DAY 1 - Lands End to London Apprentice (St. Austell)

We wake to a thick mist climbing off the sea from Sennen Cove. A pea souper. What to wear? Maybe it will burn off?  At least the rain that looked threatening last night had not arrived.

We are completely upstaged by the sight of a tall young fellow at breakfast in a one piece suit dressed as a giant blue mackerel, complete with red dorsal fin. “Hi I’m Jonny O’Keeffe” he cheerily announced and proceeded to explain that he too was headed for John O’Groats in support of a movement to prevent the destruction of fish stocks and the throwing back into the sea of fish in excess of quota. (www.fishfight.net)


Our hosts Eleni & Mike have prepared a wonderful bowl of porridge, and against our better judgement a “full English”

We head down to Lands End as there was some thought we needed to register the start of our journey.  But it was a Saturday morning and not a soul in sight. Our photos would have to be proof enough.  The mist is lifting and we head off accompanied by Jonny who gave us travel tips as we head off along the A30 to Penzance – a much easier route back than the night before.

We learn the A,B,C of long distance biking….Ankling, Cadence & “Bonking”.  The latter sounded appealing but quickly learned it is a condition brought on by the lack of sufficient nourishment & hydration - the Marathon runner’s equivalent of “hitting the wall”. After a long hill we see Jonny the fish suddenly accelerate, red fin flapping in the breeze, heading for the North Devon Coast. He will probably be at the mouth of the Avon by nightfall!

We find “The Cycle Centre” for Simon to buy a pair of goggles and to check a couple of gears that were “growling”.  An Aladdins treasure cove of bike paraphernalia with extremely helpful staff who also check my brakes and replace the rear pads. We set off along the coast in brilliant sunshine and a stiff onshore breeze to Marazion and St. Michael’s Mount. The morning seems to have evaporated and spotting Philps pastie shop we decide to try the real thing in readiness for the hills we knew that were ahead. 

 We wend our way though small villages with romantic novel names – Godolphin Cross, Nancegolan, Porkellis, Stithians, Perranwell, Devoran, Penpol & Goonpiper. We stop in to Trellissick gardens before an exhilarating hill ride down to King Harry’s Ferry and on Philleigh.  By the time we reached Hewas Water and nearly ready to “bonk”, we finally descend from Sticker into Polgooth & the London Apprentice.

By chance we find the Spindrift B&B just up from Queenie’s – the store that never closes (except on Christmas Day). After some 59 miles at 6pm we are ready to call it a day..

Hi from Simon,

So this is Cornwall.  What a bastard!  Hillier than an Arab’s nose. We’ve cycled up hills you wouldn’t believe. You think they are short and sharp and then they become long and mean.  They mug you.  Everything aches and everything hurts and everything is tight`.

However, we have found a lovely pub – the Polgooth Inn near our B&B for sustenance and St. Austell’s Tinners. Excellent.

I could murder a cigar