Day 3: Tintagel to Crackington Haven

N.B. A six-day walk on the north coast of the South West Coast Path (Padstow to Clovelly).

Cornwall Navigation: [Next Day] 

Highlights of the day were some natural caves and arches visible from the cliffs, and the Rocky Valley section with flowers, stream, waterfalls and dragonflies. Really nice.

Rocky Valley

By the time we reached Boscastle, we were ready to eat an ice cream, enjoy the view, enjoy a coffee at the National Trust cafe....

Village where we tried lavender honey ice cream -
supposedly the best ice cream we would ever have.
It was ... interesting.  Actual lavender flowers.  Crunchable.

A boat coming out of the ground - it's witchcraft!!!

Bill's favorite flowers on this trip.

As we exited Boscastle, it looked like the coastal path went up fairly steeply.  Sarah thought there was a less steep way around, clambering on the rocks.  So we tried following some alternative footpaths.  One went all the way around a big rocky hill... only to descend, ultimately, toward the sea.  Where it would presumably peter out at some point (blub, blub, blub).  Not so good.  So we backtracked, and Bill and I tried some "trails" up through the heather while Sarah went all the way back to the official SWCP.

She was up the ridge, waiting for us, as we struggled though gorse bushes and cobwebs up our ever-steeper "shortcut."

Butterfly

Today's section would have been 11.4 miles, but we took some short cuts to avoid the ravines. This meant road walking, sans shade and sans views. I found that part of the day more tiring (less motivating), especially since we were getting a lift back to Tintagel at the end of the day to stay a second night there. But on the upside, we did arrive at the C.H. pub very early, and were able to commandeer the lovely shaded picnic tables in back. Bill befriended a small child (as is his wont) and charmed the child's guardians.

It was hot and sunny, and my neck kept getting burned each day no matter how much  sun lotion I put on.  So when we got back to Tintagel, I bought a one-piece neck-scarf thing for full coverage.

Enjoying a well-deserved rest at the B&B.  It took me a while to realize those "windows" in the wall are mirrors.

Feet up! This is the life!!!

N.B. A six-day walk on the north coast of the South West Coast Path (Padstow to Clovelly).

Cornwall Navigation: [Next Day]