I don’t think I have ever looked forward to a holiday as much as this one. But then, I’ve never had a holiday that has been such a major tick on my bucket list.

It’s still a compromise. I should have like to have walked the whole of the Southwest Coast Path, starting in Minehead and finishing in Poole: 630 miles. Maybe not all in one go, but that was my intention. Instead, we are walking just 72 miles of it, from Padstow to St Ives.

We’ll be walking about twelve miles a day and for the most part the going is “moderate.” The first day is even easy to moderate. On the Wednesday however, as you are reading this, the path is described as rugged and steep.

I now have a dilemma: do I tell my husband?

You see, if we’re planning a walk and I say, “Best pack your waterproofs, as the forecast is for rain,” he will say, “I was quite looking forward to this walk until you said that. Why do you need to ruin it for me?”

Some people like to know the worst before they set off and some people prefer to just face challenges as they occur. I prefer to have fair warning so I can prepare. My husband is the eternal optimist. He accuses me of always being gloomy. I think he prefers to bury his head in the sand.

They say that an optimist and a pessimist are both right about fifty percent of the time, but that the optimist has by far the better time. I’m not so sure. Is it better to expect rain and be prepared for it and then be delighted when the weather stays fine, or is it better to assume it will stay dry and be disappointed when it’s wet? I think it is I who has the better time, as I know I am prepared for the wet and can relax.

On Wednesday, Perranporth to Portreath, I am prepared for “a day of steep climbs and descents through an area of ancient mines.” The ascent and decent is 748m.

If I don’t warn my husband, the steepness and ruggedness of the path will come as an unpleasant surprise. If I do tell him, I will be accused of spoiling his enjoyment of the walk before we’ve even started.

There are lots of things in life that present the same dilemma. Sometimes, if you tell someone a task will be difficult, they are reluctant to take on the challenge. If you don’t tell them, they might give up the moment things get tough.

Are you somebody who takes the gloomy view or do you like to look on the bright side? I know I like to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I always pack my waterproofs!

Mary

A Moodscope member