Day 20 Perranporth to Portreath

 I had an awful night’s sleep. Just after I turned in (albeit quite early at 10:30pm on a Saturday night) a car turned up next pitch to mine. Two lads and two giggly girls got out and promptly began erecting their tent in the dark ( presumably for the first time because they didn’t seem to know what they were doing). That I could put up with, but they then continued to giggle and talk in normal voices. I got up at one point, went to the loo, stared at them and tried to show how to get into a tent quietly. It had no effect, so I tried listening to some soothing music on my headphones, to see if that would send me off to sleep. 

At 01:40 my music ran out, but there was still laughter and chattering coming from next door. They weren’t obnoxious or anything but just totally unaware of the noise they were making that irritates other campers due to the lack of sound insulation offered by a tent! 

In my sternest authoritarian voice I hissed “ Will you keep your voices down.” Bloody hell, talk about instant success, I never heard another murmur out of them! I felt a bit guilty at being so annoyed! 

The trouble was it still took me ages to nod off and as per usual I awoke at 5:45, raring to go! 

I left the campsite at 7:30 and made my way back to the path. Almost immediately I could hear the distinctive call of the Chough and eventually I was able to capture one on camera. 

It’s not going to appear on countryfile calendar but I was quite chuffed😜

As I rounded Cligga Head I had a nice view of St Agnes in the distance. 

I had been contacted by a friend, to say that if I was passing the Driftwood Spars Pub, she would stand me a pint, as her daughter worked there. Just my luck, that I walked past at 09:20 on a Sunday morning! 
I continued on and as I rounded St Agnes Head, I caught my first glimpse of St Ives in the distance! (Not that you can see it)
I also got to see my first examples of the old tin mines that are prevalent in this area. This one is at Wheal Coates. 
I met another of what I call LeJoggers here. This guy was Dutch and walking Lands End to John O’Groats. I didn’t feel so bad anymore as he had a pack bigger than mine! He was the third person I’ve met in the past couple of days doing that route! 

I soon dropped down to Porthtowan,

where the pub was serving Sunday roast dinner, so I thought I’d better try and get some proper vitamins inside me, by eating a few veg! 

After letting my dinner go down, I re-joined the path and headed towards Portreath. There were a couple of steep sided valleys to negotiate, but my fitness must be improving because I managed to climb them without gasping for air at the top!

I reached Portreath just as it started raining. I had pre-booked a room in the Portreath Arms, which has a jubilee event going on in the car park, with live band etc! 

No sooner had I arrived in the village, than my phone pinged with a message from fellow walkers Steve & Anna to say that they were in a different pub in the village. I joined them there for a drink and also helped finish off their pizza, despite my roast dinner! 

I am now sat in my room watching Wales v Ukraine, hoping that the plucky underdogs win ( no, not Ukraine, Wales!)

Tomorrow I will try to reach St Ives. 

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