South Coast SUPping

A jam-packed day of social activity and travel. It was overcast again and low tide at Millendreath, so saved my morning swim and SUP until later, when I met Des further east on the South Coast.

After breakfast and goodbyes with Walter, I met Des at Exmouth for coffees. Rather than just sit around chatting though, we decided that a paddle and chat was the perfect activity for a physically distanced catch up - especially as the clouds were clearing. We set off from Budleigh Salterton and followed the sandstone cliffs of the Jurassic Coast.

It was perfect conditions (apart from some enormous Jellyfish!). Lovely and warm, flat calm and with plenty to chat about. We eventually turned back instead of heading ashore as we seemed to have drifted into nudist terrain! Back at Budleigh, it was warm enough to swim back into shore. Just.

Like a well-oiled plan, a few more junctions back up the M5 later that afternoon co-insided with a lovely catch up in the service station gardens with Lucy and Little B. 

Feeling suitably re-freshed, I carried on into Somerset, where I teamed up with Matt again for some more action on the rock in Cheddar Gorge. Matt led a great (steep!) E1 on a cliff that was new to us both.

We topped out in the sunshine and walked back to the base rather than abseil down on some rather old looking tat.

There were great views out across the Levels. We carried on climbing in the last of the light, on a mix of trad and sport routes on a cliff called the Remnant, before descending from another feeding frenzy outside the Chinese Takeaway. 

A short drive later and we were back parked up and into bed. Happy and exhausted.

Cheddar Gorge: Lion Rock:

- Simba, E1 5c**

Cheddar Gorge: The Remnant:

- Easy Pickings VS (4b)*

- No Purchase Necessary, E1 (5c)

- Das Goat yah?, F6b*

- Numbskull, E1 (5b)

- Days in the Desert, F6b+