Day 12 - St Ives

Beer drunk: none, Distance walked: 20km, Time taken: 5h 54m (5h walking)

I was fed a large and hearty breakfast at Nanterrow Farm before setting off today.  The landlady very apologetically admitted that the mushrooms were from the supermarket but made sure to point out that everything else on my plate was sourced directly from a farm - either theirs or one of their neighbours.  I expressed sufficient pleasure at this information (at least I hope so).

The weather has improved.  A little overcast but mild temperatures and no rain and only light breezes.  This made the first half of today's walk was very pleasant.  It was through the sand dunes along a long stretch of beach.  The guidebook suggested walking along the beach if the tide was out but I preferred ambling amongst the dunes.  All the rain meant the grasses and wildflowers were flourishing.  The only problem was the dunes were criss-crossed by paths and it wasn't always clear which way to go.  I decided that a gentle, sometimes random amble through the dunes was a deliberate policy since it was a short, easy walk today.

The second half was a little duller.  As I got to the outskirts of St Ives the path was often through leafy suburbs.  I amused myself by picking which houses I would live in, which ones I would burn down and which ones I would hunt down their architects and shoot them.  Sadly there were a good deal more in the last two categories than the first.

My B&B for tonight (and tomorrow) is a terrace house with a lovely view over the bay.  The bathroom is down the stairs but it is all mine, mine I say.  No sharing thankfully.  I must say I'm missing my bathroom at home.  (Not the bed.  I'm so tired at the end of the day I have no trouble sleeping.) I'm getting very good at figuring out how to use different hot water systems.  The notion of one hot water tap and one cold water tap in the shower is much too mundane for almost all the places I've stayed in.  The toilets also all seem to have their own quirks.  The flush on this one is particularly recalcitrant.  I had to get the landlady to show me how to get it to work, much to our mutual embarrassment.   Fortunately St Ives has a wealth of public toilets.

I felt pub-ed out so I went to a very classy restaurant for dinner - the Alfresco which turns out to be one of the best here.  Even though they were almost empty when I showed up, they had to frown and think before letting me have a table just for me.  It was down the back needless to say.  However, once they had decided to let me eat there the service was very good, as was the food.  I had crispy pork belly with a coconut infused carrot puree with ginger and spring onions (I'm quoting from the menu).  Main was lyburn (whatever that is) crusted hake with salsa verde (aka pesto) and parmentier potatoes and a side of samphire, heritage carrots (none of that modern stuff) and zucchini.  Dessert was a (delicious) rhubarb and ginger tarte tatin.  The bill for all that, plus 2 glasses of wine, coffee and tip came to an eye-watering 45 pounds.  Still, I enjoyed every mouthful.