Walking the delights of Devon and Cornwall
“The best thing for being sad is to learn something,” said Merlin, in TH White’s book The Once and Future King. “You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies … you may miss your only love, or see the world around you devastated by evil lunatics … but never let yourself be tortured by fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting.”
I’m walking parts of the South West Coastal Path in southern England. Around 630 miles long, it is the country’s longest waymarked National Trail and home to legendary King Arthur and Merlin the Magician.
It’s my fifth week of travelling solo, so I’m looking forward to the camaraderie of a group walking tour along this majestic coastline, making connections and finding comfort in my surroundings.
Our group of nine is based in the tiny hamlet of Welcombe, which means “valley with springs”. After our daily hikes, we return each night to Home Farm and Michael and Ali’s restored Georgian manor. The comfort of being in the same bed for a week and having all meals catered for is an added bonus for this hedonistic journey.
“I’ve known the region since I was a kid,” explains our guide, Michael. “Ali and I walked for days to find the right spot. And here was
