The Falcon

Today’s walk started with a cup of coffee here opposite the Falcon Hotel in Bude on the canal wharf. The hotel is impressive and looks vaguely continental.There are pavement cafes as well as a cafe bar on a barge. We walked the coast path in the other direction as far as Sandy Mouth Bay, then returned by a slightly inland track. The weather changed suddenly from sunshine to a fierce wind with driving rain, but it soon blew over, and we arrived back at the canal in hot sun. We had an hour to kill so walked down the canal for a while. It was then we saw the bird of the day with the catch of the day. We watched fascinated as a cormorant struggled to eat a large eel. It took about five minutes to bring it under control and eat it.