15/8/11 - Padstow, by all means

Distance - 8 Miles
Walk from - Jarrold, Cornwall
Number of Caches - 4
Lunch - Rick Stein's Fish and Chips

Family Mapp are getting to Padstow.  Six Legs Walked.  Four Legs Pedalled and Two legs went in the car.  Can you guess who's legs belonged to whom?

Quick update of yesterday - after the morning walk it was back the way we came to Treyarnon bay for an afternoon on the beach.  Ellie claimed there was no way that she was "Sitting on a wet and cold beach, pretending to be happy" so we left her to her driving test theory revision.  We had a great time and I was sunburnt.  As with all beach encounters that I have.  We then got back after an increasing meanacing series of text messages from the would be Stirling Moss and went into Wadebridge for our tea.  The pubs have the air of the wild west to me.  When the drunken man and woman started a rendition of Meat Loaf, which included dancing, I thought that it would only be a matter of time before the Police came.  So we left after some excelent food to the Chez Gould's.

If we are in an 18th Century Tin Miners house, they are in a 21st Cenury web designers flat - complete with 50" TV, Broadband and mood lighting.  We've got an outdoor waterpump.

So today's walk.  Everything pans out like a dream.

Little Petherick

I have a walk planned from Little Petherick into Padstow.  Sonia and Alex want to do the famous cycle ride along the camel trail and Ellie wants to be driven, whilst she sits in the back and waves at the less fortunate.  It can all link up.  I drop them off at Wadebridge and head out to park up next to the Church at Little Petherick.  Parking fans will be glad to know that today's bargain is 50p all day.  Only disappointment is that the ticket is completely empty when printing, so will look rubbish in my scrap book.

I head up Little Petherick Creek, initially walking past the holiday homes on the Saints Way.  The Saints way run from North Devon to South Devon and one day I will complete the lot.  Its only 30miles and the walking is excellent.

On this stretch, I take the high ground over the creek on the west side, working my way to the monument overlooking Padstow. 

Padstow behind

Then drop down into Padstow.  I am early.  I have a text from Sonia and they havent even sorted the bikes out.  Have a text from Mel and they can't park so need to go for the Park and Ride.  I have an hour to entertain myself by people watching.  These are the things I learn.

• Rick Stein owns Padstow (chipper, pub, restaurant, those fish places that eat the skin from your dead feet)
• Tarquin is the most popular name of all kids on holiday
• ... and if he mentions Ice Cream again, he wont have a kinder surprise
• One fella was queuing for the chipper, eating a pastie.  Good work.

I admit to having queued outside a pub to get in, but in fairness it was a 12pm kick off on a sunday.  There's something a bit unsavoury about people queing for the chipper.

Oi Fatties, it don't open till 12.

 I leave them to the queue and have a wonder around town.  It is very, very busy.

Human Zoo that is Padstow

Sonia texts me to say that she is here.  I find her in the queue at said eaterie, but at least it is open.  They have a system, you queue to order then queue to collect.  I think we should have gone to "Chip Ahoy".  They had a better quality name and it was empty.

To be fair, the fish and chips were very good.  I don't even want to know the price.  You can order take away wine with them.  That's how middle class Padstow is.  This is how working class the Mapp's are.  Alex was gutted they had no gravy.

After a pint in the Harbour Inn - dog friendly, comfy sofas, I leave them crabbing.  I return back down the camel trail.  This is so busy with cyclists, that walking alongside the hard shoulder of the m5 would have been preferable.  There are a few well placed caches to keep me happy.

Cache under here

Leave the camel trail at Lower Halwyn and have some road walking back to the east side of the creek.  A bit of history is found at a building that I thought was a castle but was in fact a 15th Century Culverhouse... for keeping Pigeons.

Jack Duckworth's Ancestors built this