Time Departed: 9.00am 

Time Arrived: 2.00 pm 

Distance: 13 kms 

Weather: Dull, cool morning, Sunny afternoon  - Min 12, Max 18 

Accommodation:  The George Inn, Braunton 

Feelings: Henk - Relaxed, Di - Relaxed 

It was an easy walking day and for the first time we woke to an overcast start to the day. Breakfast was in the hotel’s stylish dining room overlooking the vast beach with an outgoing tide. Once again we took our time as it was a shorter walking day. We firstly walked down to the beach from the hotel before setting off as I wanted to see the colourful beach huts. We saw these in the distance yesterday as we descended to the hotel. There was a sign advertising the prices for the hire of a hut as well as the deck chairs. 

After two hours of pleasant, flat walking which went through a golf course and Ministry of Defence land we took a small diversion to the edge of Crow Point. We overlooked the estuary of the Rivers Taw and Torridge as we had morning tea. The tide was still going out and many boats were sitting on sand.

Our walk passed through Braunton Burrows which is a massive privately owned sand dune system, the largest in the UK and UNESCO registered. It was also used by the Americans for D-Day training during World War II.

From the sand dunes there was a path diversion which took us onto a long, high levee bank overlooking the River Caen and onto the Braunton Canal with marshland on one side and low farming land on the other. It gave us a good example of how the extreme tides are in the area. 

Along the levee we had to climb a number of stiles made of stone and slate which seem to serve no purpose as animals could have gone round the fences from either side.

On the edge of Braunton we walked through a very ordinary industrial area, Velator Industrial. Henk noticed there was a cafe on Google Maps and it was good timing for lunch. As we progressed through the estate we doubted if the cafe would be a place to eat but when we turned the corner the Quay Cafe was heaving with older walkers and cyclists. The walkers were part of a Friday walking club. 

Whilst looking unpleasant and industrial outside it was a different, inviting place inside. I found an empty picnic table amongst the walkers and Henk ordered two ham, cheese and tomato toasties and a drink. This cost was 26 pound ($56A). We decided to question the bill but when the toasties arrived it was a meal so we had a much larger lunch than we expected and decided not to question the bill.

From the cafe there was under a kilometre to walk to our old but comfortable hotel, The George Inn which is located on Braunton’s busy High Street. We shared a pizza for dinner at the inn and after dinner walked up and down the High Street. It was quite busy as it was a Friday evening. On our return to our room we heard the band starting up downstairs in the pub. It was loud and throbbing and not our type of music at all. Henk looked up the inn’s website and the band will be playing to 11.00pm. We may be a bit tired tomorrow. 

This is the profile of our very flat walk with only 62m of ascents.