Spring tides and reasonable weather, should be ok to descend down into Mother Meldrums Gut below the Valley of Rocks, I thought.
I drove down past Beggars Roost where the wind was moving the trees. Caught a glimpse of the sea down in Lynmouth, the white horses told me that this was not going to be easy. Normally I stay away from the Exmoor Traverse Line if the swell is over seven foot, today it was eleven but dropping. I parked in Lynton and made my way out along the North Walk towards the valley. It was supposed to be warmer than of late but the west wind was freezing. I passed seven hardy souls with rucksacks and boots who were not going to be put off by the weather. I descended the slopes below the walk passing a pair of baby goats that were not much larger than a cat.
Thankfully the goats had kept the path open as it skirted around the chasm between the Yellowstone Ridge and the Yellowstone Arete. I walked easily down the length of the Yellowstone Ridge 
to the end where fishermen have fixed bolts into the cliff. I believe they call this part of the descent ‘The Railings’. To the west (left) was the deep and narrow Mother Meldrums Gut, to the east, the East Inlet. It was my intention to descend down the west wall of the East Inlet and clean the holds for use later in the spring.
I tied on and went out over the edge and soon discovered that even on a low spring tide the cliff was being hit by spray and the holds were covered in green slime. There was not much that I could do other than curse that I had allowed my impatience to draw me out on to the cliffs too early, again. I don’t think that I will ever learn. I climbed back up the rope and had my lunch. I gazed out across Woody Bay, I could see the swell striking the cliffs along the length of The Inner Sanctuary between Wringapeak and Highveer Point, and even on this low tide it would not have been possible to climb out there. 
I drove down past Beggars Roost where the wind was moving the trees. Caught a glimpse of the sea down in Lynmouth, the white horses told me that this was not going to be easy. Normally I stay away from the Exmoor Traverse Line if the swell is over seven foot, today it was eleven but dropping. I parked in Lynton and made my way out along the North Walk towards the valley. It was supposed to be warmer than of late but the west wind was freezing. I passed seven hardy souls with rucksacks and boots who were not going to be put off by the weather. I descended the slopes below the walk passing a pair of baby goats that were not much larger than a cat. Thankfully the goats had kept the path open as it skirted around the chasm between the Yellowstone Ridge and the Yellowstone Arete. I walked easily down the length of the Yellowstone Ridge to the end where fishermen have fixed bolts into the cliff. I believe they call this part of the descent ‘The Railings’. To the west (left) was the deep and narrow Mother Meldrums Gut, to the east, the East Inlet. It was my intention to descend down the west wall of the East Inlet and clean the holds for use later in the spring. I tied on and went out over the edge and soon discovered that even on a low spring tide the cliff was being hit by spray and the holds were covered in green slime. There was not much that I could do other than curse that I had allowed my impatience to draw me out on to the cliffs too early, again. I don’t think that I will ever learn. I climbed back up the rope and had my lunch. I gazed out across Woody Bay, I could see the swell striking the cliffs along the length of The Inner Sanctuary between Wringapeak and Highveer Point, and even on this low tide it would not have been possible to climb out there. 
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