Day 16 - Barnstaple to Lynmouth via Combe Martin - 14.3 miles

I'd planned a long walk today, 18 miles from Barnstaple to Lynmouth over the western edge of Exmoor.  The blister on my right heel was telling me otherwise.

So my talking it through with Sally, who had all the guide books back home ( to save me carrying them), we devised a plan to catch a convenient bus to Combe Martin from where I could rejoin the SWCP and have a shorter walk and enjoy some of the promised stunning scenery of this part of the coast.

While trying to decipher the cryptic signs and conflicting directions at Barnstaple bus station, I met Toby who is clearly a lover of the countryside with a great knowledge of birds and wildlife.

i decribed the aerial dogfight I'd seen a few days ago and he thought it could have been a peregrine and a hen harrier.

Toby records all his wild camping exploits on Instagram tobyrogers509. His photographs of dawn rising over the Devon coast are beautiful.

By Combe Martin, after an hour on the bus

I was feeling slightly queasy and decided to wait for a cafe to open on the beach. 

I shared a table and a great conversation with Rod - a proud Scotsman via the Midlands. He'd been living down here for years. He's a gentle giant and I think the 21st century equivalent of a Universal man. 

His paternal family were blacksmiths in Peterhead and apparently the museum there displays harpoons made by his family for the large whaling fleet that sailed from there in the 19th century. 

A steep walk above Combe Martin are Little Hangman and Great Hangman - at 1040 feet it's the highest point on the SWCP.

On the way up, I met a lovely Hungarian family with dad Zoltan, Bendeguz, Andrea and Huba.

Having moved from Budapest, they now live in Bristol. They warned me of how windy and cold it would be at the top of Little Hangman and were looking forward to a good coffee and icecreams back at sea level.

...and windy it was.

On the way on up to Great Hangman, I heard a Willow warbler singing strongly and defending it's patch from two competitors to the left and right.

As the morning haze lifted over the sea, I could start the sea the coast of Wales and Lundy, now a long way to the West.

Walking above the Mare and Colt

Further along the path, I met Kathryn and Angus from Adelaide who'd been looking forward to the easing of covid travel restrictions so they could get here to walk the SWCP. Great to meet them both.  

and a little further along when I'd eventually found a bench to have my picnic lunch

I met Lin and Molly from Ely who over the next ten weeks are walking to Pooles  and camping all the way. Despite the heavy packs, spirits were still high.

Walking through the woods above Lee Bay, I caught up with Dave Walden,  jazz guitarist and one of the founder members of 2nd Spring. Dave was a very keen surfer and a number of years ago had a brain haemorrhage while on his board. The outcome could have been very different if it hadn't been for the quick actions of his son who was able to summon help.

Dave thinks that getting back to his guitar was the main component of his therapy back to health.

The coast path leads directly through the popular Valley of the Rocks, 

passing the White Lady who appears in the crevices close to the skyline.........!

By the time I walked through, shadows were lengthening, people had gone and the Valley was was being reoccupied

 by its true owners.

I continued on my way, playing with shadows. Games for children of all ages.

Here I am with my new friend!

By the time I arrived at The Rising Sun on the harbour at Lynmouth, I needed a pint and shared a beer with

Pete and Karey, Investment managers from Vancouver over here to visit family while on holiday.

Over supper, I met a lovely couple Jeanette and Loz, both looking very healthy and happy after enjoying a few days walking on the coast.

The sunlight effects on the Coast are beautiful 

The setting sun...

and.....The Rising Sun.

A memorable day despite the blister.

Onward to Porlock!!

Total distance so far = 193.4 miles

Total ascent so far = 30 951 feet

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