After enjoying CJ's limousine chauffeur service from Bodmin to Indian Queens my gang of six set off walking from Indian Queens by walking on the footpath down the B3275 road which took us through the adjoining villages of Fraddon and Penhale. By the time we had cleared the rows of houses on the roadside of the villages we had descended over 60 metres. The sun was shining and we were smiling. There was a lot of yapping going on too. We passed a field just after Penhale while walking towards Penrose Sophia on Narrow Lane. Was that a standing stone in the field? There was no indication anywhere of what it was. It did not appear to have been an old field boundary or gate post as it was stuck in the middle of the field. There is no indication of what it is on maps either. Mysterious.

In just half an hour of walking we reached St Enoder. A fine church graces the village and not much else. From the church we had a long three mile walk along a minor road to the village of Mitchell which ran parallel to the A30 bound for Penzance. Though we were very close to the major commute road, sometimes walking within two small fields of the thunder of hurtling traffic we could not hear anything but our own voices. The soft soils of the ground we were walking along had sunken the old way into a holloway. For a good part of the walk to Mitchell we were around eight feet lower than the surrounding fields. Old gnarled Beech trees hung over the road. At times the cover was so dense it formed natural tunnels. Still the gang yapped. Steve and CJ talked with each other while leading the way. I walked on next while contemplating. Dave, Callum and Matt were talking with each other while walking at the rear.

We reached the village of Mitchell at 11.45am, crossing over the A30 to access the village. In doing so we had covered five miles in just 90 minutes, not bad going at over three miles an hour. Mind you it had all been along good tarmac road and though we had strolled over a couple of humps the going had been generally downhill. That would change after walking through the quiet village which had benefitted greatly in the reduction of vehicle fumes and noise pollution when the A30 was bypassed from running through the centre of the village. I wondered if the roadside businesses felt that way though. I guessed they did. Who would want traffic streaming past their house night and day. From Mitchell we made the big climb of the day, a 54 metre climb through a dense narrow copse separating fields to the left and right. Though untrafficked this narrow gap uphill was also a holloway, driven a few feet downwards by footfall over the years.

At the top of the climb we came out from the darkness of the holloway to the light of an open field. It was the ideal spot for a break and it was spot on noon too. Perfect timing. I do not recall if it came about as a result of mentioning my long walk through Britain but Steve, Dave and CJ got on to the subject of leading a Romany life, or at least that of living as an itinerant. It was a colourful discussion which took us through this first break of the day and one which was continued throughout the walk to Truro.

After our break in the top field we crossed a road and then followed a track past Hendra Motocross Track. After passing the motocross site we walked due west along a lane between fields to reach the A30 road again. We crossed from the east side to west side by a bridge only to walk half a mile and cross it from west to east by another bridge. That was three crossings of the road and we were not done with crossing the road on this stage yet. First though we reached the village of Trispen, St Erme where we found a shop. It was just past 1.00pm and near the time for refreshments.

We crossed the A30 by a road bridge for the fourth and final time in the day soon after leaving the village of Trispen. Stocked with a medley of sandwiches, crisps, chocolate bars and soft drinks we found a quiet spot near a copse and sat down for lunch. Not so much talking was done this time. I think we were all a little tired now with the accumulation of last nights revelry and walking for ten miles causing a temporary lull in conversational energy. Having found there was a mobile signal some of the gang checked their phones while others munched away. The first break had lasted 20 minutes. This break took 45 minutes. After it was over and a little wearily we strolled onwards to Lanner Mill by way of an old quarry. From Lanner Mill we began a long walk through Idless Woods.

We got into the shelter of Idless Woods just in time. It had been fine all day but the weather had quickly closed in. At 2.00pm it was fine. At 2.30pm it was raining heavily. We had all been in light clothes at 2.00pm. We were all wearing full protective rain wear by 2.30pm. Idless Woods cover Bishop's Wood, St Clement Woods, Lady's Wood and Lord's Wood. Much is Forestry Commission softwoods, particularly on the north side which we entered from. Native and somewhat older Beech covered areas close to the path on the south side which was much nicer on the eye.

It did not stop raining when we emerged from woodland and met the road which would lead us through the village of Idless and into Truro. We were in for a wet finish. While walking through the woods we had continuously descended to just 20 metres elevation and we lost 15 metres of that walking down into Truro, finishing off the stage at 5 metres altitude. I had not been that low since setting off from Durness almost eleven weeks ago. Not done yet though, a little up and over some more Cornwall country to the most southerly peninsular of all on the British mainland. Another two days of fun walking with the lads yet.

Following the walk we all found a coffee house in the centre of Truro to enjoy refreshments together and dry off a little. Afterwards Steve and I found our accommodation while CJ, Dave and the lads sorted out their logistics of getting back to the van in Indian Queens and getting over to Falmouth where they were staying the next few days. In the evening Dave and CJ make it back to Truro for an evening with me and Steve. One idiot in the pub we chose could not detract from the good evening we had.