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 the delightfully named Baggy Point.

The remains of a whale bone, now yellowed with lichen, have a notice informing us of the Hyde family who donated this area to the National Trust in 1939.

It’s a delightful wide pathway around the headland, lined with blackberry laden brambles, sweet scented honeysuckle and prickly gorse. After yesterday’s low clouds I’m chuffed to discover my shadow yet again. The sun is glistening on the wide expanse of sea where we can see right back to Hartland Point. I ponder the enormous size of Barnstable Bay – it must be one of the largest bays in the West Country.  Perusing the map, it looks even wider than Mount’s Bay at the tip of Cornwall.  So, it’s good to see it on a clear day and think back to the tough walk around Hartland Point back in June.

The discovery of a coastguard pole keeps us entertained for a while – sadly no pictures of my attempt at climbing it, bet plenty of Annie, Gary and Nigel.  It’s a long way up but not as far as the original pole which stood at twice the height to enable practice runs to recover stranded sailors at sea.

As we round the corner, Woolacombe comes into view, straddling below the headland at the far side of the, interestingly named, Morte Bay. Guess the weight on the gate is a fun game, allowing Nigel and I to boast our skills of re-fitting Victorian sash windows at our former home in Tunbridge Wells.

Red and green paint splattered sheep disperse as we cross the field and take the single-track path down to Putsborough.  The tiny hamlet on the south edge of Woolacombe Sands turns out to boast award winning toilets (platinum loo of the year award), and very clean and pleasant they were too.

Putsborough and Woolacombe sands are not as sinky Saunton sands but just as beautiful. Certainly, more picturesque today with the sun shining through the puffy white clouds. Some very desirable looking homes nestle in the trees of Putsborough – I love a white painted art deco residence.

In less than an hour we have enjoyed our stroll across Woolacombe sands and are searching for a posh tea room – we were spoilt yesterday.

After a short search we make the bold decision to jump in the car (thoughtfully parked up this morning) and head back across country to the Saunton Sands hotel for lunch.  Today we enjoy sandwiches and a Devon cream tea on the sun terrace with the spectacular view of Saunton Sands and Braunton Burrows.