An inquisitive cat peers into the tent, too timid to come any closer. A bowl of freezing water to wake me up and I’m on my way. My back is stiff after two nights of camping, but the path is gentle, with the Great Mew Stone guiding me into Plymouth.
Mount Batten has a fine view of Smeaton’s Tower, a memorial to lighthouse designer John Smeaton, and The Royal Citadel. It also makes me appreciate how far east I must walk around The Sound to get there.
It’s a relief to reach the end of the last inlet and head west again. The A379 approach to the Laira Bridge is not the most scenic, but there are a few colourful old boats and an interesting series of poems inlaid into a high wall.
The next stretch through various industrial estates is predictably grim. My only fun is spotting the tiny acorn signs, telling me I’m on the right path.
A light rain falls as I pass the Art Deco Tinside Lido, striking against the grey sea and sky. I follow the seafront to Stonehouse, Cornwall beckoning across the water, before heading for the warm comfort of a train back to London.
Walk distance: 15 miles.
Total distance: 574 miles.