Weather: Fine Distance: 21km (13 miles) Total
Distance: (1440 miles)
The breakfast at my B&B was good,
but I was lessimpressed with the packed lunch which I had ordered; no
drink and processed ham sandwiches which even I could not stomach! I met a young couple at breakfast who were
mountain biking; I saw them later at the start of the coastal walk at Stoke
getting their bikes out of their car. I thought they would not manage much of
the coast, but then they proceeded to turn up again at the mouth of the River
Erme; quite how they got there I am not certain.
The walk to Stoke retraced the end of
the walk the previous night. I bought a
canned drink off a very miserable person at the caravan site shop and then
started the days walk. Knowing that I
would probably not be able to wade the Erme until after lunch, I did not rush
the morning but enjoyed the cliff walk. I stopped for a break at the Erme Mouth
beach before going around the next wooded headland to the place to cross the
river.
I surveyed where to cross for a while
but it was not obvious and it was still a couple of hours before low tide. It was here I met a couple of middle aged
ladies who were also backpacking and waiting to cross the river. I sat at the side of the beach and waited for
the tide. I saw a couple of men wade
across at the wide mouth of the river and the lady backpackers then decided to
have a go. I followed, taking my boots
off first; it was cold and in places a strong current but not deep enough to
get wet shorts. I had a chat to the
ladies at the other side while putting on my boots. They were hoping to reach Thurlstone but half
expecting to have to get a taxi around the Avon, another tidal river and
riskier to cross - I think they probably did.
The next part of the coast was again
picturesque with some steep descents and climbs. Certainly by the time I reached Charlborough,
I was wondering if the ladies would make it since when I left them the more
inexperienced one was having to stop for blisters. Charlborough was a holiday resort beach with
caravan sites, chalets and the smell of hot dogs.. Failing to find the club
house open for a drink, I had a cup of tea from a snacks wagon. Bigbury was not very exciting and had nothing
to entice me to stop, though looking back I should have because by the time I
got to the B&B I was tired and very thirsty.
After Bigbury I had to climb up the
cliffs again, mainly on the main road, only to loose all the height again when
the path dog-legged back down to the estuary an a steep track through
farmland. The path then swung back
inland, up again, before levelling off, going through fields and than forming a
track across a golf course. After the
golf course the path went down to the estuary again at the farm Hexdown. I was a bit suspicious about whether walkers
were welcome because there was an electric fence across the initial farm
path. At the bottom there was a deserted
complex of farm buildings, a strange feeling.
I then came out onto a track through a wooded area - it looked safe
enough but I disturbed a large fierce dog at one house. I'm glad it didn't
escape. The owner drove pase a few moments later in a 4 wheel drive - looking
very suspicious. I thought I had stumbled on a drugs smuggling operation or
something.
A climb up the track, past an odd
house, bought me back onto the road, and soon after left it again to cross some
fields (the path being difficult to follow initially) and then down to the
estuary. The walk along the tidal road
up into Averton Gifford was hot but pleasant.
I saw a heron and a family of swans with six cygnets.
I found the B&B without any
trouble. It took me only a 50 yards off my track. I was welcomed with a cup of tea. My room was large but the place was a little
old. The bathroom in particular was
strange, the water that came out into the old cast iron bath had bits in!
I went to the pub down the road, The
Fishermans Arms, fairly early, had a couple of drinks and then salmon and
potatoes. A pleasant welcoming pub. I got talking to a local family who had a
child about the same age as Sean. They
had the great grandmother there from London who was in her 70's and looked very
fit! I then went back and watched the
highlights of the Grand Prix and The Family by Roddy Doyle before going to bed,
well tired.
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