{"id":2259,"date":"2021-06-05T01:24:53","date_gmt":"2021-06-05T00:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=2259"},"modified":"2021-06-05T21:57:23","modified_gmt":"2021-06-05T20:57:23","slug":"crackington-haven-the-ludon-valley-north-cornwall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=2259","title":{"rendered":"Crackington Haven &#038; the Ludon Valley, North Cornwall"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">function popwalk(walk) {var url = \"\/Walks\/amap.php?f=\"+walk; varwalkwindow=window.open(url,\"walkwin\",\"height=740,width=1230,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes\"); if (window.focus) {walkwindow.focus()}}<\/script><br \/> First published in: The Times <a href=\"javascript:popwalk('Crackington.jpg');\" rel=\"nozoom\" title=\"Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window\">Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129887908_2c5b6c0780_z.jpg\" title= \"51129887908 Tremoutha Haven from Cambeak\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129887908_2c5b6c0780_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129829653_9bd9165c07_z.jpg\" title= \"51129829653 Tremoutha Haven, looking west to Cambeak 2\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129829653_9bd9165c07_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129830778_bbbc6d7b57_z.jpg\" title= \"51129830778 Crackington Haven from the coast path 1\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129830778_bbbc6d7b57_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129677234_08906511c2_z.jpg\" title= \"51129677234 contorted cliffs at Crackington Haven\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129677234_08906511c2_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129678649_c4ed479b70_z.jpg\" title= \"51129678649 bluebell path in Ludon Valley\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129678649_c4ed479b70_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129834433_7fe55d6a31_z.jpg\" title= \"51129834433 rolling fields beyond Pengold Farm\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51129834433_7fe55d6a31_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51130737425_3e9ac32a0f_z.jpg\" title= \"51130737425 Alexanders on the coast path at Crackington Haven\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51130737425_3e9ac32a0f_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51130729360_d7882a0f3c_z.jpg\" title= \"51130729360 beach at Crackington Haven\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/51130729360_d7882a0f3c_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nFacebook Link: <script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/wordpress\/?p=2259\" layout=\"button_count\" show_faces=\"true\" width=\"200\" colorscheme=\"dark\"><\/fb:like><br \/>\n<a href=\"javascript:pwindow=window.open('\/Walks\/prn.php?f=2259','pwin','height=700,width=1000,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes');\" title=\"Click for printable version\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Walks\/print.gif\" align=\"right\"><\/a><br \/>\nAn afternoon of milky blue sky and sunshine over the North Cornwall coast. A couple of contented drinkers sipped their pints on the terrace of the Coombe Barton Inn, down in the heart of Crackington Haven. At the foot of the hamlet a stony shore ran down to a fingernail of sand between cliffs of sandstones and shales, contorted in folded layers as though a giant had squeezed them in his fist.<\/p>\n<p>Up on the cliffs the coast path ran between thickets of alexanders with globular green heads, a tasty treat for knowledgeable consumers since the Romans introduced them to these islands. Gorse wafted coconut scents from its heavy gold flowers, and down at ground level the banks were spattered white with stitchwort and fleshy-leaved scurvy grass \u2013 all bearing witness of spring\u2019s leap forward into summer.<\/p>\n<p>A farmhouse lay slate-hung and snugged down against any weather the coast could hurl at it. We crossed footbridges over miniature ravines trickling with water, the coastline sagging seaward in the loose folds of landslips. A zigzag path brought us up under skylark song to the summit of Cambeak, a promontory with fantastic views along the coast \u2013 north to the harsh sheer cliffs around Morwenstow, south to the misty hump of Trevose Head near Padstow.<\/p>\n<p>The wind-bitten turf of Cambeak was netted with the strap-like leaves and tiny blue flower stars of spring squill, a delicate and beautiful plant that has retreated to western coastal fastnesses. What a pleasure to find it here, thickly carpeting the headland.<\/p>\n<p>Down through a sandy yellow undercliff, an old landslip exposing steeply canted rock strata, with the sea washing and sighing on the lonely beaches of Little Strand and The Strangles. Looking back, we saw a shore wrinkled with rock strata washed down to ridges by countess tides. A wave-cut arch of dark rock, the Northern Door, stood out from the cliffs among sea-smoothed purple boulders.<\/p>\n<p>Above a tumble of cliffs and gullies we turned off the coast path and made inland for Pengold Farm, where lambs on springs leaped around their anxiously bleating mothers. Beyond lay a landscape of steep slopes curving down into hidden valleys, their flanks squared by thick hedgebanks into pastures too small and awkward for modern cultivation.<\/p>\n<p>The field path dropped down into the tree-lined Ludon Valley, hidden until we were almost upon it. We turned for home along a green path under trees full of evening birdsong. Through the cleft rush a stream tangled with fallen trees, bubbling over a grey stony bed and curving through quiet dingles bright with the intense gold yolks of kingcups.<\/p>\n<p>How hard is it? 4\u00bd miles, strenuous, many cliff steps and slopes<\/p>\n<p>Start: Crackington Haven car park, near Bude EX23 0JG (\u00a33 for 4 hours, \u00a35 all day \u2013 coins only) \u2013 OS ref SX 143968)<\/p>\n<p>Getting there: Bus 95 (Bude)<br \/>\nRoad &#8211; Crackington Haven is signed off A39 (Bude-Camelford) at Wainhouse Corner.<\/p>\n<p>The Walk (OS Explorer 111): South along Coast Path for 2 miles. At \u2018Trevigue\u2019 post (133952), keep ahead; in 200m fork left (yellow arrow\/YA) on Coast Path. In 300m at \u2018Boscastle\u2019 post (132949), fork let (YA, \u2018To Road\u2019). Cross road (134947); across field into dip (YA); up to top gate (136945, YA). Left to barn corner; diagonally across field, down to left of 2 gates (138947, YA). On with hedge bank on right, down into Ludon Valley. Cross stream and stile (140951); follow YAs and \u2018Haven\u2019 back to Crackington Haven.<\/p>\n<p>Lunch\/Accommodation: Coombe Barton Inn (01840-230345, <a href=\"http:\/\/coombebarton.co.uk\">coombebarton.co.uk<\/a>). Open 7 days; book ahead for meals<\/p>\n<p>Info: Bude TIC (01288-354240)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An afternoon of milky blue sky and sunshine over the North Cornwall coast. A couple of contented drinkers sipped their pints on the terrace of the Coombe Barton Inn, down in the heart of Crackington Haven.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-walks","category-3-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2259"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2259\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}