Woke up to sun, so I took a long leisurely breakfast enjoying the sun and getting everything dry. I set off by about 10:30, but still with no clear idea of how far I was headed. The campsite was on the A39, and I only needed to cycle about 300 metres, and the traffic confirmed my decision to head to the Camel Trail, even the B3266 was quite busy until I turned off to the really quiet roads. In Cornwall, it seems the roads are either busy, or completely deserted when you only see tractors. Arrived at the start of the Camel Trail at Wendfordbridge, and the Snails Pace Cafe, where I couldn’t resist a coffee.

There is bike hire and a few other cyclists around. Two ladies were on their way to the Eden Project, and aiming for Bodmin that night. It sounds like they are incrementally doing Lands End to John O Groats over a number of years. The cafe service was suprisingly quick and not living up to its name at all. There was a lot of fine metalwork on benches and signs showing the heritage of the area.

The Camel Trail was excellent, following a disused railway line with glimpses every now and again of the River Camel below.

After 15 miles I left the trail to head to St Columb Major by small roads. I had a plan where I would spend the morning on the quiet roads, and then get onto a faster route later in the day. I found an article on the CTC website on the flatest route through Cornwall. From St Column, I took the A392 into the outskirts of Newquay, and then the A3075 down to Blackwater. This road was bit narrower, with some hills that slowed me down, I didn’t build up too big a queue until buses started going past. I didn’t think too much about the first one or two, but about six went by on the space of 20 minutes – all “out of service” so I must have just caught an extraordinary bus movement. With a bus behind, I would pedal harder on the up hills, but would pull over on long hills to let the traffic pass. It was then onto the old A30 into Hale. This took me through Camborne, the “Cornish Mining Capital of the World”, which sounds a bit daft, but going back to a time when all mines all over the world would use Cornish tin miners and engineers. Some of the first beam engines were developed to pump out tin mines that extended out under the sea. The tell-tale evidence of the tin mining (the chimneys) had been appearing in the landscape for quite a while.

In Redruth, I took a quick power boost, both food and electricity, in a McDonald’s, it was about 5:00 and seemed that I may get there tonight. The mile post across the road said 15 miles to Penzance, so about 25 to Lands End.

The next stage was along the new A30, with a narrow shoulder, there were some biggish hills but you could see how the road grading flattened out the natural landscape. It was head down into Penzance, there was a head wind, and a lot of dust and grit flying around, as drivers moved over for me they kicked up all the debris in the middle of the road. As I came into Penzance, the thinking on the flatest route was to stay on the A30 around the back of the town, but this was clearly a big hill, so I went into the town instead along the seafront.

There didn’t seem to be much going on apart from lots of police cars speeding around. I didn’t stop but continued through, up some big hills to rejoined the A30. Only nine miles to go, but the hills seemed really hard, and I had to walk up a couple of sections. The traffic was suprisingly busy considering the time and that the road didn’t go anywhere. I was thinking that if I had arrived at Penzance to start LEJOG, I may be reconsidering based on my experiences. It was soon clear that I had made it up the last significant challenge, and that I was going to do it. There had been a strange light on a big hill, initially I thought it was the last remnant of the sunset (strangely hovering on the hill top !), or a light house. When I got closer it was a burning signal beacon, and looking at the map the hill seems to be called The Beacon, but I don’t know why it was burning – perhaps transmitting referendum results.

On the subject of the referendum, Cornwall had almost as many Leave banners as Worcestershire, while Scotland won on the Remain display. I made it into Sennen in time to vote (just in case I was late, I had already postal voted), and headed on to Lands End.

I checked out the First and Last Inn for camping, but seems to be a posh nosh and luxury accommodation place now, there was a fish and chip shop and another campsite down the road.

I cycled into a deserted Lands End, the attractions at Lands End really do prove that “it’s the journey not the destination” and I was pleased that it was very quiet. I took a selfie at the signpost and headed back to the campsite.

The campsite (holiday park) office was deserted, but instructions for late arrivals directed to the appropriate field and open toilet block – I wouldn’t be able to have a shower until I’d paid. Rather than unloading and pitching, I cycled up to the fish and chip shop, which closed at 8:30 and it was now 9:00. I still had leftover lunch so wasn’t going to starve. Back to the site, pitched the tent and watched the sun going down while eating cheese sandwiches, coffee, biscuits, bananas, granola bars and a bottle of Exmoor Ale – all was good with the world and rather suprisingly I’d made it! 

I then put the radio on to listen to the referendum results and things started to go down hill fast. I’m glad I finished today, rather than on a downer tomorrow.

I think I covered about 1000 miles, but I will sort out my maps, and edit any howlers over the next few days. I hope you enjoyed reading – and I would recommend anyone to do the End-to-end, you just need to allow enough time to suit your ability – it’s not difficult!