Day 35 (24th July 2022)

 Last night I stayed in a bed and breakfast. When I was doing my initial planning, I ran into a bit of difficulty finding an available campsite for the 23rd of July. Two were full up and the third refused to accept a single night booking, so I thought "sod it" and found a b'nb instead. Called "Sea Jade" it is run by Sam and Ann, a delightful couple who really do make you feel very welcome. Sam has a wicked sense of humour and makes a very filling breakfast. I got chatting to a Swiss couple who were walking the South West Coast Path. I knew they weren't French as I saw them in the Bude Tandoori the night before!

First stop was a village that suffered terrible damage when engulfed in a flood in 2004. Stop #70

BOSCASTLE 

Boscastle has become something of a destination in much the same way Clovelly (drove past, didn't stop) has - many of the buildings in the bottom of the town seem directly tourist orientated or owned by the National Trust. I was there before 9am so very little was open but already visitors were streaming in. I didn't stay very long as I was heading to another tourist destination that isn't a Germinal CCXXIV place, but had been on my personal "to visit" list for years.

And boy was it busy.

Tintagel has somehow evaded me every time I've visited Corwall. The crowds were immense, understandably as was the wind. Crossing over the bridge was particularly interesting with the wind making the bridge sing. When I got across and got my phone out for a pic, I came the closest I have got so far to losing my Penelope Isles hat. It rolled past countless people who just watched it blow away, only get saved by one of the castle walls!

Next stop was an extra special surprise - stop #71

JULIA, LUIS THE BAD & BILLY-BOB 

Julia arranged a meet at Daymer Bay for a cuppa and a visit to the lovely St.Endoc Church, final resting place of John Betjeman.

It was fab to catch up!

The next Germinal CCXXIV stop was within walking distance, so we parted ways only to see each other briefly about 45 mins later, giving me a chance to shout out what a dump this stop was - but not for reasons you'd immediately think. Stop #72

ROCK

I parked up in one of the seafront car parks, and as is my usual m.o. went looking for a scenic or interesting view to photograph me in. The sea immediately opposite the town is full of boats. The town is full of rich houses and rich people. Rock is the Bishop's Avenue of Cornwall, and seems to have some of its attitude as well. I walked onto one of the little quays as it had a pretty good view, but was informed by a rather sniffy grey haired man that I was on private property. Well, that kind of summed up Rock for me. I went back to the Alphard and looked up Rock's must industrial site - the brewery that makes, amongst other things Doombar or Doom Bar or however you spell it. Guy is a fan apparently. 

By now, the weather had taken a turn for the worse with drizzle being blown almost horizontally by the wind. It made for an epic cliff top setting that was stop #73

STINKING COVE (1)

As you can see from the pic (a) there is obviously more than one Stinking Cove and (b) I was being blown all over the place so any chance of a straight horizon ... well, not today. The lighthouse in the background is on Trevose Head.

The next stop on Germinal CCXXIV was closer than I realised, so after driving around for the best part of half an hour, I ended up back on the same road as I had just left and set on my 2nd walk across a golf course in 1 day. Stop #74

BOOBY'S BAY

Another epic encounter with the power of the sea and the wind. I was getting soaked and cold, so called it a day and headed for my campsite. 

Once I got there, the weather cleared for long enough to male an early supper. Unfortunately I couldn't bring myself to chat to my neighbours on this occasion...

Allons-y 

Douglas Germinal CCXXIV Brain over and out