Westward Ho!

I rest happy tonight, as I have found a perfect run-to-the-sea route. Because I was still in Ireland at the weekend I postponed my long run until today, so I could be back in Devon and resume my search for a great route leading to the sea. There is something within me that keeps wanting to run towards the coast; in my imagination I am running along a quiet road and the air begins to feel heavy with salt, I round a corner or reach the top of a summit to suddenly see the foamy water straight in front, beckoning and driving me to keep going towards it.

Today I discovered this near-perfect scene occurs when you are running into Westward Ho! The only town in Britain with an exclamation mark! (And I can't think there can be many elsewhere in the world...?)

To complete my 18 miles, I drove to a pretty little fishing village called Instow (shown in pic) and then ran further along the coast to Westward Ho! where the beach-sighting happened that made my day. It was a hard run because it was exceptionally windy today, and the decision to wear a men's waterproof jacket didn't help as it filled with air like a sail when I went up or down hills, but the wind also leant the waves some extra power and the sight and sound of their crashing as I ran along the quay made it an enjoyable run.