The thought occupying my mind today is why do we have toenails? My forth small toenail is starting to to show signs of wear, I know that it will turn black and drop off, a repeat of the last time I went for a hike. Would be so much better if I did not have any toenails in the first place! The only reason I can come up for having toenails is nail polish, to make them look pretty! What would toes look like without toenails? Toe sucking more popular? hmmm. Maybe removing toenails entirely will be the new beauty asthetic? You heard it here first.
The walk out of Coombe Martin is easy enough. A short while out, I meet a fellow walker, Josh. Fresh out finishing his Master’s and some time before getting a job, he has decided to try a long distance walk. He has 18 days and will see how far he can get. He is a total novice but has dived in head first wild camping. He is taking time out to swim and surf. Way more eco than me, he is picking up any rubbish he finds on the path. Me, if I reach down, risk not coming back up with the weight of my pack!
I’m heading to a campsite in Croyde, but first I need to get through Ilfracombe. I visited Ilfracombe on the warm-up walk weekend with family, so decide to give it a miss and get through the town as quickly as possible by taxi. Just a 5 minute ride and couple of miles drive, worth it to avoid shopping distractions.
The rest of the day the walking is easy and I make good time towards Woolacombe before I realise my mistake, that Croyde surfing campers ground is not where I expect it to be. I have further to walk. Tossing up staying in Woolacombe or continuing I get going, but soon find I am running out of light. I need to find somewhere to camp fast.
In the dunes above Woolacombe sands presents a tent pitch opportunity. Just off the path so as to be invisible. I whisk my tent up quickly in time to cook up some food (smash, chorizo and cheese mixture) and enjoy the sunset.
It’s an easy night. Warm and the sound of the surf to lull me asleep. Next morning all packed up just in time for hundreds of runners coming through the dunes…
