The boys had both finished school, well my eldest had finished his GCSE’s a month earlier and my youngest only had an activities week to do before his summer holiday, so basically he was finished as well. We headed up for another night in Bideford, using up some Christmas hotel vouchers we had. We’d previously stayed in Bideford and done a lovely walk around Appledore to Westward Ho! This time we decided to head the other way out of Bideford, in the direction of Barnstaple, we crossed the bridge and walked in the hot sun up towards Instow, in doing so we saw a bus heading the opposite way back towards Bideford. A quick internet search had us lined up nicely for a bus back, something that the boys were very keen on, and also myself considering my feet and the issues I was having with Plantar Fasciitis (it was after this walk that I started to walk every other weekend and use some ibuprofen to help the swelling ligaments). The walk was all tarmac path, it nicely rounds the Torridge estuary and I was pleased to have ticked this part off. It leaves me with a long section towards Barnstaple (which may well be the same tarmac path) but if there is a bus it will be possible in one go. This part was a lovely walk with the boys and very easy to complete, shame we probably didn’t walk off our large breakfast, with getting the bus back, but the boys were on good form and we sped along the short distance. Not the most memorable part of the whole path but one of the easiest.

Start – Bideford

Route – South West Coastal Path – Bideford Long Bridge – Tarka Trail – Torridge Bridge – Instow – Bus back

Distance – 3.5 miles    Start time – Midday   Time taken – 1hr 45 mins Highest Point – Nothing

Weather – Hot, sunny and a bit of cloud