Into Exmoor

The logistically well placed overpriced not so desirable campground in Chivenor worked out fine but I was happy to be on my way early the next day. Whereas the path had been following an inlet for more or less 20 miles I was anxious to return to actual coastline with proper cliffs and all. I passed through the dunes of Braunton Sands as I rounded out the inlet with the long beach of Bruanton Burrows stretching south to my left as I traversed the side of a ridge with a fine view at low tide.

I stopped for a coffee at Croyde Bay, a seaside community with a surfer vibe. From there it was on to Woolacombe, a desirable beach town. I had a look around Woolacombe and a pint at Captain Jacks Pub before ascending a side trail gradually up a valley to a campground with a fabulous view.

The campground is a little more than just a campground. It’s a holiday park with full store, two pools, arcade, pub, restaurant, and a children’s club. All things considered it’s a cheap place for a walker with a tent at 6 ½ pounds for the night.

To keep things easy I figured I’d just grab a curry for dinner at the campground pub which I did. After ordering at the bar I noticed the music was quite loud and of the dance club genre with a heavy monotone beat. I also noticed a stage, dance floor, and disco ball. I took a seat off to the side for and ocean view. Not much longer after I got my curry a woman took the stage as kids starting appearing out of nowhere. Before I knew it a campground mascot showed up looking like something you would see at Disneyland. It kind of looked like a chipmunk. The music banged on with the host breaking in for comments and asked the kids questions like what they did during the day and where they were from. One kid commented that he was from the moon. I thought that was pretty funny.

I hoped the kiddie entertainment would pass quickly but it wasn’t. As it turns out I think that was the idea. Give the parents a break while they order slightly high priced food and drink. Holiday parks offer a variety of camping options from permanently affixed caravans to plain and basic tent sites. They tend to be family oriented and in July and August can be a total zoo. June is still a pretty quiet month as the bigger kids are not out of school yet. The campground was still mostly empty. It didn’t take long for me to find my way of the pub club. I’m just not wired for the kid thing.

I stay at commercial campgrounds for the convenience, affordability, and a hot shower. I could wild camp but I don’t mind paying a few dollars to have a good place to pitch my stuff without worry and shower before roaming a village or finding a pub for the evening. Wild camping usually entails pitching camp late and leaving early in a discreet fashion. It’s not like wilderness camping in the USA. During the summer season you can find campgrounds all over Europe with ease.

When I woke up the next morning in Woolacombe, as they say in England, the weather was filthy. It was raining with a thick mist and fog. Good ‘ol English weather. Of course a walk in England is not complete without foul weather. I packed my wet tent and made my way out of town around Bull Point. Wind, fog, mist drifted around cliff, rock, sea, and very green vegetation. Despite bad weather there was still a beauty to it all. A little over 8 miles later I reached the town of Illfracombe where I stopped at a café because I was craving a full English breakfast and coffee before continuing on to Combe Martin.

I was under the impression that Combe Martin was a quirky place so I definitely intended to stay there. Although the weather was improving a bit it was still windy with more rain forecasted. It was all the more reason to choose a wonderfully quirky B&B for 25 pounds in a Victgorian row house full of old stuff run by an older hippyish artist couple. Sometimes a quirky B&B really is like staying in someone’s personal home and the one in Combe Martin was exactly that. The riddle is to know where you are welcome and not welcome within the household.

B&B in the USA tends to mean Boutique foo foo for a romantic weekend with a generally high price tag similar to a hotel. In Europe B&B can mean anything from Boutique to simple, practical and no frills. I often find B&B’s to be a great value in Europe. Anyway, 25 pounds got me a comfy homey room with shared facilities but I was the only guest.

After checking in I headed to an interesting pub I had heard about. The Pack of Cards pub in Combe Martin is supposedly designed mathematically to resemble a pack of cards and was built in 1690. However, a local informed me that is not really the case but it’s a beautiful old building nonetheless with 3 foot thick walls made of cobbles etc.

The local guy spoke with a deep low voice but had a boisterous laugh. I couldn’t understand everything he was saying but I could tell right away he was curious about me. It was also obvious that he was recovering from seahab as he works on ships and such. No drinking allowed while working at sea. From what I gathered he’s spent his life working on aboard boats and he said he had worked himself up to being an engineer. He knew Houston because he’s been to the ship channel but not the actual city. He fancy’s the Gulf Coast and told me he’s spent time in Savanah, Georgia. Anyway, we talked about politics, social issues, and the problems with so many Africans immigrating to Europe. That seemed to be his biggest complaint. He bought me a second pint but after that I had to leave otherwise I knew I’d be in trouble but I met several other locals before leaving. I must say I give Pack of Cards a thumbs up in the local hospitality department. It’s very friendly pub full of good characters.

Today, Thursday, was a five star hiking day as I entered Exmoor National Part for my final 35 miles. The weather was perfect and the scenery stunning and dramatic. The only hitch was the mile long uphill road walk to a campground above Lynmouth. Of course when I arrived at the campground next to a river I noticed what appears to be a forest trail back down. Anyway, there’s a pub right next to the campground that specializes in Thai food. My tent is pitched and the Ale is good.