Beast of Bodmin - true or false?!

It's time to leave Golden Bank, the lovely home of Sue and Laurie and their amazing hospitality. They have looked after us so well; fantastic breakfast (with Sue's fresh eggs and honey), enormous packed lunch, wonderful dinner, they've carted us about from our stop and start points, done our washing for us, and fed us wonderful home made cakes and biscuits. Thank you so much both, we will miss you greatly.

It's been a great day today - field, forest and moor. Slightly overcast to start with, brilliant sunshine at midday and reverting to cloud in the afternoon. I've had a good old run round but went back on the lead when they caught me (just in time) about to apply eau de badger!

With some trepidation we approached Bodmin Moor, with so many tales of the fate that may befall us.

- the nearest we came to a smuggler was the barman at Jamaica Inn, who had a piratical beard and a gold earring
- of bog there was absolutely none
- big cat - well was there or wasn't there?

Somewhere in our preparations, dad read about the smugglers route which would get us across the moor on a track. We followed this only to find that it came to a dead end at a fence in front of a forest. Anybody who knows my dad will know that he is paranoic about trespass. Over the fence we went and we had a wonderful woodland walk. Or at least it would have been if we hadn't had to run for fear of being spotted! Safely delivered.

Amongst our normal dozen buzzards, we have spotted a couple of herons, murmuring starlings, and countless sparrows, chaffinch and robins - still no swallows though.

Tomorrow to Lifton and Devon

Keep spreading the word

M
xx