“’COMBE” IN HISTORY--MODERN ’COMBE--THE OLD CHURCH 84
LUNDY--HISTORY OF THE ISLAND--WRECK OF THE “MONTAGU”--LUNDY OFFERED AT AUCTION--DESCRIPTION 106
CHAMBERCOMBE AND ITS “HAUNTED HOUSE”--BERRYNARBOR 123
LEE--MORTE POINT--MORTHOE AND THE TRACY LEGEND--WOOLACOMBE-- GEORGEHAM--CROYDE--SAUNTON SANDS--BRAUNTON, BRAUNTON BURROWS, AND LIGHTHOUSE 131
PILTON--BARNSTAPLE BRIDGE--OLD COUNTRY WAYS--BARUM--HISTORY AND COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE--OLD HOUSES--“SEVEN BRETHREN BANK”-- FREMINGTON--INSTOW AND THE LOVELY TORRIDGE 155
KINGSLEY AND “WESTWARD HO!”--BIDEFORD BRIDGE--THE GRENVILLES-- SIR RICHARD GRENVILLE AND THE “REVENGE”--THE ARMADA GUNS-- BIDEFORD CHURCH--THE POSTMAN POET 177
THE KINGSLEY STATUE--NORTHAM--“BLOODY CORNER”--APPLEDORE-- WESTWARD HO! AND THE PEBBLE RIDGE 197
CLOVELLY--“UP ALONG” AND “DOWN ALONG”--THE “NEW INN”-- APPRECIATIVE AMERICANS--THE QUAY POOL--THE HERRING FISHERY 208
MOUTH MILL AND BLACK CHURCH ROCK--THE COAST TO HARTLAND-- HARTLAND POINT--HARTLAND ABBEY--HARTLAND QUAY 224
Great Hangman Hill, and Entrance to Combemartin Harbour 80
The last of the _Montagu_, August, 1907 118
The “Kingsley Room,” Royal Hotel, Bideford 178
No one can, with advantage, explore the rugged coast of North Devon by progressing direct from the point where it begins and so continuing, without once harking back. The scenery is exceptionally bold and fine, and the tracing of the actual coast-line by consequence a matter of no little difficulty. Only the pedestrian can see this coast as a whole, and even he needs to be blessed with powers of endurance beyond the ordinary, if he would miss none of those rugged steeps, those rocky coves and “mouths” and leafy combes that for the most part make up the tale of the North Devon littoral. It is true that there are sands in places, but they are principally sands like those yielding wastes of Braunton Burrows, whereon you even wish yourself back again upon the hazardous, stone-strewn hillsides sloping down to the sea that make such painful walking in the region of Heddon’s Mouth; and there you wish yourself on the sands again. It is so difficult as to be almost impossible, to have at once the boldest scenery and the easiest means of progression. At any rate, the two are found to be utterly incompatible on the North Devon coast, and it consequently behoves those who would thoroughly see this line of country to take their exploration in small doses. As for the cyclist, he can do no more upon his wheel than (so to speak) bore try-holes into the scenery, and merely sample it at those rare points where practicable roads and tracks approach the shore. The ideal method is a combined cycling and walking expedition; establishing headquarters at convenient centres, becoming acquainted with the districts within easy reach of them, and then moving on to new.