14 - Clovelly to Hartland Quay

Stage Distance: 10 miles (Total Distance: 109 miles)

The last of the three stages on our weekend in North Devon and it's an up and down 10 miles.  Sunnier today and we even found a free car parking space along the road so avoided the £7 at the vistor centre car park.  A good start.

Passing through the fields by Clovelly Court the path passes through trees and past a number of shelters, the most interesting one being the Angel Wings shelter due to the carvings covering it.  There then follows an open stage over Gallantry Bower before the descent to Mouthmill Beach.  A lime kiln sits by the stream and on the beach there is the impressive double arch of Blackchurch Rock.  Then it's back through bluebells woods onto the cliffs again.  Another descent to Windbury Waterfall and then up to Windbury Head with fantastic views back to Blackchurch Rock and along the North Devon coast to Hartland Point and beyond.

On Brownsham Cliff there is a memorial to a Wellington Bomber which crashed in 1942 and more great views from Exmanworthy Cliff.  After following a number of field boundaries for what seems like miles, the radar station on West Titchbury Cliff comes into view and after passing that, the first glimpse of the the old lookout post on Hartland Point.

There is no access to the lighthouse on Hartland Point but there are good view of it from the cliff top, particularly from a little further beyond the point itself.

Soon after leaving Hartland Point, Smoothlands can be seen in the middle distance.  The path descends again to Titchberry Water, carpeted with flowers before climbing once more to the cliff-tops. Smoothlands is a hanging valley - a former stream bed which is still marshy in places.  At the far end is Damehole Point where the path climbs up again with fine views over to Hartland Quay and back across Smoothlands.

Following the path over Blegberry Cliff with more great views, Stoke Church soon comes into view and yet another descent is made to Blackpool Mill and the Abbey River.  The final ascent brings us to Warren Cliff and past a ruined tower before finally arriving at Hartland Quay and the car park overlooking the dramatic Screda Point.

It's a long undulating 10 miles but well worth the effort.  We've walked a total of 109 miles now.  A celebratory lamb shank in the hotel is called for!

Logistics: Parked at Hartland Quay and drove the hire car back to Clovelly
GPS Track: 14 - Clovelly to Hartland Quay  (20110502).kmz 
Images: 14 - Clovelly to Hartland Quay

13 - Buck's Mills to Clovelly

Stage Distance: 5 miles (Total Distance: 99 miles)

Another dry but overcast day.  Time for a quick look round Buck's Mills before setting off.  It's a pretty village nesting in the woods.  Old lime kilns on the beach are a reminder of the days when the boats from Wales brought the lime for processing.

The path leaves Buck's Mills and zig-zags up through Buck's Wood.  Then on through Kevill's and Barton Woods.  A real bluebell extravaganza.  The scent is almost overpowering at times. A brief walk across open fields and then back into Barton Wood before finally joining the Hobby Drive, built by the landowner in the early 19th century.  Projects of this type were usually built by Napoleonic prisoners and the unemployed during times of recession (the Big Society is not new then?).  The Hobby Drive continues for 2 or more miles well above Clovelly.  Some benches wouldn't go amiss but we settle for lunch on an old felled tree trunk.

On reaching Clovelly, it's down the lovely cobbled streets to the harbour.  It's a very picturesque setting, all the more uplifting due to the realisation that we've avoided the £5 per head entrance fee by not arriving through the normal channels!  It's a stiff climb back up, so we fully deserve the coffee and cake before heading for the car.

Logistics: Parked at Clovelly and drove the hire car back to Buck's Mills.
GPS Track: 13 - Buck's Mills to Clovelly (20110501).kmz 
Images: 13 - Buck's Mills to Clovelly