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Spekes
Mill Mouth is the location of one the most famous waterfalls in North Devon
and is just 20 minutes from Hartland Quay on the South West Coast Path.
It can be reached from two directions, one by walking from Hartland Quay
or two by starting at Lymebridge, Milford. If you are particularly fit you
can do a circular walk. A good idea is lunch at Hartland Quay followed by
a trek over the top, then down through Spekes Valley finishing with a well
earned cream tea at Docton Mill then back. At Hartland Quay there is ample
parking on the 2nd level plateau down the Quay road. You will see the rock
formations of Warren Cliff to the right. Take the steps at the top end of
the car park, the route is way-marked from here. The coast path winds round
fairly close to the edge, then drops down beside a huge grassy knoll this
is St. Catherine's Tor or St. Catherine's Point as it is featured on the
OS map. The open expanse is a relief after the confines of the narrow path.
It is a sheltered spot, there is a stream, Wargery Water, which cascades
down the rock face to form, the first of the waterfalls on the route. It
is mid April, hot and sunny and I notice that the borders of the stream
are full of water margin plants such as Iris, which are yet to flower and
scurvy grass. The meadow beyond is lit up by thousands of sparkling lesser
celandine, I also notice the small white hairy bitter-cress, dog violet,
primroses, wax cap mushrooms and the first flowering thrift sea pink. Looking
up ahead I can see cattle grazing on the very top of the cliffs and so through
the gate we go onwards and upwards, following the steep path with fields
to the left and the sea to the right. On the way up take a breather and
turn round as there is a good view of Lundy Island. At the top you can just
see the tip of St. Nectan's tower at Stoke. Other country critters included
a brown hairy caterpillar with a red mouth, a hover fly and a big fat black
Oil Beetle. (You will note my attention is focused on the ground as I hate
heights). From the summit you get the first glimpse of the waterfall and
the beach below. There is then a very steep descent down the dry and winding
rocky path so great care must be taken, especially in wet weather. Milford
Water falls 48m in three stages down the gorge to the beach. The beach can
be reached by yet another set of very steep steps. From the fence you can
only glimpse the beginning stages of the waterfall. My husband took the
photograph here from below, the first stage, a difficult shot into the sun.
Mission accomplished we walked back the way we came and had a bowl of potato
and leek soup and a pint in the Wreckers Bar. The newly painted Hartland
Quay Hotel and Museum looked very smart in the sunshine. Ordnance
Survey"Explorer"Weatherproof
Clovelly & Hartland OS E126 |
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