Journal:
I woke at
6:45am and while taping up my feet, realised I was
running out of bandaids with no significant towns to
be passed in the next few days. So, I revised
my plans and after the hotel's elegant but small
English breakfast, walked back into Barnstaple where
I bought some more bandaids and tape, mailed my
boots ahead to Chepstow and, by chance, noticed an
outdoors store and bought a waterproof map case with
a neck lanyard. This will allow me to keep my
maps handy while using my trekking poles.
The chores went smoothly
and I checked out of the hotel at 9:30am and left
Barnstaple via the village of Pilton. I was now off
the Coast Path and following the route suggested by
a guidebook. I had 1:50000 maps and some
sketch maps in the guidebook, but knew I would have
to stay focused as the route connected and endless
set of country lanes, roads, public bridleways,
footpaths and rights of way. Of course I enjoy
map reading and navigation, so this was right up my
alley. Basically, the route left Barnstaple at
sea level and headed up into the moors on inland
Devon, and Exmoor in particular, which ar in the
range of 400-500m elevation. There was a fair
bit of climbing as the trail passed initially
through woodland along pretty wildflower bordered
paths, and then it climbed into more open farmland.
I stopped for lunch at a
pub in the village of Bratton Fleming which sat atop
a ridge, then continued on to the picturesque
village of Challacombe, my last chance to by food
for a day. I had called a remote farm offering
B&B near the planned end of my day, but they were
booked, so it looked like I was camping. The
lady in the tiny store was friendly and helpful, but
that didn't stop her selling me a couple of dried
out luke-warm mini-pasties. I bought various
foods and drink to see me through to tomorrow
afternoon and resumed walking with a much heavier
pack.
The route now climbed onto
the crests of the Exmoor hills with views in all
directions. I could see Wales across the
Severn Estuary. The moors are treeless
pasturelands and quite boggy in places. My new
white running shoes now look months old. The
route took me past the head of the Exe River which
flows to the sea near Exeter where I used to stay on
business in another life and go for morning runs
along the river. Also in another life I can
remember running on Exmoor with friends when touring
the UK in a combi-van back in 1974!
I enjoyed the late
afternoon moorland walking despite tired feet.
Still a couple of sore spots, but the running shoes
are better than the boots. I needed to walk
until late because of my late start and eventually
found a spot to camp in field already inhabited by
some ponies, but there's not much choice, at 8pm.
One pony has a foal that has been running round and
round, hopefully not through my tent during the
night. It's supposed to rain during the night
and into tomorrow, so I'm anticipating a wet pack up
in the morning.