After breakfast in Exeter, Dennis researched the best way to Padstow, where we were to begin our hike on the South West Coast Path, while I traipsed in the rain to a cash machine to get the local currency.
After deliberating about traveling by bus (cheaper but longer and arriving at 9 PM) or by train (more expensive, same duration but better schedule), we rented an UBER. The cost was the same as the train, but the 90-mile ride only took 1.5 hours, and we did not have to port the backpacks to the station. No brainer! We were in Padstow around 12:30 p.m. to stay in a private B&B on Trevebyn Road for two nights.
HillWalk Tours prepared our hike and booked lodging, a taxi, and luggage transport. They were to leave a package in our room, but they delivered the wrong map and no printout describing the trail. Fortunately, we previously downloaded the 75-page PDF to our phones and are using the Gaia GPS app.
For supper, we headed into town down a very narrow and steep cobbled-stone hill. We had to tread carefully not to step in horse poop. Coming back was difficult, a harbinger of what was to come.
