The guidebook said today would be very tough with lots of steep assent and decent and the highest cliffs in Britain. I was hoping that my heel would hold up under the tough terrain.
As I arrived in Valley of Rocks there was a sign for rock falls and one from the Samaritans, not a good thought for the day!
Thankfully, I had a better night sleep last night and so feel more refreshed than yesterday. Today the weather was much brighter and resulted in a much better views.
There were quite a lot of amenities including toilets, a café and a car park at Lee Abbey. Unfortunately, I arrived way too early for the café to be open.
I looked at my watch and somehow it had got itself on pause so I’m not quite sure what it will do to the data today.
The views are starting to be spectacular and more like what coastal walking should be.
One thing that’s been going round in my mind is that I don’t have Angela to share things with. To tell her how my day has gone, what I’ve been doing, who I’ve met and how I’ve been feeling. It’s also all the memories that we had together. When you say to your partner, do you remember when … and then you’d relive the memory together.
Then as I sat on a random bench contemplating this a wee robin appeared and sat with me.
I rounded a headland and this was the view that was waiting for me. Quite breathtaking in several ways as my heart was pounding from the climb up.
It was Sunday today and I met quite a few people walking various parts of the path. Marta was astounded by my trek and Pawel would like to have the opportunity to do it too.
Of course I had to go down to go back up and across this. Alan and Adrian were out walking their dogs. We had a brief chat and then I powered on up the hill.
Onwards up and over headlands which were beautiful and stretched out in front of me.
I met Stella and Lisa and we had a chat finishing on the topic of girl power.
I made it to the top of Great Hangman, which apparently is the highest cliff in Britain at 318 m, 1043 feet. It was a relative breeze getting up there compared to the Munros in Scotland.
Then it was a muddy descent into Combe Martin where I met Fiona for lunch.
As I walked along the old coast road towards Ilfracombe I saw the strangest things in someone’s garden.
Water Mouth castle appeared out of nowhere. It is a theme park and looked onto a small marina full of yachts.
The paths here run alongside the road but are typically separated from them by walls or hedgerows which is great. It was on such a path that I met Sarah. We walked the rest of the way into Ilfracombe together, chatting all the way. I learned about professional gardening and career changes. Sarah also told me all about the local places.
This beach Raperee Cove has had a chequered past. Shipwrecks with possibly slaves or prisoners of war all drowned at sea. Victorian ferries bring people here to bathe, maybe just women? And a local lad who punch the young German Kaiser! Perhaps that was the real start of a war!
Then it was time to arrive at our destination. Amanda and Andrew had kindly offered us a bed for the night, food, showers and laundry. Great company too. What stars they are.
Best bits: so many today; weather, views, meeting so many lovely people, definitely a hot shower
Worst bits: sore heel but improving
Distance: 17.8 miles
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