Arrived in Barnstaple last night to get on with it this morning. Blowing an absolute hoolie overnight and now this morning - 40/50 mile-an-hour winds - bloody glad I am not up on those cliffs today! But there was no rain.
So it was a very different Croyde Bay that we arrived at this morning to start out again where we left it on Friday. I put a video here if you want to watch...
Some mad dude is still taking his morning bathe. The rest of the surf squad and the life guards are just watching on.
Southern scum...
Still pretty stunning stuff - in the distance is Baggy Point that we went around last week...
So we make our way around to the next bay - another surfing beach called Saunton. Great views and onto the dunes where we will spend most of our day, avoiding the walk along the road.
Harry is enjoying it...
Today we leave the coast and walk the estuary around to Barnstaple - tomorrow we will try and get back out of the estuary again and back onto the coast - 16 miles today / 18+ tomorrow but much flatter, easier grade (more boring!)
As soon as we get into the dunes and I get the distinct impression we are not welcome...
And I was just about to get my kit off when... "activities" - how dare they?...
Isn't that what these dunes are for? Apparently, the road we walk along through the nature reserve was built by the us army in the war to practice landing in Normandy.
We diverted onto the edge of the estuary mouth of the river Taw for a quick throw of the ball..
And then down the bank towards Braunton...
You can't park that there mate...
And the long march to Barnstaple along the Taw at low tide.
Lots of curlews on the shore (thanks Stephen!)...
Barnstaple is the largest town we will visit on the path. It is like a centre of North Devon - a lot of my trains are to/from here. It was around in Norman times as it was granted the license to mint coins and was already a busy town. They have a charter to hold a market and a fair dating from then and still have both today.
The hotel is nice but full of older people.
Harry and I are in the annex and he is not allowed in the main hotel. Best breakfast yet but not sure about the loud classical music. I guess it isn't that loud if you have a deaf-aid - or at least you may be able to turn it down...
