GOC Devon Joint With Somerset - Woody Bay 2 April 2017

With a turnout of 17 and 2 dogs, doubtless encouraged by the Spring sunshine, we assembled above Woody Bay at 11:00 hrs and took a vote to take the coast path along the cliff, more spectacular than the planned carriage drive up top. Had anyone indicated the slightest concern regarding vertigo we would have taken the high road. Having set off we saw glimpses of Woody Bay itself, backed by Lee Abbey and the Valley of the Rocks near Lynton. Beyond and further east lay Foreland Point on the Somerset border. Across the Bristol Channel we had pretty good views of Swansea Bay, from Port Talbot as far west as Worms Head on the Gower and beyond to the Atlantic. We strolled westwards stopping regularly to drink in the view, stopping for lunch on the beach at Heddon's Mouth, with distant views of Widmouth Head at Coombe Martin. We set off again along the river Heddon and at Hunters Inn, climbed steeply up a lane, across farmland and through the village of Martinhoe (250 metres high), back to the lower car park at Woody Bay. Afterwards there was a general movement towards the tea room at Woody Bay station on the Lynton & Barnstaple railway.