South West Coast Path Day 3 - 8 March 2020 Countisbury to Little Hangman

Walking 7.10am to 5.30pm
Distance walked today 14 miles
Total distance walked 33 miles
Distance remaining 597 miles

A very blustery night but I slept very well. The little quarry where I was pitched was flat but after prolonged rain the ground gets waterlogged. My patch was the best but after much rain in the night even that was squelchy this morning. It wasn't raining by the time I got up.

I made my way down to Lynmouth. Only dog walkers about as it's out of season. Although not on the route, I diverted to Lynton for a bit of food shopping and went from there to the Valley of the Rocks and then past Lee Abbey. The rain forecast for midday started early at 10am. I took the longer off road route by Crock Point but in retrospect the road alternative would have been better, avoiding muddy field paths followed by a strenuous uphill through woodland to rejoin the road. I met two Lee Abbey estate workers who had found an apparently abandoned tent and contents but no person in it. It had been there a couple of days.

The path to Heddon's Mouth was lovely. Along this stretch I stopped to talk to a couple with a dog. They'd walked the entire coast path before and plan to do it again. Small world - they were from Evesham and are friendly with Vicky at the Tea Set back home.

The climb up Heddon's Mouth Cleave was steep. This was midday when, supposed, there was 90% chance of heavy rain. In fact, there was a cloudless sky and the sun was out. I was flagging so had a lunch stop part way up. The path looking out over Elwill Bay was stunning with great views ahead and back the way I'd come but it was very windy.

Later, there was a very muddy descent to Sherrycombe followed by a steep and long slog up to the cairn of Great Hangman, the highest point on the SWCP. I'd planned to camp around Little Hangman if I could find a reasonable pitch. I'm in the lee of a wall looking out to sea just below Little Hangman. The wind ranges from quite still to quite blustery. I should have a reasonable night after my supper of cheesy mash and tinned tuna.