Time Departed: 9.30 am

Time Arrived: 2.00 pm 

Distance: 10 kms 

Weather: Overcast, cool, late drizzle - Min 8, Max 17

Accommodation: Royal and Fortescue Hotel, Barnstaple

Feelings: Henk - Excited , Di - Happy

It was a momentous day for us. After 22 years we have finally finished walking the South West Coast Path, a distance of 1000 kms and covering the four counties of Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. The total height climbed was 35,000m, four times Mt Everest. During this part of the walk we climbed the highest point on the path, Great Hangman near Combe Martin at 318m. 

We walked the SE Coast Path in four stages:

St Ives to Plymouth - 300 kms in 2004

Land’s End to Barnstaple - 260 kms - in 2009 (as part of the Land’s End to John O’Groats Walk)

Plymouth to Poole - 360 kms in 2023

Minehead to Barnstaple - 120 kms in 2026 

In contrast to the many, many hard days covered during the four stages, today’s walk was on tarmac and as flat as a pancake. We walked on the Tarka Trail, a sealed disused railway line. It’s a long weekend and there were many walkers and cyclists on the popular trail. 

We initially walked alongside high fences where the Royal Marines Barracks Chivenor are based on the north shore of the River Taw. After an hour’s walking we came across the well-positioned Waterside Cafe overlooking the Taw Estuary. We only had a tea and coffee as we had a big breakfast of pancakes, bacon and maple syrup. We stayed about 40mins watching the river tide running fast out to sea and talking to fellow walkers.

Along the trail more farmland appeared on our left and there were abandoned large boats on our right with the low tide. 

As we walked closer to Barnstaple we had extensive views of the township from the path. 

Lunch was at the histórical Queen Anne’s Cafe on the Strand overlooking the River Taw. After yesterday’s huge lunch we opted to share a sandwich so we wouldn’t spoil tonight’s celebratory dinner for the completion of the walk. We chose to sit in the open at a picnic table. 

Above where we sat for lunch was a plaque mentioning that five ships sailed from the very spot in 1588 to fight the Spanish Armada.

In contrast to last night’s homely hotel we are staying in the smart Royal and Fortescue Hotel on the High Street of Barnstaple.

At the hotel Henk needed an afternoon nap. He wasn’t able to sleep with last night until the loud music at the hotel stopped so it was a late night for him. I went straight to sleep and slept like a baby! 

We had to unpack our backpacks and reorganise our baggage for tomorrow’s train trip to London. Our backpacks are now at the bottom of our suitcases and we have one suitcase each for ease of movement getting on and off the trains. 

Dinner was at the hotel’s stylish restaurant and we celebrated the end of our walk. 

At the next table was an elderly English couple whose children and grandchildren live in Australia. We had a lovely conversation with them. The ceiling of the wood-lined dining room is 400 years old and was completed in 1620 by a prominent school of north Devon plasterers. It depicts four biblical scenes. The white plaster on the dark grey background was striking however the photo picks up other lighting in the room. 

And so ends the first part of our holiday and the completion of the SW Coast Path.