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      Emergencies

      Getting slightly lost, or suffering a minor cut or scrape, is quite likely to happen at some point on the trail, but is of no real consequence. If you are a rusty navigator, then keep an eye on your map and guide and take every opportunity to improve your skills. If you miss a turning, it is usually better to backtrack to a position where you are certain you are on course, rather than try to cut across country to pick up the trail at some other point. It is very rare that anyone becomes so hopelessly lost on a national trail that they need to be rescued, but walkers have been inconvenienced by straying off-route, losing time and energy while trying to undo their mistakes.

      Serious injury is quite another matter. Anyone suffering a bad fall or an accident that leaves them unable to keep walking will need to be rescued. In upland areas, this will doubtless involve the nearest mountain rescue team, while in coastal areas it may involve the coastguard. As many of Britain’s national trails run through fairly gentle countryside, the usual ambulance, fire or police services might attend an evacuation. It all depends on the nature of the emergency, and the best thing for anyone to do is simply to alert the emergency services by calling 999 (or the European 112) and giving them full details so that they can make an appropriate response. Better still, walk with due care and attention to avoid emergency situations in the first place.

      ENGLAND

      View across Pendour Cove near Zennor to distant Gurnard’s Head (Day 18)

      South West Coast Path

Start and Finish	Minehead to South Haven Point
Distance and Time	1016km (631 miles) taking 6 to 7 weeks
Character	A coastal trail of great variety, taking in everything from arduous cliff paths to easy walks along seaside promenades. Some days are much tougher than others and at times the route is quite intricate. Allow plenty of time to explore all the historic towns, huddled villages, museums and herit age centres.
Highlights	The high parts of the Exmoor coast, Hartland Point to Bude, Boscastle to Tintagel, St Ives to Penzance, Mullion to Cadgwith, Dodman Point, Polruan to Polperro, Plymouth Waterfront Walkway, Wembury to Bigbury, Salcombe to Start Point, Dartmouth to Brixham, Beer Head, the Undercliff to Lyme Regis, Golden Cap, Isle of Portland, Osmington Mills to Lulworth Cove and Swanage.

      This is the longest of all the national trails in Britain, twice the length of its nearest rivals in the Pennines. The coast path essentially owes its origin to the 18th-century coastguard paths that were established as part of the fight against the smuggling trade. Following the imposition of excise duty on certain goods, ships began to land their illicit cargoes on remote, unfrequented coastlines, and tales of smuggling and shipwreck abound round the southwest coast. The Coastguard Service was established in 1822 and coastguards pounded beats along the cliff tops, peering into every hidden cove on the lookout for smugglers. In cat-and-mouse fashion, smugglers and coastguards tried to outwit each other, but in due course smuggling declined and less time was spent patrolling the cliffs on foot. Some coastguard paths fell into disuse and were lost, but leisure walking arrived just in time to give many stretches a new lease of life.

      Looking from Poltridmouth to Polruan after walking round Gribbin Head (Day 28)

      Walkers climb Bossington Hill, high above Porlock Bay, in the Exmoor National Park

      SCHEDULE

Day	Start/Finish	Km	Miles
Day 1	Minehead to Porlock Weir	15	9½
Day 2	Porlock Weir to Lynmouth	20	12½
Day 3	Lynmouth to Combe Martin	21	13
Day 4	Combe Martin to Woolacombe	20	12½
Day 5	Woolacombe to Braunton	25	15½
Day 6	Braunton to Westward Ho!	38	23½
Day 7	Westward Ho! to Clovelly	18	11½
Day 8	Clovelly to Hartland Quay	17	10½
Day 9	Hartland Quay to Bude	25	15½
Day 10	Bude to Boscastle	27	16½
Day 11	Boscastle to Port Isaac	22	13½
Day 12	Port Isaac to Padstow	19	12
Day 13	Padstow to Porthcothan	22	13½
Day 14	Porthcothan Newquay	18	11½
Day 15	Newquay to Perranporth	17	10½
Day 16	Perranporth to Portreath	20	12½
Day 17	Portreath to St Ives	29	18
Day 18	St Ives to Pendeen Watch	22	13½
Day 19	Pendeen Watch to Porthcurno	26	16
Day 20	Porthcurno to Penzance	18	11½
Day 21	Penzance to Porthleven	23	14
Day 22	Porthleven to Lizard	22	13½
Day 23	Lizard to Porthallow	25	15
Day 24	Porthallow to Falmouth	29	18
Day 25	Falmouth to Portloe	22	Скачать книгу В начало < 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 > В конец