Thursday 23 August 2012

Lundy - August 14th - 18th


My first trip to Lundy began with a night on Ilfracombe harbour in a camper van to ensure we were there in time to catch the 10am boat. The local youths doing handbrake turns around our van until 3am meant we had little sleep but luckily the travel sickness pills I took made me nod off during the 2 hour journey and I arrived on the island as fresh as anyone who had been suffering from whooping cough for the previous three weeks could. While I was awake on the boat I occupied myself by gazing out to sea in order to avoid seeing almost everyone around me throwing up. Whenever I turned into the boat I was faced with yet another person retching into a handily provided sick bag.

Once the tractor had dropped off our luggage at the campsite, we set up our tent, had a bite to eat and geared up. We headed towards the Battery, built in 1869 to supplement the Old Light and warn ships in bad weather by firing two large cannons which are still there.

 An abseil down to the boiling sea, then we perched on a small rock and set off up Battery Rib, a V Diff. The rock was the roughest rock I've ever climbed on (and I've climbed on Skye!) with amazingly positive foot placements even where no holds appear to exist.

By this time our stomachs were rumbling and the pub was calling so we headed back to the campsite, showered and went to the excellent Marisco Tavern was a pint of Old Light and a delicious meal. We went to bed a t 9.30. Sea air, eh?

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