When Time Stands Still

Day Forty Four - Seaton to Lyme Regis 11.0 km (6.8 miles).
Time on route 3:00hrs, walking time 3:00hrs.

Saturday 23 September 2017

The first memorable thing that happened today was that my watch broke at Seaton. So for the first time ever on the path I was walking time-blind (I keep my phone in my rucksack for emergency use only when I'm walking).

I left Seaton and walked over Axmouth Bridge. This listed bridge, built in 1877, is the oldest concrete bridge in the UK, but built to emulate a masonry bridge.

Axmouth Harbour.

Up past Axmouth golf course, the path turned down a muddy path (I was to experience a lot of mud this day).

Initially the going was open and I walked over the Downlands Cliffs and Landslips. This particular area is called Goat Island which was caused by the Bindon landslide of 1839.  It was so famous in its day that Queen Victoria herself came to view it.

Not knowing how fast I was walking was strange.  Stranger still was the route: a 10 km trek through the Undercliff National Nature Reserve. 10 km of sticky slippery mud and few way markers to measure one's progress. So I just trogged along the path in a timeless state, skidding occasionally and once falling right over and ending up in the mud.  Not my finest hour.

10 km later I emerged and pretty soon afterwards so did Lyme Regis.  It was a sunny Saturday and the promenade was full of tourists in shorts and t-shirts.  I looked very out of place in my muddy clothes and clodded boots.

I was early enough into Lyme Regis that I ate my lunch there overlooking the River Lym, before catching the bus back to Seaton.  Oh, and I'm now in Dorset by the way.  My 4th county.

There was a lot of de-muddying to do once home...

Changing Times on the Coast Path

Day Forty Three - Sidmouth to Seaton 16.7 km (10.4 miles).
Time on route 4:40hrs, walking time 4:20hrs.

Friday 22 September 2017

I fancied a two day'er but as my back/knees are a little fragile I decided not to overdo the distances for the next two legs.  I drove down to Seaton and caught the bus back to Sidmouth to begin.  Ooh, I hadn't spotted this mural before at Sidmouth Triangle.  Bet that's them pedalling up Peak Hill.

I set off along the promenade, dodging dawdling holiday makers and ascended the cliffs.

As ever, such wonderful views from the top back towards Sidmouth, and a chance to catch one's breath.

The whole of today's walk was labelled "severe/strenuous" in the guide book and it certainly was hard work initially.  This photo doesn't capture the sheer drop and climb ahead of me.

After another climb it was a sharp descent to Weston Mouth, and a satisfying crunch across the shingle trying not to focus on the 150 m ascent dead ahead.

At the top of Weston Cliff I spotted a nicely painted trig across the field but I couldn't drum up sufficient enthusiasm to warrant detour to hug it.  What is my world coming to?  It's TP6843 in case anyone is interested.  It has been adopted in memory of a Royal Engineer/Ordnance Survey employee hence its beautifully maintained condition.

Also up on top of the cliff was a field containing my nemeses.  However, since I'd bypassed a trig without hugging it, I figured I could ring the changes again by marching through the middle of this lot.

So I did.  And they gave me a stiff ignoring.

I eventually dropped down into Branscombe Mouth and came across the anchor of the Napoli that grounded offshore here in 2007.  I recall taking my girls down to the coast to view it.  They were young and trusted my every word then, believing me when I pointed to the two halves of the ship and said "now, there on your left is the 'Nap' and on the right is the 'Oli'".  I wouldn't get away with that nowadays.

I stopped for tea at the lovely cafe there then headed off upwards again.  I was rewarded by my first view of Portland Bill (hard to see in the photo, but it's there, honest).

Just after this, the path sits under the cliff top and meanders through the entrancing Under Hooken for a kilometre or so.  And then, at Beer Head, Lyme Bay really opened up and I saw my first view of Seaton.

I marched down into Beer. What a lovely row of cottages.

And doorway: two of my favourite things - stained glass and a compass...

I didn't spend long there as I was staying there that night so left Beer and headed onwards.

As it was low tide I was able to take the coast path route along the shingle.

The rocks are soft enough that tiny grains of sand (presumably) have made small holes in them.

Seaton promenade has some interesting sculptures.  "Waves shape the shore".

And "Shore shapes the waves".

I drove back to Beer and overnighted in their Youth Hostel. Cheap and cheerful, but not terribly sociable.  I'd sort of hoped that a hostel would have interesting people loafing around all evening with whom I could chat, but the interesting ones obviously headed out and I was left with with the middle-aged lady (comme moi) drinking earl grey tea and knitting (pas comme moi).  Ah well.

Home Ground

Day Forty Two - Starcross to Sidmouth 21 km (13 miles).
Time on route 5:00hrs, walking time 4:40hrs.

Thursday 10 August 2017

I am well and truly on home ground right now as I live just a few km up the river in Exeter.  My daughter is back home and I thought it would be good to walk a leg with her.  Added to this my aunt and uncle are in Sidmouth with the Sidmouth Folk Week and it became a grand plan.  Well, it would have been a perfect plan - to get the train to Starcross, ferry to Exmouth and walk to Sidmouth - if the ferry had started early enough.  But, alas, it only starts at 1010 which was too late for our rellie rendezvous in Sidmouth.

So yesterday, Wednesday, I drove down to Starcross and took the ferry across to Exmouth.  And back of course.  Which completes that little piece of the SWCP jigsaw.

Looking up the Exe.

And towards Exmouth.

The ferry dog.  So cute.

And this morning Caitlin and I drove to Exmouth and were on the path at 0845.  We strolled along the Exmouth seafront, which we have done numerous times over her lifespan, and headed up to the Geoneedle at Orcombe Point (which I don't ever think I've been to).  What we particularly loved was the metal tip which blended into the blue sky.

We climbed up and over the Straight Point rifle range and on towards Budleigh Salterton.  We had to detour at West Down, albeit only 5 metres, to visit my favourite trig.  I was off sick from work a decade or so ago and I would find solace in driving to Budleigh, walking up to this trig, giving it a hug and ambling home.  We have an understanding this trig and I.

We dropped down into Budleigh and stopped for coke at one of the kiosks by the sea front.  I pointed out the spot where I'd changed Caitlin's nappy behind a beach hut 21 years ago ("thanks Mum").

We had to walk up the Otter to cross it and the views back towards Budleigh were lovely as the sun reflected off the cliffs.

Apparently this is what I look like walking the coast path.

We dropped down into Ladram Bay and back up out.

My aunt and uncle were on a collision course with us (intentional) from Sidmouth and we rendezvoused at High Peak.  It was an easy stroll down towards Sidmouth.

As we neared the Clock Tower, our tea and cake spot of choice, they veered off to avoid the up/down of the coast path at Jacobs Ladder which I, of course, stuck to.

It was great to have coke, cake, chips in the sun.

We wandered across the beach towards the bus stop and then it took Caitlin and I 2.5 hours to get back with the bus journey (road works in Ottery St Mary), a quick food shop (which included a lesson in how to shop in Aldi) and heavy traffic.

PS.  As a total aside, the Sidmouth Folk Week home page has a photo on it which has my daughter dancing with my cousin from 2016.  She was hanging on for dear life...

More Trains - Up the Exe

Day Forty One - Maidencombe to Starcross 17.6 km (10.9 miles).
Time on route 6:45hrs, walking time 4:45hrs.

Monday 17 July 2017

To start our walk we caught a taxi to Maidencombe as I'd had a major fail on reading the bus timetable (irritating).  Anyway.  We set off in the sun for an initial 'moderate to strenuous' section towards Shaldon.  Around Commons Plantation the path is covered by windswept trees.

At Bundle Head I came across an old foe.  Being in company I felt terribly brave and walked within a few metres of these beasts.  Alone I would have given them a far wider berth.

The path provides a wonderful view of Teignmouth as you drop into if off The Ness.

There are two routes across the River Teign.  The official one being the Shaldon/Teignmouth ferry and, if that's not running due to bad weather, the road bridge.  Fortunately the ferry was running so we hopped on board for the 10 minute trundle across the river.

Our skipper was really interesting and chatted to us whilst we traversed about how suddenly the environmental conditions can halt the ferry (standing waves, spring tides, high wind etc).  Fascinating.

Looking back as we left the boat.

We stopped in Teignmouth for a drink and to catch up on work.  As it was Monday meant that emails were coming in thick and fast, so we stopped for a while to keep our business alive and kicking before the next leg.

Martin, being South African, found this local hot chocolate name quite interesting.  Zuma = hot chocolate?  There's a sniff of racism to be read into that.

As we left I noticed the local Teignmouth art - very creative.

The tide was high but not so bad to prevent us walking the Teignmouth to Dawlish seawall, which is frequented by the Penzance to London trains.

Looking down on Coryton's Cove near Dawlish.

And then up and over into Dawlish.

This was in interesting pavement demarcation on entering Dawlish.  It delineates where TDC, Torbay District Council stops and NR starts.  I'm just not sure what NR is.

We had a late lunch in Dawlish (more emails to answer...) and then headed off towards Dawlish Warren.

Once you reach Dawlish Warren the path follows the main road, albeit it on a separate footpath for some of it.  But it's flat and fast.

The tide was out at Cockwood Harbour.

Shortly we arrived at Starcross railway station.  I can see the next leg of my journey, the ferry across to Exmouth, but that's for another day.  ;-)