5. Combe Martin to Ilfracombe

Day 5

Combe Martin to Ilfracombe and Lee Bay

I did not want to walk along the A399 as it links Combe Martin and Ilfracombe – fast cars and no pavement is not good for the health of any walker. So I walked the coastal path when it was coastal and hitched a lift with John for the two mile road walking stretch.

And I walked briskly along the coastal path in the early morning mist(I’m used to it now) – but it had rained heavily in the night and where the path narrowed grasses were growing tall and their seed heads bent down gracefully to meet in the centre: there were luxuriant nettles too, tropical sized ferns, pink ragged robin and white cow parsley and each plant showered me with raindrops and my bare legs were freckled with yellow grass seeds. I was soaked, not just my tee shirt and shorts but my socks and boots. I squelched along until I came to an ancient bench where I could sit down and empty half a cupful of rainwater out of each boot and wring out my socks.

I was delighted when I met up with John in the car park where he was waiting to give me my lift. I emptied my boots of water again; wrung out my socks again and changed my shorts and tee shirt for dry ones. I felt ready to continue, a respectable, comfortable, dry walker.

I fell half in love with Ilfracombe as I approached the town from the high point of Hillsborough Downs. I saw the harbour with fishing boats and pleasure craft and the church high up on a strange jagged rock formation.. but I knew that I had to walk on and climb out of Ilfracombe and walk on to Lee Bay. For the first time the sea mist had cleared, the sky was blue and I felt the warmth of a June sun.

John Maisy and I enjoyed every moment of our time at Lee Bay where the rock pools were full of mystery and Maisy could chase her beloved ball over the sandy beach to her heart’s content.

We look forward to returning tomorrow for the next stage of the walk.

#Ilfracombe #SouthWestCoastalPath #CombeMartin