MORWENSTOW TO BUDE
I have set myself the challenge of walking the Cornish Coastal path. It is just short of 300 miles to get from Morwenstow in the very north east of Cornwall to Cremyll in the south east. I made a start a couple of months ago in March when I walked from Morwenstow to Bude which is just over 8 miles.
The weather was dry with light cloud but it was quite a grey day and the wind was cold. The temperature was around 7 degrees centigrade.
Very early into my walk a came across ‘Hawker’s Hut’ a small wooden hut built into the cliff. This hut was built by the Reverend Hawker in approximately 1835, he used driftwood to build his retreat. Reverend Hawker is famous for being credited with introducing the Harvest Festival to the church calendar. See the picture of the hut and the view Hawker would have enjoyed.
This leg of the coast does have a number of steep descents and ascents due to the nature of the high cliffs dipping down into valleys with streams.
As I wondered along the cliff top path, I came across a flock of sheep – they were freely roaming the cliff. It is true to say that until I got nearer Bude, the sheep were the only thing I met coming in the opposite direction. Generally all walkers (and runners – yes runners!) were walking in the same direction – that is from east to west along the top of the north Cornish coast.
Getting nearer Bude there was much more favourable walking with open spaces and a gentle slope but then you get to Northcott Mouth – another descent. All I can say is that I was relieved that I was going down this and not having to climb it. I think this was probably the steepest incline of the walk with steps built into the cliff.
A short walk on and you come to Summerleaze Beach, a bigger sandy beach and generally considered the most popular in Bude.
Look out for details of the next stretch soon.