Excess baggage
John Le Carré was a constant companion on this literary journey. A posthumously released novel will appear in October 2021. Silverlight is the story, appropriately, of a bookseller who has escaped the city to live in a coastal town. The image below links to the novel. Agent Running in the Field ended with that hotel in Torquay. Or rather, it didn't.
During the walk some music protected me from the circumstances. Since then, others have struck a chord.
Brain Damage / Eclipse by Pink Floyd with Douglas Adams on his 42nd birthday. The last track floated to me from a window in Cadgwith, arguably the most thatched village in Britain.
“We wander to confirm that we are alone. Not simply to be reminded of our aloneness, in those prickling moments of neglect when we recognise the indifference of trusted acquaintances. No, to wander alone is to be completely immersed in the feeling - to be separate and accepting of isolation, to step in from light rain to the deluge beneath broken guttering.”
The South West Coast Path covers one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline, filled with a history of global travel, literature, art and film. We are drawn in by the promise of heading into the sunset and escaping the confinement of city life. But it can be treacherous even on a calm day.
What equipment you need for a long distance walk is dependent on how you will be spending the night. As most of my nights were outdoors, and in cold and stormy conditions, there were limits to how light the gear could be. It was not deliberate that the equipment used in Any Porth in a Storm was from the USA. It just happened that way. I did attempt to seek the lightest gear possible for my needs, and of those who joined me.
Osprey backpacks are based in Colorado, USA. Note that the stuff sack needs a dry sac in wet conditions.
MSR, Mountain Safety Research produce the Pocket Rocket mini stove, Hubba Hubba durable and lightweight tent, and other equipment, and are from Seattle, founded in 1969.
Toaks produce a lightweight titanium windbreak for stoves which save fuel and prevent risk to the environment.
The Deuce #3 trowel is from The Tent Lab in Colorado.
Microlite ultra-thin flask, 1L capacity, squat, 369g. When you need hot water.
Black Diamond Zip lantern from Ultralight Outdoor gear.
Mini lantern with hook for hanging inside a tent (150 lumens, dimmable), with a torch at the opposite end (90 lumens). Waterproof, 56g. Black Diamond Zip.
Nook ereader from Barnes and Noble, New York.