Otterton back to Budleigh Salterton to Sidmouth 13kms
Ascension 316m  Accumulated Ascension 1930m

Our room rate at the Kings Arms did not include full English Breakfast, so for the first time we just had a continental breakfast. This was fine so we had cereal, yoghurt, toast and coffee. We could have had croissants and Danish pastries but we resisted the temptation. We could have paid extra for a cooked breakfast but we were feeling a bit tight.

First thing on today’s walk was to retrace our steps 3km back to the road bridge that crossed the Otter River. There we were greeted with signs saying the Coast Path we had come up yesterday was closed. We had seen a huge crane down the path and some locals we met this morning told us the path was closed today so they could put some concrete spans on a new bridge being built. It was supposed to be closed from the 4th Sept but the contractors are a little behind schedule, Luckily we got through yesterday as it would have been a long diversion on a road otherwise. Today we were not affected as we were going down the other side of the river.

Quite a varied walk today. A flat section along the pretty River Otter then some cliff walking and climbing with shear red cliffs on one side and typical English pastures on the other, more corn and a crop we couldn’t identify in a huge field all covered in fine white netting. At Brandy Head was an observation hut from WW II.  This was the range observation post for the top secret Gunnery Research Unit, based at RAF Exeter where among other things gimbal gun sights and cannon for aircraft were designed and tested. The observation hut has now been restored as quite luxurious accommodation for up to 6. From the hut through another large holiday park at Ladram Bay which had its own little beach with some sea stacks.  From there  the big climbs of the day to High Peak and Peak Hill and a fast descent through woodland into Sidmouth

At High Peak we had lunch part one of artisan bread, cheese and apples bought yesterday at the Otterton Mill Farm Shop. Washed down with coffee from our Kleen Kanteen.

When we descended down to Sidmouth the first beach we came to was Jacob’s Ladder Beach. which looked just so inviting we had to have a swim. We were very hot and sweaty after over 300m of climbing this morning. Like most of the beaches on this part of the coast it is of pebbles – 400 million year old pebbles. The pebbles are very loose and difficult to walk on. The beach is quite steep and once in the water gets very deep very quickly. The only way to get down the beach was to move on all fours like a crab and when we tried to stand up in the water immediately fell over and got dunked. We didn’t have our togs with us so Barbara took off her walking trousers and swam in her walking top and undies and I took off my walking top and swam in my walking shorts and undies. The water temp was 18 – 19″ and wonderfully refreshing. The strange thing was the water looked like it had vapour coming off a hot pool. The morning had been very hazy and at the beach you could not discern a horizon. The sea just blended into the cloudy sky. After our swim we sat on the beach to allow our clothes to dry out a bit and had lunch part 2 finishing off the bread, cheese and apples. Barbara reckons it would be so much easier to swim without clothes and in fact we later in the walk pass through some naturist beaches.

Jacob’s Ladder Beach has a stair structure from the beach up to a headland where there is a clock tower observatory, a restored 17th century lime kiln and a pseudo fort. At the base of the headland is the Clifton Walkway which takes you at sea level round the headland to the main beach at Sidmouth. Sidmouth is another seaside resort town similar in size to the others we have been through: Teignmouth, Dawlish, Exmouth, and Budleigh Salterton.

It didn’t get quite as hot today due to the hazy cloud and a slight sea breeze up on the cliffs. We felt so good all day. Our legs are now conditioned to walking every day and although we are tired at the end of each day we recover overnight to be raring to go again in the morning.