kennack sands to kynance cove

May 26, 2026 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

sunday, 17TH MAY 2026

Start location: Kennack Sands (SW 72662 16415)

End point: Kynance Cove (SW 68714 13285)

Map: Explorer 103

The weather is on the cold and windy side at the moment so my fleece is on which I would never normally do this late in the season.

Lizard Point high tide: 05:45

Lizard Point low tide: 12:25

Lizard Point high tide: 18:09

We are staying in an apartment next to Potters Bar in Kuggar near to Kennack Sands. I amble down towards Kennack Sands, passing Thai Wok Takeaway (a tiny little takeaway shack that seems to be very popular), Kennack Sands Holiday Park and Sea Acres Holiday Park.

The flowers on either side of the road are looking lovely.

Before reaching Kennack Sands I join the South West Coast Path on my right, to head towards The Lizard and Kynance Cove. It’s quite a short walk today. I have a last view over Kennack Sands before heading off to Kynance Cove.

I amble along the path to Poltesco Cove where a footbridge crosses a wooded river.

Here can be found the ruins of a serpentine works, once a thriving Victorian factory making mantlpieces, gravestones, shop fronts and polished ornaments made from the local serpentine stone quarried locally.

I come across a lone early purple orchid just starting to go to seed.

On leaving Poltesco I come across a small herd of Exmoor ponies being used for conservation grazing.

I reach flowery Cadgwith and enjoy the roses and poppies here.

I wander down to the beach trying to avoid all of the fishing equipment left clumsily lying around! A fishing boat is just being winched in as I arrive.

Leaving the beach, I pass the Cadgwith Cove Inn before climbing out of the village in front of a row of cottages overlooking the harbour.

I head out of Cadgwith, passing the Devil's Frying Pan, where the collapse of a sea cave has led to the creation of a 100 metre deep hole.

I reach a small habitation at Church Cove.

I head towards the Lizard Lifeboat Station at Kilcobben Cove.

A stone memorial here tells me that on the night of the 29th December 1962 ‘The Ardgarry’ and her crew of twelve were lost in a storm off of this coast.

I reach bass point. A plaque here tells me that on the 15th of January 2004, the Breton trawler ‘Bugaled Breizh’ sank off Lizard Point with five sailors losing their lives.

I pass the Bass Point National Coastwatch Station.

I pass the Housel Bay Hotel where three choughs fly by me. It's a pleasant morning so I continue ambling around to the Lizard Marconi Wireless Station, the oldest surviving Marconi wireless station.

I pass in front of the Polbrean Youth Hostel and then continue along the coast path in front of the lighthouse.

I wander down the footpath towards Lizard Point, the most southerly point on mainland Great Britain.

Choughs have taken up residence around here. They became extinct in Cornwall in 1973 but returned in 2001. They have been relatively successful in recent years with 48 pairs raising 129 young last year. I see a few of them flying around but they are difficult to photograph.

I continue along the cliffs towards Kynance Cove enjoying the magnificent views and the lovely wildflowers.

Before reaching Kynance Cove, Pentreath Beach can be found which is a little difficult to reach, involving scrambling down what appears to be little more than a goat track. It definitely looks worth the diversion but it's too adventurous for me with my heavy backpack.

I amble along to reach Kynance Cove where I come across some of the native bloody cranesbills.

I descend steeply down to the cove. For a change I’ve got quite a bit of beach so I waste quite a bit of time here. There are only a few people here. I strap back on my bag and climb back out of the cove and back up to the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

blackcaps
wrens
chiffchaffs
swallows
whitethroats
choughs
stonechats
cow parsley
alexanders
red campion
bluebells
rape
foxgloves
ribwort plantain
wild carrot
cuckooflower
hogweed
cats-ear
bladder campion
gorse
early purple orchid
navelwort
scarlet pimpernel
scabious
sea thrift
exmoor ponies
three-cornered garlic
kidney vetch
red valerian
borage
gladioli
roses
nasturtians
aqualegia
mesembryanthemum
birds-foot trefoil
bloody cranesbill

PODCAST

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 8.3 miles which amounts to 23174 steps. It has taken me 4 and a half hours. The weather has been cold and windy but it has been a lovely stretch of the coast. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

lyme regis to west bay

June 16, 2025 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

monday, 9th june 2025

Start location: Lyme Regis (SY 34574 92500)

End point: West Bay (SY 46148 90403)

Map: Explorer 116

I should have another lovely day today with no chance of rain.

Lyme Regis low tide: 11:38

Lyme Regis high tide: 18:23

I start the day at the Charmouth Road car park above Lyme Regis. A sign here tells me that there are 114 steps down to the foreshore. I climb the steps down to the foreshore where I have a view of the Black Ven landslip and the coast path walk for the day is laid out in front of me, although a little hazily.

I can see over to Golden Cap and in the distance, East Cliff and West Cliff at West Bay and Burton Bradstock and just beyond those, Chesil Beach stretches out to the Isle of Portland. This is one of my favourite stretches of coast on the whole coast path.

I climb back up to the Charmouth Road car park and head towards Charmouth Road.

Today's walk has typically in the past been dogged by landslips resulting in several inland diversions starting with an inland diversion at Lyme Regis.

I head upwards through fields high above Lyme Regis, photographing the wild flowers and I have a final view over the Cobb.

I enter a wood and the sign posts which were once very confusing, are now OK, so I wander along tracks through the woods until I'm then dumped out onto a busy road above Lyme Regis where I enjoy some of the garden flowers.

I continue along the road until a sign points me to a path through Lyme Regis Golf Club.

I continue walking through the golf course following a stone path. There are some spectacularly bad golfers out on the course.

I come across a patch of common spotted orchids in the middle of the course.

There is now a decent coastal route behind the golf course and down into Charmouth without having to walk along nasty, stinky main roads.

I come across a sculpture of Mary Anning in woods and you can find out all about the making of the sculpture.

It is a thoroughly pleasant walk now next to the golf course before I come across a viewing point looking back over the cliffs to Lyme Regis.

A signpost tells me that I’m two miles from Lyme Regis and just half a mile away from Charmouth.

It’s now time to descend down to Charmouth along a minor road.

I decide today to head through the main part of Charmouth, passing the Royal Oak pub, the Charmouth Community Library, St Andrews Parish Church, Charmouth Stores, Charmouth Pharmacy, Bank House Cafe, Charmouth Bakery and Charmouth Fish Bar and Pizzeria.

I head back the way I came and descend down a road towards the beach where I come across some beach huts and the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.

I wander along the beach here which is surprisingly busy.

I head up from Charmouth Beach and walk towards a bridge above East Beach, where I cross the River Char. With a spring in my step I start to ascend the cliffs out of Charmouth.

I amble along the cliffs enjoying the views back to Charmouth and ahead towards Golden Cap as well as all of the wildflowers.

I come across a coast path sign at Westhay Farm and descend into a meadow full of flowers, including yellow rattle going to seed. It looks absolutely lovely.

I’m now headed towards Golden Cap. I walk through a field full of cows and then climb slowly up on to the top of Golden Cap.

It's a long way up at 627 feet and the highest point on the south coast but it’s a surprisingly easy climb. I enjoy the magnificent views from up here. In one direction I can see out to the Isle of Portland and in the other direction back to Lyme Regis and beyond.

There are several paragliders flying around.

Golden Cap is named after the distinctive outcrop of golden greensand rock at the tip of the cliff and is owned by the National Trust. There is a trigpoint s3752 on the eastern side which must have one of the best views of any of the trigpoints.

I hang around for a while admiring the views before taking the long descent down to the Anchor Inn at Seatown.

I crunch my way across the pebbly beach before heading across a footbridge at the car park and then climb back onto the cliffs.

I climb up Ridge Cliff high above Seatown where I have magnificent views back over Seatown.

It’s getting quite hot now and I’m getting seriously sweaty. After descending the other side of Ridge Cliff there’s an even higher climb up to Thorncombe Beacon.

It's now another long descent, this time down to the village of Eype where there's another pebbly beach at Eype Mouth

I head over the footbridge over a stream where I come across some colourful pebbles.

Another ascent and descent over West Cliff takes me to the charming West Bay.

I've lost count of the number of times I've visited West Bay, but it's an awful lot. I round the harbour passing The George, the Bridport Arms Hotel, The West Bay Hotel, the amusement arcade and all of the food shacks dotted around the harbour. It is very busy.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

oxeye daisy
red clover
knapweed
honeysuckle
roses
hydrangea
foxglove
red campion
red valerian
mexican fleabane
aqualegia
common spotted orchid
poppy
fuchsia
wild carrot
yellow rattle
ribwort plantain
bird’s-foot trefoil

PODCAST

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 11.7 miles which amounts to 30001 steps. It has taken me 5 and a quarter hours. The weather has been lovely and warm and I’ve been walking on one of my favourite stretches of the coast. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

hallsands to blackpool sands

May 24, 2025 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

wednesday, 14TH MAY 2025

Start location: Hallsands (SX 81574 38494)

End point: Blackpool Sands (SX 85484 47843)

Map: Explorer OL20

It looks like I'm in for another day of beautiful spring weather today.

Dartmouth high tide 07:58

Dartmouth low tide 13:41

I walk down from the village car park, past a tennis court, and down to reach Hallsands.

I amble along the path through Hallsands, enjoying all of the spring wildflowers.

The path continues to Greenstraight Beach and then on to Tinsey Head.

I enjoy the wildflowers on Tinsey Head before dropping down to Beesands.

I walk along the road at Beesands to reach the Cricket Inn, birthplace of the Rolling Stones, before continuing on my way past St Andrew's Church.

I wander along the beach at Beesands before heading off towards Torcross.

beesands

I climb up the wooded slopes of the cliff where I photograph the wildflowers and come across a clump of early purple orchids.

A short walk takes me to Torcross where I climb down steps, admiring the view across Slapton Sands, to reach the promenade. I walk past the Start Bay Inn and the Sherman tank next to the car park, honouring the memory of servicemen.

I drop down onto Slapton Sands and trudge along the sandy and shingly beach, although there is not much in the way of sand today.

I reach the picnic site at Strete Gate and it is suddenly quite busy. My boots are full of pebbles so I empty them next to the toilet block by the car park.

I continue on the path climbing up towards Strete where the verges are covered in wildflowers.

I pass a sign pointing up the bridleway where I used to come down onto Slapton Sands.The path continues upwards away from Strete Gate picnic site and I pass a bench with magnificent views over Slapton Sands. The bench is dedicated to the memory of Philip and Mary Carter. Thank you Philip and Mary.

“In memory of Philip and Mary Carter. Tireless campaigners for South West Coast Path and founders of the South West Coast Path Association.”

It's rather nice on this newish section and I enjoy the wildflowers here and walk below some HUGE echiums.

I briefly follow the A379 into Strete where I pass the Parish Church of St. Michael, Strete Post Office and Stores, Strete Chapel and the King's Arms but everything seems to be covered in scaffolding.

A sign at a junction tells me that Torcross is three miles away and that Blackpool Sands is one mile away.

A rather circuitous route follows fields and paths heading towards Blackpool Sands and there are plenty of wildflowers to enjoy.

I now have some lovely views over Blackpool Sands. My camera is playing up though and most of the photos from here are over exposed. I’ve had this new camera a couple of years now but I still can’t work out what it is doing at times.

I cross a steep grassy valley and have some lovely views over a beach I don’t know but must be Landcombe Cove. You can definitely get down there as I can see footprints in the sand.

I wander down Widewell Lane smothered in wildflowers and I have a lovely view over Blackpool Sands.

I wander downhill to the beach and have a potter around the sandy, shingly beach before wandering back to the Blackpool Sands Cafe where my lift awaits. Only it doesn’t because the car park machines are out of order so you have to buy a ticket online even though there is no phone signal around here so my lift is driving from Torcross as soon as I reach here.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

red hot poker
bladder campion
gladioli
iris
alexanders
hogweed
three-cornered garlic
red campion
bird’s-foot trefoil
common dog-violet
scarlet pimpernel
gorse
germander speedwell
primroses
bluebells
greater stitchwort
herb robert
ribwort plantain
red admiral butterfly
navelwort
early purple orchids
foxgloves
wild garlic
comfrey
white valerian
honesty
green alkanet
red valerian
herb bennet
echiums
cow parsley
garlic mustard

PODCAST

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 8 miles which amounts to 22311 steps. It has taken me 4 hours. The weather has been beautiful although my camera has been playing up around Torcross and Blackpool Sands. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

salcombe to hallsands

May 24, 2025 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

tuesday, 13TH MAY 2025

Start location: Salcombe (SX 74046 39082)

End point: Hallsands (SX 81574 38494)

Map: Explorer OL20

Today's weather forecast for today and the rest of the week looks to be fantastic.

Start Point high tide 07:15

Start Point low tide 13:12

I start the day back in Salcombe and walk around to the Ferry Inn. It is very confusing walking through Salcombe but I eventually make my way through and climb down to the jetty where I catch the ferry over from Salcombe to East Portlemouth. The ferry turns up straight away and I’m the only passenger. The ferry fare is £2.70. The ferry turns up so quickly that I don’t really have any time to take any decent photographs.

I come ashore at East Portlemouth where I have lovely views back to Salcombe.

I turn right and amble along the road enjoying the wildflowers and immediately come across a clump of stumpy echiums.

I follow a minor road to reach Mill Bay, where I enjoy fine views back across to Salcombe.

A mass of sand from the beach has blown onto the road. The road verges are covered in wildflowers. I come across masses of a bell like plant which I don’t come across very often but is the three-cornered garlic (allium triquetrum) and I come across it throughout my walk today.

mill bay

I walk along the cliffs along Portlemouth Down towards Gara Rock. There are bluebells everywhere! I also come across a lone early purple orchid.

I come across a small pearl-bordered fritillary and I will continue to come across them throughout the day.

I reach a plaque commemorating the centenary of the Salcombe lifeboat disaster, when the RNLI lifeboat William and Emma capsized off Salcombe Bar with the loss of thirteen crew on the 27th of October 1916.

I have lovely views ahead of me towards Gara Rock and Gammon Head.

The paths are covered in foxgloves just coming into flower. I love foxgloves!

I come across stonechats clacking away in the gorse.

I come across common bird's-foot trefoil, a scabious of some kind and something I don't recognize. I've come across it at home as well but it doesn't seem to feature in my wildflower book.

I spot a beach with some people on it. The beach doesn't seem to be marked on my map but is known as Seacombe Sand and a very nice place it is.

seacombe sand

As I leave Seacombe Sand I come across large clumps of seathrift and bloody crane’s-bill.

I cross a footbridge and enter West Prawle, Higher House and Borough farms and there are foxgloves and spurges everywhere. They look like wood spurges to me but it's not particularly woody.

I continue along Deckler's Cliff passing Deckler's Island, Shag Rock and Bullock Cove.

I spot another lovely looking beach, this time at Venerick's Cove. I know it's accessible so I scramble down myself but I don't quite make it to the beach as my heavy rucksack is making things a little unsafe.

I scramble back up and come across more bloody crane's-bill. It seems to like it around here.

I come across a tiny adder but it disappears into the undergrowth before I have a chance to photograph it.

I continue along the coast path past Pig's Nose, Ham Stone and Bull Rock. I head out on to Gammon Head, given to the National Trust by the Rose family on the 5th of January 1965.

The view over Gammon Head is magnificent.

I come across yet another lovely beach, this time at Maceley Cove. It is a very steep descent to the beach but my rucksack makes the decision not to descend easy.

The path zig zags to reach Prawle Point National Coastwatch Station.

I have lovely views over towards Start Point. I continue along the path which takes me past Cobstone Cove, Western Cove, Landing Cove and Wollow Cove.

The path verges are full of wildflowers so I amble along taking photographs.

I round Langerstone Point and pass Sharper's Cove and Horseley Cove and on reaching Maelcombe House I come across a speckled wood butterfly and a stonechat.

The path passes in front of Maelcombe House and crosses Woodcombe Point, covered in wildflowers.

I reach Lannacombe Beach which I wander down to to enjoy the sandy beach.

I leave the beach and enter Down Farm and then pass Limpet Cove.

I pass Great Mattiscombe Sand which I must visit one day as it looks lovely and out to sea are Frenchman's Rock, Barler Rock, Little Sleaden Rock and Great Sleaden Rock.

I head round Start Point and pass the Start Point Lighthouse.

I now have magnificent views over Start Bay and over to Slapton Sands.

I have one last chance to capture the wildflowers before reaching Hallsands.

I follow the path down a steep slope to reach Hallsands, the village that fell into the sea. In May 2012, an access road, viewing platform and two houses were affected by a 200 tonne landslide.

FLORA AND FAUNA

skylarks
whitethroats
stonechats
pheasants
hydrangeas
white valerian
three-cornered garlic
echiums
red valerian
bluebells
greater stitchwort
early purple orchid
gorse
small pearl-bordered fritillary
foxgloves
ribwort plantain
bladder campion
scarlet pimpernel
bird’s-foot trefoil
herb robert
cat’s-ear
sea thrift
bloody crane’s-bill
red admiral
kidney vetch
wild carrot
alexanders
speckled wood butterfly
common vetch
primrose
herb robert
navelwort

PODCAST

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 11.8 miles which amounts to 31487 steps. It has taken me 5 hours 40 minutes. The weather has been beautiful. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

bantham to salcombe

May 24, 2025 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

saturday, 10TH MAY 2025

Start location: Bantham (SX 66847 43731)

End point: Salcombe (SX 73978 39343)

Map: Explorer OL20

Although there is a bit of rain around this week it looks like I'm in for some beautiful weather today.

Dartmouth low tide 11:33

Dartmouth high tide 17:53

We drive from our holiday cottage, Higher Dinnicombe, over to Bantham where I’m dropped off at the road which leads into Bantham village, next to the Sloop Inn.

I head through the car park and explore sandy Bantham Beach where I share the beach with a family who are camping here. There are, however, a load of surfers and paddleboarders out in the sea.

I head through sand dunes to rejoin 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 come across big black beetles on the golf course and stonechats are clacking all around me in the scrubby vegetation. I take in more of the wildflowers on the golf course and there are massive clumps of sea thrift and kidney vetch clinging to the low cliffs.

I wander across Thurlestone Beach and then Leas Foot Sand before reaching South Milton Sands. Thurlestone Rock can be seen out at sea.

thurlestone beach

leas foot sand

south milton sands

On leaving South Milton Sands I head out onto the low cliffs past Beacon Point and Mouthwell Point on towards Outer Hope. It is now a straight drop into the village.

hope cove

Easy walking takes me down to the Hope and Anchor Inn. I have lovely views over Hope Cove which consists of Outer Hope Beach and Inner Hope Beach.

I follow the road and a path through the village to reach Inner Hope. I wander down onto the beach and explore for a bit before it's time to head for Salcombe.

inner hope

I climb some steps out of Inner Hope and follow a woodland path out on to the open slopes leading to Bolt Tail where I enjoy the views across Hope Cove and the wildflowers.

hope cove

I amble around Bolt Tail which was once an Iron Age promontory hill fort.

I walk around the headland passing Yeovil Rock, Wolf Rock, China Rock and Graystone Ledge and then climb Bolberry Down at 395 feet. Skylarks are everywhere singing their hearts out but it is very blustery so recording them is difficult.

I come across a herd of long horn cattle who are as docile as anything.

The path continues before dropping steeply from Cathole Cliff into a valley where a footbridge crosses Soar Mill Cove.

I walk along The Warren where I enjoy the views back to Bolt Tail.

I pause to admire the views here before continuing along the path, passing Little Mew Stone and Mew Stone. I enjoy all of the wildflowers next to the coast path.

As I round Bolt Head I now have lovely views across Starehole Bay but the coast path signs have dried up and I must have chosen the wrong path because none of this is familiar even though I haven’t been here in quite some time.

I do have lovely views along the estuary over to Salcombe now.

I keep going and eventually come across a sign that links me back to the coast path, next to Overbecks Garden. On the path back down to the coast path I pass a ginormous bee hotel and an equally ginormous echium.

A proper road continues to the beach at South Sands where I pass the South Sands Hotel. I explore the beach here.

I continue on the road, first rising uphill and then down to North Sands Beach.

I pass the Winking Prawn Beach Cafe and then pass a small patch of cheery red hot pokers, before rising up and down again to reach Salcombe.

I have lovely views out to sea overlooking the estuary and also across the estuary over to East Portlemouth.

I amble along the road into Salcombe, admiring the MASSIVE echiums and the lovely views.

I walk around to the Ferry Inn where I will catch the ferry over from Salcombe to East Portlemouth tomorrow. I retrace my steps and head through the narrow streets and paths of Salcombe to the Creek Car Park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

linnet
whitethroat
skylarks
oystercatchers
song thrush
chiff chaff
wild carrot
red campion
sea thrift
kidney vetch
gladioli
greater stitchwort
bluebells
gorse
foxgloves
long horn cattle
hawthorn
wild garlic
red hot pokers

PODCAST

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 12.4 miles which amounts to 32957 steps. It has taken me 5 and a quarter hours. The weather has been beautiful and the walking has been lovely. Nine out of ten!