The traffic was kind to me and by just after 7pm, I'd got as far as Fort Martin, where splendid dining, fine wines and good chat awaited me. The next morning was a real autumn stunner, with wall to wall sunshine and great views.
It was tempting to stay put and relax, especially after a nice morning stroll down through the gardens to pick some apples.
The colours of the leaves are so vibrant there at the moment. Despite wanting to stay, I was also eager to press on as there was no way of making the milage any less. In fact, I actually added to the distance by nipping over to Michelle's place for a quick brew at lunch after a final coffee at The Fort.
Then followed a good chunk of driving - heading south-west into the sunset...
My next stop was at 'The Barn' climbing wall in Devon, where I met Matt, Hamish and Minna. The sat nav made sure I knew that I'd made it down to rural devon by sending me down a few crazy roads!
But I made it to the wall before dark and had a great evening bouldering and climbing with the guys. It's only a small wall, but really good and with a nice friendly vibe - well worth seeking out.
I spent the night at Matt and Sho's house on the edge of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. With old friends, catching up is easy as it feels like you've never been away. We had a great evening and was up early(ish) the next day to get straight back on the road down to Looe. The river was like a mirror as I drove into town, then turned up the hill to Jenny's for breakfast.
Wally joined us for a full on feed, with sausage,bacon, eggs, tomatoes and all the rest. I felt well fuelled up for what was to be a big day. Before I moved on, we went down to Millendreath to see the sea and grab some stuff from the chalet. After hearing of my plan to take the train down to Penzance, Wally decided to join me on my trip!
After stopping to pick up a pasty and grab a coffee, we just made it to Liskeard in time to jump on the 13:07 train to Penzance!
An hour or so later, we were whizzing past St.Michael's Mount and into Penzance station.
Where Bob and Janet were waiting for us! I love it when a plan comes together!
We spent the afternoon nattering about geology, cornish place names, family news and everything else in between as we strolled along the harbour, through the Botanical Gardens and up to their house, before completing the loop to end back up at the station.
Then as darkness fell, the two day trippers returned eastwards. Jen met us at Liskeard and I said my farewells and carried on to Exmouth to Des and Suzie's where Mat was also staying the night and a delicious fish pie awaited! Another great night ensued and ended with me sharing a bed with a giant shark...
To break up the M5 journey back north, I made a spur of the moment decision to call in at Mendip Ski Slope which is run by two friends from my course back in the Liverpool John Moores University days! As well as managing a ski slope, outdoor centre and 250 acres of land, they also have a great cafe, where they took time out of their days for a bit of reminiscing and catching up over several brews!
After a few good doses of cappuccino, it was back on the road towards Malvern, where I stopped for a spot of late lunch at Tim and Julia's house - who by chance happened to be working from home. Bonus! The final leg of the journey was the hardest, especially once darkness fell. I managed to stay in autopilot mode though and arrived back at The Cottage (with pasties in hand!) in time for dinner and an early night!
What a totally mad few days! Over 900 miles travelled, packed full with great chats, endless teas and coffees, and with so many friends and family. I never once even had to stop at a service station! You all made me feel so welcome and it's made me feel lucky to know you all - thanks for looking after me! See you next time!...
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