the river erme to aveton gifford

May 14, 2017 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

sunday, 7TH MAY 2017

Today's weather forecast looks much better than yesterday's murky gloom and it should be dry and warm-ish all day and I might well get some sun.

Salcombe high tide 16:55

Salcombe low tide 10:37

I resume my walking on a country lane at Black Cross Post about three quarters of a mile above Wonwell Beach, first thing in the morning. The plan for the day is to walk to Aveton Gifford which means I'll have to head a long way inland along the River Avon.

I enjoy the wildflowers romping away in the roadside verges and the birds are singing their hearts out. There are even pheasants squawking in the fields either side of the road.

I continue down the lane to reach Wonwell Beach and admire the fine views back across Erme Mouth. It's surprisingly busy at this time of the morning with rather a lot of dog walkers.

I join the coast path and head past Red Cove, East Mary's Rock and head around Ferrycombe Point. I have lovely views over the mouth of the River Erme at low-ish tide.

I walk across Ferrycombe Beach and climb back onto the low cliffs and I have lovely views over the River Erme and out to sea.

At Scobbiscombe Farm I'm greeted by the sound of skylark song and I come across my first orchids of the year, a patch of,presumably, early purple orchids.

There are bluebells and daisies everywhere.

I climb onto Beacon Point at 330 feet and I have my first views of Bigbury-on-Sea and Burgh Island in the distance.

I then climb onto Hoist Point, passing along the way Beacon Beach, Gutterslide Beach, Meddrick Rocks and Hoist Beach. After that there is a steep drop down to Westcombe Beach. It's pretty remote but the beach is rather busy with an extended family camping here.

I climb a steep set of steps and enjoy the fine views over the rugged South Devon coastline before climbing over cliffs to reach Ayrmer Cove.

The beach is deserted except for a couple of dog walkers so I spend some quality time wandering around, exploring the strandline.

I climb onto Toby's Point and now have fine views over to Burgh Island before dropping down to Challaborough Bay. Here can be found the Challaborough Bay Holiday Park. It's busier on Challaborough Beach but you wouldn't guess it from the photograph.

I amble across the beach admiring the views over to Burgh Island.

I climb off of the beach and head for Bigbury-on-Sea. I immediately come across a sign for Mount Folly Farm but I don't see any evidence of farmland. I head through Bigbury-on-Sea and then walk through the car park before briefly dropping down to the beach. This is as close as I'll get to Burgh Island today as I'm heading off on the Avon Estuary Walk.

I head back through the car park and follow signs over a couple of bits of scrubby grassland before crossing the B3392 and walking through a car park to reach a sign giving details of the ferry over the River Avon by Mount Folly Farm. It does exist then!

The ferry only seems to run between 10am and 11am and not at all on a Sunday so I'd have been buggered if I was relying on it. I'd no intention of catching it anyway as it seems a pointless service.

I head through the farm and a steeply descending path takes me down to the River Avon estuary, walking down a scabby path full of nettles before passing The Old Boat House. I don't remember coming this way before so the coast path must have been re-routed.

There's another ferry information panel by the river but I can't see any signs for the Avon Estuary Walk. My notes talk about taking some steps and I can't see any of those either. I head down the river but it's pretty clear quickly that there's no route down there.

I head back to the ferry and follow a steep path away from the ferry and pointing to Bigbury-on-Sea. After a bit of a climb I find an Avon Estuary Walk sign. Finally I'm on the right track again!

I scan the QR code back at our cottage and it does indeed work. I've found other audio clips of the Avon Estuary Walk on the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty website.

I reach a metalled track at Bigbury Golf Club (popular with pheasants) and follow this track to the side of the golf course and then across it.

I pass through a gate next to a cattle grid and head through Hexdown, where I'm greeted by a rather angry collie dog, and then follow a footpath down towards a private drive, which I follow. It leads to a scrappy path where I have a brief glimpse of the river through trees

I wander along the footpath admiring the wildflowers. The path verges are covered in wild garlic which is emanating a lovely oniony smell.

The footpath continues through woods and passes some isolated houses before eventually reaching the B3392 but I turn right into a field before the road and follow a permissive path through fields.

I turn right across a field marked 'Milburn Orchard 1 1/2 m'. I then have a dilemma because a sign points in a vague direction. It looks like it's pointing along the field I'm in but there's also a field next door full of cows which also has a gate and what looks like a path parallel to the one in the field I'm in.

I choose the former which is a big mistake as it clearly isn't the correct path. I retrace my steps and then there is an almighty commotion and two runners force their way through the hedge next to me. They have been attacked by bulls in the next field. I clearly can't go that way either!

I retrace my steps again along the wrong path but I'm now lost. I walk through several fields and then come across a group of houses. I go through these and come to a road. There aren't any signs but it's dropping steeply down to my right so I follow it.

Luckily it drops down to the foreshore of the River Avon and, as it's far from high tide, I'm now able to follow the tidal road which takes me to Aveton Gifford where the Fishermen's Rest pub can be found. Phew!!

My lift awaits in the car park next to the end of the tidal road.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

bluebells
red and white campion
cow parsley
primroses
hogweed
herb robert
herb bennet
robins
wrens
chiffchaffs
pheasants
bugle
hawthorn
little egrets
skylarks
lords and ladies
stonechats
goldfinches
oystercatchers
swallows
early purple orchids
sea thrift
gorse
bladder campion
flag irises
red and white valerian

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 12.9 miles today which amounts to 30185 steps. The weather was a massive improvement on yesterday and made for perfect walking weather and apart from the near miss with the bulls has been a lovely day of walking. Nine out of ten!

My total ascent today has been 210 metres or 689 feet.

MAP

plymouth to the river erme

May 14, 2017 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

saturday, 6TH MAY 2017

April has been a windy and cold, cold month with some biting winds at times but the weather has finally turned and I'm expecting warm weather for the entire week. It's time for a new season of walking the south west coast path.

Today's weather forecast doesn't look too good with rain set for the entire day but the rest of the week after that should be dry and sunny.

Plymouth high tide 15:49

Plymouth low tide 09:42

Today's walk starts at the Mountbatten Centre on the edge of the Plym estuary on the Mount Batten peninsula overlooking Plymouth. From here I pass the Hotel Mount Batten and the berth for the Mount Batten Ferry. It's a murky start to the day and rain is threatening.

I walk around the breakwater taking in memorials for RAF Mount Batten and Laurence of Arabia, who was stationed here but the memorials are rather worn now and very difficult to read. RAF Mount Batten was a Royal Air Force station and flying boat base but little of it remains today. I was last here in May 2014 when storm damage due to winter storms had wrecked some of the beaches around here but order has been resumed and everything is back to normal. Everything around here is starting to look a bit shabby though.

Steps lead up to the Mount Batten Tower, a 30 foot high gun tower which was used to guard the southern approach to Plymouth harbour. The tower is believed to have been built between 1646 and 1652 and was named after William Batten who commanded the Parliamentary navy in Plymouth during the Civil War.

I take in the views around Plymouth Sound before heading off of Mount Batten peninsula and on to Jennycliff, where there is a small pebble beach with rock pools. The beach was closed three years ago due to storm damage but is now back open.

A stone board shows what Plymouth Sound was like 20,000 years ago towards the end of the last Ice Age when the sea level was 130 metres lower than it is today and Plymouth Sound was dry. As the ice melted 10,000 years ago the sea flooded back into Plymouth Sound much as it looks today. At least the board should show me but it's even more worn than the previous two and I can barely make out any words.

I pass a marker saying :-

“Welcome to Plymouth. Please wipe your feet.”

I should come across another one of these when I walk across Plymouth on Monday.

I come across a marker which says that it's 175.5 miles to Poole. It's not! It's more like 230 miles by my calculations.

I climb down some steps and then up some steps and amble along the coast path. The wildflowers are looking lovely but my camera doesn't cope very well with the murky and damp conditions.

I come across a field full of sheep and there are swallows swooping across the field and skylarks singing. There are also runners everywhere. I have rather gloomy views back over Plymouth.

I reach the Staddon Heights Defences built in the 1860s to protect the surrounding area from enemy invasion. I head on high over a small harbour at Staddon Point and then descend to pass Staddon Point Battery and Fort Bovisand.

I pass Cliffedge Cafe and almost enter the Bovisand Lodge Estate but a footpath heads off to the right and I come across the dreaded japanese knotweed.

I drop onto the beach at Bovisand Bay and then pass through Bovisand Holiday Park and past Cafe Bovisands. I come across a clump of red hot pokers which cheer up the day a little.

I continue to amble along the coast path and watch the slow progress of a ship being escorted out of Plymouth harbour. I pass Andurn Point, Westlake Bay and Heybrook Bay where out to sea I can see Shag Stone (snigger!) and Crab Rock, enjoying the wildflowers along the way, before eventually reaching the Great Mew Stone, a wedged shape island just offshore owned by the National Trust. It gets its name from the old English name for the herring gull

I continue around Wembury Point, where I come across a small flock of canada geese, to reach Wembury Beach, a sandy beach at low tide. Here can be found Old Mill Cafe and Wembury Marine Centre.

I leave the beach and come across a sign saying it's 206 miles to poole. It's still not right but at least it's closer than the previous sign.

I climb up towards Saint Werburgh's Church and then amble along the cliffs, admiring the views over the Yealm estuary before climbing down to the ferry pier on the banks of the River Yealm.

I drop the sign for the ferry to alert the ferryman of my presence and the ferry arrives shortly. I climb aboard and then enjoy crossing the river to reach the shore at Noss Mayo. The crossing costs £3.50 but I tip extra and the ferryman promises to have a couple of beers on me that evening! It's a long old trek trying to get around the River Yealm!

I climb Noss Slip and pass Ferryman's Cottage where I come across an old sign showing the ferry tolls of yonder. Actually it can't be that old as I don't recall seeing it before and it's in remarkably good condition. 1 old pence to cross the Yealm? I was robbed!

I have some lovely, if murky, views back along the River Yealm.

I enter Passage Wood and the path winds its way out of the woods before entering Brakehill Plantation. Bluebells are everywhere and skylarks are singing their hearts out!

I come across a herd of cows with their young calves and swallows swooping around them. Stonechats are clacking away merrily in the gorse.

A pleasant walk crosses grassy and rugged slopes and I pass cove after cove starting with Silver Cove and continuing past Greylake Cove, Swaney Cove, Quarry Cove, Eden's Cove, Long Cove, Searush Cove, Saddle Cove, Bridge Cove, Dunny Cove, Withie Cove, Pilot Cove, Bloody Cove, Little Bloody Cove, Swale Cove and Rugger Cove. That's a lot of coves!

A gladed path leads past Stoke Point and there are wildflowers everywhere. There are usually lots of butterflies flitting around here but it's too gloomy today.

I reach a place which seems to be called Revelstoke but I can't see it on my map. I head downhill slightly through the caravan park here to photograph some irises.

I retrace my steps to rejoin the coast path and enter Carswell Farm before passing more coves, Church Cove, Row Cove, Sandy Cove, Pinkey's Cove and Long Cove. I reach Beacon Hill where there is a ruined lookout and I have a distinctly murky view.

I begin to see tomorrow's walk laid out before me and the coast path then drops steeply into a grassy hollow before climbing steeply out again.

I pass yet more coves, Ivy Cove, Carswell Cove, and another Carswell Cove (not very imaginative naming!) on the way to St Anchorite's Rock, an impressive looking large rocky tor and I pass lovely clumps of sea thrift looking their best. They've only just started to come into flower at home.

The path eventually drops down to Meadowfoot Beach at the head of the River Erme which I briefly have all to myself before I'm joined by a couple of dog walkers. They promptly manage to lose their dog.

I cross the sandy beach and can hear the dog walkers calling for their dog as I climb some steps away from the beach and then walk through woods to reach the Mothecombe Slipway at Erme Mouth. Here my day ends as the only way to cross the River Erme is to ford it one hour either side of low tide. Since I can't swim, there's no way I'm going to chance it. It's also close to high tide so even fording is out of the question.

Instead I head inland up the minor road to the car park nearby where my lift is waiting to take us back to our home for the week, Heron's Rest. Since I've built up a bit of a thirst some bottles of Doom Bar await in the fridge back at the cottage.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

red campion
red valerian
bluebells
robins
chaffinches
herb robert
garlic mustard
pheasants
wrens
herb bennet
chiffchaffs
sheep
swallows
skylarks
gorse
whitethroat (might have been the lesser)
ox eye daisies
japanese knotweed
red hot pokers
sea thrift
gunnera
wild carrot
foxgloves
canada geese
oystercatchers
little egrets
curlew
song thrushes
wild garlic
cow parsley
green alkanet
stonechats
cows
irises
bugle

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 18.1 miles today which amounts to 41440 steps. The weather has been murky and mizzly but I've rather enjoyed myself today at the start of the season's coast path walking even though the beginning of the walk felt a bit shabby. Seven out of ten!

My total ascent today has been, err, I don't know as my Ordnance Survey app failed me today.

MAP

the river erme to outer hope

May 14, 2014 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

14th may 2014

Today's weather forecast looks to be fantastic again, with sun forecast all day long and warm temperatures. Woop!

Dartmouth high tide 19:00

Dartmouth low tide 12:02

I resume my walking on a country lane about a mile away from the mouth of the River Erme, first thing in the morning. The plan for the day is to walk to Outer Hope which isn't very far on a map but I'll have to head a long way inland to skirt around the River Avon.

I enjoy the wildflowers romping away in the roadside verges and there are loads of butterflies flittering away even at this early hour. I even find a couple of obliging specimens to photograph.

I continue down the lane to reach Wonwell Beach and admire the fine views back across Erme Mouth. It's surprisingly busy at this time of the morning - well, there was a couple of dog walkers and three fellow coast path walkers.

I walk across Ferrycombe Beach and then I'm immediately greeted by skylark song before climbing onto Beacon Point at 330 feet and then Hoist Point. After that there is a steep drop down to Westcombe Beach. It's pretty remote here so I have the whole beach to myself.

I climb a steep set of steps and enjoy the fine views over the rugged South Devon coastline before reaching Ayrmer Cove. The beach is deserted so I spend some quality time wandering around, exploring the strandline.

I climb onto Toby's Point before dropping down to Challaborough Bay. Here can be found the Challaborough Bay Holiday Park. It's busier on Challaborough Beach but you wouldn't guess it from the photograph.

I amble across the beach admiring the views over to Burgh Island.

I climb off of the beach and head for Bigbury-on-Sea. The tide is out so I enjoy the fine sandy beach and take the opportunity to wander over to Burgh Island. The Pilchard Inn, dating back to 1336, can be found on the island but it's nowhere near opening time. The sea tractor, which carries passengers back and forth between the island and the mainline when the tide is in, is parked next to the island.

I head inland along the B3392 to reach a sign giving details of the ferry over the River Avon.

The ferry only seems to run between 10am and 11am so I've missed it by about three quarters of an hour. I head inland along the 9 mile diversion around the River Avon but almost immediately get lost as the signs make no sense. I abandon the diversion, summon up a lift and head back to Bigbury-on-Sea.

My lift arrives at the Bigbury-on-Sea car park and we drive around the River Avon to reach Bantham village, passing the Sloop Inn. As I write this, the village of Bantham is due to be sold shortly for an estimated price of £10 million. Seems nice here so I check my pockets but all I've got is loose change.

I explore sandy Bantham Beach before regaining the coast path proper where there are fine views back along the coast to Burgh Island but I head in the other direction along the edge of Thurlestone Golf Course.

I wander across Thurlestone Beach and then South Milton Sands. Thurlestone Rock can be seen out at sea. South Milton Sands features in this short clip from The Storms that Shook the Southwest shown on BBC1.

The coast path is closed here so I divert along a road to Pitchingstone Cross and then along what is flattering described as an unmetalled road - it's a track! The diversion heads back towards the sea and then descends to Hope Cove and my destination for the day, Outer Hope, I get tantalisingly close to Outer Hope (10 metres!) before a bizarre diversion forces me uphill again and around Outer Hope before descending in to the village again.

Easy walking takes me down to the Hope and Anchor Inn. That's the end of the walking for this week. I'll be back on the South West Coast Path on the 7th of June (happy birthday to me!) when I'll probably walk from Penzance to Falmouth.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

wall brown butterflies
speckled wood butterflies
peacock butterflies
bluebells
red campion
wild garlic
cow parsley
skylarks
chaffinches
navelwort

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 15 miles today which amounts to 32274 steps. I've had gorgeous sunny weather all day long, it's been a beautiful spring day and the walking has been fantastic. 9 out of 10.

View the river erme to outer hope in a larger map

plymouth to the river erme

May 13, 2014 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

13th may 2014

Today's weather forecast looks to be fantastic again, with sun forecast for all day and even the wind looks to have died down finally.

Dartmouth high tide 11:39

Dartmouth low tide 18:15

Today's walk starts at the Mountbatten Centre on the edge of the Plym estuary on the Mount Batten peninsula. From here I pass the Hotel Mount Batten and the berth for the Mount Batten Ferry. Ideally I'd have caught this ferry over from the Barbican but it would have meant getting caught in traffic travelling in to Plymouth.

I walk around the breakwater taking in memorials for RAF Mount Batten and Laurence of Arabia, who was stationed here. RAF Mount Batten was a Royal Air Force station and flying boat base but little of it remains today. Storm damage due to the winter storms seems to be the order of the day and I encounter my first storm damage sign of the day here.

Steps lead up to the Mount Batten Tower, a 30 foot high gun tower which was used to guard the southern approach to Plymouth harbour.

I take in the views around Plymouth Sound before heading off of Mount Batten peninsula and on to Jennycliff, where there is a small pebble beach with rock pools. Unfortunately the beach is closed due to storm damage.

I head on high over a small harbour at Staddon Point and then pass Staddon Point Battery and Fort Bovisand. A landslide here last year forced the Royal Navy to relocate its diving school from here.

I pass Bovisand Holiday Park and the Beachcomber Cafe and eventually reach the Mewstone, a wedged shape island just offshore. I continue around Wembury Point to reach Wembury Beach, a sandy beach at low tide. Here can be found Old Mill Cafe and Wembury Marine Centre.

I leave the beach and climb up towards Saint Werburgh's Church, admiring the views over the Yealm estuary before climbing down to the ferry pier on the banks of the River Yealm.

Handily the ferry is waiting for me so I climb aboard and then enjoy crossing the river to reach the shore at Noss Mayo. The crossing costs £3 but I tip extra. It's a long old trek trying to get around the River Yealm! The coast path doesn't go through the village here so I can't enjoy the delights of the Ship Inn but it's too early for opening time anyway.

I walk along the sandy river bank and climb some steps up from the pier on the other side of the River Yealm and pass Ferryman's Cottage before entering Passage Wood. The path winds its way out of the woods before entering Brakehill Plantation. Bluebells are everywhere and skylarks are singing their hearts out!

A pleasant walk crosses grassy and rugged slopes and eventually reaches Beacon Hill where there is a ruined lookout. There are loads of butterflies around here including wall brown butterflies.

A gladed path leads past Stoke Point and there are wildflowers and butterflies everywhere and I manage to get my first ever photographs of red admirals.

I reach a place which seems to be called Revelstoke but I can't see it on my map. A diversion (self inflicted this time) takes me to the church of St Peter the Poor Fisherman, no longer used for regular worship but still consecrated.

I retrace my steps to walk past some irises at the caravan park here and then rejoin the coast path.

I begin to see tomorrow's walk laid out before me and the coast path then drops steeply into a grassy hollow before climbing steeply out again.

Some cows block the path on the way to St Anchorite's Rock, an impressive looking large rocky tor, but they are docile enough and I don't come to any harm passing them.

The path eventually drops down to Meadowfoot Beach at the head of the River Erme. I cross the sandy beach, climb some steps and then walk back down to the Mothecombe Slipway at Erme Mouth. Here my day ends as the only way to cross the River Erme is to ford it and, since I can't swim, there's no way I'm going to chance it. It's also not low tide so even fording is out of the question.

Instead I head inland to the car park nearby where my lift is waiting to take us back to our home for the week, Heron's Rest. Since I've built up a bit of a thirst some bottles of Doom Bar await back at the cottage.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

chaffinches
wrens
swallows
skylarks
bluebells
red campion
wild garlic
cormorants
sheep
cows
foxgloves
orange tip butterflies
wall brown butterflies
red admirals
speckled wood butterflies
navelwort
oaks
ferns
canada geese

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 17.6 miles today which amounts to 37799 steps. What a delightful walk and the weather has been fantastic again. 9 out of 10.

View plymouth to the river erme in a larger map