Braunton to Instow, 21 km, 17m ascending, 4,228m accumulative ascending

That’s right only 17metres of climbing over 21 kilometres, 5 metres of climbing this morning and 12 this afternoon. After a while walking on the flat becomes a bit tedious and hard on the feet when it is on concrete or asphalt. Also it is more comfortable over a long distance when you can vary your stride going uphill, downhill, on steps, over stiles etc.

When we set off in the morning we usually rate the accommodation we are just leaving. They are mostly all very good and automatically rate an 8 or 9 out of ten. We are usually just nit-picking over whether they get a nine and three eighths or a nine and seven sixteenths. That is – was the fruit at breakfast just melon or was it blueberries and strawberries, were they feather pillows, did we get a cup of hot tea and scones when we arrived, etc. All very much first world issues.

Also when we set off in the morning to look for a bakery to get a fresh sandwich but failing this we go to a Boots or Tesco for a three pound meal deal. With these you get a main (sandwich, pasta, wrap, salad etc), a drink (juice, smoothie, water, cola etc) and dessert (fruit, crisps, cake, choc bar etc). They are a good deal but you wonder about the degree of processing to make meat, fruit etc last several days in the cabinet.

The route today was very simple. From Braunton walk up the Taw River for 10 kilometres, cross the bridge at Barnstaple and walk back down the other side of the river for 10 kilometres to Instow. A flat, mostly straight walk. The path both sides of the river is the line of the former railway track once used by the Atlantic Coast Express – hence its flatness and straightness. As well as our Coast Path it is part of Devon’s Coast to Coast Cycle Path and the Tarka Trail. The latter is a 52km trail from Braunton to Meeth following the journey of Tarka the otter in the classic tales written by Henry Williamson. We hadn’t ever heard of them!

This morning we walked alongside several kilometres of barbed wire fence surrounding the Royal Marines base at Chivenor Airfield, then past a sewerage treatment plant, but mostly alongside the estuary of the Taw River, with its interplay of water and sand and mud banks. This was very pleasant. The weather was overcast, warm, little wind but very humid. As we neared Barnstaple there was a light drizzle so it was raincoats on for the first time.

We crossed the Taw River on the Barnstaple Long Bridge, a stone bridge of sixteen arches, originally dating from the 13^th century but widened several times, partly destroyed and rebuilt, and probably lengthened over the years. Barnstaple was a bit dreary and grey looking today but from what we saw it has many fine works of architecture.

Starting back on the south side of the estuary the landscape on one side of the path is marshland and pasture, and on the other the tidal expanses and sand banks of the river. Flat, with long, long straights. We came to a lovely tranquil spot at Fremington Quay, once a busy port thriving on the import of coal and export of clay and pottery. The port closed in 1969 and the buildings are now used for a small museum, bike rental, public toilets and café. We made use of the latter two. We wanted to sit out the drizzle so had some delicious roasted red pepper and tomato soup.

More long flat straights then an amble around the Home Farm, East Yelland and Instow Barton Marshes, past two large jetties on the river, a short stretch of sand and we were in Instow. Our accommodation, Instow Barton B & B, is a converted farmhouse. Barton just means farmyard. Over the road is a very nice little church, St John the Baptist, where I spent some time looking around the grave yard and in the church.

Tomorrow is our last day on this part of the Coast Path when we walk around another estuary to Westward Ho!