10.5 miles walked today
923 miles walked in total (10.609 average)
I knew today would be hard as my guide book described it as "strenuous, then severe". Oh good.
I left Seaton at nine o'clock and strode along the seafront to find the path up and over to Beer. I was at Beer within forty minutes which lulled me into a false sense of security. It's such a pretty little town and could have been somewhere on the Med - there were people in the sea too.
As I climbed out of Beer, I was overtaken by a couple walking to Branscombe, but soon caught them up and walked with them for a couple of miles. They stopped at the cafe for tea, but I decided to carry on as I didn't want to lose momentum.
The hill out of Branscombe was a toughie and I did my usual crosslegged sit down and was accused of meditating again, the second time in two days! I'd love to know what my expression is so I'd get some insight into why people accuse me of this. The three chaps disappeared up the hill and I soon got up to follow them and it didn't take me long to catch them up. They were Tom, Martin and Simon from the East Devon Rambling Club out for a Sunday stroll. The rest of their group had travelled by bus forty miles up the road to walk fourteen miles, but these three wanted a shorter, more local, walk. I walked with them for three miles and they kept me entertained for much of the way.
Martin is a keen twitcher and leads nature rambles so he pointed out a few birds to us. He thought he'd seen a wheatear and this was confirmed when I turned my rucksack inside out to find the bird book that Andy had bought me for my birthday. Tom, a retired widower who had moved down from Rochdale (and a little like Compo from Last of the Summer Wine in the humorous sense and not at all in the sartorial department), told me he sees a lot of budgies while walking. Martin told me in a loud stage whisper that Tom sees kingfishers! I explained that Andy had also told me he'd seen a budgie while fishing one weekend, so it must be a northern thing!
We sat and had our lunch together before they took a different path inland and I was sorry to say goodbye as their good humour had made me forget how hard it was up the hills. I soon made it down to Weston Mouth, but was struggling up the other side. The thought that there was only one more hill to climb before Sidmouth sustained me. So it was down again to Salcombe Mouth before the worst climb of the day up Salcombe Cliff. I was overtaken at this stage by an elderly woman, her daughter and son in law. They called out "are you the lady catching the 4.40 bus back to Seaton?" Apparently, they'd been talking to the Rambling Club! When I confirmed I was, they said they'd see me at the bus stop, as they flew up the hill. However, on the descent I caught up with them and walked with them for the last mile into Sidmouth. It's a good job I'm quick on the level and the downhill - otherwise I'd end up walking on my own all the time!
At Sidmouth, I had enough time for a quick mooch around, to get some postcards and an ice cream and to find the bus stop. I was a bit concerned about the bus' ability to get up the hill as it was very steep. I was convinced at one point that we'd all have to get out and push. However, I got back to Seaton without incident and bought some cards from the lifeboat stall on the front before heading back to the B and B.
As soon as I got to Beach End, Andy made me a very much needed pot of tea - what a lovely welcome back! I had a quick bath and change before dashing back to the tram station in Seaton for a ride up to Colyton and dinner. The tram was very exciting - it goes alongside the River Axe and we saw herons, curlews, redshanks, bunnies and cows! At Colyton, I had a brisk walk into the village to find the Kingfisher pub for dinner. The pub was very busy so I shared my table with two old ex navy reprobates who had me in stitches all evening. Apparently, they'd been on the beer since noon so were nervous of going home and getting a telling off from their respective wives.
Speaking to these two made my evening. Too many walking days are spoiled somewhat by lonely evenings. I go for dinner and sit in a pub on my own and, because I look like a billy no mates, that's what people think I am. The evenings are definitely lonely experiences when I'm on my own for a weekend.
As I headed back for the tram, I got a couple of text messages: Sheila telling me to avert my eyes because Budleigh Salterton has a nudist beach and Alan telling me I could get my "bits" out at Budleigh, but not in any of the tea rooms. Stupid boy!
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