Day 39 – Clovelly to Instow

Diversion and delay of Ben’s and Gary’s train to Tiverton – overrunning engineering works between Newbury and Pewsey – gives John the opportunity to complete the Times crossword although none of us can work out why one particular clue leads to the answer “obeisance”. (Ben explains it a few days later with the help of the Times Crossword Club!) Delay also means that, following taxi to Clovelly (Ian not too chatty on this occasion), we don’t get under way until just after 11:00. Bit of rain in the air and, during the first couple of hours, we only catch glimpses of the sea due to much of the path running through woodland. Far more glimpses of pheasants (or should that be pheasant?) if truth be told. Weather gets brighter, but also very gusty, by the time we reach Westward Ho! and, with the tide high, the waves are pretty spectacular. The gusts also separate Ben from his map (his recovery efforts are conducted with minimal urgency) and cause sand in contact lens problems as we enter the dunes by the golf course. Alongside the dunes we encounter a man in a camper van who wants to know if we’ve seen his cockerel. This is not some dodgy Devon euphemism because we have, in fact, seen said cockerel (outside the man’s van two hundred yards earlier), but we can give no information as to its current whereabouts. The van’s tyres then become stuck in the sand, and John is the only good Samaritan among us who is prepared to help. Gary ascertains from sister-in-law Jo that the Appledore/Instow ferry over the Torridge isn’t operating because of the (supposedly) high winds and so, after we’ve rounded the golf course and Northam Burrows, Jo provides a car service from the Seagate pub in Appledore round to the ferry point in Instow. (This is preceded by a drink in the Seagate and an extraordinary conversation with a surly barman as to why he couldn’t mix two different strength ciders into one pint. Against the law apparently.....we bite our tongues!) Walk from Instow ferry point to the Wayfarer is only a few hundred yards, but saves doing it tomorrow. Freshen up and a drink in the bar before meeting Jo and husband Mike for a more than acceptable supper at The Boathouse restaurant . Return to the Wayfarer at 10:00 p.m. to find the pub closed. (See addendum 1 after day 40.) So straight to our rooms for an early night in preparation for the morrow.