Braunton to Barnstaple

By: Mike

Queen Anne, on top of Queen Anne's Walk, formerly the Mercantile Exchange

Wednesday 15th July

That's Queen Anne up there.  She is on top of the Queen Anne's Walk, now St Anne's cafe.  That's our destination today.  It was formerly the business centre of Barnstaple.  The gardens in front were the main dock, now filled in. Really hard to imagine the town as the flourishing port it once was. 
It's a shortish walk from Braunton, and we should be there in time for lunch.  So we drove back to Braunton and parked in the main car park.  It's only just got back to normal after lock down and started taking payment.  Coins only which, of course, we don't have.  In the brave new world of virus, nobody carries cash.  Chris saves the day by buying a newspaper and getting round pounds in change.

Having secured the car for the day, we set out for Barnstaple along the Tarka Trail cycleway.  It follows the old railway line.  The car park is on the site of the former Braunton station.  It's a bit uncomfortable.  The cyclists see it as a race track.  It is stressful to have them continually swooping up behind you quite silently. Shared paths between walkers and cyclists don't really work.

We are soon in Barnstaple, having passed under the new bypass bridge.  The St Anne's cafe is great for a light lunch of soup.

After lunch we wander round Barnstaple.  All a bit dead because of the virus.  There are a few stalls in the Pannier Market.  I buy a history of Sidmouth.  The stallholder puts a brave face on it and says trade is picking up.
Pannier Market Barnstaple

We get the bus back to our car in Braunton.

Thursday 16th July

So that's it for this month.  I reckon we have walked 36 miles this time.  So we have probably done 70 miles so far.  Only 570 to go.
Our stay at The Crown cost £570.00.  Really good value. We stop at Braunton Burrows on the way, since SWCP doesn't properly enter the Burrows.  It is an extraordinary landscape. 

  

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