a bus to Braunton. The coast path, however, wanders through an area of flowery dunes and scrub woodland, designated as the Braunton Burrows National Nature Reserve. At the very tip of the point, the village of Appledore is close to hand, but will not be reached for another couple of days by those who faithfully follow every part of the coast path. Head inland beside the tidal River Caen, alongside Braunton Marshes, to reach Braunton itself.
DAY 6 BRAUNTON TO WESTWARD HO! 38KM (23½ MILES)
Prepare for level, hard-surface walking along a couple of old railway trackbeds that have been converted into footpath/cycleways. This may seem like a long day’s walk, but it is always easy, and can be covered in two days if preferred. (Some walkers actually skip the whole day and catch the bus!) Follow the first old railway trackbed from Braunton to Barnstaple, passing Wrafton Marsh and an airfield at Chivenor, before passing a new bridge over the River Taw. Barnstaple has a long and complex history, having been a 10th-century Saxon stronghold against the Danes, and made a borough by King Alfred. In 1068 the town fell to the Normans, then received a succession of royal charters. Although it seems far inland, it developed a fine shipbuilding and naval tradition. Cross the Long Bridge to leave the town.
The Railway Carriage Visitor Centre and old signal box at East-the-Water near Bideford
Another old railway trackbed leads out of Braunton, passing marshes on the southern banks of the River Taw. Fremington Quay was once described as ‘the busiest port between Bristol and Land’s End’ and its old railway station now houses the Fremington Quay Heritage Centre, which has a lookout tower for birdwatchers. Officially, the coast path follows the fringe of the marshland to Instow, but many walkers prefer to stay on the trackbed to reach the village. Depending on seasonal and tidal restrictions, there might be a small ferry operating between Instow and Appledore, otherwise walkers have to keep following the trackbed onwards, crossing the River Torridge at Bideford. In this case, follow the coast path back alongside the river to reach Appledore, another place with a notable shipbuilding tradition. Continue around the dunes of the Northam Burrows Country Park to reach Westward Ho! The resort is named after the novel by Charles Kingsley and always includes the exclamation mark.
DAY 7 WESTWARD HO! TO CLOVELLY 18KM (11½ MILES)
Easy walking beyond Westward Ho! quickly gives way to a roller-coaster path along a crumbling cliff line. Expect short diversions whenever a cliff fall has taken place. After passing Peppercombe a short detour inland to Horn’s Cross could be contemplated if its pub is needed. The undulating coast path becomes more wooded, and a descent into a little valley reveals the village of Buck’s Mills, with the slightly larger village of Buck’s Cross lying a little further inland.
The route runs inside or alongside Buck’s Valley Woods and later joins a fine track known as the Hobby Drive. This well-graded track slices across the steep, wooded slopes and eventually reaches the top part of Clovelly. Although the coast path doesn’t actually enter the village, no one should pass by without walking down the high street. If you are spending the night here there is ample opportunity to explore, and once the crowds of tourists depart, the village slips back into a slumber. The steep, cobbled road is barred to traffic, so sleds laden with provisions have to be dragged to the houses, or donkeys are engaged to draw larger loads up and down through the village. The houses, dating from the 14th century, seem stacked so precariously on the slope that a sneeze would send them crashing down into the sea.
DAY 8 CLOVELLY TO HARTLAND QUAY 17KM (10½ MILES)
Paths beyond Clovelly either run alongside or inside woodlands, then comes a zigzag descent to Mill Mouth. The coast path negotiates woods and pasture, rising and falling, before levelling out in fields high above the cliffs. Looking ahead, a prominent ‘radome’ can be spotted, which is quite close to Hartland Point. The rocky point and its lighthouse mark a significant change of direction, as the coast path swings suddenly southwards. Hartland Point used to be described as ‘furthest from the railways’, and in poor weather it can seem very bleak and far removed from civilisation, though the scenery is dramatic.
Leaving Hartland Point, one of the most difficult stretches of the coast path begins, featuring several ascents and descents. The first descent is from Upright Cliff, followed by a climb above Damehole Point. Later, a stone bridge crosses the Abbey river, recalling the long-forgotten site of Hartland Abbey that lay further inland. For a brief moment an arch in an old stone tower set behind the next cliff frames a view of Stoke church, then the route descends to Hartland Quay. The old quay, neglected and battered by the sea, crumbled away. A few weather-beaten buildings remain, including the Hartland Quay Hotel. Think twice before spurning lodgings, as the cliff path becomes even more severe beyond this point.
A twin-spout waterfall at Speke’s Mill Mouth near Hartland Quay
DAY 9 HARTLAND QUAY TO BUDE 25KM (15½ MILES)
This is one of the most dramatic and scenic stretches on the entire South West Coast Path, but also one of the toughest. Leaving Hartland Quay, the route passes a couple of splendid waterfalls spilling into the sea, then embarks on a monstrous roller coaster, climbing high onto the cliffs, only to drop steeply down towards the sea again, time after time. Steps and zigzag paths help to ease the gradient, but walkers should take things slowly and steadily all day. Just before leaving Devon, the path passes Ronald Duncan’s Hut, named after the writer who once sought solitude there. The view from the hut looks across Marsland Mouth into Cornwall.
A bilingual sign reading ‘Cornwall/Kernow’ marks the entry to Cornwall, and the relentless nature of the steep ascents and descents continues unabated. Walkers who need a break from the rigours of the route can detour inland to the Bush Inn at Morwenstow for a break. The coast path, meanwhile, passes Hawker’s Hut, which was used as a retreat by an eccentric vicar of the village. After negotiating some particularly rugged parts of the route, the undulations become less severe, and by the time Duckpool and Sandy Mouth are passed, the worst is over. A gentler stretch along lower cliffs leads finally to Bude, where there are broad expanses of sand. Head inland towards the town to cross the first bridge, a stone footbridge, over the River Neet. A small museum explains how this was a thriving little port, especially in the late 19th century.
DAY 10 BUDE TO BOSCASTLE HARBOUR 27KM (16½ MILES)
Compass Point, just outside Bude, is crowned with the octagonal Storm Tower, based on the Temple of the Winds at Athens. While cliff coasts can be dangerous in stormy weather, the route south of Bude is never far from a road on the way past Widemouth Bay and Millook. Well-wooded cliffs at Dizzard give way to a succession of ascents and descents on the way to the tiny village of Crackington Haven. This area is often busy with geology students, and the cliffs feature colourful, contorted bands of rock. Climb to the headland of Cambeak, then climb again over High Cliff, which is the highest cliff on this stretch of coast at 223m (732ft). There are some steep and rugged slopes on the way to Boscastle Harbour, and the village remains hidden until you reach Penally Point.
Boscastle Harbour is a splendidly sheltered inlet, but so narrow and crooked that approaches in stormy weather were fraught with danger. Large boats were towed in by rowing boats, with additional steerage provided by men onshore using ropes. On 16 August 2004 a colossal flood swept through Boscastle Harbour, and events were relayed live via television as the disaster unfolded. People were plucked from rooftops by helicopter, and while no one was killed, some properties had to be demolished and rebuilt afterwards.
DAY 11 BOSCASTLE HARBOUR TO PORT ISAAC 22KM (13½ MILES)
The coast
