Day 2 - Noss Mayo - Bantham 

Time Departed: 8.00am 

Time Arrived: 3.00pm

Distance: 21kms

Cumulative Distance: 36kms

Percentage Complete:

Number of Steps: 28,000 (51,000)

Walking Grade: Easy and strenuous 

Weather: Foggy and humid

Accommodation: The Sloop Inn, Bantham

Feelings: Henk - Good , Di - Relaxed 

We woke at five thirty, not sure if it was being excited to start the second day or fear of being late for our our taxi driver to take us back to Noss Mayo at eight o’clock. Breakfast was only available at seven thirty so we had the continental breakfast which we prefer. 

Times were crucial today because we had to meet another taxi at midday to take us around the River Erme Estuary. We also had to arrive at a ferry crossing by four o’clock. If we didn’t make the four o’clock deadline we would have had to get another taxi to get to our accommodation. This is the last day we need to use taxis but not the last of catching ferries. 

Today there was only one cafe at the river crossing where we had to wait for the taxi so we had the hotel make us each a baguette for lunch. On the advice of the taxi driver I stocked up on extra supplies (fruit, muffins and compulsory chocolate) at the local petrol station which was a short walk from the hotel. 

Today we discovered what “strenuous” means. We also deviated from our planned trail after lunch.

It was a very different day from yesterday. When we set out the fog was thick and we expected it to clear by mid morning but it stayed with us all day and came in cloudy waves from the ocean. Thankfully, yesterday’s heat had gone but the humidity was still high. Also gone was the Sunday throng soaking up the sun to be replaced by hardy walkers doing the South West Coast Path. We were soon climbing over stiles and going through many gates.

We walked the first 11kms without a break as we were concerned about the timing of the taxi. We ate a muffin while we walked. There were a lot of ups and downs and it was very tough in parts. We counted out steps on the steep ascents to 100 then rested and then did another 100. When it got a lot steeper we reduced the count to 50. 

It was a relief when we reached the top of each climb where flat walking gave us a break. When the fog sometimes cleared we had excellent views of the rugged coastline. 

                                                            

The path in parts was quite overgrown with thorny bushes. 

Our first taxi driver advised us that our second taxi driver would be fifteen minutes late picking us up from Mothecombe at 12.15pm. This turned out to be to our benefit as we didn’t arrive at the pickup until 11.45am and we needed to have a break. There was a small, quirky cafe at the end of a very steep road over half a kilometre. We dragged our bodies into the open courtyard area and downed a Coke, coffee and carrot cake. As we rested clouds of fog passed over us. 

We needed the taxi to get us around the River Erme estuary. It is possible to walk across on very low tides but our timing wasn’t right, hence the taxi. We changed our walking plans and asked our taxi driver to drop us off closer to Burgh Island which is 250m from Bigbury-on-Sea. The island is where Agatha Christie wrote two of her books and the island inspired her to write, “And Then There Were None”. Ten people, unknown to each other, are invited to a small island off the coast of Devon.

Our taxi driver dropped us at a little village called St Annes. From there it would have been a five kilometre walk on a narrow, busy road with high hedgerows so we chose to use a public footpath. Thankfully, Henk had his trusty GPS so we could find an alternate route to Bigbury-on-Sea and Burgh Island.

Overlooking the island we finally found some picnic tables and had our baguettes at 2.00pm. 

Our final pickup was a ferry to take us from Cockleridge Ham, Bigbury to Bantham across the Avon River. We had to wave to let the ferry driver know we needed the ferry and he soon was setting off from the opposite bank.

It was then a short walk to our accommodation. We have a good spacious room on the top floor of the inn. This was not good news for Henk who had to carry our bags up several steep, narrow stairs. More climbing! After our showers we had an hour’s nap before heading to the pub for a tasty fish pie. The inn is the only place for dinner and it was heaving. We booked our table on arrival and I think we may have been the last booking.

Once again it’s an early night for us. Tomorrow looks like some more strenuous walking.