New Valley Hills

Despite Jon and I having plenty of common ground on long walks to discuss and a friendship going back more than 25 years I manage to get on the trail at 0745. St. Ives is stirring with early sea swimmers and runners.

The walk to Hayle isn’t particularly interesting.

Sitting in the grass atop the dunes at Godvery Cove, eating half of a large Philps steak pasty, I’m in a happy place. The tide was going out which meant I’d been able to walk 6km here from Hayle in the golden sands. It’s a balmy 20C in early October. The beaches are pleasantly full of surfers, windsurfers, bodyboarders and dogs all playing.

I’m looking SW back across the bay to St Ives where I’d spent the night.

I’m walking past dozens of endurance runners coming towards me. Some doing 3 marathons in 3 days. Some doing 40 miles in one day!

Hell’s Mouth cafe serves me more Callestick ice cream. Again clotted cream and blackcurrant, topped with rum and raisin.