Lynton

 

After our excellent walk around the Valley of Rocks, I decided to make a short blog of what we saw as we approached and then walked through Lynton. The first interesting feature was the Funicular Railyway which connects Lynton (high above the sea) with Lynmouth (at sea level). The funicular is interesting for being the only water-powered one in the world. The left hand picture shows one carriage coming down from Lynton, while the right hand picture shows the specific point where the two carriages cross.

We continued along the path and enjoyed this lovely view down to Lynmouth. It does illustrate however Lynmouth's main weakness: the lack of a sandy beach.

We emerged opposite the Church of St Mary. The nave south wall dates from 1741, but everything else is 19th century.

A right turn led us past the imposing main entrance to the Valley of Rocks Hotel. The rest was less interesting.

We walked along Lee Road to soon reach the rather splendid Town Hall of 1898-1900. Pevsner is not so positive: "Small, but certainly an attempt at municipal architecture in a holiday spirit ... Utterly un-Devonian." I think that is rather harsh.

Further along was the interesting United Reformed Church in a rather similar style.

At the end of Lee Road was the Holy Saviour: a Roman Catholic church attached to a convent of the order of Poor Clares. It a rather austere building dating initially from 1910, but not completed until 1931. Pevsner describes it as "decently and honestly utilitarian", and I can't disagree.

While we were in Lynton we learned of a local controversy concerning the convent: much of the greenery on the hillside behind the convent had been cut down and just left. This was felt to be a poor job.

Conditions: grey

Distance: a mile.

Rating: three stars, but most enjoyable.