The New Year started with wind and rain as I left St Just and headed to rejoin the path at Cape Cornwall.
Once again mine workings dotted the landscape and luckily the rain eased off. The coast here is rugged , atmospheric and mostly steep.
There is a lot of climbing to be done which was made more difficult by the slipperiness of the rock steps.
The path also turned into a stream at regular intervals with water pouring towards me or rushing at me from behind. For variety streams crossed the path and I had to negotiate slippery boulders to get across.
At one point the path entered a large bog scattered with boulders, streams and thick mud. Finding my way through this proved challenging as my walking poles either bounced off the boulders or threatened to vanish into the mud.
However the views were some of the best I’d seen of a wild coast and the wind lashed the waves over the rocks.
I ended spending too much time trying to photograph waves sending great spumes of water into the air as they hit the rocks.
The problem was I’d see a spectacular wave crashing and leaping over a rock. I’d get my camera out and wait . The sea would then calm down and nothing would happen. Eventually I would give up put my camera away and then, frustratingly, an almighty wave would smash into the rock and leap skywards in an arc of spray.
Finding a level sheltered camp spot was tricky but I managed to get a relatively un swamp like spot and settled down for a quiet night.
However this was not to be.