Loading

Sunday walk to Morte Point

Blog
0 Comment

Last week we went in search of the sunshine and armed with our tea-making equipment and a picnic we made our way to Mortehoe and Morte Point.  Mortehoe is now a sleepy village but was once known for the wreckers and smugglers who worked along this coastline.  Although we didn’t visit them on this occasion, there are 2 excellent pubs – The Chichester Arms and the Ship Aground, where you can enjoy good food and drinks after a long walk along the coastal path.  There are also a couple of excellent cafes and takeaways including the National Trust owned Town Farmhouse, a 19th-century building which is open as an Eco-Focused Guesthouse and Tea Rooms.   Also, the nearby Barricane Beach Café serving a range of classic café snacks as well as their famous Sri Lankan curry.

At Morte Point, you’re welcomed with a far-reaching view across North Devon’s spectacular coastline.  Extending from Morte Point and out beneath the water are the deadly ‘devil’s teeth’ rocks which have caused many shipwrecks over the centuries.  On the day of our visit, the wind was strong and the sea was rough.  It is easy to see how so many ships met their end here.

Just around the corner, we were lucky enough to spot 5 Atlantic grey seals who were enjoying the swell of the sea and the crashing waves.  One was lying on its back looking directly at us, as though to say come and join us.  No chance of that!  It is times like that I wished I had a really good camera with me as it would have been a perfect photo opportunity.

As is common in North Devon, you look one way and there are amazing cloud formations, look the other way and there is blue sky and sunshine.  Morte Point didn’t fail us on our visit as you will see from the photos.  As you round the corner at Morte Point you see the wonderful view across to Woolacombe which lays claim to an award-winning flat golden stretch of sand and coastline popular with boarders and surfers.

Morthoe and Woolacombe are our happy places where we go to unwind and relax (just like the sheep!).  It’s great that it is only a short drive from our home and our cottages.  We would definitely recommend a visit.

National Trust Website – Mortehoe

Tapeley Park – a visit to remember

Blog
0 Comment

Tapeley Estuary View

On Tuesday the forecast looked good so we decided on another garden visit. This time it was the magnificent Tapeley Park, near Bideford. A first visit for us.

The car park has fabulous views over the estuary,  but we were advised a walk to the monument would trump these. So, following a spot of lunch in the lovely café, off we set along the field path, aiming for the structure we could see a short distance away.

After 10 minutes walking and passing a few people, who were heading back, we could see the views opening out and the monument within easy reach.

Then suddenly, without warning, a moderately cloudy sky turned very angry, the views disappeared, and the heavens opened! With no shelter in sight we turned back towards the house. Although we had had the foresight to bring umbrellas, these were no match for the horizontal rain which was now lashing us! Initial laughter at our predicament soon turned to a steely determination to get to the relative shelter of the woods.

Then just as it began, it stopped, leaving us wet through on the windward side. The now sunny sky began to steam the water out of our clothing and a quick visit to the toilets to use the hand dryer decided us not to abandon our visit as there was much we still wanted to see.

Highlights on this visit were definitely the wisteria, the extensive walled vegetable garden and the permaculture garden with all its herbs and lush planting. Do not miss the sensational red manuka myrtle bushes!

We are resolved to return on a, hopefully, drier day in the summer.

Tapeley Park Gardens website

Lynton & Lynmouth

The area
0 Comment

Lynton

Lynton

Known by the Victorians as Little Switzerland, the twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth offer a unique visitor experience including a craft centre and cinema, many shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants.   They are linked by a cliff railway. Established in 1888, this water-powered lift takes passengers up and down the cliff between the towns. It uses no power other than water from the River Lyn to run it.

Watersmeet

The area
0 Comment

 

Waterfall at Watersmeet

Waterfall at Watersmeet

Standing at Watersmeet some 2,300 years ago you would have seen smoke rising from the hilltops, a sign of people living close by. Two fortified farmsteads known as Myrtleberry North and South camp provided a protected home.

Thatched round houses were lived in by Iron Age people and their animals. The village would have been surrounded by ramparts and steep-sided hills. Whilst not much evidence remains, the views are stunning from these now-scheduled monuments and well worth the climb.

Watersmeet is surrounded by 2000 acres of estate and is a dramatic river gorge clothed with ancient woodlands. At the meeting place of the East Lyn River and Hoar Oak Water stands Watersmeet House. Built in 1832 as a fishing and hunting lodge for Walter Stevenson Halliday, it is now a haven for many visitors. Originally a fishing lodge and romantic retreat, with connections to the romantic poets, since 1901 it has been a tea room. There are many paths leading along the riversides and up the valley sides to Lynmouth, Rockford and Countisbury.

Look out for otters, red deer, buzzards, dippers, herons and a variety of flowers and insects. You may spot the local whortleberry, a small bluish-black berry often used to make jam. Like a wild bilberry, it grows on shrubs from July to August.

A short walk upstream from Watersmeet House is Ash Bridge, a tranquil spot surrounded by crystal-clear waters and shady ancient woodland. Look out for dippers bobbing on the rocks, and if you’re lucky, the salmon that come here to breed.

For the more adventurous, canoeing is possible on the East Lyn River from Watersmeet House down to Lynmouth between 1 October and 31 March if there’s enough water.

Arlington Court

The area
0 Comment

Arlington

Arlington

This National Trust house was once owned by the Chichester Family. The grounds are also the location for the National Trust Carriage Collection which has recently acquired, on loan from the House of Commons, the early 18th century Speakers State Coach to add to their display.

The Lynton to Barnstaple Steam Railway

The area
0 Comment

Lynton-Barnstaple Steam Railway

Lynton-Barnstaple Steam Railway

This narrow gauge railway, decommissioned in 1935, now has 2 miles of track between Woody Bay and Parracombe. Volunteers keep several authentic steam engines and rolling stock in working order so that visitors, can enjoy travelling in Edwardian style!

Other places of Interest

The area
0 Comment

Other places of interest

Other places of interest

Other attractions in the area include the historic villages of Clovelly with its steep cobbled streets and picturesque harbour,  Porlock, Porlock Weir  and Selworthy with its pretty thatched cottages.  Combe Martin is reputed to have the longest high street in England ending at a picturesque cove. Ilfracombe offers an historic and picturesque harbour, interesting coastline and beaches around the town. It is the nearest sizable town to Martinhoe Cleave and has a theatre as well as shops, galleries and restaurants.  For beaches, Woolacombe offers a large sandy award-winning beach (voted best in UK in 2023) which is popular with surfers, body-boarders and families.  Combe Martin has two intimate family-friendly beaches. Lee bay near Morthoe offers a real smugglers cove beach with rock pools.  If you wish to venture further afield, there is an open-top bus service from Lynmouth to Minehead, which boasts a wonderful long flat sandy beach, a charming harbour, a bustling town with Independent shops and cafes and heritage attractions.  From there you can also visit the towns of Watchet and Dunster.

Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial
Verified by MonsterInsights