May 2022

18th

My last lift was from a man going a few miles up the road to Pitlochry, he dropped me off by a car park. He then pointed out the footpath to the woodland where he said they used to camp out as kids. After half a mile walk, I found a safe place to pitch my tent.

Watched the sunset through the trees before turning in, zipping the door of my tent I felt the cold air attempting to creep inside.

17th

Had an extremely disturbed night due to safety issues regarding my presence where I had pitched my tent in Longmarsh area of Totnes. The morning was verdant and airy, there was a huge Oak tree situated only yards from where I camped by the river Dart.

Made breakfast on a picnic bench before leaving the area, my favourite French Onion soup!

Took some pictures of the River Dart on my way back into Totnes.

Totnes was a circus of antics, but what most stuck out was a woman with a shaved head, walking up to the top of the hill towards the Black Bull inn. She seemed way out of her mind as she sorted the attention of passers-by. For an uneventful town, Totnes certainly appeared eventful with entertainment.

Back down the hill and over the river Dart, at around midday I hitched a lift to Newton Abbot from a woman driving a taxi. In the van was an Irish punk rocker, a drummer who had taken a stroke and had mobility issues; there was another guy, both of them were going for hydrotherapy I believe the woman driver said. All three were very positive and friendly, I enjoyed the short journey which dropped me off on the North side of Newton Abbot.I walked about three miles north before I thumbed another lift taking me to the A377/A30 Exeter roundabout, here I was quickly picked up by a female youth worker who dropped me off at Moto Exeter M5 services. I turned down two lifts, the first a creepy guy wearing a black panther tee shirt, he was going to Yeovil. The second was a woman who wanted me to wear a mask with her whilst in her car, she was only going a few miles up the motorway. The third car that stopped took me to Tiverton junction of the M5; from here I got a lift from an ecologist who dropped me off at Gordano Service station. The next lift took me a few miles to Filton Junction. The last lift was from a psychotic who was going to Cheltenham, he dropped me off at Junction 13, my faery friend arrived twenty minutes later, I washed and had a meal before ending my day at her house.

16th

Pitched my tent near Coronation Park in Helston, after a night of rain I got woken early by dog walkers.

Early morning walk through Coronation Park.

And around Helston town.

The first lift took me to the outskirts of Helston, the driver was going to Screwfix. Next came a lift from a female driver to Falmouth, then another lift took me to the A30. On the A30, I was picked up by a late 50s man who had the same character and demeanour as Mike from 80s hit TV comedy “The Young Ones”.

During the lift, he told about loosing his wife and bankruptcy, then described a homeless prostitute addicted to crack cocaine who he had been dating and supporting (ekk!). He dropped me at the A377/A30 roundabout at Exeter. Next lift came from a traveller in an old Range Rover, he took me south then east up to the summit of a hill; which I later discovered was on the way to Dawlish. He gave me a £5 note and said “get some fish and chips, I bet you like them don't you”.

Walked around the woodland for a while and thought about pitching my tent there, until I realised that the area was full of weirdos. Some places in the countryside are used for “dogging” so you must be really careful where you camp sometimes. I decided not to camp in the woodland, and not to head towards Dawlish either, instead I walked west to get back onto the A38. A woman passing by in a car noticed how stressed I looked and stopped to ask if I was OK, if I needed a lift. She took me down to the A38 services, then went out her way to drop me off in Totnes. I had an optimistic feeling about this town which evaporated during the evening; most notably after I talked to a smoking man outside the King William IV pub. A head popped over a wall walking past St Mary's Church, he seemed friendly, so I walked around to take a closer looked. Here there were four men drinking and talking, they offered me a beer, and so I sat with them for an hour or two. One of the men was dressed as the fool, he appeared oriental / Asian in origin but spoke with an America accent. He had a seashell hat with two wings from a bird he found dead by a roadside in Ireland. He was well liked in the town and invited me along with the group. A man with a Bluetooth speaker joined the group a while later; said he had come from Hackney, whilst playing annoying reggae music; he was a very confused person. I parted company with them an hour or so later, walked down to the river to find a place to pitch my tent. I noticed two people by the river stood watching me erect my tent. My torch revealed two mutilators whose darkness was revealled because they were angry when light was shined at them. When I asked for what reason they were stood watching me, they made an escape the way they had come from. I slept with one eye open.