September 23 - Day 133 (132.5) - 'As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas and colours enough to paint the beautiful things I see' Vincent van Gogh

It was quite breezy this morning so most of the journey involved leaves falling around me, making it all feel very autumnal. the colours are getting more interesting each day though and the light on the fields of grass this morning definitely had a golden tinge to them.

So talking about gold - On 23 September, 1641, the Merchant Royal, loaded it was said with gold and silver, sank off the coast of Cornwall and I understand the wreck has still not been located. Given my (what has become over recent years) annual trip to the Isles of Scilly, if the reports that it sunk about 30 miles off Land’s End are correct, then it could have been close to the islands. Knowing the number of shipwrecks that have taken place near the islands and the nature of the rocks and outcrops (see the second picture with Bishops Rock Lighthouse visible to the left), this would not at all be surprising. Mind you, after swimming off the islands and visiting several isolated coves, it would have saved me a lot of cycling if I’d discovered some of the Merchant Royal’s cargo, estimated at today’s value of being more than £500,000,000. Oh well, by Monday morning I will have completed more than 4000 miles and the things I have seen and the support I have been given is probably worth much more than that in real terms - though a similar donation to the Centre would be very nice!