I put On My Windcheater
I put on my windcheater and left my room. Half way down the hotel stairway I bumped into one of my traveling friends…. All wrapped up and ready for a walk!
Downstairs in the tiny hotel lobby we met up with two more members of our group, greeted each other and opened the door to the outside world.
Wind was whistling between the ancient buildings and swirling around the headland on which our hotel was perched.
The waves were crashing on the rocks beneath us and creating airborne sea foam……. The foam flew in the air currents around us and created a mystical atmosphere.
It was cold, but it was dry….except for the sea spray that salted the air.
With warm jackets and gloves as well as hats on our heads we started our walk up onto the cliffs that towered above.
This part of Devon gives its name to the Devonian geological period. Layers of rock, broken and folded in perfect ‘V’ patterns creat the strata upon which we climb…..it’s gorgeous!
Out to sea, in the distance, we can just make out the shimmering coast of South Wales……the air quality is good! A small crab boat makes its way back into safe harbour….possibly, Instow, Bideford or Barnstaple. The tidal swell in these waters is enormous and the small vessel bobs around like a tiny cork.
The sun is dropping in the sky so I hurry up and cajole my comrades to do likewise…..
At the top of the cliff path is a small house. Many years ago it was a life boat station and was located here because it has a wonderful panoramic view of Bideford Bay and Lundy Island. Today it has been converted into a small residence……lucky people!!
We use our right to roam and open the farm gate, giving us entry into a sheep pasture and onto the moors….a vast expanse of pasture, fern and heather. The wind whistled through our little band of intrepid walkers.
The sun was going to collide with the horizon…..we hurried towards a ruined ‘folly’ that straddles a patch of stinging nestles and is often shelter for the sheep. It’s a fake castle tower and was built by the local lord in Hartland so that he could ( whilst eating breakfast) look up at it and be reminded of what he owns. His home was once a powerful abbey and was dissolved at the time of the ‘dissolution’.
Anyway, reaching the folly we took a few steps towards the cliff edge and peered over the top.
The sun was making its final ascent and was licking the sea, off in the distance. The boat had gone.
A ewe bleated at us….startled to find humans scuttling around its shelter.
We laughed and opened up our rucksacks.
In total we had two bottles of bubbly, several pasties and a bag of crisps along with some lovely looking green grapes. We poured the bubbles into some reused paper coffee cups and settled our bums down onto a plastic sheet, to catch a better view of the sunset.
What a sunset it was !
#seymourtravels #travel #england #smallgrouptours #visitengland