Minehead to Porlock Weir (28.09.08)

Base camped in a place called Umberleigh, near Barnstaple, for a week's holiday. Eileen wanted to see Minehead again so came with me, but stayed in the town. A long but simple drag out of Minehead through wood and country led onto a sort of heathland. Got a surprise when a stag, big horns and all, walked out of the undergrowth right in front of me. Didn't know what to do other than stand still and much to my relief it ran off after staring at me for a few seconds (hours in my time). After that it was just a pleasant stroll along easy paths, meeting more hares than people. After what seemed no time at all I reached the top of what looked like a very steep descent. A view of the bay showed me Porlock Weir, as an elderly couple told me. I couldn't believe it, it looked so close and I was beginning think this would be a remarkably short day. It was further than it looked though. Coming up the hill was a bunch of ramblers in varying degrees of fitness, some being several hundred yards behind the others. Mind you I would have been the same as it was a mighty steep hill and I was glad to be going the other way. The rest of the way was just a slog, losing my way a couple of times, but nothing serious, then a final slog along the shingle to Porlock Weir for a welcome break.

To get the bus back to Minehead means continuing on to Porlock itself which I thought would be a short walk. Unfortunately I took a marked pathway to the town to avoid the road which I think was a mistake as it took forever.

Porlock Weir to Lynmouth (30.09.08)

Left Eileen at Lynmouth, took bus to Porlock and walked (this time using the road) down to Porlock Weir. The walking out of Porlock Weir up to Culbone church is easy. It's a strangely situated church, in the middle of nowhere it would seem, and has its own tiny little graveyard. No idea who is buried there. Still easy walking till about the halfway point when it starts getting a wee bit rougher with some up and down walking. Passed the Sisters Fountain thinking again what a strange thing to have in the place it's in. It was only when I got home I found out it was a fountain, looked more like a grave to me. Passed other oddments such as a funny inset on an old wall and the post remain of some house entrance, with boar heads on them. A funny old day.

Towards Foreland Point it gets a bit rough on the legs when you go down steeply into a valley and then steeply back up the other side. Very bleak at this point and as barren as a Scottish moorland. At the top of this hill you begin to see Lynmouth and from there on it's a gentle stroll down to the town where I met Eileen just in time to get the next bus.

Lynmouth to Combe Martin (28.04.09)

The walk at the start uphill to Linton was not half as bad as I had expected. A steady stroll up a tarmac path (solar lampposts and all) and you are soon at the top. A pleasant walk on the tarmac path more or less all the way to the Valley of Rocks, some nice cliff walking. Saw some goats but no new photos as discovered my camera was out of battery. Took the wrong path at Castle Rock which went up the rock instead of round it - an extra few yards on the walk. I had read about the so called White Lady but at first at the directional marker on the road couldn't see it. Then it jumped at me - quite an interesting feature. Some lovely cliff walking on narrow paths over some high steep cliffs, possibly the best walking of the whole trip so far. Long walk down into Heddon's Mouth then a very strenuous walk up and out on the other side. Easy walking after this until you drop down into the valley before another steep climb to Great Hangman where there is possibly the largest summit cairn I have ever seen. After that it is a tiring but straightforward walk down into Combe Martin. Had to wait 50 minutes for the bus.

Woolacombe to Combe Martin (30.04.09)

I missed my connection at Ilfracombe for Combe Martin and as there was a bus available to Woolacombe I decided to reverse my walk today. A pleasant, easy walk to start with , gradually becoming a bit more up and down but nothing serious until Bull Point is passed. Then there are quite a few long staircase descents and ascents leading to Lee Bay. Met quite a few folks on the way. Lee Bay is a quiet little cove but has a horrible walk out uphill. It went on and on up a road so that you began to feel you had missed your way. At the top is an easy path going into Ilfracombe. Had lunch there and Eileen rang to check how things were going. Told her I was nearly there. Wrong. Steep climb out of the town then down to Hele. I thought it would now be an easy walk to Combe Martin but it was tougher than expected. Perhaps it was because I was getting tired but it seemed to go on for ever until reaching Watermouth where I met a guy with a heavy pack setting out to do the whole walk. Not a youngster but very fit. He had started today at Lynton and was on his way to Ilfracombe, I think. Luckily the tide was out at Watermouth so no worries about walking on the road. Got a shock to see a sign telling me I still had nearly 2 miles to go- I had thought I was almost there. Almost ran as I was desperate to catch the 4.25 bus but by 4.20 was beginning to feel I would never make it so coming across a bus stop outside Combe Martin I just gave up. The next day I came back with Eileen to do the missing part and found it was just a couple of hundred yards.