North Devon Explorers

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North Devon Explorers

Guided kayak/canoe and walking trips. Navigation and first aid courses. Kayak and Canoe coached sessions either 1:1 or small groups

27/07/2026

Sometimes kayaking can be tricky to get out due to mother nature throwing high winds at us.

Just over a week ago Tim, Kate Hallam-Jones, Auden and Edith had to wait for for days as North easterlies blew each kayaking day out.

It was so worth the wait though as finally on the Friday the wind eased and changed direction giving us all an absolute gift. Such calm still water, sun and amazing scenery.

I took them out of Combe Martin to explore the caves, learning about smugglers back in the day, we landed on a beach and had a cream tea where Auden discovered he likes cream!!! After years of saying that he doesn't....can't beat clotted cream!

There was time to swim and float around having fun and then of course fun and games on the way back with jumping in, climbing back on and then hand paddling!

Edith was a superstar who got very slick at climbing back on board her kayak after a refreshing jump or two!

It was well worth the wait!!!

09/07/2026

It has been a busy week with kayak trips but today I had a day off!

What a day to have off, sun, no wind, clear water and so I went for a sea swim.

I felt like I was on holiday. It was so clear, I swam over the rocks, watched the fish, watched the jelly fish bobbing about below me. I felt really warm thermal patches and then refreshing bits. I swam to a beach, climbed up and over the rocks before sliding back in and swimming through all the rocky channels, making my way back to open blue water. Swimming across the bay and back in, floating in the swell around the rocks as it pulled me in and out as I skimmed over the rocks and seaweed, I felt like a mermaid, it was magic!

I was at one with the ocean so much so that two jelly fish decided to give me a kiss, a compass jelly across my leg and a blue one right on the nose! I have been stung many times but on the nose is a first! Rude! It didn't ruin my swim. I so enjoyed the sun beating down on me and feeling like I was in the Mediterranean!

A proper swimming safari!

Top tip....treatment for jelly fish stings is spray shaving foam over the sting then scrape it away with a credit card. This removes the stinging cells.

And no you don't get someone to wee on you!!!

Or just stay in the water like I did and the cool water takes the sting away after about 10mins.

Just watch out for any allergic reactions but this is rare.

27/06/2026

Wowsers what a hot sweaty week it has been!
I hope you have all survived it ok?

I love the sun but working in it all day everyday this week has been exhausting!!

Monday was DofE
Tuesday and Wednesday I ran an Outdoor First aid course. We followed the shade but with no breeze ,it made for very humid days, there wasn't much of a river in the woods but we still used the muddy stream to wet our hair and clothes to cool off!
Thursday I was working Lee Abbey Devon running orienteering and the zip wire. The afternoon session had little shade at the end of the zip, I felt like a snowman melting!

Today though was magic! I went for a glorious sea swim, the wind and tide were against each other so I felt like I was dancing in the waves. The water was so clear, I saw fish, jellies and seaweed as I swam over the covered rocks.

I now feel reset, body temp is back where it should be, and Ruth and I even pretended we were on holiday for about 15 mins as we enjoyed a cheeky sunbathe on the beach before returning home to get jobs done!

22/06/2026

My home for the past two days....the beautiful Quantocks!

I love this place, cutesy villages, old cottages, big hills leading to stunning panoramic views and so many woods!

I have been a DofE supervisor for Bideford College for their silver DofE expeditions.

We stayed in the nicest campsite that I have ever been too. It was set up with real charm and character. An outdoor shower hidden by a fence panel. The water was wonderfully hot and the toilets even felt like a novel treat! Quantock Camping thank you for having us!

The students have been great, they have managed the hot weather really well, getting up early to avoid the hot afternoons. Starting their walk at 6am! Taking breaks in the shade and letting me pour cold water over their heads to soak their hair and hats, making them a bit cooler for the next half an hour before the sun dried them out!

Then on the way home, a monsoon came down! Rain out of nowhere, rain that I haven't ever driven in before. My wipers were going as fast as they could, the whole of the North Devon link road slowed to 30mph and spaced out, lights on and we still couldn't see a thing. Slowly making our way to the various laybys, everyone pulled over, I have never seen the link road laybys full. Sheets of rain came at us, buffeted the car, lightning flashed and then it cleared so we could continue on our way again! Bonkers!

Congratulations to the group of 5 girls who were on their assessment and passed their Silver DofE expedition today! You have certainly earned it these past few days!

17/06/2026

Leave nothing but hoof prints!!!

A lovely day off today, the rain was coming down at home and so rather than ride soggy lanes,I made a last minute decision to head to the beach as it has been so long since we have. There was a bit of rain but the coast was far better, the beach was mystical with a mist rolling in, that when half way along Saunton Sands you couldn't see either end of the beach.

We rode through Braunton burrows, the largest sand dune system in England, spanning 1000 hectares they go on and on and are home to over 300 species of plants and then insects and animals. At the moment there are so many beautiful flowers out on the dunes and with all the rain, they are so green and lush.

We rode the American road, a very long straight track that was put in for the Americans to come and practice the D day landings in WW2. Still today you can see the concrete ruins in the dunes of the pretend landing craft that the Americans practiced driving their tanks off of.

Tommy hasn't been a fan of water. Rivers he will now wade across but he has never been in the sea. Today he had his first paddle in the sea! I had to get off and lead him as the small white horses coming towards him made him run backwards up the beach, but leading him in, he trusted me intially with reluctance but then he seemed to enjoy the water cooling his legs!

Mornings like this always make me appreciate living here in beautiful North Devon!

13/06/2026

Everyday in the outdoor industry is different, this past week I have been walking each day with an amazing DofE team with additional needs being battered by the weather. Now I am out with Bideford College and Atlantic academy for their DofE. This is mainstream and so I am enjoying the sun, sat in my warm car remotely check pointing groups.

It gives me time to catch up with sewing my son's cub badges onto his camp blanket! There are so many! I keep asking him to stop achieving as there are too many badges to sew on! 🤣

Sewing with a view, can't help but love Exmoor National Park

12/06/2026

I have just been out camping for 4 days for a Gold DofE. The students from Aurora Foxes College did really well coping with the heavy downpours, soaking us, the wind that made us take side steps and the cold temperatures making us dress for winter in summer!

My face says what I think of this summer so far!

Nicer pictures to follow when I have dried out and had a few more cups of tea! 🤣

06/06/2026

You know it's summer when drinking fizz with juicy seasonal strawberries........ In front of the fire!!!

I am off out on a Gold DofE expedition next week, fingers crossed the wind and rain moves on and the sun pays us a visit!

Either way, we always say in the great outdoors "it is never the weather that is wrong, just the clothing?" 🤣

04/06/2026

Under my first aid business I am running another outdoor first aid course which can be combined with the 2 day Pediatric first aid so perfect for outdoor instructors/enthusiasts and Forest school leaders.

Let me know if you would like to book a place.

02/06/2026

Wow I haven't posted for a while!
It isn't because I am not doing anything, it is quite the opposite.

Horses, surf lifesaving and work all takeover plus some good adventures thrown in.

In April, I took two weeks for myself and went to Spain to walk part of the Camino trail following the Del Norte route.

It starts on the French border in Irun and crosses over the Pyranees with long days, huge ups and downs and stunning scenery with lots of cow bells jingling away. The Del Norte follows the Northern Coastline of Spain, it is stunning and so changeable. I followed the yellow scallop shells marking the way for pilgrims to walk to Santiago.

Some days we were treated to beautiful beaches, others were woodland trails and there were a number of days pounding hot roads and pavements.

The Pyranees ends around Bilbao and then the trail becomes flatter, going inland, passing through spectacular mountainous farmland before heading back to the Coastline again.

Even in the pouring rain you can't help but smile whilst on the Camino, the people you meet, the stories you share, the food and of course the wine especially when walking through the basque country and seeing their vast vineyards.

Staying in a mixture of basic hotels, hostels and sharing apartments with other pilgrims, it was an absolute joy.

I walked to Santander and caught the ferry back to Devon. Covering 180 miles across two weeks.

I will return to Santander next year and continue my journey to Santiago for another two weeks and see how far I can get, but for now here are some of the pictures......

Address

Barnstaple
EX327JU

Telephone

+447776251514

Website

http://www.northdevonexplorers.co.uk/

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