JOHN MERRILL'S EAST DEVON CHALLENGE WALK - 23 MILES
ABOUT THE WALK AND STORY -
Where shall we go for Easter”?, the girlfriend asked. I pondered and said we have not been to Cricket St. Thomas, highlighted in this brochure. So we booked. I didn't realise where it was on the Somerset/Devon border and bought an Explorer OS map, so I could sneak off and do a long walk, on one of the days. Looking on the map I was stunned, it was perfect location and could revisit places that my parents took me years ago as a child. I could also walk some of the coast. Many synchronises suddenly fell into place. I had just seen the film, "The lost city of Z", which awaken my distant interest in Amazonian explorations and the books I had read many years ago, about the explorer, Colonel Fawcett. I soon discovered he used to live in Seaton, so I could imagine him and his sons walking the remote cliff paths between Lyme Regis and Seaton; it does have a sense of wild jungle about it.
Obviously I walked this section of coast on my round Britain walk and knew it was regarded as a remote and a hard section; the hardest on the south coast. So I knew I would have to include it in my walk. My parents lived near Seaton and so I have walked it several times. I spread the map out and five minutes later I had the walk worked out - about 23 miles and starting from the village of Musbury. I had no idea what was there and when I did get there at 6am to start the walk I almost collapsed in amazement. There was a small car park at the start and the church was dedicated to St. Michael; I had only recently walked to Mont St. Michel in France.
Apart from the coast the inland section was all new to me and was again stunned to pass Musbury Castle, which reminded me of Maiden Castle near Dorchester, which I was taken to every time we visited my grandparents in Weymouth. The sun was shining although it was only 5 degrees celsius, and as usual, I was wearing just shorts and a T shirt, but I knew I would soon warm up. From St. Michael's church I joined the East Devon Way and headed for Lyme Regis. I had had no breakfast, just a glass of milk, but had several bars of chocolate in my pack. I saw no one until I neared Uplyme after 5 miles. As I descended a lane I joined a dog walker, who was walking to get the daily paper. She confessed that her knees hurt but was manageable downhill. Her husband would come and pick her up, for she couldn't manage hills anymore. I felt slightly embarrassed being so healthy and fit, for it turned out we were both the same age, and I have noor restrictions. "I loved to do long walks but these days are gone now", she said. I wished her well and had to turn off the lane and continue along the way to Lyme Regis.
I remembered The Cobb and the boats as I picked up the South-West Coast Path. I didn't feel hungry and decided I would stop in Seaton, 8 miles away. The coast path to there is rugged with many steps uphill and downhill. A Large notice advises that because of the terrain and remoteness of the path you should allow between 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours to complete it. Once you start you are committed for there are no paths out of it or to the shore. I relished the challenge and took 3 hours over the section, only being passed my an occasional runner. I could well imagine Colonel Fawcett walking through here with a machete in his hand, reliving some of his Amazon days.
In Seaton I sat on a bench above the pebbled shore and forced myself to stop and eat something. A couple of Bakewell slices and an aero bar was all I could eat. Reluctantly I left the shore and began the walk out of the town, passing the Seaton Electric tramway. In time I would walk beside the River Axe and rejoin the East Devon Way as I neared Musbury. After nine hours I was back at St. Michael's church and car-park. It had been a fantastic walk soaking up the beautiful and quiet landscape of Devon, of the little lanes, the views and coastline. I was thrilled to make my reaquintance to the area and could see Golden Cap and Portland Bill in the distance, all rather like a second home. On my coast walk I had had to say goodbye to a sponsored walker on Golden Cap in the dark. I pressed on along the coast and I never knew if he got out alright! I had to reach Lyme Regis for a media rendezvous and reached there at 9pm after walking 38 miles. I did 39 mile the next day to Exmouth via Seaton.
Overall this is a lovely walk in East Devon, with views, good paths and a challenge to do. The secret is to enjoy it and appreciate the countryside and landscape you pass through. Observe the flowers and birds and the remoteness.
A5 guide. Wrapped in a plastic cover and signed by John Merrill.
Embtoidered Walk badge and signed certificate for successful walkers.
All names added to my Walkers Roll of Honour page.
Have a great walk. Happy walking! John.