High peak and Ladram bay are major highlights, if you are able to ignore the caravan park
The Jurassic coast officially begins at a slightly weird UNESCO obelisk just on Orcombe point. It is possible to shoot off along the sand at low tide here, but we opt for the low cliffs, having resisted the temptation of the Young’s pub back in Exmouth proper. The first stretch requires confronting Sandy Bay caravan park, the first of many and one of the least attractive (there will stiff competition!) You cannot enter the rifle range at Straight Point, but as you climb up to South West Down Beacon the scenery much improves, this is more like it.
The odd flashes of incongruous colour on the left belong to golfers on the East Devon Golf course, but there are some benches amid the gorse and fern offering excellent views towards Budleigh Salterton.
Bit of a diversion into an unremarkable pub at Budleigh, cannot recall the name but there seem few others visible from the path. Refusing the charms of one of many 1950’s vintage tea rooms we head along the beach, and a few moments in front of the Red Devonian sandstone and Scots pines of Otterton ledge is time well spend.
The routes heads a little inland up the Otter estuary, and here we are being a little creative with the timings, bear blog fan, as this is the closest point to A’s abode in Ottery, and we can nip back for recuperation.
The estuary is lovely with birds, hides, and wildlife, plus a music venue and afternoon teas at Otterton Mill. (with wasps in high summer!)
Across the river we return to cliff tops for a few miles until Ladram Bay comes into view. And what to say about Ladram Bay? It was a beautiful clear spring day with blue sky, green sea and the fabulous red stacks of Ladram Rocks to the right. This is a calendar pin up view. However look to the left and the unsightly expanse of the vast caravan shanty town vexes the spirit. Beyond the clubhouse we take water and decide that this walk , all the way to Studland, will be the grand project for the summer.
With extra enthusiasm we decide to ascend the main summit of High Peak (152m), you can in fact go round this on the path, but we need to build our thigh power. Just as we felt in a good rhythm, a group of eastern European staff from the caravan park stride effortlessly past.
Beyond here there are some great viewpoints. The fact that thick woods come right up to the cliff edge and undercliff here is a great feature of the Devon end of the trail. Also good to have shade in this record breaking hot springtime.
We like Sidmouth. We arrive at Jacobs Ladder, can’t face the queue from the tearooms in Connaught Gardens and end up with Cappuccino in a plastic mug and tuna sandwich on the beach. We aim to return here for the folk festival, first week of August. And there is Young’s beer after all, in the best pub in town, the Swan.
No comments:
Post a Comment