20/10/2020 - Lynmouth to Hunters Inn (7.49mls)

Starting again at Lynmouth from where we had finished the Porlock Weir walk we had two choices to get up to Lynton to pick up the SWCP namely, walk up the steep half mile zig-zag path or hop on the Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway. A definite no-brainer first thing on a beautiful morning was the latter ...

Of course at the top and bearing in mind the time of day, and the fact that the cafe at the top advertised hot chocolate!, we stopped for a team photo and morning coffee before leaving Fiona to explore Lynton before returning back down the water powered funicular to Lynmouth ...

The North Walk path from Lynton to the Valley of the Rocks was tarmac all the way and at this stage was busy with a variety of walkers, some serious professionals such as ourselves HaHa, but others with casual clothes and footwear out for a stroll. Along the way there were a number of "Billy Goat Gruff" type goats on the hillside strangely making rutting postures rather like rutting deer - all very interesting but the goat droppings on the path were incredibly smelly!

Approaching Castle Rock at the head of the Valley of the Rocks ...

... the path revealed a large tarmac roundabout for cars to turn around to go back to Lynton! But the valley itself was impressive and as one or two of the rocks were a bit wonky, Justine attempted to tidy things up ...

On the way through the valley we spotted an old Austin 7 climbing the road in the distance and very quickly we arrived at the incredibly attractive Lee Abbey which has been a private property, hotel, evacuated boys' school in WW2 and since 1946 a Christian Centre offering conferences, retreats and holidays ...

.. and then low and behold when we got there outside was parked the Austin 7 ...

The area around Lee Abbey and Lee Bay was beautiful and we were disappointed that what looked like a very welcoming cafe was closed as it was the end of the season. Continuing along the ups and downs of the coast path, looking back, we continued to get views of Lee Abbey & the surrounding bays but then further on just the rugged coastline could be seen.

Towards Heddon's Mouth the path became very steep and narrow and the at the mouth of the river the path became just a rocky corner, but with David L gripping the rock face for dear life, David A proceeded to climb up to sit on the edge! ...

Around the corner the wind was rushing up the valley but the path became clear again and we could now see the impressive Heddon's Mouth with a lime kiln on the rocks by the waters edge ...

Leaving the coast path down in the valley to walk the extra half a mile to Hunters Inn we re-entered civilisation being surprised how busy the car park and local paths were.

Fiona had just arrived at the car park to pick us up so we stopped at the inn for an end of day drink after a very enjoyable 7.49 miles walk.