cottage. Back up to get the bike (a tricky task taking it down the steps) and back up again to have a totally unexpected treat of dinner with Mike and Gill at Gill's health club and restaurant right next door to Lusty.

 

The beach cottage, my place for the night kindly donated by Lusty Glaze (and Stewart and Lesley will donate 30 pounds to the charity for this) is literally on the beach.

The view from the webcam at Lusty Glaze today.

 

The sound of crashing waves as I drift off to sleep is bliss.

 

Woke to high tide at Lusty Glaze and sun peaking through pink sky, quite mild. Incredibly quiet here, just me and surf breaking on to beach. It's deserted. By 8.30am I'm ready to go and find Gary who is busily emptying rubbish bins from the party the night before (the exclusive use which meant I couldn't have anything to eat or drink here). He confirms the office doesn't open until 9.00m at earliest and restaurant 10.00am (depending on how late they were last night). And Brender won't be in today - I wanted to catch up with her but will do so by phone.

So time to climb the 200ft cliff, via steps, but with bike and backpack.

Newquay streets are also a bit dead except a string of coaches emptying out the hotels all along the seafront road into the centre. I travel up and down looking for an Internet café to connect to send my email of Day 2, my most pressing issue. No luck, the only one I can find opens at mid-day.

I receive a call from Tiffany from Radio Cornwall and talk about my trip - it goes to air at 2.00pm and mum heard it (at least)! The key message, please give to these charities.

Heading off from Newquay around 10.00am I decide to take the short-cut I mentioned to Ernie, map maker, via Cubert and down through Mount. When I suggested this Ernie nodded sagely and said "you could" .. There was a slight pause, nothing more. It was a good way to get away from traffic, so quiet, not a car along the way and passing the beautifully thatched Smuggler's Nook pub I thought, perfect choice of route. That was before starting on the bit that kept pointing to Mount, I should have realised that's 'mount' short for mountain. It should be named Mount Cycle Cornwall in honour of my climb! Perhaps that's what Ernie was holding back on. Didn't want to dampen my enthusiasm for a 'short cut'.

Breezed into Perranporth just before 11.00am and stopped for coffee and breakfast. Just leaving the little café I saw a big blue van pulled up outside and did a double take, I thought Mike and Gill, they're here!! Not this time. On to Porthtowan .. And St Agnes where I took a photo of Coastguard Lane, the nearest I got to the Lookout! Heaps of hills up and hills down .. It's a bit like going down into these beautiful beach villages is such a pleasure but very quickly there is this feeling of regret, partly of leaving the beautiful place. But mostly regret that the climb is so steep and long.

Into Portreath and I see the very visible Surf Life Saving Club . Reminding me of Australia's 100th anniversary of the first life saving club this year. And Pen Hasell working with Jonathan Ball to win the bid to host the 2010 World Life Saving Championships for Cornwall. I spot a kayaker out on his/her own in the rough sea and appreciate again the value of these clubs and of course the National Coastwatch Institution (nearest to here would be St Agnes closed for renovation). They are the eyes on the sea and cliff paths.

Stopped for quick lunch and heard a woman saying to her colleague… "I saw that boxing kangaroo in Wadebridge yesterday". Very matter of fact. All around these roads there are heaps of motor bikers .. All happy and chatty.

Along the Carvannel and Reskajeage Downs, which are the flat (nice riding) clifftop, stopped to take a photo from a great vantage point. Kite fliers were across on the other side of the road .. Breezy up here but a good cycle along the downs. This marks the spot of my first real worry .. The back wheel is now 'wobbly'! Spent some time trying to work out if perhaps pannier bags were rubbing, has the break caught? Slowly made my way to a craft shop/café and asked if anyone would volunteer to look at it with me .. And confirmed the wheel is buckled so no fix. I call my Bridge Bike Hire team and Tristan confirms the problem and says it's not going to fall off (in answer to my query is it safe to keep going) but I could take the rear brake off to allow it to run without rubbing on the buckled wheel .. And hopefully we can get someone in Hayle (about 3 miles away) to help fix it. They're closed so I keep going as apart from the strange noise as the buckled part rubs the mudguard on rotation .. I'm fine!

Make St Ives by 3.30pm early and stop to sort out the bike repair with Tristan .. Probably fix it in Penzance.

Geoff Langford, Operations Manager and webcam and weather station guru at NCI St Ives meets me to make sure I don't get lost between the town centre and his and Sheila's home where I'm staying the night. Did Geoff get wind of my problem finding Stepper Point? I'm glad for the guidance and arrive very safely just as the drizzle starts.

They have a beautiful home and I couldn't believe my luck, an invitation to wallow in their huge Jacuzzi before dinner. It was another surprise treat for me, a Jacuzzi at the end of my huge cycling day and worry about the wobbly wheel! A brilliant roast dinner with excellent Shiraz wine followed by carrot cake (I felt Aussie home pangs) and plunger coffee! I thought, this is better than any hotel .. And Sheila said they had a hotel in St Ives for more than 10 years! As I said to Geoff and Sheila at the end of my evening.. I feel I've known them both forever. And there are a few lovely links .. Their older son Mike lives in New Zealand (well, not that far off) and Rob the younger is a lifeboat volunteer and fellow tall ships buff like his dad. When I mentioned my fairly recent passion for Patrick O'Brian books (inc Master & Commander) he gently told me that someone gave him the full set (25 or more) and he hasn't read one because he's into totally authentic tall ship history, and POB is fiction. True.

I sleep well tonight and in contrast to Lusty (totally alone with the waves) I have the warmth of lovely home.