Day 13 - Hartland Quay to Duckpool

Set off early as a long hard day to come. This section is renowned as probably the hardest with ten river valleys to cross... and steep up and downs they are!

But breathtaking too :)

Speke's waterfall

Bumped into Kate and stopped to chat and she sponsored me and gave me great encouragement.

Each place where the cliffs are separate is another valley to descend and ascend - very tiring on the leggy loos! But each valley brought it's own reward :)

Sometimes odd ones when carefully descending a really steep set of steps, muttering like mad woman I look up and there is an aging, green haired, black-clad punk stood right next to me! Nearly went rolling down the hill as he greeted me in a strong Glaswegian accent! The last thing I would have expected, then he went bounding off like the hill was nothing leaving me wishing I'd got a photo! Proof at least fir the daughters who remarked..."are you sure he was really there????" And trust you to see a leprechaun! !"

And another doorway to forever. ..

Thistle waving at me :) hiya baby boy xx

Other delights I

included friendly wildlife...

And incongruous juxtapositions...

The day got long and energy less so wild camping was in order.

Duckpool - not quite to Bude...

Day 12- enforced rest day!

Howling gale and torrential rain stopped play and I found myself hanging around the campsite. Ignorant American family almost got to me but then I met the lovely Kate :).  Chatty, smiley and full of enthusiasm we shared stories in the rain.

Did venture to the pub at the end of the world later, in hope of wifi. ..haha soaked to the skin and the wifi was out of action too.

Sat and had a drink and oh my days over the speakers came Yellow - Coldplay...cue tears and odd stares. Don't care...

Day 11 - Clovelly to Hartland Quay

Waking up to this first thing in the morning is something magical. ..

Getting to Clovelly before the shop is open is not recommended on an empty stomach though :(

The walk started fairly easy after the initial climb out of Clovelly. ..woods and grassy spaces with the odd sitting place. ..

Sat here for a while - they call it the angel's wings...:)

The path then entered fields on the top of the cliffs. Nice and easy.  More woods and more fields.

I just love these rocks with holes in...my doorways to forever...as though you could step through and be in an alternate universe. How great would that be sometimes. Maybe in that parallel universe Jamal is still alive?...

The radar thingy comes into view signalling that Hartland Point is not too far now.

Yep,  odd looking radar contraption on the cliff.

From this point on the going got tougher. ..very steep downs and ups. In fact climbing was involved at one point, literally hands and knees with a sheer drop one side!

Absolutely shattered when reaching Hartland Quay - look at those cliffs!

Thankfully a cool campsite on a farm with homemade cake yum.

Day 10 - Westward Ho to Clovelly

Good breakfast and a nice walk out of Westward Ho. I passed the 'haunted house' on my way - spooky old place famous in those parts. Apparently some old lady actually lived there til recently. If you look through the windows all the furniture is there just gathering dust and there is a sign on the gate telling people to keep out and that the house is still 'occupied'!

The path goes on down the old Westward Ho to Clovelly railway line - smooth and easy to start...

Then steadily up and over high cliffs

There are not many people up here either just a few hardy dog walkers and a hiking couple. I am loving the solitude

The next part of the section takes me into woods and humid undergrowth.  Eaten alive but that is the curse of fair skin and red hair!

As the day goes on, I can see Clovelly in the distance,  getting nearer..

The last part of this section is 3 miles of a narrow road called the hobby drive. It meanders through more woods and it is getting late. 

I finally decide to camp just above Clovelly there and pitch up in the woods.

Day 9 - To Westward Ho!

Little sleep and I set off so early at an angry pace for Barnstaple. i got there and decided to catch the bus to Instow. Couldn't cope with Barnstaple no. Did all my Cruse counselling there and so much emotion was in that place for me I had to just get gone.

So a little cheat bus ride to the Instow 'ferry' but justified especially with lack of sleep thrown in.

The ferry was a little motor boat and I was the only passenger for that crossing! Well Jamal came too but he didn't take up much room... We enjoyed the short trip across to Appledore.

And its a nice little place - quaint old streets of multi coloured houses.

This was a little one way street and at the end is the life boat station and a little old lade with 3 wee dogs approached to chat. Many people are stopping me when they see the pack I carry. She told me stories of the storms that washed away the coastal path down the road - in her words 'battered the crap out of us!' Then we saw a woman making a wrong turn down that one way street despite the signs - uh oh - we watched to see what would happen then abruptly the old lady said 'silly bitch I suppose I'd better go and sort her out!' only reporting this as sometimes it is so funny to hear these words come out of the mouths of innocent looking old ladies!

On around the marshes and dunes to Westward Ho - why does that sound like  a cowboy convention?

Jamal made me get a room here as I needed to recharge - me and my batteries! oh the bliss of a bed! but I know I have at least three hard days ahead on this part of the coast so not feeling guilty...well not much ;)

Day 8 - On to Braunton

Up and away with a donation to the cause - thank you :)

I was just thinking I wouldn't like to live here... but up on the cliffs was a little folly of a deserted lifeguard lookout, like a little castle ( shoulda taken a pic) and I couldn't help thinking what a wonderful tiny house it would make, right there with a most wonderful view :)

Round the bend of the coast I can see Braunton and yet another very long beach...

Cloudy yes, but getting hotter and humid.

The path here goes around the back of the dunes - the Braunton burrows. Yes humidity was not good and dodging golf balls and horseflies eating me alive

 Wish I'd gone along the beach!

Also went round the back of a military training ground.. bullets??

No but had my lunch sitting here hoping for a nice squaddie...;)

Awful long military road again that just went on and on then emerged onto the mudflats and marshes of the estuary- cue more biting things for me to be dinner for!

But it did have it's own kind of desolate beauty in a way - water colours come to mind.

Walked on past Braunton. Old man in wheelchair stopped for a chat and directed me to only campsite for miles bless :)

Well it was a lovely thought but being woken up by helicopters overhead for the second time at 3.30am was no joke! Turns out there was a military airfield in the vicinity! :(

Day 7 - Mortehoe - Croyde Bay

Way too hot today for walking and so glad it was a short hop of 6.5 miles - although it was a long slog along the dunes in the heat. And some of that was on an old military road which was unrelentingly hard underfoot!

But one foot two foot keep looking for somewhere to take the weight off sore shoulders. I need a seat but none here, hardly even a leaning post which is sometimes better as no strain getting up...

I have Lundy as a constant companion just now - a misty little island out there

 Supposed to be quite beautiful and tranquil but no time to visit this journey. 

Walking round to Croyde Bay - uh oh surfers paradise! Veedubs everywhere, skateboards, body boards, surf boards long hair and noise. My ears are sensitive after a week of my own company!

But a short walk out of the bay is a nice little site and the name was a joy...

Jamal just loves cherry blossom...

Day 6 - Combe Martin - Woolacombe

Fabulous day all round walk and weather :). Left Combe Martin early in better spirits, Jamal now very much with me.

Easy walk to Ilfracombe - low level with picturesque little inlets...

On to Ilfracombe a little seaside town, very British and too many grockles and amusement arcades. .. The redeeming feature being Damien Hirst's statue 'Verity' at the harbour. Would have taken a better photo but didn't want to hang about..:/

The going got harder towards Woolacombe. More up than down it seemed. Crossed paths with the Germanladies again but they move a llittle faster than me and I was soon alone again. 

Decided to stop just outside Woolacombe at Mortehoe and it struck me how there are some morbid names on this trail...Great hangman...Morte-hoe. Lets see what else appears.

Long day today . Am doing a shorter one tomorrow :)