Day 5 Woolacombe to Braunton (15.5 miles / 25 km)

 Day 5    Woolacombe to Braunton   (15.5 miles / 25 km)

After the first 4 days of this trail being a series of ascents and descents that threw my legs in at the deep end , this day shaped up to be a restorative one.   It was still a good distance but  moderate and mostly flat..ish.  The South West Coast planned this thoughtfully I’m sure as the landscape seemed to accomodate just perfectly.   To me it felt like a vertical, moving rest day. 

 I woke to the birds of the cottage garden before my alarm… giving it their absolute best .Song of the day was chosen early Songbird by Barbra Streisand.   No one around to judge how much I didn’t sound like her.     The hardest part of the day turned out to be getting up from Sophies breakfast table and pulling myself away from her lovely company and her tea cosy covered tea pot to get my boots on .   I walked into her dining room to be greeted by her and a table all set so beautifully .    While I fueled for the day we chatted and covered as many topics as we could squeeze in – She is so full of passion for what she does – loving to garden, grow produce and then joyfully cook for others.   She builds gardens for restaurants so they can use their own produce and she has marmalade making days with her Mum.    Her marmalade was worthy of awards and when she called it “sunshine in a jar” I thought thats it , I am never leaving .   

Her lovely husband  Matt dropped me back to where I ended on the trail yesterday and off I went .   The variety of the South West Coast Path was so evident today , there was no doubt that the prominent feature of todays walking was beaches. – after leaving the wild rugged undulating Exmoor coastline this section is defined by vast, sweeping golden beaches (no pebbles in sight) .  Walking firstly paralell to Woolacombe beach which stretches over 3 miles from the village to Baggy Point, it is a destination for surfers and is frequently voted best beach in the UK.    The gradual climb up to the Point is spectacular with the Atlantic surf rolling in to meet the steep hills of Devon.    

After rounding Baggy Point I dropped directly into Croyde Bay.  Another wide prestine beach and this one the trail popped me down on for a beach walking section.   I looked a bit out of place amonsgt the beach goers all in bathers and the surfers in wet suits – everyone matching the environment -that was the beach – while I walked on through in hiking gear, boots, a back pack and walking poles.   Some looked at me and probably thought she must be lost or just very very  sun smart.  Croyde itself is a surfing mecca and where English come to surf and surfers come live.   Tempted to stop for an icecream I decided to keep going as my sandwich stop was planned for the third and final beach – Saunton Beach.

Leaving Croyde I headed futher up and along to turn a corner and be stopped in my tracks at the sight of Saunton Beach.   It was stunning in the hazy midday sun.   It was the third and final one for this day before heading to Braunton Burrows.  It was sandwich time and found a beach side cafe where they made me an english breakfast tea.   My excellent  sandwich that I had picked up first thing before my boots were properly laced from a Sophie recommended place.   Sat on Saunton Beach it was a stuning lunch stop.    This beach is famed for many reasons – all so different from each other…it was used during WW2 as a training beach to practice and prepare for the D-Day landings .  10,000 soldiers trained on this stretch of coast line as it most resembled the Normandy Beaches they were about to land.   It was also used in by Robbie Williams in his music video for Angels and on a Pink Floyd album cover .   Its seen it alot this beach.  

I then head off to leave this beachy section and head to the flat, meditative walking of Braunton Burrrows.   But just as I was going towards the final 10km section the trail takes you past a large sign on a path saying BEWARE – GOLF BALLS AND MACHINERY PROCEED WITH CAUTION.    I walked on not knowing whether to be more concerned about a golf swing going awry or a combine harvester.    Just as I was contemplating what would be worse I round the corner to the path running practically on the golf course and certainly close enough to see what clubs they were using.    As a chap in a group is just about to take his shot his friend shouts out to me “Get ready to duck, Ken’s having a bad day!”  .  I pick up the pace immediatily as Ken is roaring with laughter – I shout back “Eyes on the ball Ken,! Eyes on the ball!!”  Off I scuttled half expectiing Ken’s ball to be wrapped round the back of head any minute.  

I then round another corner to see that the trail now takes  me right through a military training area warning me about troop training and to not to touch any military debris as it ‘might explode and kill you.’   I suddenly felt like I was on episode of Its A Knockout.   I now had golf balls, large machinery and friendly fire to be aware of.     I was waiting for the mediative bit to start.    Eventually I exited the Military Zone and feeling quite grateful to be unscathed I stopped for a ginger nut from the bottom of my pack.  

I picked up the pace for the final walk into Braunton and straight back into the Cottage where a tray was waiting for me with a tea pot, cup and a warm chocolate muffin with Sohie shouting from the kitchen – “waters in the kettle and tea bags in the pot, just press boil.”    Imagine walking all day in the lovely fresh air and coming into that sentence.   

A beautiful day which is about to end with home made supper here –  I have a feeling I’ll need to take  pictures by the smell coming from that kitchen.    I can’t think of a lovelier way to finish this day.   

                                         

Sophie xx