Bucks Woods to Bideford

24/6/14 No free weekends, so we thought that we should do a midweek walk while the weather was good. Drove to Bideford for the first bus to Bucks Cross. It was £1 for an all-day park and £1.50 on the bus. Through the holiday park to the path where we continued through the woods. A mile or so later we came out into Bucks Mill, a quiet little place.

It was soon back into the woods. More than the first hour of this walk was in the woods and would have been twice as long had we started at Clovelly. With only the occasional glimpse of the outside world, it started to get a little claustrophobic.

After Peppercombe, it started to open out. Unusually, we found ourselves on a deserted beach for a short stretch only to be greeted by man-made debris.

They were a few rolling hills then to take us on towards Westward Ho. We managed to lose the path there, but eventually came back out on the promenade.

The Surf on Inn looked a bit garish, but was pleasant enough for two pints of Tribute (4.2%) at £6.90. Then it was on to Northam Burrows. This was an interesting, unsegregated area of beach car park, golf  course, sheep and horse grazing and low-lying sand dunes.

After rounding that, Appledore came into view. The Royal George was shut and so the Beaver Inn was our first stop.

Pints of Otter Ale (4.5%) and Tribute (4.2%) for £6.70 with a game of pool here. Further along the quaint narrow streets, we came to the Seagate Inn on the quay.

We had pints of Smiler (3.7%) and Tribute (4.2%) for £6.70 in this 'poshified' establishment. The path then skirts inland around the shipyard, before continuing up the river, under the A39 bridge and into Bideford.