2024 01 Spring with bleed V4 - Flipbook - Page 34
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walK Ng
With Eric and Sue Puffett
East from Budleigh Salterton. The start of this well-posted stretch of the
coastpath is just over an hour's drive from Kings Nympton. There are
various places to have a drink or bite to eat in the town, before or after the
walk. Access is near a large carpark close to the new bridge at the east
end of Budleigh promenade. The River Otter Estuary at the end of the
beach ( which is 2.5 miles of pebbles) is
now a 57 acre nature reserve and the
beginning of the World Heritage Jurassic
Coast which has stunning red sandstone.
To cross the
mouth of the
Otter you
follow the river
inland, past
several bird
hides where you can stand & watch . If you are
lucky you may even see an otter or a beaver4
the product of a highly successful reintroduction trial. When (after 1km) you reach a
road bridge you cross it following signs to a farm shop.* You then turn
right on to the coast path again until it meets the sea, and you turn left
heading for Ladram Bay and Sidmouth. Due to time restraint we stopped
our outward walk at the Brandy Head Observation Post (available as
accommodation!) which is a historic WW2 bombing raid observation
post. It was here that Professor Sir Bennett
Melville Jones perfected a revolutionary aircraft
gunnery sight, which helped ensure allied air
superiority on D-day. The return walk follows the
outward path but is still lovely. The walk took just
under two hours.
*editors note4to extend this into a circular walk,
continue straight ahead to Otterton. At Otterton
Mill (good café) turn right through the town and
More pictures and beaver videos online!
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