Showing posts with label camel trail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camel trail. Show all posts

Monday, 1 June 2020

The Camel Trail

I walked the Camel Trail today.


Obviously not all 17 miles of it; I'm a novice walker.

It's a very peaceful, tranquil trail. Given the 4ft 8½in gauge of the old London and South West Railway, whose track it follows, it's easy to see that the width of the trail, at around 2 metres, is perfect for you-know-what.

There are tantalising glimpses of the River Camel through the trees:


Later on, after Wadebridge, the trail is a riverside walk all the way to Padstow.

There's a reminder of the railway days:



(in case you can't see it, that's a platform. Grogley Halt)

And a throwback to pre-war industrial infrastructure:


(I always liked pylons - didn't someone write a poem about them? Spender?)

I reached a point where a bridge allows me to cross the river. Oh, no it doesn't.


Surely there must be a café, Ah, here we are.


Nope, also closed. Guys, could you just open to sell a weary traveller an ice cream? Silence. Maybe Wednesday, when  they are allowed to re-open?

More thirst-inducing temptation:


I'll definitely be back there at some point.

There is a lot to be said for this walk. I was amazed how few people were there. Plenty of cyclists, even one very docile horse and rider. It's mostly gravel and, for me, the best thing about it is - it's flat! No hills, not even a tiny incline.

There are only two things missing from this walk:

1. A pub
2. Another pub (it was a baking hot day!)

I managed just under 2½ miles each way. That's a long walk for me. Next week I might go to Wadebridge to walk a different stretch of the trail.