Day 28 - Sidmouth, Branscombe Beer, Seaton, Lyme Regis, Charmouth

Tuesday 13th August
Total: 544+m  / Daily: 27m  / Blue Skies / A near death experience

4ish miles to Sidmouth, I was wandering along the sea front and hung my tent out to dry after a large amount of condensation has built through the night, it was much colder and I think I perhaps should have inflated my Thermarest. I was approached by a man who asked what I was doing and subsequently offered a coffee and break in his cafe across the way. I was planning on a coffee there but not a cooked breakfast too and he kindly offered both as a donation. The food at The Pea Green Boat was delicious and I would recommend it if you are visiting this regency town. Any place with bloody mary as the first item on the menu gets my vote.

There has been a noticeable increase in the number of information boards over the last couple of days and I've been learning about geology, plants and birds. Or rather, I've been fascinated by the information and then forgotten it straight away. It's probably been the same board over and over... One fun thing though is that sea-holly (that spiky scrub like plant you find in sand dunes) is closely related to the carrot!

The rocks round these parts were formed over 260million years ago which is apparently 1000 years per step through the Jurrasic Coast section (96 miles) that's 260,000 steps, which is roughly 2,700 steps per mile, or 135 steps per minute (based on 3 mph) which is 2.25 steps per second, probably about right. I agree with the sign.

Later in the day I came across a sign (see below) and with about 0.2l of water left, I thought 'can't be that bad'. I met two lads about 20years old who said I'd regret it but I chose to carry on. The area in question is called The Undercliff (already sounds ominous) and I had my pennies ready in order to enter! It was formed in the 1800s when I massive landslip caused a section 1km wide and up to 100m deep to drop into the sea forming a new section of low level land where there has been no human influence except the path since. My guide describes it as having 'an almost eerie character' and that '[it] feels claustrophobic at times' but if you have spent time wandering through forests this simply isn't the case. I felt quite comfortable and thoroughly enjoyed the wooded landscape with its dense scrub and heavily vined trees (see recent photos in the album).

Having survived The Underworld, I had supper sitting on the prom of Seaton watching boys play on their scooters and skateboards. I wanted to show one lad how to jump on a scooter properly.. but thankfully avoided the potential for massive embarresment and thought better of it. Walked late, setting up camp on top of a flat topped hill (one away from Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast) and slept comfortably in a grassy spot amongst the heather.