Tintagel
A day of rest, and the emergence of Plan B…
In the preceding week it had become blatantly obvious that in order to traverse the whole SWCP I would have to either bus it on average every third day, pay to have luggage transfers the entire way, or spend two months being a cranky-sore-exhausted Pen. None of these options sat well with me.
Many a time on the path I had fantasized about all the possibilities of what else I could be doing (the options, really, are mind-boggling). So, on this inaugural day off from absolutely everything , I found a fabulously friendly cafe (thank you, Tintagel Kitchen – glad to be of help as a very visual customer to lead others in), and hauled out my schedule and my laptop for a good, old planning session. If I wasn’t going to complete the coast path the way I had wanted, what, I asked myself, could I fit in the time I had that didn’t feel like a total rejection of the PenLoper mission?
The answer was obvious – the Thames Path.
I’d had in mind doing the Thames Path years ago. I even have a map of it in a box at home (no use at all since I’m over here, but, anyway…).
Despite my frustrations, I wasn’t going to abandon the coast path altogether. The TP would take no longer than three weeks to complete, so there was no rush. I could keep going, visit the places that really took my fancy, and plan ahead properly.
Decision made, I could look ahead with energetic optimism.
Right across the road from the Tintagel Kitchen was King Arthur’s Great Halls. You need to look this place up. I was sceptical because it looked kind of gaudy, but the good people who’d oversupplied me with caffeine and wi-fi all morning assured me that it was an experience not to miss.
I’m glad I went. It proved to me that I have tapped the breadth of Tintagel’s offerings.
Inside is the home of the Fellowship of the Knights of the Round Table of King Arthur. And if you didn’t think the table still existed, here it is…
Have I convinced you?
What about the sword in the stone (oh, excuse me, cough, cough, I meant in the anvil)?
Surely you believe me now?
…
More than ready for the next day’s adventure, I did a quick grocery shop and returned to the hostel in time to check on the progress of my laundry, enjoy an evening of chat with my fellow travellers, and get lost in the spectacular Atlantic sunset.
[Surge stats: 8.23 km, 38 floors, 11853 steps]
PenLoper 