Saturday 15th June:  Weather: 12°C to 15°C: Cold, windy but Sunny

Newquay:  18.5k walk:  10k around Newquay: plus 8.5k around Crantock Beach

Accommodation: John’s place Pentire, Newquay 

 I sleep really well until 5am in the moon room - the cosy upstairs attic.  It’s already daylight so I tip toe downstairs for a cup of tea, change into warm hiking gear, then out the door by 6am for a 2 hr, 10k walk around Newquay.  It’s really windy, but no rain as I stroll along the Gannel, turning left at the Trenance Rose Gardens, up to Tolcarne beach where it’s so windy I nearly lost my cap, down to Newquay harbour and back to Fistral Beach and John’s house where I’m welcomed with a warm fire and a hot coffee with bread and jam for breakfast. More chatting.

Suzie returns from her pilates class and we’re soon out the door hiking across the Gannel footbridge to the poppy fields of Crantock Beach.  Such a lovely sunny but windy day.  There’s hundreds of people out walking.  They’ve come especially to see the famous poppy fields which aren’t in full bloom yet as it’s been a cold June.  Back to the Crantock Bay Cafe where we indulge in hot chocolate, or Cappuccino with a brownie and scoop of ice cream.  We’re chatting and filling in time for the tide to go down exposing the footbridge back across the Gannel.

By the time we get back to Crantock Bridge and the footbridge, we find that the strong wind has prevented the tide from running out and we have to take off our shoes to walk shin deep in the freezing cold water to the other side of the Gannel.  It’s still windy but the sun is out now when we return home to rest before dinner.

Suzie produces a wonderful spread for dinner of Monk Fish, Cod Loin with a green salad and potato gems, with a pink Prosecco, which we have at the magnificent king size timber table John made in Australia and brought to the UK.  More chatting about our old home in Redcliffe.  It’s 10pm when we all go to bed.