Lynmouth to Porlock

6/9/14 A drive to Porlock offered a different route to the coast. We parked just off Sparkhayes Lane and walked into the centre to catch the bus. Our first bus in Somerset did not turn up. Some locals suggested that Quantock had gone bust. Four Bavarian ladies were also waiting and asked if we would share a taxi towards Lynmouth. A few phone calls later, we were racing over the moor and the ladies alighted at the top of Countisbury. £35 didn't seem too bad when we arrived in Lynmouth. We were 20 minutes later than planned, but the pubs still weren't open, so we had a couple of pints in the restaurant just over the footbridge. After a short walk along the front, we started the climb towards Countisbury. The path doesn't stray far from the A39. There had been some rain earlier and it was still misty.

As the path heads towards Foreland, the scenery changes again. We are back into post-glacial valleys.

After this, we enter the woods. The path stays in the woods for more than two hours. We're not sure what the weather is doing. We catch occasional glimpses of the sea, but spend most the time well above it. We go up and down a few combes. Eventually, we come out in Culbone.

It's back into the woods again for a while, but after Worthy Combe there are a couple of fields before Porlock Weir.

The path comes out besides the Ship Inn.

We have Otter Amber Ale (4%) and Porlock Stock and Two Empty Barrels (4.1%) for £6.70. There are a few locals inside and few tourists outside.

The path goes along the road before descending onto the stony beach. After a while it heads inland because the sea defences are not being maintained here now and land behind the beach is being allowed to flood. Some trees are dying.

Sparkhayes farm is only a couple of fields from the path and the car a similar distance beyond.