On Friday 10 June we drove across Dartmoor to Torrington, where we stopped at the old railway station, Puffing Billy, that is now on the Tarka Trail. We walked along this trail and followed a stream through a woodland - a very pleasant walk. We then went on to Instow where we visited Tapeley Gardens. These gardens were pleasant, but nothing special. We walked down to the lake and then out across fields to the Monument. the views from here were spectacular.
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| Instow village |
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| Looking towards Appledore |
It started to rain just as we returned to our car, so although we drove down to the seafront at Instow we did not get out of the car there, but continued on to the caravan at Woolacombe. In the evening the rain stopped and we were able to walk down to the village with a long haul up on the way back.
Saturday started fine and we drove to the National Trust car park at the edge of Baggy Point. From there we walked around Baggy Point and had marvellous views first of Croyde Bay and then of Woolacombe.
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| View to Croyde Bay and beyond to Saunton Sands |
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| View to Woolacombe Bay |
After returning to the car and having a wonderful strong cup of coffee at the National Trust Cafe we set off to explore Croyde. We walked along the beach and then headed inland to find the village. After getting lost we eventually found the pretty village that has not really changed much since I visited it every year as a child.
We we got back to the car we drove on to Arlington Court. The gardens here were beautiful and the Carriage museum very interesting.
We set out on the Lake Walk and saw and heard many birds in the woodland. Along the way there was a bird hide with feeders outside so it was easy bird watching. The Lake walk overlapped with the Wilderness walk and we were surprised to see huts had been built in the Wilderness.
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| The Church in the grounds of Arlington Court |
On the way back to Woolacombe we stopped at Mortehoe and went out to the coast where we could look across to Woolacombe and up the coast. I hoped to walk this part of the South West Coast Path the next day, but the weather stopped us.
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| Woolacombe |
Our evening meal was fish and chips eaten on a bench overlooking Woolacombe Beach. Afterwards we walked along the sands. We walked for nearly 30 minutes watching paragliders and being careful not to stand on the jellyfish but were still some way from the end so turned around and retraced our steps.
On Sunday it poured with rain and blew a gale so we spent the day in the caravan, however, Monday was dry for the journey home. On the way we stopped at the Outlet Centre, Atlantic Village and then went to explore Westward Ho! We walked a little way through Northam Burrows and then through the village and around the coast. It was a pity we did not have time to walk further. We will have to come back another day.
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