Day 3- St Austell to Tavistock

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There was the usual dilemma in the morning of what initial direction to head when first starting off in order to get the best way out of the town - anyway that solved I was on my way again. Deciding at the last minute to head along the coast as long as possible I cut to the right on a sunny, bright morning heading for a town called Fowey (later I found out pronounced Foi as in Oi !!!). There is a river crossing here with no road as such so I asked in a woodcutting yard if there was a ferry or something and the answer was yes.



Asking the way to the ferry, some are glum some are merry

Some are just kind

and I want to pat him on the back and say

real good luck in all you find

but for both of us that would feel wrong

so I mumble 'thank you very much, so long'



So about 8 miles into the journey after going through a tree shaded road suddenly Fowey opens up to me - I am absolutely taken away- it is beautiful. To try to explain I saw it at its river bit and it was sunny and sparkly and there was a little open car ferry taking a few people and cars across a river about 100m wide. It took me straight off to a few scenes in rural NZ and was amazing that it was here and to me unknown. That first impact was the most amazing but the rest of the town didn't disappoint and I spent about an hour here sitting by the harbour with a coffee and pastie for breakfast marvelling in what a place it was. Then I took the ferry across looking up and down the river and in about 5 minutes I was on the other side and unfortunately Fowey and its timeless beauty was behind me.

A big hill from the coast and then another dilemma- to head right to Looe and the coast again or left and Liskeard which is more direct? I sat at this junction for about 5-10 minutes making my mind up and then changing again and in the end I prompted for Liskeard - which means my last view of the sea was Fowey harbour and I don't think I will see it again until the Roker beach at Sunderland. A good ride up to Liskeard but by this time I had firmly come up with a motto which is:

At the slightest incline off I climb.

Some lovely places along here though notably Herodsfoot - a tiny little hamlet in a steep sided valley that is great cycling into but a bit harder to get out of !! Nothing spectacular just its simplicity with a lovely stream flowing through and a few houses dotted around. I keep on going to Liskeard and after a can of cold coke the main route to Tavistock.

A highlight here though is crossing over the River Tamar from Cornwall into Devon - my first county crossing and obvious but amazing to think somehow I am making progress up through the country.



I arrive in Tavistock about 4.30pm feeling like a cowboy rolling into town with my horse !! Tavistock is a lovely town and I ride around for about 30 minutes looking for my hostel for the night - The Tavistock Bunkhouse part of The Union pub. Tavistock has lots of things - good looking shops, interesting looking restaurants and bars, (I discovered the day after) a great looking, clean, fast flowing river and a general ambience that it is a good town. My bed for the night matched that although I was the only one staying in a bunkhouse for about 30 so that felt a bit odd.

If truth be told a few too many beers were enjoyed in the night but my excuse was the town was good and I had the hottest Vindaloo curry I think I have ever had and so needed something to cool my mouth down !! Anyway a good day and a good town.

Approximate miles today 45 - total so far 113 miles.

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Comments

[Rachel Green]

Caught on the hop again by the sound of it Jeremy?!