Not a big day today. Once again my distance was predicated by finding reasonable accommodation and also tying in some sightseeing.

First up was returning to the Path from my inland pub stay. At just before 9am the Erme was almost at high tide – a stark difference from yesterday!

Then 5 miles of roller coaster hills with a heavy mist dancing in and out of view.

Below is Burgh Island, my sightseeing destination. It’s probably most famous as the inspiration for Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.

Burgh is a tidal island, accessible by foot only 6 hours a day. I arrived at 11a and only those wearing bathing suits could cross at that time.

The other option was to take the sea tractor! In use since 1930 (this particular unit dates from 1969) this runs back and forth through the water at higher tides.

There’s not much on the island but an exclusive art deco-style hotel costing about $450/night (not reasonable accommodation) with signs everywhere keeping out us riffraff, the Pilchard Inn which dates from 1336 and a fun place for a beverage, and some short walking trails that lead up to a little ruin on a hill.

The tide was out when I departed the island so I walked the sand back to the mainland and, after pickup a sandwich for dinner, continued on for a short while to the Avon River. Not that Avon, but this Devonian one below.

This is either a ferry crossing or a 9-mile walk around. Always efficient, I chose the ferry. Only running 10-12 and 2-4, I arrived at 1:55pm and stood for several minutes trying to figure out which little boat could possibly be the ferry. Finally at the dot of 2pm a little scow left the far shore and waved me another 100 yards down river to its low water landing spot.

From the landing spot in Bantham it was just one big hill, one golf course and 2.5 miles to Thurlestone from which my BnB host was kind enough to pick me up.

And having completed Day 52 I’ve just 14 more days left on the South West Coast Path!