Day Forty Two - Starcross to Sidmouth 21 km (13 miles).
Time on route 5:00hrs, walking time 4:40hrs.
Thursday 10 August 2017
I am well and truly on home ground right now as I live just a few km up the river in Exeter. My daughter is back home and I thought it would be good to walk a leg with her. Added to this my aunt and uncle are in Sidmouth with the Sidmouth Folk Week and it became a grand plan. Well, it would have been a perfect plan - to get the train to Starcross, ferry to Exmouth and walk to Sidmouth - if the ferry had started early enough. But, alas, it only starts at 1010 which was too late for our rellie rendezvous in Sidmouth.
So yesterday, Wednesday, I drove down to Starcross and took the ferry across to Exmouth. And back of course. Which completes that little piece of the SWCP jigsaw.
Looking up the Exe.
And towards Exmouth.
The ferry dog. So cute.
And this morning Caitlin and I drove to Exmouth and were on the path at 0845. We strolled along the Exmouth seafront, which we have done numerous times over her lifespan, and headed up to the Geoneedle at Orcombe Point (which I don't ever think I've been to). What we particularly loved was the metal tip which blended into the blue sky.
We climbed up and over the Straight Point rifle range and on towards Budleigh Salterton. We had to detour at West Down, albeit only 5 metres, to visit my favourite trig. I was off sick from work a decade or so ago and I would find solace in driving to Budleigh, walking up to this trig, giving it a hug and ambling home. We have an understanding this trig and I.
We dropped down into Budleigh and stopped for coke at one of the kiosks by the sea front. I pointed out the spot where I'd changed Caitlin's nappy behind a beach hut 21 years ago ("thanks Mum").
We had to walk up the Otter to cross it and the views back towards Budleigh were lovely as the sun reflected off the cliffs.
Apparently this is what I look like walking the coast path.
We dropped down into Ladram Bay and back up out.
My aunt and uncle were on a collision course with us (intentional) from Sidmouth and we rendezvoused at High Peak. It was an easy stroll down towards Sidmouth.
As we neared the Clock Tower, our tea and cake spot of choice, they veered off to avoid the up/down of the coast path at Jacobs Ladder which I, of course, stuck to.
It was great to have coke, cake, chips in the sun.
We wandered across the beach towards the bus stop and then it took Caitlin and I 2.5 hours to get back with the bus journey (road works in Ottery St Mary), a quick food shop (which included a lesson in how to shop in Aldi) and heavy traffic.
PS. As a total aside, the Sidmouth Folk Week home page has a photo on it which has my daughter dancing with my cousin from 2016. She was hanging on for dear life...
Time on route 5:00hrs, walking time 4:40hrs.
Thursday 10 August 2017
I am well and truly on home ground right now as I live just a few km up the river in Exeter. My daughter is back home and I thought it would be good to walk a leg with her. Added to this my aunt and uncle are in Sidmouth with the Sidmouth Folk Week and it became a grand plan. Well, it would have been a perfect plan - to get the train to Starcross, ferry to Exmouth and walk to Sidmouth - if the ferry had started early enough. But, alas, it only starts at 1010 which was too late for our rellie rendezvous in Sidmouth.
So yesterday, Wednesday, I drove down to Starcross and took the ferry across to Exmouth. And back of course. Which completes that little piece of the SWCP jigsaw.
Looking up the Exe.
And towards Exmouth.
The ferry dog. So cute.
And this morning Caitlin and I drove to Exmouth and were on the path at 0845. We strolled along the Exmouth seafront, which we have done numerous times over her lifespan, and headed up to the Geoneedle at Orcombe Point (which I don't ever think I've been to). What we particularly loved was the metal tip which blended into the blue sky.
We climbed up and over the Straight Point rifle range and on towards Budleigh Salterton. We had to detour at West Down, albeit only 5 metres, to visit my favourite trig. I was off sick from work a decade or so ago and I would find solace in driving to Budleigh, walking up to this trig, giving it a hug and ambling home. We have an understanding this trig and I.
We dropped down into Budleigh and stopped for coke at one of the kiosks by the sea front. I pointed out the spot where I'd changed Caitlin's nappy behind a beach hut 21 years ago ("thanks Mum").
We had to walk up the Otter to cross it and the views back towards Budleigh were lovely as the sun reflected off the cliffs.
Apparently this is what I look like walking the coast path.
We dropped down into Ladram Bay and back up out.
My aunt and uncle were on a collision course with us (intentional) from Sidmouth and we rendezvoused at High Peak. It was an easy stroll down towards Sidmouth.
As we neared the Clock Tower, our tea and cake spot of choice, they veered off to avoid the up/down of the coast path at Jacobs Ladder which I, of course, stuck to.
It was great to have coke, cake, chips in the sun.
We wandered across the beach towards the bus stop and then it took Caitlin and I 2.5 hours to get back with the bus journey (road works in Ottery St Mary), a quick food shop (which included a lesson in how to shop in Aldi) and heavy traffic.
PS. As a total aside, the Sidmouth Folk Week home page has a photo on it which has my daughter dancing with my cousin from 2016. She was hanging on for dear life...
