Synopsis: A walk starting and ending in two charming places, as mentioned above. A day to be out of doors, with plenty of sun and feeling warm. Many poppies and medals seen on this Remembrance Day.
(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)
I knew the weather forecast for today was exceptionally good, and yet still I had no plan for a walk on waking up this morning. I needed something nearby that would be easy and quick to get to, and opted for this walk, which I quickly planned after breakfast.
The train deposited me in Lympstone from where I picked up a path familiar to me that took me out the back of the village in the direction of the National Trust property of A la Ronde. I happened to notice that A la Ronde was open today, which rather surprised me, as I thought the property usually closed its doors for the year at the end of October. Anyway, as delightful as this property is, and I can well recommend a visit (see photos on a previous visit of mine), today it was not on the agenda, so I walked on by.
There was a lot of rather boring walking through urban Exmouth at this point, which I knew there would be, but at least the sun was shining and it was incredibly warm for the time of year, so I was in good spirits. The path I followed then picked up the dismantled railway line, a service that once ran between Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton. It’s a sad loss, as it would surely be a delightful and well used service today. Instead its now primarily the haunt of dog walkers from Exmouth, and the occasional cyclist, and me.
Coastal path near Budleigh Salterton
Crossing a golf course took me a distance of about 3/4 mile out onto the coast path. As there was an idyllically situated bench at the point where I reached the coast path, and as it was now one o’clock, I chose to make this my lunch stop. Out came the sandwiches and drink, and there I was with the most glorious view past Straight Point and across Sandy Bay.
Budleigh Salterton
After lunch I followed the short section of the coast path that took me in the direction of Budleigh Salterton. I noticed that this has been redirected slightly inland since I last came this way, presumably because of coastal erosion and the risk of losing the odd walker over the cliff. Soon Budleigh Salterton came into view, looking lovely in the sun, and rather busy. I think there must have been a commemorative ceremony taking place at the war memorial being Remembrance Day. A number of people passed me by, some in uniform and wearing medals, others wearing poppies.
A little bit of frustration crept into my day when it came to catching a bus out of Budleigh Salterton for Exmouth. I headed for the bus stop in Fore Street as indicated this morning on enquiry at Transport Direct. There was no bus stop sign, but I was sure of the co-ordinates I’d stored in my GPS. I arrived at the stop with at least five minutes to spare, but ten minutes after the due time, I realised I wasn’t going to see this bus. I walked up the road till I came to a bus stop sign and using the SMS service was able to confirm that there would be a bus for Exmouth an hour later than the bus I’d initially intended to catch. I chose to wait for it. On arrival, the driver told me that the 357 doesn’t go up Budleigh Salterton Fore Street on a Sunday, only Monday through Saturday. I’d been given incorrect information from Transport Direct web site, and the lack of a bus stop with timetable meant I couldn’t confirm my information, and so I found myself waiting around for an hour longer than should have been necessary. Grumpy I was, but I felt with some justification. This requires two complaints on my part: (1) to Transport Direct for erroneous information; and (2) to Stage Coach for lack of a bus stop sign with timetable in Budleigh Salterton.
Exmouth
The positive side to being late from having missed my bus was that I arrived in Exmouth just as the light was fading and the subtle evening hues were beautiful. I just had enough time before my due train to dash out to the seafront and grab a few photos. Once done, I had to be on my way.
In conclusion: Lympstone is lovely; the dismantled railway took me through a beautiful autumnal landscape; the views from the coastal path were wonderful; and Budleigh Salterton a gem of a seaside place. The only downside was rather too much urban walking on the outskirts of Exmouth which was rather boring. But, all-in-all, an enjoyable day’s walking; or was it more of a stroll?
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 9.1 miles
Moving Time: 3hrs 17min
Stopped Time: 26min
Total Ascent: 294 metres
Maximum Elevation: 131 metres
Buses: 357 (Budleigh Salterton to Exmouth) £3.00
Trains: Digby & Sowton – Exmouth (Off-Peak Return) £3.30
