On a showery November Sunday morning, 13 members met up at East Budleigh for a 7 mile circular walk that gave the best of what East Devon can offer in the way of fine coastal views, rolling countryside, an old railway, a reservoir and lake and beautiful heath land. East Budleigh (being the birth place of St Walter Raleigh) has in the village a statue of the man and was the start of our walk.

From the village we joined a path that took us up above the village to see the wonderful views along the East Devon coastline towards Lyme Regis.

After passing through various fields and paths through woodland we eventually arrived at the old railway that was part of the Exmouth to Sidmouth Junction branch line that was closed by Dr. Richard Beeching in the 1960's. Happily, Devon County Council reopened it in the 1990's as a tarmac walking path that offered tall trees and rather soggy autumn leaves.

After a short while we turned away from the path and walked across countryside and onto a stony path that lead up to Squabmoor Reservoir and our lunch stop. Thankfully the weather was kind to us while we enjoyed our lunch and watched the fish jumping out of the water.

After lunch we continued for a short distance to Bystock Pools looked after by the Devon Wildlife Trust. The boardwalk gave us fine views of a peaceful lake sparkling in the sunlight.

The rest of the walk lead us through a Pine wood and into Woodbury Common. Now we were walking through Heathland with Heather and Gorse bushes to join a path that brought us back to East Budleigh and the finishing point.

Although the weather was variable with one torrential downpour the group kept their heads even if Sir Walter lost his!