There were enough episodes in the morning to keep it interesting and fun for all 9 of us - a legitimate "rhubarb" in Trevowhan, some quasi-trespass and near-impassable vegetation, the large Chun Quoit stone, an enormous UFO-like maritime navigational aerial, and conversation about the phenomenal Painted Lady migration this year.
We lunched on Carn Brea with a clear view down to Land's End, and the excitement rose. Although we could have avoided part of the A30, we stuck to it as far as the Land's End car park, being joined by my friend Tony (Section 13) in Sennen. I'd previously decided that the finale would not be through the awful theme park, so by arrangement we met the rest of the family on the perimeter.
- previous walkers: daughter Karen (Sections 7 and 10), grandson Rufus (Section 7 as a babe-in-arms), sister-in-law Helen (Sections 11 and 12), sister Rowan (Sections 3 and 11) and her friend Phil (Section 11)
- and first-timers: my wife Chris, mother-in-law Dot, sister-in-law Marianne and Karen's partner Reuan.
We headed north to the coast - and gave everyone a taste of how rough the Watershed walking can be. A few were in their party best, but they all saw the funny side as we encountered walls, brambles, heather and bog.
The last km was on the coastal path, and there was a great reception at the official end - including the only two whose legs weren't up to the final bit, my father Shaun and father-in-law Ray. The photo shows me at the end, supping a pint of Cornish Rattler cider (a gift from Dave Hewitt) from an engraved tankard commissioned by Chris to mark the occasion.
The Watershed finished at 342250 on map 203, and the stats for this final Section were 215km and 1,280m of ascent.
The party in the Land's End Hotel that evening was excellent, with mini-speeches by 96-year-old Shaun, myself and 6-year-old Rufus. My father had made a great effort to be there at the end, and this blog is dedicated to his memory; he died just a few months later.