To a Long Steep Hill

  Charmouth to West Bay   7 miles Early start with breakfast at 0800.   Jubilee breakfast buffet is not bad.   We then drive to West Bay.   It’s essential that we get the 09.28 bus from West Bay to Charmouth.   We are starting our walk there following the advice of our official guide book.   The Lyme to Charmouth section is mostly on roads   as the golf club doesn’t allow walkers along the cliff top. There’s panic at West Bay because we can’t find the long-stay car park.   When Chris tracks it down we can’t get the ‘pay by card’ machine to work.   Minutes are ticking by.   It turns out that the bank has blocked my card. Using a different card we get to the bus stop just in time. In Charmouth we find a delightful bakery who give us great coffee and beautiful croissants. We sit and enjoy them in the sun.   It’s a moment.   There’s a bitter-sweet aspect to these moments.   I am about to be 81 and I know that I wi...

  Moving day We have a very enjoyable morning being tourists in Lyme, including selfies on the Cobb and a very interesting visit to the museum.   Lyme used to be quite an important port.   It was where the Duke of Monmouth landed for his ill-fated attempt to seize the throne.   Many men from Lyme were killed at Sedgemore or were executed in the Bloody Assizes                                                       On The Cobb . We fancy crab sandwiches. “If you are planning to eat them outside, watch out for seagulls,” warns the man in the bakery. We sit on the beach.   I am halfway through my second half sandwich when there is a sudden flapping of wings and a sharp nip to my finger.   The rest of the sandwich is gone.   To make matters worse I realise that I have been sitting on chewing...

  Seaton to Lyme Regis 5 miles Becky and Luna are walking with us again.   Becky seems to be really enjoying this. We park in the long stay at Seaton £8.50.   We are on the path as usual by 10.30.   This section takes us through the Undercliff, the extraordinary feature where the entire section of cliff slid down, creating a wild lost world.   It’s now a nature reserve and there is a well-marked path through.                                                                        The Undercliff It is a tough hike, and we are exhausted by the time we emerge into Lyme.   We fall into The Cobb Arms at 16.20 for a welcome cuppa.   By the time John comes to pick us up, it is raining.   We say our goodbyes in the car park at Seaton and drive ...

                                                                               Beer   Branscombe to Seaton 4 miles John drives us back to Branscombe.   It is such a luxury not having to worry about buses or taxis.   It is another brilliantly sunny day, but the wind is cold.   I have found another pair of sunglasses lurking in the car, but I forgot to fill my water bottle.   As it’s a shortish walk today, I decide to soldier on.   We are on the path by 10.30.   We are faced with an immediate steep climb up East Cliff.   After that it is an easy cliff top walk in wide-open grass past Beer Head and down into Beer.   My grandfather’s name was George Beer Brokenshaw.   There must be a connection, but I don’t...

  Sidmouth to Branscombe  5 1/2 miles Weather is still glorious, but there is a cold wind strong enough to send spray over the sea front.   Becky comes with us, bringing Luna the Dubai rescue dog. We begin by climbing Salcombe Hill.   The path I used to go up with Granny-ma doesn’t exist any more due to cliff erosion.   I will be doing a separate post about this.   Instead, we go up residential roads for the first stage of the climb.   I have happy and powerful memories of helping Granny find the first violets and primroses in the nineteen fifties.   Although it’s all familiar, this is a really tough section.   Salcombe Hill, then Dunscombe are steep.   The trail guide tells us we will climb 2,000 feet by Beer. This time we are only getting to Branscombe.   Luna is mainly well -behaved, but just before lunch above Weston, she spots a deer and nothing can stop her.   There is a hedge and fence separating them so the deer...

  Budliegh Salterton to Sidmouth 6 miles John drives us to Budleigh Salterton, where we finished last year.   He has just retired and seems happy to be our chauffeur. It’s a glorious morning, and the forecast is set fair for at least the week.   Since we were last here, the wetlands scheme has been completed, and we are fortunate to arrive at high tide.   The whole valley of the River Otter is flooded, including the cricket ground.   Amazing.                                               The new wetlands at Budliegh Salterton We walk up the Otterton path which now has water and bird watching hides on both sides. We stop for coffee in the Ladram Bay caravan park.   Chris sees desecration of the landscape.   I see inexpensive holidays for families which can’t afford hotels.   I do admit she has a point. ...

  This time is special.   We will be walking through Sidmouth where I was born.   Coincidentally my daughter Becky lives at West Hill a few miles from Sidmouth, and we are hoping to persuade her to walk with us on at least one day. We leave after lunch and are in West Hill by five o’clock.   As we are early, we go to the shop and buy picnic supplies.   Becky and John have cooked a Sunday roast dinner.   Grandson Will is at home so it’s an enjoyable evening.   Will is studying at UWE in Bristol, but is an accomplished chef in his spare time, and is spending the   weekend working on the River Exe floating restaurant.