Day 66: Appledore to Braunton

There are no hills to climb today, just a gentle walk along the banks of the River Torridge and River Taw. It should be a nice change of pace, taking me back to the start of my walk, around the North Kent estuaries.

Bideford Long Bridge.

I join the Tarka Trail, which follows the route taken in Tarka the Otter, and runs along an old railway track. This section of the SWCP seems to attract a lot of negative comments, which is surprising. It doesn’t have dramatic clifftop views, but there are layers of detail to enjoy: along the trail itself, on the river bank, and in the river. It has its own beauty.

Instow signal box, built in 1873.

Walking on the tarmac is hurting the soles of my feet, so a change of plan when I reach Braunton. Nineteen miles is enough. Braunton Marsh can wait until tomorrow. I spend a luxurious couple of hours with my boots off, in the lovely North Inn pub. Everyone is friendly, chatting about my walk. No more crisps. Peanuts for the protein, as recommended by both my fellow coastal walker, Ruth Livingstone, and my sister, Judith. See, I do listen sometimes!

Lobb Field campsite is excellent and a short walk from the pub. The ground is too hard for my tent pegs, so I head off in search of a stone. My neighbour guesses why I have wandered off and appears with a hammer. He has a very lively, eight week old puppy to entertain me. Home cooking again tonight.

Walk distance: 19 miles.

Total distance: 942 miles.

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