After a good nights sleep and a delicious breakfast, we started day 2 of our walk by walking out of Sidmouth along the Esplanade towards Salcombe Hill Cliff.
After a steep assent up Salcombe Hill Cliff through fields of buttercups, we were met with the reward of this glorious of Sidmouth nestled below the cliff and way beyond.
After our steep assent, we were met with a equally steep and somewhat treacherous descent down to Salcombe Mouth Beach.
Sidmouth in the distance peeking out from behind Dunscombe Cliff.
Looking back to Branscombe Mouth and The Sea Shanty Cafe, where we enjoyed refreshing tea and delicious cake!
Walking towards Beer.
The Lovely roof tops of Beer.
Leaving Beer behind and onward to our final destination Seaton.
The very quirky pedalabout roundabout in Seaton! A partnership between Seaton Town Council and Axe Valley Pedallers Cycle Club.
We started day one of our two day walk, on the Esplanade at Exmouth by the clock tower built in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.
Looking west up the beach to where the River Exe enters the English Channel, with Dawlish Warren in the distance
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The Orcombe Point Geoneedle (look its got arms). The Geoneedle marks the western end of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. It was unveiled by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in 2002, at the inauguration of the World Heritage Site. The sculpture was designed and built by Michael Fairfax. The Geoneedle is constructed from a variety of different stones, representing the major building stones to be found on the Jurassic Coast and the sequence of rocks that form this part of the coastline.
The panoramic view over Sandy Bay from the South Beach Cafe (part of the Devon Cliffs Holiday Park). The day was so gloriously warm, we felt compelled to sit awhile with a chilled libation!
Our drinks finished, we left the holiday park behind and walked towards the dramatic cliffs called The Floors. The buildings of Budleigh Salterton can just be seen in the distance.
The dramatic Floors Cliff.
The dramatic Floors Cliff - the place of many significant landslides. The cliffs are 250 million years old.
Looking back from the highest point of Floors Cliff towards Exmouth in the distance.
Our ascent into Budleigh Salterton.
Looking through the trees to the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve.
Looking back towards Budleigh Salterton, with the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve in the foreground.
Looking towards Ladram Bay Caravan Park.
Some of the stunning flora growing on the edge of the cliffs.
Big and Little Picket Rock from High Peak.
Looking towards Sidmouth and in the very far distance can just be seen the white cliffs of Beer Head.
With the end of our first days walk in sight, we ascended into Sidmouth.
Julie enjoying a well-earned cup of tea at our bed and breakfast The Cheriton Guest House, which we would very much recommend! See their website:
http://www.cheriton-guesthouse.co.uk/
At the start of this walk picked up from where we left off on 20th June 2012, when we walked from Oldbury to Portishead Marina. Today after an uncomplicated drive from Gloucester, we started our walk in the Marina itself. Whilst still a working marina, in has in recent years been heavily modernised. The area now boasts modern flats and apartments, as well as shops, bars and restaurants.
The photograph on the left shows a dramatic piece of modern sculpture called the Flying Sculpture, made of stainless steel, was a joint project by artist Lucy Glendinning and and Persimmon Home. The sculpture attempts to demonstrate the impression of freedom and the power the sea gives.
Information about the marina and its industrial heritage.
The moorings of the marina with modern accommodation behind.
On our way through the marina we spotted this lovely sculpture of a rather furtive looking rat! It was hiding between the bars of a car park belonging to nearby accommodation.
More sculpture en-route through the marina, the photograph left called the Angel Islington Sculpture.
During our walk we spotted many of these beautiful iridescent green beetles called Mint Beetles.
Walking on the banks of the River Severn just outside Portishead.
A famous local landmark, The Portishead Black Nore Lighthouse, has helped sailors navigate the Bristol Channel at Portishead for over 100 years. The lighthouse situated by Nore Farm, was installed in 1894, prior to which shipwrecks were common in the area. The lighthouse was decommissioned in September 2010, when Trinity House decided it was no longer needed. On hearing the news The Friends of Black Nore Lighthouse created a trust and raised money to purchase the land and lighthouse from Trinity House. The handover took place in October 2012.
Looking towards the Bristol Channel.
Redcliff Bay became popular between the wars as a place for holiday and retirement homes.
A flying insect on flowering gorse.
The very elegant pier at Clevedon. The only intact Grade 1 listed pier in country, completed in February 1869, at the grand cost of £10,000.
The pier has a website which give lots of additional information : -
www.clevedonpier.com
Looking towards Clevedon from the pier.
Walking along the pier.
At the end of our walk, we stopped for a savoury cream tea (cheese scones, cream cheese and chutney) at Tiffin Tea House (www.tiffinteahouse.co.uk). Julie was clearly very excited at the prospect (sorry Julie) :-).
This was a second attempt of the disastrous walk we first tried on 12th November 2012. Thankfully, as you will see, the weather was much more clement, fresh and sunny with uplifting blue skies. On arrival at the rather futuristic looking Newport Station (left), we walked the short distance to Newport Bus Station, in order to catch the bus to Maesglas Retail Park, and the start of our walk.
Andrea pictured just in front of the Maesglas retail Park.
Julie at the same location. With memories still fresh in our minds of the last time we attempted this walk, and all went badly wrong, we were this time very careful indeed, to check maps, guides and compasses (and not take directions from locals)!
Once again to the banks of the beautiful River Usk. Sadly for us no sightings of Kingfishers today, although we did keep a keen eye open for them!
Looking across some very waterlogged fields towards the Newport Transporter Bridge, which we plan to use ourselves in one of our future walks.
Looking across the mouth of The River Usk to the industry of Newport.
The West Usk Lighthouse, on the Severn and Usk Estuaries, overlooking the Bristol Channel. Built in 1821, by Scottish architect James Walker. It was the first of 21 lighthouses he built. The building is now a bed and breakfast, therapy centre and wedding venue. See their website
http://www.westusklighthouse.co.uk/
Julie walking through the Gwent Levels. The estuary is described as an 'international service station' for emigrating and wintering shorebirds. It provides a vital habitat for birds to feed and rest.
Walking along one of the wharfs this one is probably Little Wharf just before the Rhymney River, but it just might be Peterstone Great Wharf or Rumney Great Wharf. It's almost certainly Little Wharf, as just afterwards we came to the outskirts of Cardiff and encountered shocking levels of litter and waste strewn along the channel. Hundreds upon hundreds of plastic bottles lying around. Appalling and the shock of which meant we took no further photographs of this walk. But thankfully we did reach our destination - Cardiff.
