travel blog Archives - Page 27 of 39

How long should a pair of hiking boots last?

Posted on April 25, 2012October 19, 2014

I bought my latest pair of Scarpa Terra GTX boots, from Open Air in Cambridge, UK on the 7th April 2012 for over £120 (the price has rocketed recently since they moved production back to Italy from Romania) , in preparation for walking the whole of The South West Coast Path which is just over 1000km or 630 miles. Here are snapshots of the boot over the past 14 days:-

The first image is with zero steps, centre image after 279,604 steps (127 miles) and the right hand image after 533,415 steps (243 miles)

As you can see the heel is getting worn out very quickly , now down to the core material with the toe rapidly catching up. The terrain is not particularly harsh mainly grass / mud /sand /tarmac but no granite limestone etc.

So will they last the 630 miles? It would be interesting to hear what Scarpa have to say about their boot life! In fact the first pair only lasted 1 hour as there was a broken needle stuck in the leather 🙂 but Open Air replaced those straight away.

Update: 30 April 2012

The left boot leaked really badly today from somewhere at the front of the boot, thats 680,000 steps, 102 hours of walking, 307 miles. Pretty poor show

Day 14 South West Coast Path – Portreath to St Ives

Posted on April 24, 2012April 8, 2021

14 walking days 232 miles walked and 398 miles to go on The South West Coast Path!

Once I stirred from my pretty expensive room with no exterior window at the Cliff House. I could see I might be lucky with the weather and have a fine day 🙂

The walk started with a stiff climb back onto the cliffs and today there were only light winds and reasonable clear skies, although inland it looked gloomier. After a few up and downs and a pleasant tea break at Hell’s Mouth cafe I reached Godrevy Point where around 40 seals were sunbathing (Loved the NT warning about being quiet! With helicopters zooming around overhead). Rounded the corner to be greeted by the magnificent sweeping St Ives Bay & humungous sandy beach plus the quaint lighthouse on Godrevy Island with great views towards St ives. (which appeared deceptively close). Whilst walking the three miles of the beach I came across 8 students from Kathmandu who were celebrating finishing their exams in London.

Then comes the real sting, with the tide out the River Hayle is perhaps 10 feet wide and that is all that is seperating you from the short walk to St Ives! The strongly recommended route adds another 6 miles to the day trudging through the massive redevelopment of the North Quay at Hayle (no one quite knows why, but it’s ok it’s Euro money). The one bright spot is passing the totally delicious Philps Cornish Pasty bakery & shop in Hayle. The path then takes you along the murderous B3301 to Lelant where the Old Quay PH is closed awaiting a new owner or redevelopment. The walk into St ives then closely follows the railway line and is really quite pleasant for a Sunday jaunt for the not so fit.

Today, and probably every other day forward I must thank Mike of Baggage Transfers for booking (but not paying) for my nightly accommodation. Tonight and tomorrow (yep I’m staying here for a whole rest day) he has me in at Cornerways, where Daphne du Maurier stayed in the 1940’s. A fantastic place to stay where Tim, the owner really makes you feel welcome in fact we went The Sloop together :-). The breakfast sounds like it could be very yummy.

So it stayed fine all day and the rain only arrived when I was having my cod & chips at The Sloop.

The stats are here and pictures here The trail is on Everytrail
The south West Coast Path – Portreath to St Ives at EveryTrail
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Day 13 South West Coast Path – Pentire Point West to Portreath

Posted on April 23, 2012May 23, 2014

First welcome to at least two more readers. Ann who left a comment on the previous post and Mike of Luggage Transfers.

Today was AWFUL weather it rained heavily in the night, at breakfast the skies looked more welcoming. Just after Holywell Beach I bumped into my first South West Coast Path hiker slackpacking from Lands End to Minehead, It was to wet to talk much.

However, by the time I reached Perran Beach it was a full blown hailstorm, the beach turning white. I I found the Stepping Stones Cafe open in Perranporth to wet my inside and dry out my outside a little. Then it was off out into what looked like April showers. Just before St Agnes I ignored the dire warnings (with my new UK Tides app. I knew I was in no danger) by going around the cliff base rather than up and over the top.

After St Agnes I was treated to gale force winds and rain with a flooded path in places.

Finally descending into Portreath I found the Cliff House B&B a bit expensive especially for Room 5 with no view or even outside window :-(, but I was in no fit state to argue after walking 19 miles in those conditions.

Because my GPS lost signal whilst I was in the lunchtime pub I had two merge two tracks using Adze whilst playing with it 🙂 it came up with these rather fun figures for today:

I love the maximum climbing gradient of 34 degrees and total height climbed of 3374 feet. (according to the guide it was 2940 feet).

As usual my stats are here pics here and Everytrail:

South West Coast Path -West Pentire to Portreath at EveryTrail

Day 12 South West Coast Path – Porthcothan to Pentire Point West (Holywell)

Posted on April 22, 2012December 20, 2015

First thanks must go to the great guy who runs The Kandi Lodge in Newquay, the other end of the holidaying spectrum to the Atlantic View but ideal for youngsters hen & stag parties or so it says on the door 🙂 and for £20 a night with no breakfast a good deal.

The Station brekkie place refused to open up at 8am so I had to go to a different one 🙁 which was more expensive. I caught the right bus after the first couple of buses I stepped on were going to the wrong place. Arrived at Porthcothan on time and started walking back to Newquay, another couple who were on the bus with me were soon left behind.

The wind soon rose to gale force but the rain stayed away so I made good progress, taking snaps and amazed at the diversity of such a simple object as a bench!

I became very jealous of the kiters shredding on one beach which reminded me of my attempts to kite in 2002 in the Dominican Republic, Maybe on my return I will take a month out in sunny hunny 🙂

Then it was the never ending trek through Newquay till eventually I emerged at the Fistral Beach and the neoprene clad surfers 🙂 (see the header). Then fortunately it was low tide so I could escape by crossing The Gannel by the bridge which gets covered at high tide.

Once over I climbed up to Pentire Point West to try and find somewhere to stay. The hotel was closed down and the pub had no b&b desperation was setting in when I rounded a corner and discovered a discrete sign to Goose Rock Hotel car park, I ventured down knocked on the door and eventually Lynn from Bolton showed me in. I’m in Room 4 with great views over The Gannel and even to the lighthouse at Trevose Head where I was 2 days ago.

Todays stats are here pictures here and Everytrail here.
South West Coast Path -Pothcotham to West Pentire at EveryTrail

Oh! I’m pretty sure I now know why my Canon D550 flash gets so gummed up so it won’t work and that the rotary settings dial gets sticky……