Day 13: 05 Apr 2014; Braunton to Woolacombe

Walk descriptor	LEJOG2014		Day	13
Date	Sat 05 Apr 2014		Start to end time	08h 01m
Start point	Braunton		End point	Woolacombe
Miles today	16.44		Cu miles	250.66
Ft today	1,552		Cu ft	42,128
Route miles left	1,213.85		Route ft left	150,563
Today’s weather	Grey and showery in morning, heavy rain around lunchtime, grey and dry in afternoon. No sun. Light westerly breeze, Around 11 C

Today’s location (the red cross in a circle shows where I am at the moment)		GPX based track of today’s walk (click here to access to access downloadable file)

Commentary

“After an excellent evening meal at “Squires” fish and chip shop in Braunton, I slept well but was woken at 6 am by the unwelcome sound of rain pattering down on the tent. I eventually got up at 7 then was away walking before 8. It was another enjoyable, and relatively easy, day today, topped off by staying with friends who have generously put me up in their flat in Woolacombe for the night.

The route started off back on the Tarka Trail, and the disused railway, then branched off into Braunton Burrows which, according to the information signs, was one of the most diverse, and protected, habitats in the UK. Which is probably why a military training zone was built in the middle of it, complete with dire warnings about unexploded live ammunition.

I walked right through the Burrows to the beach, which was superb as I had the whole two or miles of sand to myself. (And incidentally I learned today that the difference between a beach and a strand is that a strand is completely covered by the sea at high tide). I stopped for breakfast at a surfers’ café in Saunton then walked round the headland on the coastal path to Croyde.

Croyde was a bit Rock-like, and had a strong surfing theme. I saw dozens of surfers both on the beach and in the sea, and came across a group of beginners in a “surf school”. They were all well-fed men in their mid-forties who looked as if they were in the midst of a collective mid-life crisis. Someone somewhere I am sure is making a fortune producing lollipop-shaped wetsuits for this particular market niche.

I then walk on round Baggy Point, with spectacular rock cliffs being tackled by a few climbers braving the elements, then stopped for a late lunch of soup at the café on Putsborough Sand. Then a couple of miles of exhilarating walk across the beach to Woolacombe and a welcome opportunity to do some washing in the evening!”

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


Air-sea rescue base at Chivenor. Good to know it’s there!	An abundance of violets lined the path near Croyde

Relics of old whale bone, from whale washed up on Baggy Point in 1915. It is nearly 2 metres across	Rock climbers just visible on rain-lashed slabs near Baggy Ppoint. Even more unappealing to me than surfing!

On the beach approaching Woolacombe	Spot the difference! Both I and this ladybird on Braunton Burrows are carrying our entire worlds on our backs..

Panorama of Morte Bay, looking North to Woolacombe