After a brutal 12+ mile trek on the path, we took a day off to explore Tintagel, the supposed home of King Arthur. Frankly, the legendary King of the Britons may or may not have even existed, but the town of Tintagel has made the most of the legend. The ruins of Tintagel Castle are located on a headland that used to be joined by a land bridge that collapsed about six centuries ago. Ruins of earlier settlements have been excavated that date to post Roman times and indicate a thriving trade with the Mediterranean region.
Some of the ruins date to what would have been the time of Arthur, but nothing proves—or disproves—his existence. Best to just enjoy the legend and the lovely little village. Even though it is very touristy it is well worth a stay.
Day 11 of the Coastal Path: Crackington to Bude
After a day of exploring the domain of King Arthur, we hit the coastal path again. Challenging terrain but only 7.5 miles instead of 12. Our route took us through and past pastures populated with horses, cows, and sheep long overdue for shearing. It would have been longer but we opted to catch the bus from our lunch stop to bypass the last three miles to Bude to catch up on shopping, other chores—and a nap for me.
Click on the link here or the photo on the left to Relive the hike.
The squirrel carving was an English version of Arizona’s kokopelli.
Best explanation I’ve heard!
Comments are closed.