Passing through: Porlock, Lynton, Lynmouth, Combe Martin, Ilfracombe, Morteho, Wollacombe, Croyde, Saunton, and Braunton.

I took a tent, a sleeping bag and an inflatable sleeping matress to give me more flexibility over where to stop if I could not find or chose not to stay in accommodation overnight.

I made notes of mileages, weather, accommodation and anything else of interest in the margins of the SWCP guide books that I took.

The photos for this section were taken with an Olympus XA film camera using Agfachrome 200 slide film and scanned for this website on a Nikon LS-50 ED negative and slide film scanner.

At Barnstaple I had a wander around the town, as I had lived there for a time when I was a teenager. I had a pint in the Three Tuns for old times sake then caught a train home. I was working then and had to be back at work on Monday.

Minehead to Barnstaple: About 68 miles walked. 5 days.

Best:
Arriving at Ilfracombe at 1pm on Carnival day and deciding to stop, get a room, dry out, chill out, and later have a few beers and watch the fun.
Worst:
Miles of damp woods with no views, Porlock to Foreland Point. Nice if you love woodlands though.

Passing through: Instow, Bideford, Apledore, Westward Ho!, Clovelly, Hartland Quay, Bude, Widemouth Bay, Cracklinton Haven, Boscastle, Tintagel, Port Gaverne, Port Isaac, Port Quin, Polzealth, Trebetherick, Rock, (ferry).

When walking from Minehead to Barnstable last year I overloaded myself with camping gear, so for this year I pre-booked my accommodation in advance. My rucksack was much lighter and had nothing strapped to it.

I was still using the same film camera and film.

Barnstaple to Newquay. About 125 miles walked. 7 days.
Total so far 192 miles. 12 days.

I ended this section at Newquay because it had a railway station. Back to work on Monday.

Notable: Mrs Dann's B&B.
After a hard 20 mile walk from Tintagel, my B&B in Padstow town centre took some time to find. There was a notice on the door: "Ring the bell and wait at least two minutes. Don't ring again. My feet won't get there any quicker". Another notice said: "No en-suite rooms. No TV in the rooms. No single rooms - you will have to pay extra".
When I told Mrs Dann that I wanted to leave at 7 am the next morning, she told me that I was "leaving too early for breakfast" and that I "still had to pay full price". I asked about a packed lunch instead but she "didn't do packed lunches". I was worn out so I paid up.

Passing through: Perranporth, St Agnes, Porthtowan, Portreath, Hayle, Carbis Bay, St Ives, Sennen Cove, Porthcurno, Mousehole, Newlyn, Penzance, Marazion, Porthleven, Mullion Cove, Lizard Point, Cadgwith, Coverack, Helford, (ferry).

I pre-booked my accommodation for this section.

The photos for this section were taken with an Olympus mju II camera using Agfachrome 200 slide film and scanned for this website on a Nikon LS-50 ED.

Newquay to Falmouth: About 150 miles walked. 10 days.
Total so far: 341 miles. 22 days.

Best: My cosy accommodation in a little cabin next to a stream at Lamorna Cove.

Worst: I stopped for the night at Coverack and went into the bar of the Paris Hotel where I saw the pictures of the destruction of the Twin Towers on the television. It was September 11th.

Next day, shortly after I had set out, I decided to abandon my walk. I couldn't get those pictures out of my head. I had intended to reach Plymouth but I knew that I wouldn't enjoy the walk now. I walked to Falmouth and took the next train home.

Passing through: (ferry), St Mawes, (ferry), Mevagissey, St Austel, Par, Fowey, (ferry), Polperro, Looe, Portwrinkle, Cremyll, (ferry).

I pre-booked my accommodation again for this section.

I was still using the same film camera.

Falmouth to Plymouth: About 74 miles walked. 5 days.
Total so far: 415 miles. 27 days.

Best: Meeting up with Bob Williams, a fellow lone walker, and chatting in the pub several evenings at stops along the way.
Worst: Walking the dusty paths with high rusty fences weaving between abandoned buildings at Par.

Passing through: (ferry), Mountbatten, Wembury, (ferry), (wading*), Bigbury on Sea, Salcombe, Torcross, Stoke Fleming, Dartmouth, (ferry), Kingswear, Brixham, Goorington, Paignton, Torquay, Teignmouth, Dawlish, Starcross, (ferry), Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth, Beer and Seaton.
* Wading the River Erme at low tide only.

I decided not to pre-book any accommodation for this section. During the last few sections there were several times when I had to keep going to get to my accommodation and other times when I wanted to keep going but had to stop because I had got there. This time I took a light sleeping bag and a bivvy bag in case I could not find anywhere to stay, or did not want to sleep indoors.

I was still using the same film camera.

Plymouth to Lyme Regis: About 122 miles walked. 10 days.
Total so far: 537 miles. 37 days.

Bests: Sleeping out under the stars and having breakfast next day in Lyme Regis.
Worst: Having to wade thigh deep across the Erme Estuary in the dark at low tide, not reaching the opposite bank in the right place and climbing a steep muddy stinging nettled bank with no boots or socks on.

Passing through: Charmouth, Seatown, West Bay, Abbotsbury, Weymouth, Osmington Mills, Durdle Dor, Swanage and Studland.

I didn't need accommodation for this section because I had retired and moved to West Dorset at the end of 2003. So I was able to take buses to and from the start and finish points.

The photographs for this section were taken on a Nikon Coolpix 775 digital camera.

Lyme Regis to South Haven Point: About 79 miles walked. 5 days.

Best: Everything.
Worst: Nothing.

Total: Minehead to South Haven Point: 613 miles. 42 days.

My guide books did not include the Isle of Portland because it was not part of the SWCP when I started out, but it was by the time I reached the end, so I walked it later and added 17 miles and 1 day to my totals.

Final total: 630 miles. 43 days.