Day 5 - Carnon Downs to Shortlanesend

19 April
Distance: 6.1 miles
Number of llama seen: 2 (not killer variety)

It was a lazy day. We had an indulgent lie in and then an unnecessary and very indulgent second shower in the heated facilities, taking our time so as to allow the wet clothes we'd spread over the radiators the chance to dry a little. I even took the opportunity to use the complimentary hairdrier to dry my half inch locks.

To pack away Husband trotted off to the warmth and dryness of the shower block giving me the whole of the tent to sort myself off. He'd been gone quite a while when I got to the point of taking the tent down. It turned out that he'd been chatting to a chap who'd once cycled LEJOG and had some camping tales to tell. He returned just as I was half way through the depitching, with another donation for the Macmillan pot from said LEJOG cyclist.

Packed away we didn't set off on our route but rather returned to the pub (an unknown chain whose branches all look identical) for breakfast and many cups of tea. Wet gloves were spread on their radiators but we refrained from adorning the breakfast area with our pants and socks too!

With it knocking on for 11am we ventured back out into the rain. It was to be another day when the rain didn't let up at all, but fortunately the wind had dropped to a sensible level and that made all the difference.

There's not much to say about the walk. Save for the last half a mile, it was all on tarmac and the day being so grey there were no views to be had.

Our spirits were not dampened, however. We still sang our way along parts of the lanes (for anyone who has ever had the misfortune of hearing my singing voice let me assure you that there was no-one around to hear).

Arriving at our campsite within 2.5 hours of setting out, we had the tent up in record time (the rain hurried us along). Within fifteen minutes of arriving we were back walking the way we had come, this time without packs and destined for the village of Shortlanesend to catch a bus to Truro.

So, the afternoon was spent looking at the cathedral, looking for a canister of gas (Campingaz, easy to find; screw canister, not so easy), and drinking pots of tea and eating pasties and cakes in a little cafe. It was a fine way to spend an afternoon off.

Back to full mileage tomorrow. There's only one part of my body that hurts after the first five days and that's the little toe on my left foot. I'm hoping that it stops feeling like it may drop off overnight so as not to hamper the next few days...