Distance: 19.3 miles
Time: 8 hrs 15 mins
Weather: Rain showers
Cumulative distance: 873.8 miles
Wet weather, waterproofs, Wayne, and warm welcomes.
After another fine breakfast, I checked out and climbed the hill up to the town centre. There I met Wayne, a former work colleague, an Aussie who was born in Launceston, Tasmania. He is a cricket fanatic, having formerly partnered Test player David Boon, and still plays occasional first team cricket for Egham. Wayne had chosen potentially the wettest day to walk with me, while the rest of his family visited the Eden Project.
For the first time since Beattock in Scotland (day 21) I wore my waterproofs - that's a whole month ago! We immediately sheltered from the first shower under a shop canopy, then headed towards the quiet country lanes around Bodmin Moor. Our second shelter was a conveniently located church in a secluded village - this was despite the fact that the Sunday service that was in progress!
At Rilla Mill, we stopped for a coke at the village pub, but the enticing smell of the Sunday roasts nearly stalled us for longer. We journeyed on until Minions, where another pub lured us towards another coke, but this was more lucrative. The pub was brimming with diners and drinkers, locals and tourists alike, but they were most welcoming and gave generously at the sight of my collecting tin.
One particularly heavy downpour provided a soaking, but we dried off quickly in the subsequent breeze. We finally reached St Neot, national village of the year in 2004, where Wayne's feet decided it was time to call his chauffeur. I continued a few miles to Mount, where tonight's B&B was located. After a rapid shower, I joined up with Wayne and his family (wife Nicky and daughters Lauren and Cassie) and we drove to the London Inn at St Neot. I opted for the sea bream, served with cherry tomatoes and olives and sampled the local multi award winning brew, Betty Stogs from Skinners of Truro.
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