Interesting information
The church was built for the town in 1867 as it was being developed as a resort. It was largely constructed of local stone.
Kipling Tors name derives from Rudyard Kipling, who attended the United Services College in Westward Ho!, a public school for the sons of servicemen which was founded in 1874.
Superb views are obtained over the coast of the bay towards Clovelly and Hartland Point.
At Lake Farm as the lane descends, is the base for Lomas Helicopters. Here flying lessons can be arranged and also private helicopter flights to Lundy.
Abbotsham also has a bus service to Bideford and so could be used as a starting point for those wishing to concentrate on the coastal part of the walk. The attractive church has a number of items of interest, including medieval wagon roofs, Norman font and unusual covered bench ends.
If the day is at all clear Lundy will be visible on the horizon ahead. To the left the coast of Bideford Bay sweeps round to Hartland Point. Nearer can be seen the buildings at Clovelly in their cleft on the cliff face.
There were a number of lime kilns along this coast. Limestone was shipped across the Bristol Channel from South Wales and after being burnt in the kilns was spread over the fields to fertilise the soil. In the early 19th century a small seam of anthracite was found nearby and used to fire the kilns.
Lundy continues to dominate the view to seaward while ahead the outline of Baggy Point, Saunton and the mouth of the estuary take up the skyline.
The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway line operated for a relatively short time, between 1901 and 1917. From Bideford it headed due west to meet the coast here then continued along the cliffs into Westward Ho! and on to its terminus at Appledore. In Bideford it ran on rails in the road along the Quay, and the locomotives were fitted with “cow catcher” arrangements to prevent pedestrians being run over. This cliff section must have been a spectacular ride.
At the end of the huts are abutments for a bridge. This embankment carried the railway into Westward Ho!, but the remainder of the line through the town has now been built on.
