Distance: 10.3 miles
Severity: Moderate to strenuous
Time it took us: 5hrs 27 mins
Steps: 28,453
So what have Top Gear, The Night Manager and the film Element of Doubt have in common?
Answer, they all have scenes that were shot along the stunning Hartland Peninsula, and I can see why after completing the this particular leg as part of our mission to walk all 630-miles of the South West Coast Path.
Numerous tough climbs and descents had the heart pumping and calories burning, but this section is particularly pleasing on the eye and well worth the effort.
It begins at the unique and picturesque village of Clovelly, a place we’ve actually still no got round to exploring yet. We were so exhausted at the end of our previous stretch from Appledore to Clovelly, we couldn’t quite face yet another steep climb down into the village and then back up again! And, with more than 10 tough miles ahead of us to Hartland Quay, we wanted to get cracking and made a mental note to visit the village another day.
The Path heads out from Clovelly's main car park along tracks and through stunning woodland before reaching an unusual seat known as the 'Angel's Wings'. Turning a hard right at the track you hit stunning viewpoint before the path descends steeply into a valley.
A run of stunning high cliffs and valleys include Mouth Mill where you cross a stream and head inland past a lime kiln. These ascents and descents are a little taxing to say the least, but great for the glutes. After Windbury Castle the path continues on the cliff top to Shipload Bay and on to Hartland Point.
Pause here for refreshments at the cafe (open April to October) before tackling another couple of steep valleys, past the 'two eyed rock' and over flatter open farmland before edging nearer to our finishing point at Hartland Quay.
A truly is a spectacular stretch with some of the most breathtaking sights.
Our day finished 28,400 steps later at The Wreckers Retreat for the most delicious pint of cider ever tasted.
The next stretch, Hartland Quay to Morwenstow, will finally takes us across the border into Cornwall.
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