The next three days were to be centred around Bude. The drive down was a bit more stressed than I had hoped due to a road closure that Google seemed unaware of, but I made it in time to catch the 9.20 bus to Hartland, where the Cornwall and Devon buses are timed to meet, giving a quick connection to Clovelly where I had left off almost thee months ago.
The first section goes through the wooded grounds of the Clovelly Court estate, passing this Angels Wings shelter.
After a very steep descent to Mouth Mill I wandered onto the beach for a selfie with Blackchurch Rock in the background. There are some classic climbs on the seaward facing slab; Norman and I had climbed three routes here in 2014.
Now the route emerged from the woodland with some fine open cliff top walking to the lighthouse at Hartland Point and a change of direction for west to south. This signpost showed 106 miles completed and 524 miles to Poole. I could only follow its advice to 'Be inspired, keep walking'.
Three miles of dramatic coastal scenery took me from Hartland Point to Hartland Quay, which consists of a hotel, a few outbuildings and a car park at the end of a minor road. It's a wonderful location, looking across to the shark's fin pinnacles of Screda Point.
For walkers like me, it is good that the hotel has not been upgraded to a swanky 'restaurant with rooms' or gastropub charging £300 a night for B&B. Everything is very simple and friendly and reasonably priced. I paid £82 for B&B (in a room with this view) and a pub meal. Though that didn't include a free beer that the landlord gave me as the shower in my room wasn't working and I had to move to another room.
Distance today, 18 km.
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