Great relief to see the bikes still there after spending Saturday night in the side street. After fairly relaxed breakfast of muesli we load the bikes and headed up. Everything in Cornwall begins by going ‘up’.

Google had assured us that today was to be relatively flat. It was if you don’t count the hills in towns or climbing up to the Downs. Anyway we all made it with a minimum of cursing.

The Downs (which are actually the tops of the plateau) are occupied by small villages and large commercial farms. The many creeks and small rivers have cut their way into the Downs in steep valleys of varying depth but often forming steep valleys. The little valleys so gorgeously green and overgrown with wildflowers, trees (oaks,ash,maple) it’s a pleasure to be there despite the inevitable steep climb out.

We wasted hours trying to figure out where Google and SUSTRANS wanted us to go and whether we actually wanted to go that way. But the day finished with the obligatory roll down off the Downs to the seaside town we would be staying in. In this case we had a holiday let apartment (key fob entry, underneath carports for the bikes and a washing machine). Newquay looks down at heel compared to St Ives and Penzance.

We cooked in the apartment as restaurant dining was adding up.