A Coastal Hiking Trip, Part XXXII, Day 3, 'Deju Vu  Retracing & Back Tracking' by Sheila, July 22nd
Channel: semw52
Date: 2020-08-13

Watersmeet Tea rooms and outdoor  areas were well spaced  due to the new regulations on social distancing during the Coronavirus Event-----cream teas and sandwiches, beer and crisps----not far a way and further upstream on the other side of the river The Stag Hunters Inn also provide refreshments for walkers---The sun is shining  and people are  enjoying themselves in the fresh air-----I stay to take some  images of the waterfall  near the bridge  before heading back down stream--criss-crossing and retracing  some of yesterday's hike when I walked thru the ancient woodland---Amazingly during most of the return trip I was totally alone---the people were busy at he tearoom or picnicking beside the river but would arrive en masses when the tea room closed but I had plenty of time to absorb the beauty here and time to  observe  areas affected by the 1952 flood  where people died being carried out to sea by the raging river in the darkness.....where huge boulders and rocks and all sorts of debris were carried  towards the village of Lynmouth ripping up roads, destroying old bridges and  homes and shops---it was a huge natural disaster---an isolated areas at the mercy of the River Lyn as it filled  and bulged with all the waters  from all the local tributaries  high up on Exmoor---The ground was saturated so the water was forced  down from up high and then down the ravines and gorges and valleys where people  were sleeping in their beds  some torn from the comfort of their homes and taken out to sea along with the boulders and all the debris ....Nature so beautiful and so powerful------the river so musical, peaceful but at times mischievous ---take care here folks  and be aware......