Escaping to Devon and Exmoor Day Two

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Day Two: cycle touring this corner of North Devon

Out of the farm, turn left and down the long hill into Ilfracombe and a coffee outside the Landmark Theatre where local circus skills entertainers are setting up a circus skills workshop on the little lawn area. Great coffee and big cups for a reasonable price, we soak up the sun, discuss the route, browse the papers. Being from South Devon, we have visited Ilfracombe a few times in the past, professionally and for leisure and we never quite know what to make of the place. There is a sort of faded, shabby Victorian ‘chic’ about the town, both depressing and uplifting at the same time.

We take the hill out of the seafront westwards up through Torr Park before picking up a narrow, steep rough lane at Langleigh which takes us up to the cliff tops and the South West Coastal Path. Apart from one rocky section, it is completely cyclable. In fact, a small quad bike tour passes us, following the same tracks. The views across the cliff top heathland and down to the sea are astonishing. Lundy, stands out clearly; breath taking. For the first time ever, we actually see the Bristol Channel sparkling an aquamarine green colour. Having grown up on the Welsh side of the channel, this is not the normal Bristol Channel colour I am used to!

The footpath re-joins the road at Silvercove. There are two routes down into Lee – the furthest is down a very steep hill and sharp bend, so we opt for the first turning left.

Lee is a rocky cove with a car park and is a great place for crabbing and launching kayaks and paddle boards. Today there is traffic chaos. A motorhome van conversion has parked on the corner of the entrance to the car park and is refusing to move. It is discharging various kids and parents who are then pumping up and unloading kayaks and SUP boards. They are not oblivious to the traffic chaos they are causing. They just choose to ignore it and so they give the rest of us a very bad name. People coming out of the car park cannot turn right. People approaching from each direction cannot turn into the car park because outgoing traffic has blocked the entrance. We admire the view, ‘tut tut’ disapprovingly at the selfishness of this particular motorhoming family and then cycle up the steep hill (appropriately called ‘Hillymouth’) to Higher Warcombe. It is a long, long slog. At Borough Cross we turn right and join cycle route 278 down to Mortehoe.

Mortehoe, a gateway to a wild remote coastline; a history associated with wrecking and smuggling. The six-mile circular walk around Morte Point is graded ‘hard’ but promises wild scenery, sunbathing seals and a good workout. Grab a bite to eat at the NT eco focused guesthouse and tea room in the centre of the village before wandering the tiny windy streets with their ‘crooked’ terraced cottages. Fancy a beach? Several within a mile’s distance.

You can find out more about Mortehoe at https://www.stayindevon.co.uk/handbook/locals-guide-mortehoe

And https://www.woolacombetourism.co.uk/plan-your-visit/mortehoe

 

Down the road to Woolacombe which is one of my all-time favourite places. Maggie doesn’t see the attraction of Woolacombe and granted at the peak of the summer season, its charms aren’t obvious. But at quieter times I love it. A ‘surfing’ vibe dominates, laid back, relaxed. A small variety of surfing and skateboarding shops, some cafes and restaurants and then of course the beach! Oh that beach is spectacular with golden sands, backed by tall sand dunes stretching three miles down to Baggy Point. Great surfing waves by the way!

At peak August time, in a pandemic, when everyone is doing a staycation, it is inevitably heaving. The coast road from Mortehoe is ‘chocka’ with campervans and van conversions. There are more VW campervans per square mile here than anywhere else in the world, I am sure of it!

I genuinely feel for the locals and talking to one, he confirms it is manic and far more demanding this year than he could ever remember before. Whilst he welcomes tourists and the income they bring, this year, people are seemingly more aggressive, more demanding and just plain rude. He also feels the ‘clientele’ visiting has changed somewhat and are just causing difficulties. I didn’t pursue the conversation further although the teacher in me was raising so many questions to drill down further into his views.

More about Woolacombe can be found at: https://www.woolacombetourism.co.uk/plan-your-visit/woolacombe

We beat a hasty retreat and continue along the cycle route, up the hill into the cliff car park and along the gravel roads that back the high dunes. The views are astounding; crashing white surf waves, Mediterranean blue seas, Lundy looming large on the horizon.

Toilet stop at Putsborough Sands, where some of the car park had been given over to motorhomers and campervans. An ‘off grid’ set up fully booked for all of August!

Having enough of crowded coastal destinations for one day, we head across the hill to Georgeham (where there is a great little pub on one of the narrow roads out of the village, on the cycle route). Following route 27 north to Ossaborough, we then join the B3343 back to the roundabout on the A361, just a few hundred metres away from the farm entrance. At the pub/restaurant on the roundabout we stop for ice creams and cool drinks. We feel we have deserved them!

 

Striking coastal scenery, rolling hills of harvested cereal crops, a few pretty north Devon villages. A good bike ride (distance 26 miles).

Back at the farm, the alpacas come to the fence for a visit. The horses get fed an apple by some of the young children. The sunset is, of course, uplifting and inspiring.