Everyone had said how bad the hills would be in Devon and Cornwall but after the Highlands, the Lake District and the Shropshire hills; I'd seen it all, though this is probably the most continuous section of hilly roads. But as ever, with every uphill grind and muscle screaming climb, there is the instant relief of the other side and all's forgotten.
I passed through Redruth, then busy dusty Camborne, then... flat tyre, not now! With over 900 miles cycled this was the first one and with only 15 miles to go. The spare tube I was carrying had earn't it's place in the bag and I was quickly under way again.
I watched the Scillonian sail into Penzance harbour, arriving from St Mary's in the Scilley's. When my kids Sam, Charli and Abi had been younger, Julie and I had had the most tranquil of holidays amongst these beautiful white sand islands.
My best climbing memories are on the granite cliffs around here: Terrier's Tooth at Chair Ladder with Julie, Suicide Wall and Little Brown Jug at Bosigran with Andy - what a place this is!
After a short section on the A30 (going direct to Lands End) I stayed true to my roots (and routes) and headed off to St Buryan, reluctantly passed my favourite pub round here- the Logan Rock Inn, with it's great story of drunken sailors pushing the Logan rock off its perch into the sea and then being ordered by the Admiralty to haul it back again.
I passed the best beach - Porthcurno, overlooked by the fabulous open air Minack Theatre and then the end of the land was approaching. My friends Andy and Karen clapped me over the line. It was done.
12 days, 992 miles, 37 Mars Bars.
Andy and Karen had cycled to meet me. They'd previously done a Cape Wrath to Cape Cornwall variation of the End to End on their tandem.
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