Log No 255. Mon 24th Feb 2014 - Westward Ho! to Hartland, 20 miles (3882 miles walked)

I had a short drive to Hartland to catch the first of 2 buses at 07.15 back to Westward Ho! The camper had been rocking all night and raining before dawn but it had all changed by the time I got going at 08.45, a sunny day with not much wind.


It was easy going from Westward Ho! with a gentle climb up to the top of the slopes of Babbacombe cliffs then it became strenuous.

I had a solid half hour of descent & ascent, it may not sound long but it certainly felt it.

From Peppercombe the path wandered through the trees generally maintaining height but dropping down to Buck's Mills, a cluster of houses crammed into a steep valley.

Climbing back up again the path stayed in trees passing by Buck's Cross.

So far I had met 10 walkers on the footpath, 4 of them were just looking for their dog but I'm sure they were going in the wrong direction as I hadn't seen any dog tracks.

The footpath joined a good solid track and this went the remaining 3 miles to Clovelly and I was there for 12.30.

I wasn't sure where I was going to finish today, the camper was not handily parked being 2 or 3 miles from the coast depending on where I stopped.

The more I could do today the easier it would be tomorrow when I have to get to Bude.

I never bothered going down into the village of Clovelly, having been there on my previous two trips and after stopping in a shelter by the footpath carried on.

I had decided to push on to the headland of Hartland Point and make the most of the good weather.

This was about the furthest I could be from the camper but I couldn't justify cutting this corner of the cliff off.

There was another big climb to do at Windbury Point then I was out of the trees and along the edge of fields.

By 14.00 the sky had clouded over and a prolonged heavy shower came.

Just before Titchberry I came across Andy & Gary, two brothers, tucked into a gap in the hedge taking shelter while they had a drink of tea.

We were going in the same direction so I walked with them.

They had started in Clovelly and were going on to Hartland Quay where they had a truck.

They were just here for the two days walking, having started in Westward Ho! yesterday.

Not having done much in the way of coast path walking before they had decided to experience some of the South West Coastal Path.

We reached Hartland Point at 15.45, this was my intended turn off point but as Andy & Gary had said they could give me a lift back into Hartland Village I continued on with them for another hour to Hartland Quay.

Even this last 3 miles had 3 streams to drop down to.

It was 20 tougher miles today and I met 17 walkers.