Croyde to Barnstaple

Croyde to Barnstaple - Saturday 2nd April 2011

Path Facts - Length: Approx 14.4 miles, Ascent: 420 feet

8.30am breakfast at The Thatch which was excellent then started walking about 9.30 am. The first challenge was yomping through the dunes to get to the beach. It was already sunny today and probably the warmest day of this leg.



A couple of route finding problems early on due to becoming overly blasé about the generally easy navigation on the coast path. A short way round the headland the path turns South then East giving really expansive views down to Saunton Sands and across to Appledore and the Hartland Peninsula.

As we progressed further inland close to Saunton we took the inland excursion which takes a slightly higher path for a time and misses the road. This was well worth a small amount of extra effort as there were great views now also including across to Braunton and Braunton Burrows (below). The expanse of Braunton Burrows is a really impressive area of sand dunes that looks like somewhere in the Middle East!


The path descends to the East of Braunton Burrows and goes South along the edge of a golf course toward the Northern bank of The Taw River. Not finding any other obvious stopping place, a bench on the edge of the golf course sufficed as the first stopping point of the day at 11.30am. Past the golf course the path turns into a long gravel track known as the American Road, possibly related to the practise of D-Day landings that occurred in this area.


On reaching The Taw, the path follows the river. We stopped on a bench by the river bank for a period of time before reaching the outskirts of Braunton.


The path from here to Barnstaple is pretty much cycle way. It passes a military base and eventually returns to the side of The Taw. Afternoon cream tea stop at The Tarka Inn, which was naff on several counts though really the only place to stop so welcome. We decided on about 3/10 for the stingy scone portion, stingier cream & jam portion, lateness and luke warm tea. In fact the 3/10 was only for the nice, over-worked looking lady who brought the tea.

Lots of cyclists and dog walkers on this track on approaching Barnstaple. The tracks around the river estuaries would make good cycling. (I think I deserve an award for this photo which makes Barnstaple look semi-attractive! Should work for the tourist board.)

Back at the B&B about 5pm to sit for a while in the porch like rednecks. (I think the joyful emotion here is one of having finally stopped walking for the day!)

Went out about 7pm and ate at the Fullam Chinese restaurant then went for a stroll round Barnstaple before stopping again at our ‘local’ the Rolle Quay Inn for a few Tributes. This was quite a good stumble-upon as there was a Bluegrass Folk play in from some locals which was of a really good standard. Two violinists, two guitarists, a banjo player and a mandolin player. One of the guitarists alos played a Dobro slide which sounded great and the mandolin player also played a kind of pedal steel slide. It was clearly impromptu but enjoyable. We weren’t particularly late leaving but we were still about the last people to leave. Even the barman was spotted sloping off at one point.

Info:

Accommodation – Crossways (also Thurs Eve)
Location ***** Great for town without being too close + really near the path
Room ***** Large comfortable twin room.
Facilities **** good bathroom
Noise **** despite urban location, very little noise from the road
Food **** good breakfast
Ambience *** friendly proprietors Price *** £70 for the room

www.barnstaplebedandbreakfastcrossways.com

Food – Fullam Restaurant


Quality **** basic Chinese grub but welcome fodder
Price *** avg

http://www.fullamrestaurant.com/

Beer – Rolle Quay Inn

Tribute ****