Christmas day 2019
Bideford to Instow in company with Charlotte, Nick and Malory. We really could not have ordered a better day and absolutely no regrets that I’m not slaving over a hot turkey. Starting from Bideford where I left off on Monday we crossed the old bridge to join the railway line which now serves as the Tarka trail. Memories of trundling along, also with Charlotte, on bikes many years ago. It’s a flat, pleasant walk, with waders of the bird variety calling out along the tide mark. The winter sun warmed our backs but provided a blinding glare for those coming towards us. Didn’t we plan that well? I like to mention the wildlife, if any, spotted on my walks and today was no exception if slightly random. Half way along orangutan, giraffe and selected monkey breeds were singing out a festive message to those choosing to hear. Who’d have thought it? Global warming or, more likely, Brexit. We peppered the walk with some Geocaching in an attempt to get the 3.2.1 souvenir. Google it if you need to know. I usually forget all about Geocaching when I walk but Nick is a stickler so I must credit him with more than half of my caches. Pulling into Instow station we joined a veritable throng of people out walking or heading for the pub. Being Christmas Day there was no room at the Inn but plenty of outside seating for us to stop for some festive cheer before going on to the beach. Dog heaven; all shapes and sizes, many with seasonal headgear or naff Christmas jumpers but how they were celebrating the arrival of low tide in conjunction with the sun. Malory went through her paces at Mach 3, she’s an uber fast beach babe. Every day from our house in Appledore we have watched the sands at low tide fill with masses of dogs and their people so it was good to be amongst them today. The irony being that our house just a few hundred yards away by boat, is 9 miles on foot and in the absence of a boat we are bound to retrace our steps. Thankfully we drove to Bideford so not the full 9 miles for us.
Total walk today 3.68 miles. How important those decimal points have become. 121.28 completed YAY!
Trailing acorns 