June 4th: Westward Ho! to Hartland Quay

Day 5 arrived, and Will joined Bob and me on today's trek once again - making us packed lunches and a fry up for breakfast as we had a tough 20 miles ahead of us today.

The weather has been remarkably kind to us since we embarked on this journey, with the only interruptions being brief, sharp showers that have come and gone fairly quickly, leaving us otherwise basking in the warmth of the sun - although we have certainly felt the strength of the wind at times, which has added an extra challenge to our walk.

As we continue our journey, I can’t help but notice a recurring discrepancy in the mileage reported by the sign posts on our route compared to what we have recorded on Strava. For the third time out of the five days we’ve been walking, the distances have not aligned. Today for example, we were supposed to cover a distance of 21.4 miles according to the route guide, but we ended up walking a solid 24 miles instead, and we have not deviated from the path! If this continues, it would seem at this rate I will be doing quite a bit more than 630 miles!

Uh-oh

This sign says I have done 99 miles.....in fact according to Strava I have done 104 miles... that means I am going to do quite a few more.

Today’s walk presented a tough start and finish, characterised by, you guessed it, challenging climbs! However, these strenuous ascents were well worth the effort, as they rewarded us with breathtaking scenery that made every step feel like a triumph. The panoramic views from the heights were nothing short of spectacular. There's a lot of beauty to be discovered out there.

Our view from the room at the Hartland Quay Hotel

Will Coates left us after the walk today, so it will just be Bob and me continuing for the next few days. Will has been a fantastic companion over these past couple of days for me and Bob. Today was filled with laughter and that really made the miles fly by. I will miss his company, but I'm also looking forward to the next leg of the journey with Bob, and other friends soon to join, as we continue to explore the beautiful South West Coast Path.

Now we're all done with another brutal day, 24 miles with both Bob and Will carrying injuries, but we arrived safely at Hartland Quay Hotel and now just need to ice our knees, calves, and ankles!

Clovelly - One of the apartments we stayed at in Saunton Sands was named Clovelly, as pointed out by my daughter, Alex. We used to say it in a Welsh accent

As if up and down on mud and shale was not hard enough...it is now wet

Lundy Island

Buck Mills sandwich break

Windbury

Hartland Point

Path blocked had to go the woods to get by

Still can't quite shake off Saunton... like a beacon in the distance reminding me of a past life