Day 1 – Sunday 22 July

Land’s End to Launceston

We were awake by seven, breakfasted and struck camp, reorganising the van to make things easier to find. Liz drove us to Lands End where we avoided paying the entrance fee by saying we were setting off for John O’Groats. We went down to the international signpost at the head of the sea cliffs and took photographs.

Mick and I set off at about eleven o’clock and Liz drove off towards our agreed lunch stop at Pool just north of Camborne. We missed each other there but Liz eventually caught up with us and we had a late lunch.

Our route followed the A30 all the way over Bodmin moor and down towards Launceston. It’s not a route you would follow now; the road nowadays is too busy and dangerous to cycle along, but back then it was just about tolerable. Going over Bodmin the road got quite narrow at times and I remember holding up a queue of lorries as we puffed up a seep section.

Eventually we arrived at our camp site which was run by the Caravan Club. I was surprised that they allowed our tent. Liz had pitched camp when we arrived and waved at us from the gate, as I had paused, wondering if I had got the right place. A wonderful heated swimming pool invited us all in before having a hearty supper and turned in for the night.