In which: I risk being accused of stalking ● it is another t-shirt day ● goats graze the cliff slopes ● the Valley of Rocks is found slightly disappointing ● there is more glorious cliff scenery ● I ponder noise pollution ● I reach the highest point on the Coast Path
Date: 12 April 2009
Time of walk: 0900 to 1615
Today’s walking: 22.1 km
Progress along SWCP: 21.3 km
Estimated ascent: 1350 metres
After a decent breakfast, I set off a few steps behind another couple who’d put on their walking boots at the same time as me. They may have thought I was stalking them when I went into the same shop as them, and stopped to fiddle with my rucksack when they stopped, then continued to follow them. I was glad when they continued down to Lynmouth while I began the South West Coast Path today along the route signposted intriguingly to the Valley of the Rocks.
This was obviously a route that would be popular were it not so early in the morning, as the properly rural coast path as it clung to the cliff edge was tarmacked. I passed goats grazing on the steep slope, and later a group of four, two of them fighting. The Castle Rock was quite attractive, but otherwise I was rather uninspired by the Valley of the Rocks which seems to owe much to marketing.
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From here the route of the Coast Path follows a quiet road which becomes another toll road, past the Christian conference centre at Lee Abbey. As I descended the hill, loud amplified music was being played, and I couldn’t quite decide whether to be annoyed at the sound pollution of the countryside on such a lovely sunny day or to enjoy the wonderful soulful echoes.
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Above Lee Bay there is an alternative route of the Coast Path to Crock Point. Although there was a brief moment when I could get a nice photo of Woody Bay, on the whole it wasn’t really a worthwhile diversion as it was largely a walk around field margins, with a huge thick hedge shutting off all views of the sea.
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I stopped for lunch above Highveer Point, looking across the 500 metres or so to Peter Rock, but to reach which a long descent into and ascent out of the valley of Heddon’s Mouth was called for. The path around here was busy on a glorious Easter Sunday, some heading for the beach at Heddon’s Mouth and others for Hunter’s Inn. I lay back in the sunshine and just soaked up the atmosphere for a little while, before heading downhill to the river.
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The feeling of height to gain to reach the summit of Great Hangman, towards the end of a long walk, is emphasised by the steep descent first into Sherrycombe. Part way down I stopped to gain energy and remove grit from my boots. I was passed by a couple who’d first passed me before Heddon’s Mouth. At the bottom of this hill, I passed them again, paddling in the stream, which looked very inviting but I didn’t want to invade their space. A steep ascent soon brought me onto Great Hangman where I stopped again for the view, setting off again just as that same couple approached again.
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The path skirted Little Hangman, and although the summit looked inviting, my right knee by now was giving me quite a bit of discomfort, so I continued along the route, admiring the impressive views of Wild Pear Beach from Lester Cliff, then a narrow enclosed descent into Combe Martin, with lots of holidaymakers on the beach.
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The directions to the B&B were a bit confusing as they said it was on the Coast Path and the A339, but having reached the point that the two diverge, I phoned, and found that I needed to go further along the main road.
The guesthouse was pleasant, with another sea view from my bedroom to add to my collection. I went out and explored Combe Martin. I ate an ice cream and then had fish and chips on the beach. I returned to the guesthouse where I spent much of the evening taking advantage of their wifi connection to start the write-up of this walk.
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