Author Topic: Two Moors Way  (Read 10822 times)

rural roamer

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #30 on: 11:43:49, 27/06/19 »
Now on the train back to Exeter, shame yesterdays and todays weather wasn’t the other way round!


Mick-we saw your entry in the book in Lynmouth. I hear there were several of you passing each other. We saw hardly anyone and no-one signed the previous two days to us.

ninthace

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #31 on: 11:44:42, 27/06/19 »
The road walking in the mid section is virtually all on very quiet lanes which are typical of this part of Devon.  In winter, when the Moors are socked in with bad weather and the field paths are covered in mud, these lanes provide a good alternative where you can keep walking fit and still get some fresh air.  The secret is to pick the ridge lanes so you can enjoy the view.
Solvitur Ambulando

rural roamer

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #32 on: 21:09:45, 30/06/19 »
Yes I can imagine the lanes make for good walking in poor weather as we saw hardly any traffic on them. Just a bit hard on the feet especially in leather boots!

gunwharfman

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #33 on: 18:46:11, 18/07/19 »
How easy is it to get from Lynton to a railway station, or vice versa by public transport? Is Taunton the one to get on or off at?

ninthace

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #34 on: 19:28:43, 18/07/19 »
Nearest station to Lynton is Barnstaple.  There is a direct bus service.  Tiverton Parkway and then bus to Barnstaple and bus to Lynton is an alternative.
Solvitur Ambulando

gunwharfman

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #35 on: 19:43:25, 18/07/19 »
Thanks for the information, I've just spent a while looking at the National Rail site wondering why Barnstaple would not show on the screen, it was because I kept typing Barnstable!

rural roamer

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #36 on: 22:14:34, 18/07/19 »
We got the bus to Barnstaple from Lynton and then train to Exeter. Nearly an hour’s wait at Barnstaple though. Its a bit a walk between bus and rail station, but the bus driver said he’d drop us off at the station anyway as he had a while to wait before heading back!

gunwharfman

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #37 on: 20:29:13, 28/07/19 »
My summer walking plans just didn't happen, my wife and I devoted ourselves to her 94 year old mother who is very frail. She is now in a very nice residential home so all is now well for her.

Interesting lady my mother in law, joined the Wrens in WW2, served at a secret base the coast of Scotland with the group who sunk the Tirpitz and she knew Buster Crabbe. Lawrence Harvey made a film about him in the early 50s, black and white, I watched it a few months ago. It was Buster Crabbe that caused a newspaper/media sensation in the 50s when his headless body was found in Portsmouth Harbour. He had dived under a Russian warship that was visiting the UK at the time. Some say the incident is still a bit of a mystery, was it really his body? A Royal Navy person told me a few years ago that the night before his death he stayed in the Sally Port Inn, (now closed down) near the seafront and rumour has it that the hotel guest book is still missing the page where he signed in. Taken by MI6 so the story goes and never seen by anyone since.

I've decided that I will now hike the Two Moors Way so have booked a train for 5th Aug to Ivybridge. I think I did quite well, £20.80 single. For the past few days, the cheapest I could find was £35. Oddly the £20.80 fare today was via National Rail, the split ticketing site today was £36.

I'll return home from Barnstaple and worry about the fare cost towards the end of the hike. The school holidays seem to distort fares a lot.

I'm now going to go through all of the Forum entries and jot down all of the pubs and the campsite suggestions.

ninthace

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #38 on: 20:43:27, 28/07/19 »
Far be it for me to be pedantic GWM, but the RAF sunk the Tirpitz in Operation Catechism.  There is some debate as to which sqn was responsible as both 617 and 9 Sqns were involved but 9 Sqn has the fireplace from the Tirpitz as a souvenir. The RN damaged it in Operation Source but they did not sink it.
Enjoy the TMW, give me a wave as you pass Witheridge.
« Last Edit: 21:08:29, 28/07/19 by ninthace »
Solvitur Ambulando

gunwharfman

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #39 on: 21:17:49, 28/07/19 »
Yes, 'sunk' was incorrect, 'damaged' would have been better. My wife has just reminded me that the submarines had a go in 1943 and the RAF finished the job in 1944.

My mother in law also represents another bit of history, she was one of many in the 40s that contracted Tuberculosis but she was lucky because the latest drugs to cure it was invented and arrived just in time to save her. She is still alive today at 94 and had three healthy children.

I find that now I'm 74 these things become very relevant to me today. For example in the pub last night we were talking about air pollution, the younger drinkers think its a new thing. It isn't, I vividly remember the London smogs and my sister often reminds me when I had my first motorbike (a Francis Barnett single-cylinder 225cc) I used to come home sometimes, from visiting a girlfriend with a black grimy face. My sister remembers scrubbing it all off with soap and flannel from the family white enamel bowl. I remember the bowl but not being cleaned up.



ninthace

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #40 on: 21:36:30, 28/07/19 »
Indeed, it was the @12,000 (estimates vary) deaths caused by the Great Smog of 1952 that lead to the passing of the Clean Air Act of 1956.  Can you imagine anyone tolerating that carnage these days?


I can also remember as a child we drove from Luton to Bedford in a smog.  Dad told mum to follow the car in front - we nearly ended up in his driveway!
Solvitur Ambulando

gunwharfman

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #41 on: 11:38:39, 30/07/19 »
Some reports in the newspapers, the BBC and online suggests that Devon has a growing number of wild boars, especially around Exmoor. Any ideas if this is correct or not?

ninthace

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #42 on: 12:08:10, 30/07/19 »
Some reports in the newspapers, the BBC and online suggests that Devon has a growing number of wild boars, especially around Exmoor. Any ideas if this is correct or not?
Not an issue locally as far as I am aware - perhaps the ticks have eaten them all.
Edited to add:  nothing in the local press recently I can find.  Some were liberated by activists from a farm near West Anstey in 2006.  I have walked in forests in France and Germany where Boar are plentiful and it is not an issue.  Coincidentally, I was walking on West Anstey Common only 9 days ago - I did not see any sign of them such as bristles on fences, scrapes or wallows which is what you find if they are plentiful.
« Last Edit: 15:31:22, 30/07/19 by ninthace »
Solvitur Ambulando

rural roamer

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #43 on: 15:14:45, 30/07/19 »
Some reports in the newspapers, the BBC and online suggests that Devon has a growing number of wild boars, especially around Exmoor. Any ideas if this is correct or not?
Well we didn’t see any! Though our 2nd day on Exmoor was foggy so we would have only seen them if they were right in front of us!

gunwharfman

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Re: Two Moors Way
« Reply #44 on: 21:47:00, 09/08/19 »
I decided to return home today. I walked from Ivybridge to Morchard Road and had a fair amount of wind, cloud, sun and rain, it was never cold. I wild camped the first night high up on the moor, that was an interesting experiece! En route people kept saying to me that really bad weather was ahead, 'bibilcal rain' was on its way and so on! When I arrived at Morchard Road on Thursday evening dark clouds were definately building. I found a small field adjacent to a fishing club, pitched my tent and then went to the pub, 6 minutes away. Heaven! The landlady and a couple of locals warned me yet again about bad weather.

I returned to my tent in darkness got in and within 10 minutes the heavens opened. I thought my tent would collapse with the weight of rain but of course it didn't. When daylight came I realised that my tent had sprung a small leak at the foot end and the end of my down sleeping quilt was sodden.

I checked the BBC weather, it was predicting that the weather would be at its worst as I would have been approaching Exmoor so I made an on the spot decision to just catch the train home. I'm sure if I hadn't reached Morchard Road or had already walked beyond it I would be still walking but the train line and station halt was right in front of me, so I just took the easy way out. So I caught the 07.38hrs train, two changes later and I was home by 12.10hrs.

I enjoyed my 4 nights and days, the weather was variable so I was able to use everything. In the downpours my £15 Champion long coat worked perfectly, I was dry as a bone throughout. My only complaint, a bit too much road walking.

I had one incident, (maybe its a new sport for some people?) when casually walking along a narrow sunken tarmacked lane a few miles north of the A30. It was sunny at this point and everything was quite, no cars to be heard or seen and I had drifted into my own thoughts.

Suddenly, something touched the back of my leg and a very loud and prolonged car horn blasted at me!!! I nearly jumped out of my skin in shock! I glanced to my right, my brain said 'personal danger' and I instinctively threw myself into the hedge area. In that instant I knew it was a car bumper that had touched the back of my leg. The owner had deliberately and slowly crept up on me in his electric car and  I didn't hear a thing! Inside was a middle aged mum and dad and two 12-15 year old boys in the back, ALL laughing their heads off at my expense! As they passed the man shouted "its electric, very quite!" I quickly tried to respond with a sarcastic quip but all I could manage was "Electric cars, you've wasted your money, they'll never catch on!" A puny effort I know but in my shock thats the best I could do! They disappeared and I could only stand in the road and fume!

 

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