9th February 2013
# Budleigh Salterton
Good old Bud Salt. During those rare occasions when a wayward acquaintance should make his way down through darkest Devon for a visit, Budleigh Salterton is one of the staple destinations we pull out of the bag. It is a place perfectly crafted to subtly scream into the face of said visitor 'This is Devon, LOOK HOW QUAINT IT IS.'
As part of the Jurassic Coast, Budleigh Salterton is best defined by the charming pebble beach which drops dramatically towards the sea in giant steps. Local fishermen peddle their daily catch straight from the boat, tea shops churn out an endless supply of cream teas and sugary buns and coastal anglers attempt to garrote idling stroller. To the west the town rises away from the coast on the back of dramatic red cliffs as the beach continues below, whereas in the east the beach eventually falters and comes to an end at the mouth of the meandering River Otter.
Listening to the sea ebb and flow, the sound of the pebbles relaxing is strangely hypnotic. It is, however, a bugger to walk on for a long period of time. After a good 20 minutes tramping by the sea it is a relief to get back on level ground even if it does mean joining the hoards of day trippers and dog walkers.
A word of warning to those beach revellers who like to include a spot of lunch during their trip; while Bud Salt has a decent selection of (quaint) eateries - a personal favourite being A Slice of Lyme just off the High Street - it is also home to a dedicated army of retirees who descend upon the town each and every lunchtime. Seats in cafes that stand empty most of the day suddenly become premium spots, and more than once I have found myself a part of the spurned, wandering from cafe to cafe in the hope of a morsel.
Oh yes, and balls to the beach car park which will charge you just to look at the sign, there is a lovely big FREE car park in town, just beside the town hall, mere minutes from the beach.
