Route Map
Walk Profile After a fairly easy finish in to Clovelly last night and a good night's sleep, we are setting off today to walk to Westward Ho. As yesterday was Sunday, there were few options for dining in the village so we decided to stay in-house and made up a buffet supper from our existing rations. Afterwards, we took turn to relax in a hot bath, which in these days of ubiquitous showers, really is a luxury when you are walking long distances.
Starting from Higher Clovelly, today's route sees us return to the upward and the downward slope for most of the day. The early part of the walk is beneath a canopy of trees for two or three miles and includes the highest point of the day (over one hundred and eighty metres) on top of The Hobby. Just after Peppercombe we will exit the forest environment and go back on to the open cliff where we will stay right up to the entry to Westward Ho!, apart from two descents at Buck's Mills and Fairy Cross.
The weather forecast is for the hottest day of the year so far, with thunderstorms later. While we would like to think the tree canopy will keep us cool, experieince tells us it will be a choice between close and humid heat under the trees and hot and dry on the cliff top. While we dressed accordingly, we made sure to slap on plenty of sunscreen. When you are of the redhaired (long time ago) and fair skinned variety, coupled with Irish / Scottish ancestry, sunshine is not your best friend!
Starting from Higher Clovelly, today's route sees us return to the upward and the downward slope for most of the day. The early part of the walk is beneath a canopy of trees for two or three miles and includes the highest point of the day (over one hundred and eighty metres) on top of The Hobby. Just after Peppercombe we will exit the forest environment and go back on to the open cliff where we will stay right up to the entry to Westward Ho!, apart from two descents at Buck's Mills and Fairy Cross.
The weather forecast is for the hottest day of the year so far, with thunderstorms later. While we would like to think the tree canopy will keep us cool, experieince tells us it will be a choice between close and humid heat under the trees and hot and dry on the cliff top. While we dressed accordingly, we made sure to slap on plenty of sunscreen. When you are of the redhaired (long time ago) and fair skinned variety, coupled with Irish / Scottish ancestry, sunshine is not your best friend!
Bideford Bay Leaving our accommodation, we made our way back down Wrinkleberry Lane to where we left the coast path yesterday and picked up The Hobby Drive. Built between 1811-1829 as a scenic carriage ride, the drive is a three-mile stretch of road beneath beautiful forest canopy. Setting off, it was not too long before we were proved right in our estimate of the weather conditions which were torturously hot and humid for so early in the morning. Despite the heat, it was hard not to enjoy the walk, admiring the dappled shade that surrounded us, the quaint little bridges and the sunny glades off to the side of the road. Once we had gained some height, where there were gaps in the trees, we could enjoy nice views across Bideford Bay. The views also partly explained why it was so close and humid, with dense cloud dotted about the skyscape.
Part of The Hobby Drive On this early section we met up with another walker who stayed with us for a couple of miles. Rafal was from Poland but had been living in the South East for the past fifteen years. Married with children, no-one else in the family enjoyed walking and he often found himself walking alone on the coast path. Rafal's 'modus operandi' was to park his car in one place, walk to a destination and stay overnight before walking back to his starting point the next day. He was keen to point out that the change in perspective, rather than being boring, was in fact like doing a different walk altogether. As he was walking 'light' and able to walk quickly and we were laden with heavy packs and dripping with sweat, after an early coffee break, Rafal moved on and was quickly lost to sight.
Commemorative Stone Bench On the uphill section of the Hobby there is a commemorative
stone bench at the side of the path recording the completion of the last section (eight hundred and thirty-three yards) of the Hobby by Frederick and Christine Hamyln in 1901. Just by the turn-off to Hobby House (a private road), the coast path comes out from beneath the trees to turn left and pass along behind another forest known as Barton Wood. While it was nice to get out from the humidity, in the open it was just as hot and this was to continue for most of the day. There is a short rise up the hill just before you reach a holiday park, with a handy bench near the top. We stopped here for an early coffee break and an opportunity to sit in the shade and catch the breath. It was from here that we said goodbye to Rafal, having enjoyed his company for the duration he was with us. The truth of the matter is we were walking too slow for him.
stone bench at the side of the path recording the completion of the last section (eight hundred and thirty-three yards) of the Hobby by Frederick and Christine Hamyln in 1901. Just by the turn-off to Hobby House (a private road), the coast path comes out from beneath the trees to turn left and pass along behind another forest known as Barton Wood. While it was nice to get out from the humidity, in the open it was just as hot and this was to continue for most of the day. There is a short rise up the hill just before you reach a holiday park, with a handy bench near the top. We stopped here for an early coffee break and an opportunity to sit in the shade and catch the breath. It was from here that we said goodbye to Rafal, having enjoyed his company for the duration he was with us. The truth of the matter is we were walking too slow for him.
To end of Babbacombe Cliff At the end of the straight section of Barton Wood the route cuts slightly inland to go round a gully before heading back out again to go slightly downhill to pass in front of the Bideford holiday complex. From there the path drops down to Bucks Mill. Because we had recently stopped for a break we did not linger in Buck's Mill but carried on up the next hill to walk along the back of Worthygate Wood. When we had a break in the growth, we enjoyed lovely clear views along the coast to the end of Babbacombe Cliff. It was nearing midday by this time and the heat was torrid, we were both struggling with the temperature, completely soaked in sweat and needing to almost constantly drink water or juice.
Worthygate Wood to Sloo Wood we stayed exposed to the sun. At the end of Sloo we started to descend the hill again, but this time with a sense of relief knowing that in Peppercombe Valley we would find some escape from the sun in the National Trust Coach House which lies on the path and is open to the public. The coach house is a basic shelter that offers bench seats and a table to picnic on and, best of all for us, an opportunity to escape the sun. We stopped here for lunch and enjoyed the cool shade in the shelter which is offered some additional shade by the forest canopy above.
We stopped here for lunch, a lovely packed lunch that had been provided to us by our hostess, Debbie, at last night's accommodation stop. It was a lovely little interlude, with the chorus of the local songbirds tinkling down from the treetops and the undergrowth. There is a path here that runs on down to the beach where, I believe there are beautiful red cliff faces to be seen and a nice little pebble beach to while away the hours. Regrettably, we never made it, too hot and bothered to stir too far.
We stopped here for lunch, a lovely packed lunch that had been provided to us by our hostess, Debbie, at last night's accommodation stop. It was a lovely little interlude, with the chorus of the local songbirds tinkling down from the treetops and the undergrowth. There is a path here that runs on down to the beach where, I believe there are beautiful red cliff faces to be seen and a nice little pebble beach to while away the hours. Regrettably, we never made it, too hot and bothered to stir too far.
The coast path runs just to the back of the coach house and after an hour or so we felt able enough to continue. The route goes through the woods again for a short section before exiting on to an open area to go round the front of the hill. As we gained height on the hill the views and the colour palette were nothing short of spectacular. You might be tempted to think a filter has been used on the photographs, but I assure you they are as taken in a common garden, small digital camera. I have never seen such intense blues and greens before and a bit of enigma was added to the equation by a slight heat haze lying over land and sea. It truly took your breath away. I think back to Falmouth and the beautiful colours on land and seascape there but it did not match this for intensity. The extreme heat of the day will have played a part but, whatever the cause, it was really memorable.
Approaching Higher Rowden From the shelter we made our way round to the front of the hill where we walked just above the beach for time. The slightly lower level was minutely cooler, with a very soft breeze coming off the sea. But it was not to last. At Rowden Gut we climbed up Higher Rowden on to the next clifftop and on our walk along Babbacombe, Cockington, Green, Abbotsham and Cornborough Cliffs we were constantly exposed to the sun. Any hope we harboured that it would ease after two o' clock diminished in the afternoon heat. This last section was hilly with a series of ups and downs in which the changes in height, while not in themselves of any great degree, were magnified by the heat.
Babbacombe to Westacott Cliff One saving grace for us was that the walking was good. Apart from the occasional hidden stone waiting to trip you up as you sleep walked in the heat, we were on a good grassy path for most of the time, albeit occasionally over-grown, and on some of the hillside there were wooden steps to assist, most welcome on the descents when the old knee joints were creaking (e.g. coming off Babbacombe). The scenery was beautiful. The colours of land and sea continuing to be highlighted by the quality of the light. and, while there was not the profusion of wild flowers that we had seen in our walks last week, there was enough colour around to add a bit of laughter to the day with occasional swathes of Buttercup, stands of broom with bright yellow flowers and clumps of Sea Pink clinging on to cliff edges.
Coast to Hartland Point At one point, we were back down on the beach again, just before Tut's Hole (not a very bonny beach) and took a minute or two to gather the resources for the last couple of miles. Of course, on the SWCP you know when you go down there is only one outcome; you go back up again. This was to be one of our last climbs of the day and we were content to slowly walk out the last bit. To be honest, we lacked the energy to have done anything else.
Last hill of the day When we rounded the last corner at Rock Nose for the home straight to Westward Ho!, there was a little bit of excitement as there was a rescue going on the cliff over on our left By now we were walking on a concrete path that follows the line of the old railway and which is some distance from the cliff, so we could not see the detail of the rescue. What we did see were all the firemen and ambulancemen running up the long path because their vehicles were too big for the narrow path and the ground too soft for the heavy vehicles. Out at sea, we could see, the coastguard boat coming out from the town.
We heard later that someone's dog had gone some way down the cliff and couldn't get back up. Bad enough, but the owner tried to rescue the dog and then they couldn't get back up, hence all the drama. We read in the paper the next morning that it all went well with dog and owner rescued. But what a cost! We were so taken up with the kerfuffle of the rescue we quite forgot to take photographs of our approach to the town.
We heard later that someone's dog had gone some way down the cliff and couldn't get back up. Bad enough, but the owner tried to rescue the dog and then they couldn't get back up, hence all the drama. We read in the paper the next morning that it all went well with dog and owner rescued. But what a cost! We were so taken up with the kerfuffle of the rescue we quite forgot to take photographs of our approach to the town.
I'm sure this was and is a very nice walk. There are certainly some very nice features to it, not least some lovely sections in dappled shade with bright shards of light breaking the tree canopy and momentarily lighting up little diamond flowers in the undergrowth. In addition, there were some stunning seascapes with wonderful colours. Unfortunately, it was just too hot for us to fully appreciate the detail today and by the time we finished at almost 5.00pm, we were done.
Fortunately, we were in Airbnb where we were able to re-hydrate, clean up, rest and then feel good enough to go down the town to a very nice Thai restaurant (Morans) where I enjoyed the best Beef Massaman I have had in a long time. Having suffered in the heat all day, it was with regret that on our return we demured on the invitation of our three young bikini-clad hostesses to share their hot tub with them. I know! I can hardly believe it myself.
Fortunately, we were in Airbnb where we were able to re-hydrate, clean up, rest and then feel good enough to go down the town to a very nice Thai restaurant (Morans) where I enjoyed the best Beef Massaman I have had in a long time. Having suffered in the heat all day, it was with regret that on our return we demured on the invitation of our three young bikini-clad hostesses to share their hot tub with them. I know! I can hardly believe it myself.
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