Hello all
It's back to the walking after a couple of luxurious days at home.
I had planned to drive down to the Mevagissey area in the evening of my second day at home so that I was ready to walk fairly early the next day, but then I changed my mind and went to bed early so that I could get up at the crack of dawn and drive down to Cornwall in the morning.
My friends, Colin and Jane had arranged to meet me just outside Mevagissey where they were staying at a caravan touring park. Jane wanted to walk some of the day with me and we set off together from the delightful harbour of Mevagissey and started by climbing up to the cliff top to the East of the town. This was the first of many climbs followed by many descents that stretched ahead of us. It was very hard work and we didn't have the nicest weather to walk in either. It was raining a little when we set off but improved a bit as we walked. The paths were quite slippery and the plants which edged the path constantly deposited moisture on our legs. Thankfully were were both wearing long trousers.
I didn't take very many photos as the dull day didn't make the scenery shine like it usually does.
The very hard going resulted in Jane stopping a little before Charlestown and I walked on by myself into the town of Charlestown where I met up with Jane and Colin for a drink (lime and soda).
Charlestown is a very popular place and was full of tourists. The nautical history of the town and harbour are a magnet for families, and the businesses have cashed in on the history of the place. I remember visiting Charlestown many years ago and I believe that there has been a marked increase in the commercialism of the town and harbour. I left Colin and Jane behind to enjoy the place, bought a very expensive sandwich and set off over the hill towards Par and the end of the day's walk.
Some of my fellow coast path walkers decide not to do the section between Charlestown and Par. I can understand why, but as it isn't a long walk so I completed it.
I had a good reason to walk this rather untidy bit of the path, because I have a link to the area that takes me back to my younger days.
This part of the coast and the county is dominated by the china clay industry. Although the heydays of the industry are long gone, there are many remnants and reminders of a once thriving industry which employed thousands of people.
When I was a seaman in the 1970s (more of a seaboy really), I enlisted on a small coaster sailing out of Tilbury Docks. It was a very scruffy boat and, for me, it was a glimpse of a very rough and ready world. At about 17 years of age I was expected to pull my weight and do everything on-board, just like all the rest of the crew. The crew - about 10 of them - were a bunch of hard nosed old hands who made no allowances for my young age or lack of experience. I even found myself helping out in the engine room, which is unusual for a deck hand. I have no love for engines or engine rooms and, as a result of this experience, engineers.
The coaster had a regular route and as far as I could tell had being doing the same thing for years. I had signed on for two trips and was glad that I hadn't agreed to more.
The little boat left Tilbury and soon emerged into the channel where it pitched and rolled all the way down the coast towards Cornwall. Being empty it was tossed about like a cork. Thankfully by this time I had my sea legs in place and sea sickness was not an issue.
I'm not totally sure about the details, but I do know that we moored up off the harbour of Par while china clay slurry was pumped aboard until, once our tanks were full, we were extremely low in the water. The voyage back to Tilbury was very different from the one to Par. The rough seas washed over the boat and it was a hazardous place to be. Once we had unloaded at Tilbury, it was back down to Par for another load of the white stuff.
And so it went on for the coaster and it's crew, but not me. I got paid and was off of that tub as fast as I could.
So this was my first day back on the path after a two day break. During the last couple of miles I noticed a strange feeling in my left calf. It felt a little sore, rather resembling a stinging nettle rash.
As I sat eating, I noticed that the leg was swelling up and was tender to touch.
I drove the van towards Polperro for the next day of walking and parked up in a lay-by for the night. It became clear that my leg wasn't right. I rolled up my trouser leg to look at it and decided, there and then, that I needed to get home so that I could go to the doctors and have it checked out.
When I got home I took a photo of my leg so that I could show the doctor if the swelling went down overnight.
This morning I went to the doctor and was told that it's an infection caused by something unknown.
I was prescribed anti-biotics and steroid cream. My doctor also told me to take it easy for a few days.
The outcome of this is that I am sitting with my leg up while I listen to the cricket. I won't be walking again until Sunday at the earliest.
The itinerary stays the same, but the sections in Cornwall, which I will have missed, will be done at the end. It is my intention to do them before the end of June.
Take it easy.
Rob.
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RobSetter
It's back to the walking after a couple of luxurious days at home.
I had planned to drive down to the Mevagissey area in the evening of my second day at home so that I was ready to walk fairly early the next day, but then I changed my mind and went to bed early so that I could get up at the crack of dawn and drive down to Cornwall in the morning.
My friends, Colin and Jane had arranged to meet me just outside Mevagissey where they were staying at a caravan touring park. Jane wanted to walk some of the day with me and we set off together from the delightful harbour of Mevagissey and started by climbing up to the cliff top to the East of the town. This was the first of many climbs followed by many descents that stretched ahead of us. It was very hard work and we didn't have the nicest weather to walk in either. It was raining a little when we set off but improved a bit as we walked. The paths were quite slippery and the plants which edged the path constantly deposited moisture on our legs. Thankfully were were both wearing long trousers.
I didn't take very many photos as the dull day didn't make the scenery shine like it usually does.
 |
| Chapel Point in the distance - Portmellon and Mevagissey are already a long way away. |
Charlestown is a very popular place and was full of tourists. The nautical history of the town and harbour are a magnet for families, and the businesses have cashed in on the history of the place. I remember visiting Charlestown many years ago and I believe that there has been a marked increase in the commercialism of the town and harbour. I left Colin and Jane behind to enjoy the place, bought a very expensive sandwich and set off over the hill towards Par and the end of the day's walk.
Some of my fellow coast path walkers decide not to do the section between Charlestown and Par. I can understand why, but as it isn't a long walk so I completed it.
I had a good reason to walk this rather untidy bit of the path, because I have a link to the area that takes me back to my younger days.
This part of the coast and the county is dominated by the china clay industry. Although the heydays of the industry are long gone, there are many remnants and reminders of a once thriving industry which employed thousands of people.
 |
| Spit Point and the china clay works - Little Hell in the background. |
When I was a seaman in the 1970s (more of a seaboy really), I enlisted on a small coaster sailing out of Tilbury Docks. It was a very scruffy boat and, for me, it was a glimpse of a very rough and ready world. At about 17 years of age I was expected to pull my weight and do everything on-board, just like all the rest of the crew. The crew - about 10 of them - were a bunch of hard nosed old hands who made no allowances for my young age or lack of experience. I even found myself helping out in the engine room, which is unusual for a deck hand. I have no love for engines or engine rooms and, as a result of this experience, engineers.
The coaster had a regular route and as far as I could tell had being doing the same thing for years. I had signed on for two trips and was glad that I hadn't agreed to more.
The little boat left Tilbury and soon emerged into the channel where it pitched and rolled all the way down the coast towards Cornwall. Being empty it was tossed about like a cork. Thankfully by this time I had my sea legs in place and sea sickness was not an issue.
I'm not totally sure about the details, but I do know that we moored up off the harbour of Par while china clay slurry was pumped aboard until, once our tanks were full, we were extremely low in the water. The voyage back to Tilbury was very different from the one to Par. The rough seas washed over the boat and it was a hazardous place to be. Once we had unloaded at Tilbury, it was back down to Par for another load of the white stuff.
And so it went on for the coaster and it's crew, but not me. I got paid and was off of that tub as fast as I could.
_____________________________________
So this was my first day back on the path after a two day break. During the last couple of miles I noticed a strange feeling in my left calf. It felt a little sore, rather resembling a stinging nettle rash.
As I sat eating, I noticed that the leg was swelling up and was tender to touch.
I drove the van towards Polperro for the next day of walking and parked up in a lay-by for the night. It became clear that my leg wasn't right. I rolled up my trouser leg to look at it and decided, there and then, that I needed to get home so that I could go to the doctors and have it checked out.
When I got home I took a photo of my leg so that I could show the doctor if the swelling went down overnight.
 |
| One swollen and sore left leg. |
 |
| And the right one wasn't looking to good either. |
I was prescribed anti-biotics and steroid cream. My doctor also told me to take it easy for a few days.
The outcome of this is that I am sitting with my leg up while I listen to the cricket. I won't be walking again until Sunday at the earliest.
The itinerary stays the same, but the sections in Cornwall, which I will have missed, will be done at the end. It is my intention to do them before the end of June.
 |
| Taking it Easy! |
Rob.
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RobSetter
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