south west coast path

sunday, 11TH september 2016

Considering that this year's weather has been rubbish, it looks like I'll have a pleasant day today. It's not going to break any temperature records but I'm not complaining!

Torbay low tide 07:10

Torbay high tide 13:38

I make an early start leaving our cottage at 07:30 and head back down through the two or so miles of the outskirts of Paignton to regain the coast path. It's just after 8 o'clock on a Sunday morning and there are already people drinking beer outside of the pubs. It's WAY too early, even for me!

I head out onto the red sandy beach and amble along the sand, passing the pier and the colourful beach huts. It is a glorious morning.

At the end of the esplanade I find that the tide is in so I head inland a little along a busy road. I walk along the beach at Preston Sands and then pass more colourful beach huts.

At the end of the beach huts I climb up a concrete slope and head across Hollicombe Head, cross a bridge over the railway line and enter Hollicombe Park.

I head along the main road into Torquay, passing Livermead Sands, and then come across some steps that lead down to Corbyn Head Beach where I find more colourful beach huts and a beach cafe.

I walk along the sea wall next to Torre Abbey, founded in 1196, which started life as a medieval monastery before its dissolution by Henry VIII. Nowadays it is a museum, art gallery and Ancient Scheduled Monument, before heading down onto Torre Abbey Sands. Did I mention that it is a glorious day?

I reach Torquay Harbour on the north shore of Tor Bay, which although now given over to marine leisure activities, still remains a commercial and busy little port.

I stop off in a park with a fountain under the shadow of the English Riviera Wheel.

I wander around the harbour and then head up Beacon Hill next to Living Coasts zoo and aquarium to reach the Imperial Hotel. I always seem to get lost in this suburban section of Torquay but today I'm going to follow the coast path perfectly.

Nope, I'm not! I go wrong straight away and head along the road instead of turning off somewhere. Who knows where. I didn't see any signs. I turn right into Daddyhole Road and regain the coast path at Daddyhole Plain, a limestone plateau 75 metres above the sea. I climb down steps, follow a tarmac path which takes me down to a road bend and climb down more steps to reach a beach cafe below the Osborne Hotel. I follow the coastal road above Meadfoot Beach before following a road uphill where a cyclist stops to chat with me about the south west coast path.

I manage to go wrong again and head along the road instead of going out to Thatcher Point. Mysterious footpaths lead out on to the road but I never see any entry points and the signs seem to be non-existant.

I've gone wrong here in the past as there are several footpaths that lead out to the coast but are dead ends due to landslips. This time though I spot a sign on the other side of the road which means I should have come down on the other side of the road along a hidden footpath. This coast path sign is clearly pointing to the right towards Anstey's Cove and along Bishops Walk. I can't possibly go wrong!

I head up the lane and follow a scabby, overgrown path in the wrong direction and which doesn't feel right. It isn't and the path just circles back around and dumps me back out on the road where I've just come from.

I return to puzzle over the sign again and somebody joins me who is also walking to Teignmouth and is as lost as me. I head back down the lane and notice a path to the left which I thought was just an entryway into the houses here but does turn out to be the coast path. I also come across a sign pointing down here which I completely missed first time around. Success!

I follow the woodland path which must be Bishops Walk and after a while come across a post which must be marking the coast path but the signs have fallen off so I've no idea which direction to go. Needless to say I choose the wrong one and have to retrace my steps. I continue along Bishops Walk and come across a car park.

I'm sure I've gone wrong here before but can't remember which route I took. Sure enough I take the wrong route again and head down steps towards Anstey's Cove. The cove turns out to be a dead end due to landslips but there is a cafe down here.

I retrace my steps and have a sudden feeling of deja vu as I recall retracing my steps here four years ago. I head along the road before coming across a signpost marked 'To Babbacombe & St Marychurch over the downs' where I climb up steps on a wooded slope and I'm now back up on the cliff tops.

I walk along the grassy cliffs and then across Babbacombe Cricket Club. It is now properly hot so I go in search of an ice lolly.

I suck on my ice lolly while I follow signs to Babbacombe Downs, the highest clifftop promenade in England. I'm sure I've come along Oddicombe Beach at the bottom of the cliffs in the past. Must have gone wrong again! I reach Babbacombe Cliff Railway, built in 1926 to shuttle tourists to and from the beach.

I turn right at a coast path sign and follow the road for a bit. I'm completely lost again before following a sign which promises to rejoin the coast path but which takes me along another scabby path and dumps me back out on the road again.

I rejoin the coast path as it continues through woods next to Torquay Golf Club. More coast path signs lead me to the beach access road at Watcombe Beach, surrounded by cliffs and wooded hillsides. A steep path leads down to the beach but I'm getting tired now so I continue through the woods to Maidencombe.

I come across a swallowtail caterpillar.

There's a coast path sign at Maidencombe but it's only pointing in one direction. Back from where I came from. My fellow lost walker joins me to puzzle over the sign! He must be more lost than me as the last time I saw him he was walking faster than me and yet somehow I've managed to overtake him.

I walk through the car park and detour a little to reach the Thatched Tavern at Maidencombe. Guess what! The pub has a thatched roof!!

I rejoin the coast path where it turns right before reaching the pub.

I head along a track marked for Shaldon. The path continues through fields and woods close to the cliff top and then ascends and descends several times before reaching the road above Labrador Bay. I have magnificent views back where I've been walking.

I descend steeply down a grassy slope where I have lovely views over Teignmouth and then follow the path alongside Shaldon Approach Golf before I climb down some steps and then follow a track. I climb up into Ness Woodland and then pass the Ness, which has lovely views over Shaldon and Teignmouth.

A teeny coastal road takes me to the village of Shaldon. The coast path runs along the busy Shaldon Bridge over the River Teign to Teignmouth but there's also a ferry in front of the Ferry Boat Inn which has been running since the 13th century, so I catch this today which drops me on Teignmouth back beach next to the lifeboat station and costs me £1.50.

That's my walking done for the day so I turn left in to town and head for the Waitrose car park where my lift back to our cottage awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

sunflowers
seagulls
buzzards
wisteria
buddleia
red admiral butterflies
speckled wood butterflies
a small copper butterfly

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 20.1 miles today which amounts to 45344 steps. Ouch again! It has been a lovely day's walking on the South West Coast Path in beautiful weather and I haven't really minded getting continually lost. Nine out of ten!

My total ascent today has been 825 metres or 2706 feet.

MAP

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

saturday, 10TH september 2016

It looks like it will be a filthy start to the day but if I'm patient the weather should improve throughout the day and I should have some decent walking conditions later on.

Paignton high tide 12:15

Paignton low tide 18:33

We start the first day of Autumn coast path walking by taking the car over the River Dart on the Higher Ferry and then drive into Dartmouth and park up. It's a filthy start to the day and chucking it down so I hang around in the car for a bit hoping the rain will ease off. It doesn't so I don my waterproofs and head off.

I head through the lower part of Dartmouth, not particularly enjoying the manky weather.

I cross back over the River Dart to Kingswear using the lower ferry which costs me £1.50. On reaching Kingswear I pass under an arch next to the post office and then climb up Alma Steps.

I take one final look back over to Dartmouth and then set off for Brixham.

I follow a minor road out of the village and then follow a private road towards Kingswear Court. I enter Warren Woods and zig zag down a slope, cross over a stream and then zig zag up the other side of the valley.

I now have lovely views back over to Dartmouth Castle on the other side of the river mouth. At least they would be lovely if it wasn't still raining heavily!

I reach Brownstone Battery at Inner Froward Point, built in 1940 to protect the Dart estuary and Slapton and Blackpool Sands from enemy invasion. The battery consists of two gun positions and each would have been armed with six inch guns. The gun emplacements remain to this day as do the two magazines that served the guns. Below the gun emplacements are two searchlight positions which would have scanned the sea for enemy ships.

The path zig zags up and down the cliffs towards Outer Froward Point where, out to sea, can be seen Shooter Rock, Shag Stone and Mew Stone. I continue meandering along the coast path passing Old Mill Bay, Kelly's Cove and Pudcombe Cove. On the way I come across some friendly ponies who just stand around blocking the coast path.

Eventually a fellow walker turns up and barges through the ponies. I follow in his footsteps.

I come across the rear entrance of Coleton Fishacre which used to be infested with rhododendrons (presumably ponticum) but these appear to have been grubbed up now leaving hydrangeas all around.

The weather is finally brightening up and I can see some bits of blue sky. I come across a sign telling me that Man Sands is two and a quarter miles away.

blue sky! man sands two and a quarter miles away

I come across an apple tree laden with apples and presumably grown from a discarded core before rounding Scabbacombe Head where the skies are now decidedly blue. I pass another pony munching on the bracken.

blue skies over scabbacombe and man sands

A steep, slippery and muddy descent leads me down to Scabbacombe Sands. The edge of the stream near the top of the beach smells of mint. The beach is deserted.

I head along the cliffs high above Long Sands and round Crabrock Point, passing Crabrock Point Coastguard Cottage, to reach Man Sands where I enjoy the pebbly and sandy beach.

It is a steep climb up onto Southdown Cliff where I pass cows making an awful racket.

I reach Sharkham Point and then head around St Mary's Bay, passing below the holiday village. I head down some scabby steps where the cliffs are infested with japanese knotweed and head out onto St Mary's Bay Beach. There are a few dog walkers on the beach.

It is now a short walk to Berry Head, a National Nature Reserve, where I amble along the meandering paths.

I join a road which passes the Berry Head Hotel and walk through Shoalstone Car Park. It is now a pleasant waterfront walk leading me into Brixham where I pass above the art deco Shoalstone Sea Water Pool. A harbourside walk from the breakwater takes me to the centre of the town where a statue of William Prince of Orange, who landed here on the 5th of November 1688, stands at the head of the harbour.

“The Liberties of England and The Protestant Religion I Will Maintain”

Brixham is heaving with people on this now pleasant Saturday afternoon, probably not helped by the fact that Fishstock Brixham seafood and music festival is taking place today.

I go in search of an ice lolly to cool me down and then pass the full sized replica of the Golden Hind in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe and then pass Brixham Fish Market, where Fishstock is in full swing, before heading out of Brixham at Oxen Cove next to what was once AstraZeneca's Brixham Environmental Laboratory but which was donated to Plymouth University in 2013.

I climb up concrete steps to reach Battery Gardens and pass the Brixham Battery Heritage Centre. I round Fishcombe Cove and a steep climb out of the cove awaits.

I walk around the beach at Churston Cove and a woodland path takes me past Churston Golf Club.

I walk across the shingly beach at Elberry Cove, which is surprisingly busy, before rounding Churston Point to reach the delightful Broadsands, you guessed it, a broad sandy beach flanked by colourful beach huts.

I enjoy the sandy beach here before walking past the colourful beach huts and exit at the far end of the beach, passing beneath the railway viaduct.

I then follow the railway line towards Goodrington Sands and the Paignton to Kingswear steam train passes me, heading in the opposite direction. I head along the beach at Goodrington Sands, passing the colourful beach huts and head past the Inn on the Quay. The emptying pints on the tables look very inviting.

I follow paths over Roundham Head and walk through Roundham Gardens where I have lovely views back over Goodrington Sands.

Paignton is now laid out in front of me.

I pass Paignton's tiny harbour and walk along the esplanade to reach the pier where I head inland in search of a much needed ice lolly. It has been a hot end to the day.

I head along the busy Paignton streets full of amusement arcades and it's now time to finish my walk by heading inland along the busy main road to reach the village of Marldon, on the outskirts of Paignton, where our holiday cottage for the week resides.

Unbelieveably, although I've been climbing up and down cliffs all day long, the long ascent out of Paignton to Marldon proves to be the steepest ascent of the day!

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

hydrangeas
agapanthus
fig trees
echiums
blackberries
gorse
bracken
buzzards
honeysuckle
oxeye daisies
black sheep
mint
cows
red campion
red admiral butterflies
speckled wood butterflies
a comma butterfly
stonechats

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 22.6 miles today which amounts to 50823 steps. Ouch! It has been a lovely day's walking on the South West Coast Path, despite a manky start to the day. Nine out of ten!

My total ascent today has been 1161 metres or 3809 feet.

marldon to teignmouth via paignton and torquay

south west coast path

sunday, 11TH september 2016

FLORA AND FAUNA

PODCAST

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

MAP

dartmouth to marldon via brixham and paignton

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

saturday, 10TH september 2016

FLORA AND FAUNA

PODCAST

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

MAP