East Devon Way - Part Four

Sunday 08 October 2023

This was our last leg of the delightful East Devon Way.  It was a beautifully sunny day and just crying out for a stroll down to Lyme Regis.  And so we did, for a flat and sunny 15 km.

We both drove to Lyme Regis - me trying to ignore the warning lighting in my car, sigh, another one - parked up then drove to Colyton where we picked up the path from last time.  We strolled down Rosemary Lane - the type of Lane I'd love to live on - passing an old 'Moggy' (Morris Minor).  This was my childhood car (well, not this one exactly, but similar).  We'd go on camping holidays as a family of 5 in this with trailer in tow.  

On the way out of Colton we passed Umborne Bridge Studio which looked worth an explore with arty stuff and a coffee shop, but it was too early to stop for a rest.  I loved the idea of an 'intense pencils course'.

We wandered past cows and up over the Seaton tram line.  Despite living near this for most of my adult life, I have never been on this.  I'm sure my time will come.

It was a really pleasant walk. Not overly taxing but beautifully sunny and rural.

We stopped at Musbury for a pub lunch, only to find that their chef was on leave.  But we stayed for a drink then wandered off to find their church.  And a ssh you-know-what.

Then up towards Musbury Castle through forest glades.  We actually detoured off to see the castle but there wasn't even a mound.  But the views were good!

More fields with no cows (always a highlight), then an interesting gate which bolted into the nearby tree.

We eventually espied the now disused Cannington Viaduct, apparently the largest structure built for a light railway in the UK.

Once at Uplyme we joined the Lim path which was really delightful.

At some stage we passed from Devon to Dorset so the path officially finished, but of course we strolled down to Lyme Regis.  I do love a sea view, and turned into a spotter especially when it's of 'my' beaches that my team monitors.  JC meanwhile was on a fruitless chip hunt but I'm sure the sea air made up for it ;-)  Or that's what I told him.

So now I need a new path to do.  I've got the Isle of Wight trail in my mind to do, but for something more convenient/local I think the next one may be the Tamara Coast to Coast Way?