Synopsis: A cycle ride from Exeter to Dawlish Warren following the Exe Estuary Trail. A picnic lunch on the beach by Langstone Rock, followed by a walk through the dunes of sand spit to estuary mouth.
Sun at last, and so time for some exercise. The countryside is very wet at the moment, so I concluded a cycle ride would make a good choice. Uncertain quite how far I would wish to cycle, I set off in the direction of Dawlish Warren.
As it happened I was making good, slow but steady progress, and made it all the way to Dawlish Warren in time for lunch. The only messy stretch was the narrow strip of footpath from Turf Lodge to Powderham Church, which was very muddy. A family with two young children on bikes were just ahead of me, and I could see the children were having a wonderful time splashing their way through the muddy puddles.
I ate my lunch on the beach near Langstone Rock and the Langstone Breakwater, looking in rather a sorry state, evidently battered from heavy storms. I faced along the beach into the sun, looking towards Dawlish, watching the myriad dog walkers out for a stroll, with dogs occasionally stopping to pester me as I ate my lunch, which I wasn’t about to share with them.
Dawlish Warren - looking towards Exmouth on the opposite shore
After lunch I walked my bike back to the car park where I parked it and set off on a walk along the sand spit that stretches to the mouth of the Exe Estuary. I knew from past experience it’s a longer walk than might be anticipated so I stepped out with the aim of reaching the furthest end in reasonable time, since I didn’t want too much of my cycle journey home to be done in the dark. The end of the sand spit is the point nearest to Exmouth, which felt as if within spitting distance (sorry, awful pun).
Dawlish Warren - the sun setting behind wispy clouds
For the walk back I circled around the beach to pick up the shoreline back to Dawlish Warren. The winter sun was beginning to set and I was walking straight into it. There was a lovely winter light cast along the beach, with wispy clouds streaked across the skyline.
A quiet calm descended at early evening for my cycle ride home to Exeter. A delightful outing on the best day of the year so far. An excursion which hinted at the promise of good days to come in the year ahead.
Cycle/Walk Statistics:
Total Distance (Combined Cycle/Walk): 26.4 miles -:- (Walk): 3.2 miles
Elapsed Time (Combined Cycle/Walk): 6hrs 5min -:- (Walk): 1hr 33min
Moving Time (Combined Cycle/Walk): 4hrs 38min
Stopped Time (Combined Cycle/Walk): 1hr 26min
Total Ascent (Combined Cycle/Walk): 386 metres
Maximum Elevation (Combined Cycle/Walk): 90 metres
Buses: (none)
Cycled from Exeter to walk start/finish point in Dawlish Warren
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