Travel author settles in Woolacombe

What do Alaska, Chile and Woolacombe all have in common? They’ve been home to adventurer and author Julian Wicksteed. At first glance the picturesque seaside town may not seem like the kind of place a man who’s hitchhiked through Chile with only a stray dog for company, escaped Guinea as Ebola broke out and hunted huge fish all over the world would choose to settle down. But keen surfer and angler Julian has decided the beautiful coastal town in North Devon is the perfect place to spend a winter. The Aussie born adrenaline junkie is spending the winter writing his next tome from Woolacombe holiday cottages, where he can catch a bit of winter surf and enjoy the company of fellow wave junkies. His series of books so far have seen him document his trips to ‘blank spots’ on the map, where he’s fished from dugout canoes in crocodile-infested water, dodged bears and gringos in Alaska and Patagonia, and caught some of the biggest waves of his life. While Julian’s determination to leave the tourist trail as far behind as possible has resulted in some dangerous encounters, he’s sure of safety this winter. “I’ve had more than my fair share of cuts, broken bones and bruises,” he said. “I think I’ve been stitched up in as many as ten different countries and even had to do it myself once. “Happily I think the only danger I’ll face in Woolacombe is if a particularly big swell rolls in!” He also said he was happy to be moving to such a beautiful place. “All the places I’ve visited are beautiful in their own right but Woolacombe has a real charm to it,” he said. “There’s something about the place that just makes you feel at home.” 9.12.14