Day forty-nine!! YES!! That means we will complete our entire loop of mainland Britain’s coast today. We are both feeling super excited!
Photo of the day
Driving on Uphill Beach
Burnham-on-Sea
From Bridgwater we made our first coastal stop of the day at Burnham-on-Sea. As we arrived the sun was just rising over the local sailing club & the mouth of the River Brue.The sailing club walls, with the colourful Burnham-on-Sea mural detracting from the security atop!The warm morning light gave Burnham-on-Sea’s beach a deep bronze glow, contrasting with the bright white Low Lighthouse……and behind that, the High Lighthouse was towering above Burnham-on-Sea’s coastal houses.
Berrow
Just outside Burnham-on-Sea, the 13th century St Mary’s Church at Berrow. As we wandered around, we realised the church had flood protection……as we walked behind the church, we realized why. Just the low-lying Burnham and Berrow Golf Course were separating it from Berrow Beach and the Bristol Channel. In the distance you can also just make out Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Station, an area that we skipped at the end of yesterday’s journey.We tiptoed down Berrow Beach.Groyne posts lined (fairly) neatly down the beach. There’s always one annoying one out of place 😉A solitary fisherman was patiently fishing in rather rough and chocolaty brown looking sea. Brean Down and its Fort in the background.
Brean Down
Driving past many static caravans hugging the coast, we arrived at the National Trust’s Brean Down. Despite the sunshine it was very cold and windy at the top of the limestone peninsula.Looking back inland along the ancient field system to Weston-super-Mare to the north and Berrow to the south.
Uphill
On the northern side of Brean Down, after quite a detour inland, we arrived back at the coast at Uphill Beach, with Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier coming into view. The beach was busy with kite-surfers.Look how murky and churned-up that Bristol Channel water is!Driving on Uphill Beach. In the distance you can just about see Steep Holm island off Brean Down in the middle of the Bristol Channel.
Weston-super-Mare
Pastel coloured beach huts lining Royal Sands as we drove into Weston-super-Mare.Driving alongside the seafront promenade past Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier entrance. Like so many piers, it had been badly damaged by fire in 2008. After a whopping £39-million restoration it was reopened two years later.Meanwhile further along the seafront, the Birnbeck Pier was looking a little sorry for itself. The closed and deteriorating pier is unique in that it links the mainland to an island (Birnbeck).There was a small cafe and information hut near the original pier entrance. The volunteers explained the several regeneration attempts of the pier since it closed in 1994. But so far sadly nothing has come to fruition.
Sand Bay
As we continued along the coast we stopped briefly at Sand Bay, with views north to the National Trust’s Sand Point.
Clevedon
The rather elegant Clevedon Pier, originally opened in 1869 as a landing for ferries crossing the Severn Estuary to South Wales.
Portishead
If you had mentioned Portishead to us before this trip, we would have thought you were talking about the 90’s band. Anyway, it turns out the band Portishead was named after the place, and here we are! The Battery Point Lighthouse at the end of the esplanade.Around the corner from Battery Point, we arrived at the surprisingly large and busy Portishead Quay Marina.
Tyntesfield House
Before crossing over the River Severn, we decided to drive inland to another National Trust property, Tyntesfield House and Estate. The Gibbs family had made their wealth in the guano trade (bird excrement fertiliser). The Victorian Gothic mansion looked stunning in the afternoon sun.A couple of handsome horses were pulling a cart up the estate driveway.
Severn Bridge
As we drove back along A403 and the Severn Estuary, we struggled to see anything worth taking a picture of. The area was mainly one long industrial estate. So we continued on our way crossing over the Severn Bridge….… and back into Wales (sorry a little blurry as we drove by).
Newport
The north side of the estuary felt far more rural than the south. After a few little dead-end detours, we finally made a stop near Uskmouth Power Station, for a short walk at the RSPB’s Newport Wetlands. Although we didn’t see much bird-life today, we did see the East Usk Lighthouse peeping over the nature reserve.The afternoon sun briefly came out again, illuminating the wetland meadows.As we crossed the River Usk, the unusual Newport Transporter Bridge came into view. It was completed in 1906 based on a french design. It solved the problem of crossing the fast Usk currents, enabled tall ships to pass under, and came in on budget.The ‘ferry’ is cleverly suspended like a gondola from a high level boom, and can carry 6 cars and 120 people every 7.5 minutes. OK that’s us geeked-out for the day 🙂
Tredegar House
Leaving Newport for Cardiff, we made our final National Trust country house stop at the Morgan family’s Tredegar House. We have definitely squeezed every penny out of our National Trust membership on this coastal road trip 🙂 The volunteers were all in costume and the house was all decked out for Christmas inside, maybe a little too much. It reminded us of our Christmas visit to the Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Florida a few years ago – the decorations there were so OTT!
Cardiff
Our final stop of the day and road-trip! Back in Cardiff Bay, we had celebratory cappuccino and a wander around the Wales Millennium Centre (AKA Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru). The impressive arts and entertainment venue that was completed in 2009.The centre’s sweeping staircase, one day we’ll have to come back for a performance.Yay! We did it. Back where we started 49-days ago! That’s the entire British mainland coastal road trip completed. What an amazing journey! Go on, give it a go yourself… 🙂
Almost there! One day to go until we complete the circumference of mainland Britain. Today we will continue along the north Devon coastline and into Somerset.
Photo of the day
White Lady in the Valley of Rocks near Lynton.
Westward Ho!
We made our first stop of the day at Westward Ho! Beach, still looking a little sleepy. 😉 The unusual village name came from the local author Charles Kingsley’s book Westward Ho!We don’t normally photograph pebbles, but these were lovely pebbles…. if you can call pebbles ‘lovely’?!
Appledore
Overlooking the River Toridge at Appledore. We briefly parked up on the Churchfields Slipway, but there was a parking attendant lurking around, so we moved on…
Bideford
Fishing boats moored at Bideford.The medieval Bideford Long Bridge reflecting in the calm River Torridge. The stone bridge is one of the longest of its age in the country.
Braunton Burrows
More reflections, this time on the River Caen at Velator Quay near Braunton Burrows.Skirting around the flat fields and marshlands of Braunton Great Fields. The area is Britian’s first Biosphere Reserve, designated by UNESCO.
Saunton
Jarno busy with a little more sand-graffiti at Saunton Sands.There were plenty of surfers taking the day off from work….…and as we left and drove around the headland to Croyde Bay we had a magnificent aerial view of all the surfers at Saunton Sands.
Croyde
Around the headland Croyde Bay and views to Baggy Point. A lovely crisp and fresh November morning.Yet more surfers in Croyde Bay, looking back from Baggy Point.Looking through some house gates at Baggy Point, this was their driveway and view – pretty cool!
Woolacombe
After several country lane diversions which lead us on a long journey inland, we finally ended up back at the coast on the north side of Baggy Point at Woolacombe. The beautiful wide open sands of Woolacombe Beach in Morte Bay. The beach is considered one of the best in the world, often winning prizes.Then looking north from Woolacombe Beach, past Barricane Beach and Grunta Beach to Morte Point.
Ilfracombe
The unusual double conical design of Ilfracombe’s Landmark Theatre, also know by locals as Madonna’s Bra ; -)!Ilfracombe was full of surprises, including Damien Hirst’s Verity bronze sculpture on the harbour front.To be honest the picture doesn’t do justice to how huge and impressive the Verity statue really was. We loved that a small town had embraced art like this.The more expected and traditional view of Ilfracombe Harbour.
Watermouth
Some dodgy looking character caught in Watermouth Castle’s stocks.Yachts below the castle in Watermouth Harbour.
Coombe Martin
Coombe Martin Beach nestled in a narrow valley. Random fact of the day – the village holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s longest street party!
Parracombe
As we continued our journey east, we drove slightly inland stopping in the tiny village of Parracombe. Winding our way through some of the smallest village lanes on our road-trip we finally found St Petrock’s Church up a muddy dirt track.The calm and quaint church originally dated back 13th century. In the late 19th century the poet John Ruskin helped save the church from demolition with a £10 donation.
Lynton
As we arrived in Lynton we first made a little detour through the Valley of Rocks. Glorious views west from the Valley of Rocks past the White Lady towards Wringcliff Bay and Woody Bay….…. and north across the Bristol Channel from the South West Coast Path.
Lynmouth
The West Lyn River gushing through Glen Lyn Gorge. In 1890 Lynton & Lynmouth were one of the first places in the country to be powered by hydro-electric power (from the East Lyn River).The local thatched-roofed pub built down Lynmouth’s steep hillside.Foreland Point across from Lynmouth’s seafront.
Foreland Point
Looking down on Foreland Point as we drove up Countisbury Hill.Views south across the rolling green Exmoor National Park from the National Trust’s Foreland Point.
Porlock
Crossing from Devon into Somerset, we took another detour from the main road. We winded down through the picturesque Porlock Manor Estate Toll Road overlooking Porlock Weir and Hurlstone Point.Another thatched-roofed pub as we reached Porlock.
Bossington
Horner Water tumbling through woodland to Bossington Beach.Tall chimneyed cottages lining the narrow lane from Bossington to Allerford on the Holnicote Estate.
Selworthy
The warm glow of the late afternoon sun illuminated the All Saints’ Church in the tiny village of Selworthy.Wow, this is how we imagined Somerset… and we were bang on. Selworthy’s cream thatched cottages on the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate.Selworthy Green, and so so quiet, again we were the only visitors as we wandered around.
Minehead
If you say Minehead to us, we think of Butlins (for the non-Brits – a holiday camp), but the view at dusk from the harbour couldn’t be more different…The sculpture on Minehead’s seafront by Sarah Ward, marking the end (or start!) of the 630-mile South West Coast Path.
Blue Anchor
The view across Blue Anchor Bay back to Minehead.
Watchet
After passing Dunster Castle, we made our final stop of the day at Watchet, where we found the harbour car-park surround by interesting street-art murals. We then continued our journey via the National Trust’s Coleridge Cottage (which was closed) to Bridgwater for the night. Just one day to go until we complete our 49-day British Coastal Road Trip!!!
