From Folkestone in Kent, it was a long drive to Croyde Bay in North Devon, my next destination.  The plan was to work my way down the coast into Cornwall all the way to Lands End.

Landscape Photographers Paradise

Devon and Cornwall are considered a landscape photographers paradise especially along the coast.  It was winter, well into December.  For some landscape photographers winter is the best season due to the low light, short days and crisp conditions.  I was hoping to get lucky with the weather, but the forecast was not good for the week ahead.

I was renting a cottage for a week near Croyde Bay that I booked through Cottages.com.  For months, since leaving Bexhill it was my chance to do some cooking too.   Im guessing this time of year rentals are alot cheaper as not full of holidaymakers.

Winters Day in Croyde Bay

Why Croyde Bay? well I remember a family holiday there as a child and thought it would be a good place to start my road trip through Devon and Cornwall.

The weather was bad on my first day in Devon and Croyde Bay.  I not even get out my DLSR or tripod, preferring to stick with my compact camera.  It was good to see that Croyde Bay had not changed much since my childhood.  The dunes were still intact no large-scale developments.

The sea was rough and down the coast here with the Bristol channel the waves are big and so the area is popular with surfers.  Even in winter you will see surfers in the sea, making a good focal point.

Croyde Bay really is beautiful and peaceful and a pleasure to walk along even on a dull wet windy winters day.  I was still trying to find my groove on landscape photography and walking.  Out here there would be few distractions, but the weather was disappointing, sods law.  I would need to accept the conditions, adapt and make the best of it.

I drove round to the other side of Croyde Bay and made my way up Middleborough Hill to check the views as daylight was fading.

Checking the local tourist guides there were many beaches in the area including Woolacombe, Saunton sands to name a few as well as Exmoor not to far away.  I had plenty of places to explore during my week based in Croyde Bay.