WIDEMOUTH BAY TO CRACKINGTON HAVEN Stage 18 (7th June 2008)

We caught the #595 bus from to , arriving 20 mins late (due to heavy traffic) at 10.45. The path leaves the road very near the bus stop, running along the top of the beach for a few yards before a gentle climb towards . Although broken sunshine there was a cool west wind again. The path joins a road for about 1 km before leaving it again for a steep descent to a stream at . The path and road climb together up the other side to Ravens Beak where they part company, the path following the cliff top above a dense undercliff alongside . Above here we saw a large brown raptor, white markings on top and underneath wings, as well as a white tail, being mobbed by crows and a gull. There were flowers in profusion everywhere: thrift, fox gloves, red and white campion, white roses, birds foot trefoil, purple orchids and heather. Oyster catchers around Cleave, chevron folded strata at Millook and Lundy visible to north with hazy hills of South Wales beyond. After Dizzard Point there is a very steep descent with an immediate ascent by steps at . Another minor stream valley has to be crossed before the deepest one at . This zig zags down and up, so seems less severe than steps. A ridge walk out to Castle Point follows, with one more mini valley before the path heads towards , turning back before reaching it for a long descent into . We got there at around 15.00, in time for a cream tea before the #595 bus back to .

Total distance walked 7 miles (10.5km) Time 4.25 hours Ascent 556m

The South West Coast Path is the longest of the official UK National Trails, running from Minehead in Somerset round the English south west peninsula coast to Poole in Dorset. The total length is just over 1000 kilometres or, more precisely, 630 miles. Only very dedicated walkers could contemplate completing the whole walk in one go, although plenty of people have done just this. Received opinion is that it would take around 6 weeks, even for the most dedicated.

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