Overview:
Date: 22 June 2024
Location: North Devon, England
Total distance: 12.7 kilometres (7.9 miles)
Elevation gain: 434 metres (1,424 feet)
Highlights: Views over the North Devon coastline, swimming in the tidal pool at Tunnels Beach, sunset at the beach in Combe Martin
Summary: A beautiful day on the North Devon coast, hiking from Combe Martin to Ilfracombe
Trip log:
Background
In 2019, Brett and I went on our first backpacking trip – a two night trip in North Devon, organised by the university's Expedition Society. On a rainy October day, we walked for over 12 hours, starting in Combe Martin, passing Ilfracombe and trudging onwards towards Georgeham. It was a long and challenging day, but looking back, it's clear to see how important this trip was for us. Not only was it our first time hiking and camping on the South West Coast Path (SWCP) together, but as we hiked for hours in the dark and rain, we realised we could count on each other even in challenging circumstances. It is, perhaps, unsurprising then that this stretch of the coast path holds a special place in my heart.
So, when Annabel and I were planning a camping trip in North Devon earlier this year, I suggested we hike from Combe Martin to Ilfracombe. On a grey Saturday morning in mid-June, Annabel picked me up and we drove to Combe Martin, a small town in North Devon. We pulled in at the Newberry Valley Touring and Camping Park, which is where I'd camped back in 2019 on the Expedition Society trip. The campsite was lovely, but we both agreed that £31 a night for two people seemed a bit expensive. Thankfully, they let us leave the car at our pitch, so by 11:00, we were setting off on our hike to Ilfracombe.
As we were leaving the campsite, it started sprinkling. Classic Devon! Luckily it never rained properly. The first part of the hike follows the road out of Combe Martin, before dipping into the forest on the side of the road.
We walked past the impressive viewpoint overlooking Broadsands Beach. Since the clouds were still hanging heavy over the coast, we agreed to come back in the afternoon. The forecast had predicted sun all day, so we were keeping our fingers crossed for sunny weather later.
By the time we passed Watermouth Harbour (where I'd flown my drone back in 2019), the sun was out and it was feeling much warmer.
The harbour is definitely less charming at low tide, but we enjoyed the views nonetheless.
We stopped for a picnic lunch at a viewpoint overlooking Samson's Bay. We had quite the feast – sourdough bread, hummus, fresh veggies, cheese, and olives! In the distance, we could see the faint outline of southern Wales, as well as the tiny island of Lundy.
As we sat enjoying our lunch, we remarked at how even though we've both done multiple hikes on the South West Coast Path in Devon, we're still always amazed at how beautiful it is. The sea sparkled in the sunlight, dozens of shades of blue, while lush green vegetation coated the rocks that jutted out of the water. On a perfect summer day, there's almost nowhere I would rather be. We agreed that it's a joy to live somewhere with such incredible nature!
After lunch, we continued on towards Ilfracombe. At points, the trail was overgrown and it became hard to see our feet below the thick layer of bracken. Amongst the green, I enjoyed spotting bright Foxgloves.
The views from the Haggington Hill picnic area were incredible.
For awhile, we found ourselves back on the road, but the sidewalk meant I never felt unsafe. After passing Hele Beach, the South West Coast Path left the road and headed into the Hillsborough local nature reserve, the last stretch before arriving into Ilfracombe.
There was a fantastic viewpoint over the historic harbour town from there.
Turning away from the coast briefly, the trail led us through a lush green forest with views out over the surrounding countryside.
We passed a golf course before dipping down into the heart of Ilfracombe, where we took the opportunity to enjoy an ice cream overlooking the harbour. Even though I've lived in the south west for years now, I'm still always slightly bemused by the sight of boats lying with their bellies exposed on the harbour floor at low tide. I can confidently say that Ilfracombe is much more charming at high tide.
The good thing about the low tide, however, was that it meant we could visit Tunnels Beaches. We each paid £3.75 to enter the beach, which is accessed by traversing a long tunnel through the cliffs. Although we were surprised that no one else was swimming in the tidal pool, we wasted no time in getting changed into our swimsuits and dipping into the (still freezing) water. It was my third swim in as many days!
After a nice swim, we quickly packed everything up and walked up onto the Ilfracombe High Street to catch the bus back towards Combe Martin. We got off at Watermouth Harbour and retraced our steps to Broadsands Beach, which was now bathed in soft sunlight. The path down to the beach was steep!
Down on the beach, we spent a few minutes exploring, clambering over the rocky coastline.
We had each brought two swimsuits with us, in preparation for a double-dip day. After changing into our dry swimsuits, we waded into the beautiful blue water. I wasn't even hip-deep when I felt something brush my leg. Looking down, I spotted a jellyfish. And then we spotted another. And another. Disappointed, we decided not to swim as we didn't want to risk getting stung! Instead, we relaxed on the sand in the sunshine. I took some self-portraits amongst the coastal cliffs – I love the contrast of the white dress against the dark rocks! When I'd filled my camera SD card, I went back to where Annabel was sunbathing on the beach. It's a good thing I stopped shooting when I did, as the tide was quickly coming in, cutting off the rocky part of the beach I'd been shooting in.
We moved to the main part of the beach to avoid being trapped by the tide. As we relaxed in the sun, I did a quick water colour painting. Please be kind – I'm not a painter, just playing around with watercolours for the first time since school!
As the tide continued to creep closer, we steeled ourselves for the steep climb out of the cove before walking back along the road to our campsite.
Back at the campsite, we put up Annabel's tent, showered, and cooked dinner. Annabel had treated us to a delicious dinner – homemade chili, served with avocado and peanuts! I was quickly reminded of how lush car camping can be: Annabel's tent was huge and we could relax on her camping chairs instead of having to sit on the ground!
After finishing dinner, we walked back down to the coast. The cliffs glowed golden in the light of the setting sun. At the main beach in Combe Martin, a DJ was playing ambient music, while groups of people relaxed on the beach – it honestly felt like we'd stepped onto a beach in the south of France! We rushed back to the campsite to grab the camping chairs, then headed back to the beach, where we sat reading our books as the sun set over the sea.
What a perfect end to a delightful day!
A bit of a throwback...
Here's a few photos from mine and Brett's first backpacking trip together back in October 2019. You might recognise some of the same views, but as you can tell, the weather was a lot less favourable!
Resources:
Combe Martin to Woolacombe: https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walksdb/139/
Getting from Exeter to Ilfracombe or Combe Martin by public transport: It's a bit of a trek, but it is possible. Get the train from Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple, then catch the 301 bus. According to Google Maps, this should take around 2.5 hours.
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