GREAT DAYS OUT

CONTENTS WALK: , North Your handy guide to this month’s Great Days Out ROCKS AND WRECKS A curse for ships’ crews and cargo, the rugged North Devon coast was a blessing for ‘Gentlemen of the Night’ bringing in their ill-gotten gains, says Tor McIntosh

p92 2 LOOKOUT POINT p95 p83 The small village of Lee, nestled in a remote and rugged combe, p87 was home to the infamous smuggler, Hannibal Richards. p88 Originally a member of the p78 notorious Cruel Coppinger’s p96 smuggling gang from north ROCKS AND WRECKS Cornwall, Richards moved to Ilfracombe Lee in 1789 and, despite a number of close encounters North Devon p78 The traces a route through North with authorities, managed PIRATE EXPERIENCES Devon’s smuggling history to evade conviction. Lee is a good spot for a rest. Top Five The suitably named seafront Nationwide p84 randy, gin, salt, tea follow the signs to Tunnels café Smuggler’s Cottage is and, er… playing cards Beaches where an impressive perfect for buying an ice cream TREASURE POOLS Bwere just some of the network of hand-carved before a paddle on the Rhosneigr goods smuggled onto the tunnels – once used as sheltered beach, which is a Isle of Anglesey p87 North Devon coast during smugglers’ caves – leads to a rockpooling haven at low tide. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT It’s easy to see how Lee’s seclusion would have appealed to Hannibal Richards, a man looking to steer clear of the law; Lee Bay is the late 18th and early 19th tidal Victorian bathing pool. Leave Lee Bay following the perfect for a paddle; the view into Rockham Beach will stop you in your tracks; Village has a bloody history tied to wreckers such as Elizabeth Berry NE’ER-DO-WELLS century. The secluded At the top of Torrs Walk turn road past the café and uphill to AND NOVELISTS beaches were a favourite of right on to the coast path reach a gate on your right Margate smugglers, or ‘Gentlemen of signposted for Lee to follow a signposted to Damage Cliffs the Night’, looking to avoid grass track across Severn Hills. and the path to . Kent p88 the import duties levied on From here on, the route Not long after joining it, a stile wares from overseas. tracks the waymarked South on your right leads to a detour COAST TO CASTLE This rugged coastline is a down a steep Troon popular stretch of the South flight of steps to South Ayrshire p92 West Coast Path. But unknown “ WHILE EXPLORING THIS Sandy Cove, a to the many walkers that secluded spot HOOD VS THE admire it, the surrounding HIDDEN BEACH IT’S EASY where smugglers SEA HOODLUMS landscape has a rich history TO CONJURE UP VISIONS secretly landed Robin Hood’s Bay of smuggling and the often their contraband. North Yorkshire p93 barbaric practice of ‘wrecking’. OF MIDNIGHT LANDINGS” One of the caves above the CAVE OF PLUNDERS 1 CLIFFWALK West Coast Path – follow the cove is where Richards set up Fleswick Bay The walk starts from Verity, acorn symbol – to the walk’s his lookout point, and where Damien Hurst’s imposing end at Woolacombe. the lucky smuggler hid when Cumbria p95 statue at the end of Ilfracombe The names of the cliffs that the rest of his gang were Harbour. Follow Capstone the path crosses bear witness captured during a raid. While CONTRABAND Road a short way before to the area’s smuggling past: exploring this hidden beach, KINGDOM turning right to pass around Brandy Cove Point, Breakneck it is easy to conjure up visions Prussia Cove Capstone Point. Climb a flight Point and, a little further on, of midnight landings. Cornwall p96 of stairs behind the curiously Damage Rock. The path, which shaped Landmark Theatre becomes a minor road as it 3 TO THE PUBS FOR PIRATES to reach the start of Torrs Walk, descends steeply into Lee, is From Sandy Cove the coast

Top Six a waymarked route cut into the the old coach path between path becomes a bit like a roller- WilemanJim

Nationwide p98 cliffs. For a brief diversion Ilfracombe and Lee. coaster, with steep steps that Photos:

78 www.countryfile.com/walks www.countryfile.com/walks 79 Ship’s captains and walkers alike need to negotiate the jagged stranded in a single day on rocks of Morte Point carefully 26 October 1859. The area’s reputation as a ship graveyard encouraged GUIDE another sinister local pastime: wrecking (luring ships into dangerous waters). Mortehoe How to use the village was a base for wreckers Viewranger app and home to Elizabeth Berry, infamous for drowning shipwrecked sailors with a pitchfork (locals couldn’t claim a wrecked ship’s cargo unless its crew was dead). We’ve partnered up with Leaving Morte Point, the Viewranger, the go-to app for lead in and out of valleys all the flowers to arrive atRockham route follows the coastline online walking routes. way to Bull Point lighthouse. Bay, the resting place of SS along a grassy path past The geology along this Collier, which was shipwrecked Grunta Beach, named after a If you would like to access a section is stunning and in January 1914; its remains cargo of pigs from a wrecked route using your smartphone or terrifying in equal measure. can be seen at low tide. ship that swam ashore here. tablet, here’s what to do: Stretching from Lee all the way Then there’s a steep climb The path climbs up a steep hill to Woolacombe are near- up steps as the path continues to a gate leading on to a road. 1. Download a QR code reader vertical shards of slate, known to hug the dramatic coastline. from your app shop onto your as the Morte Slates, sculpted A well-positioned bench 5 COMPLETE BEACH device. Where you see this icon by the elements and the overlooking Whiting Cove Turn right for a downhill walk to you can use ViewRanger. pounding sea into jagged rocks provides an agreeable rest an esplanade where the coast jutting out of the water. These spot with views back towards path follows a strip of grass to vicious rocks are to blame for Bull Point lighthouse, but is also Woolacombe and its expansive the staggering number of a great perch for spotting surf-pounded, white-sand shipwrecks in the area. From Atlantic grey seals. beach, which regularly tops 1816 to 1918 there were over polls as Britain’s best. From 50 wrecked or stranded ships 4 PIGS AND PITCHFORKS here you can catch a bus back here, which led locals to plead It’s not long before you reach to Ilfracombe. 2. Open the app on your device for a lighthouse at Bull Point Morte Point (meaning “death and hold your phone above the that was finally built in 1879. point”), a distinctive ridge printed QR code. It then does all Continue following the protruding into Morte Bay. Tor McIntosh is an the work! waymarked coast path as it Lying just off Morte Point is the outdoors writer and winds up and down along deadly Morte Stone, where founder of the Slow cliff-tops carpeted with wild eight ships were wrecked or Adventure Company.

THE ROUTE IN ASSOCIATION WITH 8.5 MILES | 2 HOURS 1 3. The app will take you through to this walk in the ViewRanger app, so that you can carry the route around with 3 2 you in your pocket. And you’re ready to go!

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