Day 11 - Hartland Quay to Bude Holiday Park, Maer - 12 Miles

I didn't sleep particularly well, waking up reapeatedly throughout the night and so I wasn't feeling exactly raring to go and refreshed when I got up! I showered and shaved and went down for breakfast at 8.30am. The wind had completely changed direction overnight, judging by the union jack flapping briskly away on the rocks in front of the hotel. A stiff northerly wind this morning by the look of it! Brrrr.. at least it would be on my back for all the hill climbing that was ominously promised in the guidebook!!

Breakfast was adequate, but dry with no beans and an unjuicy grilled half a tomato. They did oblige me with extra bacon instead of a sausage though which was good of them or perhaps cheeky of me to ask? I dunno?

I set off at about 9.15am after dropping stuff I didn't need in the car and strapping the roll mat and tent onto the already heavy rucksack! The hotel had been good and told me I could leave the car there for the week I was away and make my way back by public transport to collect it from wherever I got to!

A middle aged couple set off up the cliffs just ahead of me as I locked the car. They were to become a familiar site for the rest of the week, though we didn't know it now. We had very similar itineraries and it was to become normal to bump into them several times most days as we leap frogged our way along the route. They did actually tell me their names later in the week, but alas.. I have forgotten what they said! Me and names.. HONESTLY! Useless!! I hope if they read this at some point, then they can forgive me for sounding rude and referring to them as 'the middle aged couple' all the way! Anyway they had just been dropped at Hartland Quay having left their car at Bude. They were to move their car along the route with them, which meant they could carry much less every day. They were also B&B ing which helps enormously with the weight issue! It had apparently taken them 2.5 weeks to get this far - he'd had a knee injury problem the last time. Glad to see its not just me who is constantly knackered by this walk at least! They had planned to get to Newquay by the end of their week of walking ahead. I had still made no plans as to how far I was going to get! I knew from past experience that to make plans on this walk means to inevitably have to change them, because of the strenous nature of the beast! I'd not booked accommodation ahead this time, and the tent would make me far more flexible than I had been on the last attempt. If they'd taken 2.5 weeks to get this far at least I was doing quite well so far in comparison, it having taken me 1.5 weeks of walking since Minehead!

Because it was overcast and dull, with a stiff wind, I'd left my jeans on to walk in and set off in my fleece. I soon realised that this was a mistake. I was puffing and panting in no time, and was taking the fleece off and stowing it in the rucksack after climbing only the first steps up from the hotel!

The view ahead as I climb the first steps up from the Hartland Quay Hotel.

Approaching the half cone of St. Catherine's Tor.

The small waterfall cascading down the near side of St. Catherine's Tor.

After a few hundred yards I came to St Catherine's Tor, a conical mound cut in half to a shear cliff on its seaward side by the crashing and booming waves. On its near side was a pretty little waterfall gurgling and splashing its way down to the rocks of the beach. I walked behind the tor, the crashing of the waves being subdued to a low rumble until I emerged at the other side again. After a short climb again, I emerged at another valley with a much larger waterfall - Speke's Mill Mouth. A bloke was camping in his small van as I descended to the valley bottom, and the middle aged couple were taking photos of the waterfall. I followed suit and then followed them down a valley, heading inland slightly, and then turned left for another gentle climb up a tributary valley running almost parrallel to the coast, behind Long Peak.

Looking back at St Catherine's Tor with Lundy Island in the distance.

Speke's Mill Mouth Waterfall

Emerging from the valley, it was cliff walking along the high edges of fields for some time. Just after a path off to the left, inland towards Elmscott and a youth hostel, I stopped at a stile, deciding it was far too sweaty to be wearing jeans. I stripped off and donned some shorts. While taking a rest here I saw a seal bobbing about in the water far below from my lofty perch high on Mansley Cliff. I rang mum and received a text from martin with a weather report. It certainly seemed better down south than they were getting it back up in the midlands!

Looking back along the cliffs.. you can still just see Hartland Quay Hotel if you know where you're looking!

And the way ahead.

Rocks and crashing waves.

Rock layers slipping away.

Cows and views to the interior of Hartland.

I carried on my way, much better without jeans, and after a short walk around the cliff edges I arrived at a single track road. I turned right along it for a short distance before taking a permissive footpath off to the right around the edges of fields containing a radio mast arrangement. It was then more cliff edge walking until I reached the first big descent into the first of many major valleys or coombs promised in the guidebook. The climb down into Welcombe Mouth was beautiful, with yet another small waterfall cascading down rocks to the beach. I caught up with the middle aged couple again who were taking photos and they asked me to take a pic of them on the concrete stepping stones just upstream of the waterfall. They set off again, seemingly the wrong way - down the lane and they were back again shortly afterwards looking puzzled. I'd seen a path leaving the road, just on the corner of the lane, though it wasn't a very visible one. I tried telling them it was there, but they assumed it was back off up the lane again and that's where they set off again! whoops! I should have been clearer and got up to show them! Hey ho!

The descent to the first big valley of Welcombe Mouth from Knap Head.

The waterfall down to the beach at Welcombe Mouth.	At the top of the waterfall looking out at the rocks heading out to sea in lines.
The beach at Welcombe Mouth.	On the climb out of Welcombe Mouth.
Looking up the valley of Welcombe Mouth from the bench at the top of the steep climb!	After a few bits of dried fruit and a drink from my 2 litre bottle of diet coke, I set off myself, the right way - straight up the valleyside with no sign of the couple returning along the lane. It was a gruelling climb!! and one that the guidebook ominously promised me would be repeated at least five more times before Bude!! I'd made no plans before setting off where I was going to get to though, so if I struggled I could always stop before Bude. At least there was SOME advantage to carrying all that extra, strength sapping weight on my back!! I sat on a handy bench at the top of the steep climb and at last saw the couple coming back down the lane and then saw them begin their ascent following me. I wiated and let them catch up and pass me by, appreciating the rest, and then carried on over a stile and across a small cliff top field of round hay bales.

Almost straight away though, it was a steep descent to the mouth of the next stream. Marsland Mouth is the official border of Devon and Cornwall. On the way down we all stopped and went into a restored hut once belonging to Ronald Duncan, a poet and playwright who whiled away his time in there writing, especially during the summer months. The information about him on the walls inside was quite interesting, but I left the couple in there deciding what to write in the guest book and continued on my way, descending steeply to the wooden footbridge over the river at the valley bottom. Once over it I was in Cornwall for the first time on the walk! Of course, as is normal on this walk.. a steep descent means a steep climb out of a valley, and so I started my huff and puff ascent up to Marsland Cliff.

The steep descent to Marsland Mouth with the middle aged couple approaching Ronald Duncan's Hut.

Marsland Mouth.. the stream being the border between Devon and Cornwall.

Looking back at Marsland Mouth and beyond it Welcombe Mouth, as I begin the climb out.

I stopped to chat to a family out on a circular walk for the day and sitting on a bench at the top of the cliff above the wonderful and perfect fold of Gull Rock. As soon as I left them it was ever downwards again to a footbridge over the next stream mouth.. Little Water! Of course, the climb out was a killer up to Cornakey Cliff. I sat here for a while looking back at the cliffs and ahead to the ones still to come! It was another steep descent followed by ascent across Yeol Mouth. Henna Cliff, beyond here is the second tallest sheer sea cliff drop in the country, being only exceeded by Beachy Head apparently. The couple overtook me again as I sat admiring the cliffs, but then, just before a steep descent to Morwenstow Water they turned off up an inland path heading towards Morwenstow church, that promised refreshments. I told them to have some for me and carried on. I descended and climbed back out of the valley the other side. I saw a sign for Hawker's Hut, but couldn't be bothered to go off the path and investigate, and instead carried on to Higher Sharp Nose point, which is almost an arrete, but looking out from the cliff looks like a conical heather covered peak. I sat for a while, by this time being VERY weary and also worried about drink as I'd got through 90% of my 2 litres with the extreme exertion of the day so far. The view ahead across the next bay to Lower Sharpnose Point was beautiful and the tide had receded well revealing sand between the 'groynes' of folded rock running perpendicular to the shoreline. On the cliffs at the back of the bay the Radar dishes and balls of the GCHQ station were clearly visible.

Looking down at the rocks as I climb Marsland Cliff

The fantastic folded rocks of Gull Rock as I continue to climb.

The view back from Marsland Cliff to Welcombe Mouth.

Looking back at Gull Rock from the little valley between Marsland Cliff and Cornakey Cliff.

Looking back from further along Cornakey Cliff.

Looking back along the cliffs from my rest just after Yeol Mouth.

The GCHQ Radar dishes etc come into view before the descent down Henna Cliff.

And the church at Morwenstow as I descend the cliff.

Higher Sharpnose Point from the valley bottom near Morwenstow.

Higher Sharpnose Point again.

Looking along Higher Sharpnose Point.

Looking back from Higher Sharpnose Point.

And the way ahead to Lower Sharpnose Point past Stanbury Mouth.

The GCHQ dishes are closer as I approach the descent of Stanbury Mouth.

The exposed sands of Stanbury Mouth with Lower Sharpnose Point behind.

Crossing the footbridge at Stanbury Mouth.

I set off again, having another large combe of Stanbury Mouth to wearily cross! As I walked up close to the GCHQ site I was hoping that the next big descent from Steeple Point down into Coombe Valley would reveal a cafe. I was getting tired now, and very thirsty, the flexibility of having the tent was obliterated now anyway, as I couldn't pitch in the middle of nowhere, having no liquid left with me! Sigh! Although the bay was lovely and sandy and quite busy with cars in the car park and people on the beach, there seemed to be no refreshments! Not even an ice cream van! I realised I'd had nothing to eat all day apart from dried fruit and some low calorie bisuits I'd bought from home! No wonder I was tired by now! Running on empty or what!

The long bay ahead, all the way to Bude, as I prepare to climb the last ascent above Steeple Point, before descending to Coombe.

Looking down into Coombe.. not a cafe to be seen unfortunately!

The sand exposed as I climb down into Coombe.

I crossed the stream at the bottom and climbed out of the other side of the valley, stopping twice on this climb as I was just sooooo weary by now! At least after this, the cliffs were less high and therefore the path became more grassy and undulating rather than steep ups and downs. The next combe, Sandy Mouth, turned out to be fantastic! Not because it was beautiful, but because it had a cafe that was still open, though just getting ready to shut, so I was very lucky! I bought two half litre bottles of sugar filled pop which were super chilled! I drank em straight down, sitting on a table outside the cafe watching people traipse up the track from the beach to the car park further up! The liquid refreshment was heavenly beyond description as was the quite prolonged sit. Just as I was getting ready to leave the middle aged couple caught up with me and just managed to order a cup of tea before they shut up for the night!

Looking back at the heavenly cafe as I climb out of Sandy Mouth.

I left them to it and carried on my way along the more gentle and grassy low cliff tops. I'd picked out a camp site about a mile or so this side of Bude, marked on the map. At the next combe of Northcott Mouth, I left the cliffs on a single track road, heading inland to the small hamlet of Maer and a campsite that was visible from the cliff path just before. I wearily arrived and it was Bude Holiday Park apparently, not really what I'd been hoping for, but they had space, even though it was 8 quid for a pitch for the night. i gratefully accepted and trudged down the driveway through mobile homes to the campsite area beyond. It was busy, but I found a spot and set the tent up.

Looking back to Lower Sharpnose Point as I walk along the lowering cliffs towards Bude.

The low cliffs and sands just before I leave the coast at Northcott Mouth

I went for a shower and then along to the cafe to get some well deserved food! Rather than have chips I settled for a jacket potato with cheese and beans.. half healthy and quite cheap! I'd half planned to go to the campsite bar, but it was crawling with teeneagers and emanated thumping cheesey music so decided against it. I was soooo tired anyway that I thought sleep would be the only sensible option even if it was only about 7.30pm! Unfortunately this was not to be! The site was really noisy with kids and shouting teenagers, and I could hear the music booming from the bar on top of all that, even at half a mile's distance! After trying to read for a while but giving up I tried to snooze,but got annoyed by it all and in the end got so desperate as it got dark, that I got my first aid kit out and using the scissors from it, cut off some of my foam roll mat to make myself some makeshift ear plugs!! They actually worked a treat! Handy tip from Matt when camping:) I finally got to sleep at last though it must have been getting on for 11 or after... very late for such a highly exhausting day!!!

Map of the day's walk:(click to enlarge)