Thursday 15 September 2016

The Bantham Slog


There's an activity here called the Bantham Swoosh, which uses the fact the Avon estuary is quite constricted to propel swimmers along at a fair pace in the ebb direction. We wanted to take advantage of it with the kayaks, but the tide times are currently all wrong. Instead we did what I've called the Bantham Slog - a walk from Aveton Gifford to Bantham, via the estuary walk, a quick jaunt across the Avon estuary by boat and then another walk from Bigbury back to Aveton Gifford. All told, about 10 or 11 miles.

The walk from Aveton Gifford to Bantham was pretty uneventful, but what followed was something I wouldn't care to repeat.


Above shows Hay talking to the Bantham Harbour Master who ferried us across the Avon. From his accent he must have previously been Harbour Master at Birmingham docks.


The Harbour Master's dog, Wolf.


My first ever sight of a slow worm.


Having been diverted from our intended path by a herd of cows, their bull and some young blocking a gate, we went through a forest and alighted upon the complete carcass of a cow. Got lost in the forest (a bit like said cow) but managed to forge a way out and regain the path.

The final part of the walk was along a road called Tidal Road and we hit it at exactly the wrong time. It was under about 3 feet of water but we nonetheless decided to wade along it in preference to diverting some 3 miles inland. All went well until literally the last 3 paces, when I fell off the slipway and went up to my neck in water. Hay naturally thought it all very funny. I was not amused.

Some of the better photos:








2 comments:

A Heron's View said...
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A Heron's View said...

Oh what a pity Hay didn't get a shot of you in the water . For that would have been a great shot to entertain us with :-)