Day 9 - Silverton to St Newlyn East

Andrew and Jane (Guy's parents) joined us the evening for steaks all round and a few bottles of wine. As they left to go back to Somerset at around 10pm, the cycling team were getting carried away ordering another bottle of wine followed by a further one! Following the release of a number of unpleasant smells from James, Guy and James entertained Steve with a play fight, a closely fought battle which Guy possibly won with the more telling blows. However, in the morning, the signs of a good night showed with the morning starting in shakey fashion with hangovers all round.

With the sun beaming down on Devon and only a day and a half to go, butterflies were settling in. Unfortunately, the breakfast was the worst we have had yet and failed to settle the nerves. Feeling slightly ropey, we started off at a leisurely pace knowing full well that we had a tough day ahead. We had decided to take the tougher scenic route across Dartmoor rather than taking the dangerous A30 and after 16 miles we entered the unforgiving National Park. As soon as we passed the Dartmoor sign, the hills started and it was then that reality hit home, this was going to be tough!

Having shown our competitive streak yesterday by overtaking the King Sturge surveyors at great pace on a hill, we came across them again this morning. The competitiveness was still there and we yo-yoed with them all morning, overtaking, being over taken, and so on, and so on. Trying to race up hills certainly is a good challenge! Unfortunately for Steve, he was unable to hold off one of the girls who made her way past him as Steve's uphill speed could not get him up quick enough.

Guy clearly smelt bad this morning! He was hounded by flies which buzzed around his head for a good hour as we trudged up the never ending hills. After numerous climbs and descents, we made it to what we really expected from Dartmoor, open and baron land! The weather was truly fabulous and the landscape beautiful making those hills that bit more worthwhile despite the devastating heat! We were welcomed by Dartmoor's cows, horses and sheep who casually lay in the middle of the road and appeared unperturbed by our presence. Following a morning of very slow progress, another great lunch was provided by Philip and Isabelle (Steve's parents) which geared us up for a long afternoon ahead. Finishing up lunch at 3pm we still had another 60 miles to go, by 5pm we still had another 40 miles to go. Even after we had got off Dartmoor, the hills did not ease, soon after passing Tavistock we got to Gunnislake. It was here that we faced our toughest hill yet of the whole trip, a steep climb which took us around 40 minutes to get to the top of at a speed of around 4.5 mph.

We did eventually have to join the dreaded A30 for around 12 miles which was very hairy at points as lorries flew past us on the single carriageway pushing us ever closer to the verge. After Bodmin, we continued on the A30 where it became dual carriageway with vehicles travelling at even greater speeds. This was definitely a time for getting on the hard shoulder and risking punctures from the substancial amount of glass that they always seem to collect. We eventually turned off onto a B-road towards our b&b but with B-roads comes more hills. Every corner we turned, there seemed to be another hill! Tired minds and tired bodies led to another incident involving James going straight into the back of Steve, there was no architecture this time round for James to be distracted by so who knows what was occupying his mind. Aching knees were felt all round and the last 5 miles seemed to go on for way too long!

Enough was enough, or so James and Guy thought. Steve, having missed out on 15 miles due to bike problems insisted that he would catch up the miles at another point. He picked the worst day and the worst terrain! While James and Guy tucked into more food and a beer, Steve struggled on around the beautiful but hilly Cornish countryside. A huge amount of admiration must go to Steve for this, it really was great great effort after the day we had all had!! Brilliant effort!

We have been told by some 'End to Enders' that Scotland is the hardest bit. We do not believe that there is any truth in this. Our fitness levels have improved markedly over the past week and today has been by far and away the most challenging yet. If you want short sharp ascents or even long slow ascents, Cornwall is your place!

43 miles to Lands End!! 6:30 departure time, we are so nearly there! To date, this really has been the most wonderful challenge and adventure so let's hope we can finish it all off in style tomorrow morning!!

Good night and see you on the finish line!!