It could be my imagination, but there’s a softness that seems to wrap you in a South West embrace somewhere around about Exeter. Persistent rain streaks the Great Western train windows and a gentle mist descends first on the muddy flats of the River Ex, the terraced houses flanking the railway around Plymouth, the fishing boats far below Albert Bridge after Saltash, and then the rolling green hills as we journey through Liskeard - Bodmin Parkway - Par - St Austell - Truro - St Erth and finally Penzance.
I am hoping the rain is for Travel Day only. The start of another long solo walk and wild camping expedition is bringing up a familiar and not entirely comfortable anxiety, that I know from experience is much lessened if things stay more or less dry. Thankfully the weather app is showing reassuring semi-sunny, cloudy, windy icons for the next seven days.
I catch the £2 Coaster Bus to the Lands End bunk house. A quick half in the First and Last Inn a little way up the road, a re-acquainting with my old friend the Cicerone Guide and I’m tucked up by 10. So far, so good.