20180628 Noss Mayo – Bantham

Date: 20180628

Time: 9:20 – 15:45

Distance: 24.3 km

Stay: The Sloop Inn, Bantham

Walk

The start of today is easy, a long and wide grass path above the cliffs. Since the farm I stayed in last night was also on a high location, I do not even have to walk up. The view is once again great, in all directions.
On the way I meet the father of the farmer. He is 82 years old and drives an inspection round with his Jeep. We chat for a moment, he wants to know everything, and then it goes on.

After a few kilometers of relaxed walking, I take an alternative from the Coast Path so that I pass the Church of St Peter the Poor Fisherman. As always, there is a price for this detour. It immediately goes down steeply and later I will have to go up again, the Coast Path continues relaxed at the same level.
But that does not matter, a bit rougher area is also fun again.

The Church of St Peter the Poor Fisherman was built in 1226 and is no longer complete (there is a part of the roof missing). Nevertheless, services are still provided here in the summer. Of course, the traditional graveyard around the church is also there. A few graves are placed behind a fence, these are probably the really dangerous ones…

The wide grass path where I am now walking again, changes slowly and becomes narrower. There are also more gates that I have to go through and at some point it goes through meadows and fields again. One of those fields is very nice, a whole field full of wheat (knee high) with a narrow path through it. That looks nice.
I think you can make some nice crop circles here.

Well, and then I was standing in front of the Erm, a river that I had to cross. In principle you can wade this river one hour before and one hour after low tide. That was exactly at 1 o’clock today and I was there a little after 12 o’clock. Nice on time.
I had actually planned in advance to just choose the alternative, a taxi all around (about 24 kilometers). Because I wanted to see where I could cross, I walked to the water to see what it looked like.

On the spot, I decided to take the guess and risk my life and wade through it. Where other hikers had failed, I would prevail. So I stripped down to my underpants, stuffed everything in the backpack and went barefoot into the water. I immediately felt the current and I was able to keep up with a lot of effort. Step by step it crossed the wild flowing river to the other side. The water stood up to my chest and I was able to keep my things dry over my head with great effort. Under my feet I felt razor-sharp stones that destroyed my soles. What did I get myself into…

This is how it will sound like if I ever write a book. In reality, I rolled up my trousers, removed my socks and shoes and crossed the river barefoot over pebbles. Or at least what was left of the river at that moment. That did not even come to my knees …

On the other side, it was time for a little break. If only to let my feet dry in the sun before I put on my socks and shoes again.

After the Erm it went to the next river, the Avon. The route became a lot heavier on this part, between the two rivers. It went up and down again and occasionally very steep. However, this was rewarded with even more amazing views than I had this morning. A lot of up and down usually also means a much rougher coast and that gives beautiful views.

The result of all that climbing is that I start to get very hot. Luckily I arrive at Bigbury on Sea at one point and on the first occasion I stop for a pint of Guinness. That’s at The Waterfront, here they have Guinness Extra Cold, that’s good. I can use that now.

After this well-deserved cool down, I begin the last part of today, to the Avon. I walk higher along the estuary and look down from above. That looks nice again.

When I arrive at the place where the ferry should be, I’m looking for the exact spot. You have to attract the attention of the ferryman by waving to indicate that you want to go to the other side. But then you have to know where to stand and wave. After some up and down walking (there is water in various places and that is slowly rising because the flood is becoming), I see on the other side someone who is busy with a boat. That turns out to be the ferryman and he instructs me to go to another spot. I do not quite understand where and he calls that I just have to watch where the ferry goes.

I know approximately
where I should be and walk there with a detour (I have to look where the water is still shallow enough so that I can walk through without my shoes ‘overflowing’). In the meantime the water has already risen a few centimeters, but I find my way and after the passengers are out of the ferry, I can board it.

While we are having a chat, the ferryman takes me to the other side. I only have to walk a little bit up to the village to find the Sloop Inn.

Weather

It was very hot again today, full sun all day. Fortunately there was a good breeze today too, this time from land.

Lyric of the day

When I was doing the easy part of the walk this morning, I realized how privileged I am that I can do this. I also realized that after about 6 weeks I am missing everybody, Ada, Gerben, Sandy, Lise, the rest of the family, neighbors, friends and acquaintances, colleagues and in general the Limburgers between whom I grew up.
Hence today a song by Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here (but not all at the same time please 🙂 ).

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell, blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

Did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you exchange
A walk-on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell, blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

Did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you exchange
A walk-on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

Photos