Day 3

August 11^th Depart Lynmouth

Arrive Ilfracombe Accommodation: Varley House Guest House

Distance 29.93 KM. | Cumulative Distance: 65.03 KM

Grade – Moderate/Strenuous

Ascent 6,046 FT | Cumulative Ascent: 11,400 FT

Day 3 was an amazing experience with lots of ups and downs and glorious vistas.

Awoke at 5-45 am after a very fitful sleep, due to the fact the folks in the bedroom next door went to bed at midnight, and I heard their toilet being flushed, taps running and so on. In all reality I'm a poor sleeper and I figure I must have been a guard in the Roman Army in a former life.

Our Landlord shared some interesting news with us over breakfast. Firstly, the Bristol Chanel has the 2nd highest tides in the world at 11 metres, which is only eclipsed by Canada's Bay of Fundy.

Then we were told that Hangman Hill, which we would be climbing later that day, is the highest hill in England, and finally that Combe Martin has the longest high street of any village in England.

A bonus for the day was the the fact the Marcus, the German fellow, and I had decided to walk together and so at 8-35 am we set out into a lovely morning and walked right past the train up to Lynmouth, and resisted the temptation to take the easy way up. Shortly after the train was the trail and a 3/4 mile hike up to Lynmouth. Once at the top we were greeted with a nice Tarmac path, that led around the cliffs, and every turn was a postcard. After a short while we were greeted with a bleating of goats at the Valley of the Rocks.

Shortly thereafter we started downhill on a road that led past the Convent and ahead we could see the days first big climb. Up and up we went and upon turning we were greeted with another spectacular view South, and this became the norm for day.

The total miles I was aiming for was around 17-18, and doing them uphill and down again is extremely hard work, especially with a backpack of 20 odd pounds, and at this point I would say that without all of the support and well wishes of my many sponsors I'm not sure I would have made it. It was the thought of all the many well wishes that got me through the day so I salute each and every one of you for helping me get through this incredibly difficult day.

After a while Marcus and I were taking a short break when we were joined by another German walker, Silvio, who was hiking solo, and so we all walked together on the steep decline to the bottom of the huge hike up Hangman Hill. As Silvio was the youngest, and fittest, we insisted that he lead the way and before you could blink he was gone! The climb went up and up and before long we could look across the valley down onto the steep path that we had come down a few minutes earlier. At the top we met a group of OAP's who were sat having a picnic, but I'm not convinced they came up from the direction we had just ventured, still, power to them for getting out and enjoying the day!

After Hangman we now started down to Combe Martin, which was Marcus's destination for the evening, and just as we were starting our descent a wicked rain storm hit us. It only lasted 5 minutes but that's all that was required to soak up. The trip thus fas has been all about these short sharp showers and we normally get 5-6 a day.

In Combe Martin Marcus insisted in buying me a Fanta orange drink as a thank you for providing him with a water bottle for the day, as he failed to pick up any water when we left Lynton, and then it was time for farewells and I had to resume my journey on to Ilfracombe. Oh how I wish I was done with the day! It had been a grueller !

This next leg was only 5 mile but it felt like 50! And it was on this section that 3 hiking shirts became 2 as the shirt I was wearing was " attacked" by a stray blackberry bramble. The gusting wind caught the vine and it landed on my shoulder and I can now put my finger through the hole.

I've deliberately provided a shortened version of my Day 3 as I'm trying to catch up after my malfunction at the B and B in Ilfracombe. I spent over 1 hour putting the days blog together and when I tried to post it the system failed me, which was very frustrating. Then yesterday morning I put together couple of paragraphs and could not find them this morning. So, it is with a certain trepidation that I'm now going to add my pictures and then hit send.

Thanks agin folks for all your support and well wishes and know they mean so much to me. Hopefully this evening I can get caught up.