SWCP Day 1: Newquay - Perranporth, High spirits setting off!

 Newquay beach where I started my trail!

In the past I have completed day hikes and enjoyed camping so I knew on some level what to expect. However, I had underestimated the major inclines and descending of the rocky terrain. For some reason, I thought it would be mostly flat - I found out pretty quickly on Day 1 this wasn’t the case! But the challenge was rewarding and worth it. 

I took the train from London to Newquay and camped overnight in a campsite so I could be fresh and start early the next day. You’re not meant to wild camp in England but after a couple of days on the trail I met people who were doing the whole route wild camping and I saw it could be possible, making sure you are out the way, and leave no trace. 

Newquay Beach

I set up my tent in the campsite whilst it started to rain a little. I had never set up my Lanshan 1 Pro tent before so it was a bit of a lesson! Taking around 20 minutes. It was probably the busiest campsite I was to experience which was great to build my confidence and start with. By the end of the trail I preferred camping alone and I could put the tent up in 3 minutes. It involved using a hiking pole instead of actual tent poles which is advantageous when trying to save weight in your backpack. The tent was surprisingly spacious and with the intense winds in the night I was relieved it stayed up-right. I highly recommend investing in this tent.  

My 600ml camping pot I used to cook with for the whole trail

I set off early in the morning amongst a lot of rain; this was my first experience taking down a tent in the pouring rain. Another lesson learnt early on. I made my way down into town and onto the SWCP route, admiring how hot and sunny it had become. Lots of surfers were out by the sea. It was a quant seaside town; what you would expect for a surfing town. I make a mental note to come back one day for a trip to explore more of Newquay as it's worth a visit. Today was the first glimpse I had to come of exploring so many towns in England that I had never visited before. That is one of the best advantages to walking this route - you get to see a lot of history, variety in coastal scenery, as well as experience new Cornish towns along the route.