6 1/2 Miles miles walked since starting ... After another evening playing, and mostly losing, pool, we wake up in our room in the eaves of the Hunters Inn to a bright blue sky. We’ve learnt that the peacock that was tapping at the window at breakfast yesterday is called Dave – funny that we have a neighbour called David Peacock! Saying goodbye to Dave, we head straight out onto frosty ground (I didn’t realise they got frosts down here) back down the valley towards Heddon’s Mouth.  The scenery here is unlike any other we’ve seen – the tops of the hill above us are [...]

7 1/2 Miles miles walked since starting ... It’s been a long cold four months since we were last here.  We journey down in the sunshine stopping at Hestercombe Gardens in the Somerset countryside enroute for a warming bowl of soup and a wander the pretty gardens with stunning waterfall. Having booked well in advance to make sure we get a room it turns out we are the only guests booked overnight at the Hunters Inn, Heddon’s Mouth.  Dinner is fab, even better the game of pool, then we wake with the glorious view up the valley refreshed for today’s walk.  We have decided to [...]

5 1/2 Miles miles walked since starting ... The low grey cloud has lifted and the sun is peeping through the puffy clouds as we return to Ilfracombe for our last walk of this holiday, in fact of this year. Departing from the Landmark theatre we can see the words “RNLI 200” to mark their 200th anniversary, mown into the Capstone Point cliff, to the left a zig-zag path takes us over the point to the quay. We enjoy a wander in the gift shops along the quay and pop into the Lundy ticket office to collect our tickets for tomorrow’s trip… although we are [...]

9 Miles miles walked since starting ... We say a sad farewell to our fellow holiday makers as they set off for home and kindly drop us at Woolacombe for today’s trek.  A colourful cow and numerous surfers’ vans line the esplanade out of the seaside resort. A café owner is setting up for the day at the cleverly decorated portacabin at Barricane Beach. The coast path leads behind the Watersmeet hotel, in hindsight they probably do a good Devon cream tea? But it’s early morning now and we have warm pasties in our backpacks for later. A handful of desirable residencies line [...]

6 Miles miles walked since starting ... Four of us don walking boots and depart 2 Inglenook Cottages through the village and take the now familiar path between Salt Rock and Billy Budds towards the beach. I admire, yet again, the windswept cypress trees and enjoy how the wispy white clouds mirror their shapes. Leaving footsteps in the sand we are soon clambering over rocks and pools, one careful step at a time, to the far side of the beach. A tiny National Trust tearoom boasts a delightful allotment garden, which we poke our noses into, then continue out of the village towards [...]

9 Miles miles walked since starting ... We’ve checked the weather forecast – heavy rain; we’ve checked the tide – low @4pm and we’ve checked the map – mostly a sandy beach, so I’ve opted for sandals. Leaving Braunton, we soon emerge at Velator Quay which oozes a long history of shipping in the Taw estuary going back to 1870 but now harbours what looks like a collection of abandoned boats. The pathway through is a long, straight mound between the road and the low-level Braunton marsh, with Chivenor barracks on the far side. Cows graze the fields the over side of the road.  Still [...]

6 Miles miles walked since starting ... After an enjoyable evening with Annie and Gary at our Croyde holiday cottage we all motor round to Appledore for breakfast at John’s café. I purchase another slap of John’s squidgy home-made flapjack - I’m going to miss it.  After a mooch around the gift shops and lanes we drive back to Barnstable train station. We use our nose and gut feeling, rather than the confusing signposts, to weave our way over the River Taw to the coast path along the river to Braunton.  Looking back the clouds are now parting over the medieval “Barnstable Long Bridge” and [...]

7 Miles miles walked since starting ... I’ve been yearning for this trip for so long that I’m up and dressed in summer holiday gear (white short dungarees) and we are on the road to Devon by 7am.  Seven hours later, feeling the enthusiasm washed away, we pull into Barnstable train station car park and turn the windscreen wipers off from full speed for the first time today! Thankfully the storm as eased as we jump onto the 21 bus to Instow, alighting a few minutes later onto a pavement full of puddles. The road along Instow Quay is lined with grand dwellings and an impressive looking [...]

6 Miles miles walked since starting ... The campsite was full last night of South West Coast path walkers, many wanting to chat about their experience.  So, after packing up the bell tent and imparting advise to a delightful young guy walking anti-clockwise (strange!), we drive the short distance to Appledore for the last walk of our holiday. We are parked up and ready to go before 9, as we have two timescales to meet – the first ferry back over the river Torridge and a football match (apologies I think it was a World Cup match but it doesn’t interest me) to get back [...]