They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. Laurence Binyon
As we walk these paths through fields, countryside, and small towns, we are sometimes reminded of terrible events that unfolded on this continent in the last century. World War II ended in Europe just over 80 years ago and World War I just a generation before that. Every town, big and small, has a war monument with the names of the fallen from their community. The section from “The Great War,” World War I is usually bigger.
Yesterday we ran across a plaque on a cliff that commemorates a famous poem For The Fallen, that was written only a few weeks into that first war. Laurence Binyon composed it when only thousands had fallen—hundreds of thousands of British soldiers would go on to die over the next four years. Read more about the poem as well as the full text here.
The hike itself was again through pastures and along cliffs with steep climbs and descents. We began and ended it in the seaside village of Polzeath which has a restaurant with “the best” scones for cream tea. And last night we had our final dinner in the village of “Doc Martin” at a hotel restaurant that stood in for the school in the show. It actually was the village school until 1977.
Enjoy Laurie’s Relive video here or by clicking on the picture to the left.
Today we set out on the southwest coastal path with full backpacks on—the first time we’ve carried all our gear for a hike on this trip. Wish us luck.
