Sweet memories are a blessing

The present infinitesimal moment on which we travel through life leaves behind only a trail of memories. But even memories can be rich. We have just come back from a trip to visit Ali's mother in Devon and attend a nephew's wedding, and I had a day to myself whilst Ali went shopping. So I went on a memory trip.

Atlantic waves

Westward Ho!

My first stop was Westward Ho! It is possibly 50 years since I was here last and not much has changed. My goal was to taste the beach again and to locate the apartment block my parents rented. The beach satisfied: it is a long expanse of clean sand stretching over 2 miles. Of course I ran barefoot from end to end stopping only to take pictures and fight the breakers.

Looking south

Looking north towards Braunton

Around the tip of the beach to the Taw estuary

Towards the fishing village of Appledore

Westward Ho!

Zooming in to the apartment block

About here I would have purchased my daily icecream

This, I think, is where we stayed

In that door to the left - which opened into a dank smell

View from the apartment -
recalling that first thrill on arriving here

My next port of call was Lynton, or more accurately the coast to the left of Lynton. I followed signs for Martin Hoe and parked the car above Woody Bay. My goal was to retrace the euphoric walk I took during a Lee Abbey holiday. In fact I only retraced only a small part of it, but some is better than naught. True to memory I wore no top, but this time also barefoot.

Looking north-east from the top

Zooming in - the Valley of the Rocks is at top right

The glen leading down to Woody Bay

Woody Bay hotel

Looking west from the coastal path

Lee Abbey look-out tower

I followed the coastal path eastwards descending to Lee Abbey's beach which marked the starting point for my historic walk. I followed the coast westwards until defeated by unscalable rocks and sea, then retraced my steps to the beach where I swam for some while - the water so warm, so calm.

Regrettably I cannot remember how, back then, I continued westwards: there was no way-marked coastal path in those days. I think I must have used the road for a while before descending back to the coast at Woody Bay, but retracing that part of the route will have to await another occasion.

Lee Abbey private beach

The furthest I ventured

Lee Abbey

My last POI was Dunkery Beacon, the highest point in Exmoor.  Historically I would have walked here from Exford and continued on towards Dunster, but this time I cheated by parking perhaps less than a mile from the peak.  The views were fantastic.

I thoroughly enjoyed the day. Good memories, ephemeral though they may be, are certainly a blessing.

Towards Dunster

Looking south

The cairn

Towards west Exford and Lynton

An unknown hiker starts towards Dunster

This device wasn't there in my days!