Ilfracombe to Combe Martin ​5.3 miles

We catch the 2pm bus to Ilfracombe, knowing that we won't have a lot of time to walk today. We've already walked Ilfracombe west; today we need to finish up the first of three gaps going east toward Minehead (the start of the trail). Once again we're following the guidebook backward which is more confusing than it seems like it should be.

Well, here's something fascinating. Did you ever wonder how the warships and tanks and jeeps at Normandy refueled? Me neither but really we should have been curious about such a vital concern. Turns out the British armed forces, British engineers, and oil companies created PLUTO, which stands for "Pipe Line Under The Sea." The goal: protect fuel lines from the enemy by hiding them under the sea. Hollowed-out telegraphy cable, which held the fuel, was wound around a huge spindle called a conundrum, and laid across the sea floor. And to make sure the process worked on D-Day, they tried it out right here. How cool is that?

We finish the hike with Coronation Chicken sandwiches (which sister-in-law introduced me to), and cider. We take Andy's private taxi back to Ilfracombe, where we catch the bus back to Barnstaple.