Baggy Point.
Start. Croyde Bay, National Trust car park at the end of Moor Road.
Route. Croyde Bay - Baggy Point - Whiting Hole - Middleborough Hill - Croyde Bay.
Notes. Today we were mugged, well and truly ambushed by the weather gods, we didn't so much walk as dissolve across Baggy Point, the storm snook up behind us, strong wind backed by driving rain, forced us to battle our way into the tempest, mind body and camera succumb to the damp, we opted with very little discussion to throw the towel in, well we would if we had a towel to throw in and head for shelter. Our route should have carried us across Baggy Point through Croyde then over Saunton Down, returning via the beautiful beach of Croyde Sand, some things are just not to be, I guess this was one of them.
We parked in the National Trust car park at the end of Moor Lane, donned the walking boots, threw our bags over our shoulders and set out along the lane, we soon joined an excellent, obviously well used stretch of coastal path, after passing the remains of a whale, washed up on the beach in 1915, or so the notice informed us, the path split, the high road or low, it was the low route we opted to follow, both meet at Baggy Point. This was an easy stretch of coastal walking, we soon stepped onto the sandstone cliffs at Baggy Point. It was while we were on the extreme tip of the point the rain hit quickly followed by strong winds, far too exposed to risk extracting waterproofs from bags, with invisible hands pushing us over the cliff top we almost crawled off the point. Once on safe ground clad in gortex we battled on, aiming for the shelter of a stone wall containing a stile that would allow access to Middleborough Hill. A wet and windy walk followed as we battled on through the storm, with no shelter we continued to a gorse thicket, Sue refused to stop, at the bottom of the hill the car park and the shelter of the waiting car beckoned her on.
Views across Croyde Bay.
Saunton Down seen across Croyde Sand.
Mentioned in the text above, all that remains of a large whale washed up on Croyde Sand in 1915.
En route to Baggy Point.
According to our guide book, because of the underlining sandstone Baggy Point lake the abundance of flora compared to many parts of Devon, obviously Sea Thrift is an exception to the rule.
Seen from the sandstone cliffs at Baggy Point the long finger of Morte Point across the aptley named Morte Bay.
Looking south to Saunton Down.
Caves, sandstone cliffs and airy ridges, this is an ideal location for men on ropes, some of Devon's favourite climbing cliffs are here.
Through the wind and rain Woolacombe Sand, like Croyde Sand a favoured location for surfers.
Grey on the far horizon Morte Point, you know the weathers bad when your 'e forced to take photos of stiles.....
.....and dry stone walls, albeit a bit different than the North of England.
Ascending Middleborough Hill looking back to Baggy Point.
Croyde Bay and sands, it just occurred to me, maybe we should of have gone surfing, well body boarding, the weather doesn't seem to bother the surfing fraternity.
Wet, weather beaten and refusing to stop.
Wet and windswept views over Croyde Bay.