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Main Instructor:

Click to View: Bruce Perkins Instructor Page

Hosted By:

Ruth McMeechan

Walk Description:

We’ll kick start our senses (and our body) with a warm up in the car park before beginning our walk along the coast path on the outskirts of the village joining what was once the Bideford to Westward Ho! Railway constructed in 1901 and onto Abbotsham Cliff beach. The gullies and crevices of the beach are home to lobsters, shrimp and Conger eels (no time to fish I’m afraid). If extremely lucky we might just spot a porpoise or seal among the kelp. Here we leave the coastline and move inland across stiles/newly constructed gateways and fields. At the brow of the hill we will enjoy one last look at Lundy Island, with Clovelly and Hartland Point to the left and Baggy Point to the right. We will follow a well-defined pathway across the field until we reach the fence line and turn left. On reaching a very thoughtfully located bench with the lines of a poem inscribed upon it we will take 2min to reminisce in past local events. The poem (Leisure) is from the Welsh poet WH Davies (1871-1940) known as the tramp/hobo poet due to the way he conducted his life, yet was one of the most popular poets of his time and came to the attention of the playwright George Bernard Shaw. Looking across the valley you can still make out the cuttings and line of the old railway. In the 1920’s, the valley below was home to Shebberton racecourse which claimed to be ‘the most beautifully situated racecourse in England’. We continue to follow the well-trodden path until it opens up onto a paved lane that leads to Abbotsham Court. Here we turn left and follow the lane upwards to the crest (more views of rolling countryside await us) before turning left down a second lane passing by the helicopter landing pad (keep your eyes open for some quite eccentric collectables and dry stone walling along the way) and with one last climb to test our legs we will then venture down the wooded Kipling Tor to our meeting point. After a good cooldown, well-earned refreshments await us in a smart and contemporary venue offering spectacular views of the local coastline.

Location Notes:

Known locally as the Haunted House car park