outer hope to torcross

May 11, 2014 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

11th may 2014

Today's weather forecast looks to be pretty good with maybe the odd shower but mostly sun all day and it looks like the wind has died down a bit.

Dartmouth high tide 16:42

Dartmouth low tide 09:59

The beginning of the day sees me back in Outer Hope next to the Hope and Anchor Inn, where I follow the road and a path through the village to reach 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.

I walk around the headland and then climb Bolberry Down at 395 feet. 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. Last time I was here it was covered in thick fog and I could barely see anything but today the weather is sunny so I reach Bolt Head without any mishaps. I pause to admire the views here before continuing along the path.

I cross a stream using a stone slab to reach Starehole Bay and climb a steep slope followed by some stone steps to reach Sharp Tor with some fine views towards Salcombe.

The path continues through woods before reaching a dirt road. It's a lovely walk here and there are wildflowers everywhere.

A proper road continues to the beach at South Sands. I continue on the road, first rising uphill and then down to North Sands Beach, where I pass some red hot pokers, before rising up and down again to reach Salcombe.

I walk around to the Ferry Inn (@TFISalcombe) and climb down to the jetty where I catch the ferry over from Salcombe to East Portlemouth and come ashore at the Venus Cafe. I turn right and follow a minor road to reach Mill Bay, where I enjoy find views back across to Salcombe.

I walk on towards Gara Rock. There are bluebells everywhere!

I cross a footbridge by a crumbling ruin and the path eventually leads to Gammon Head, given to the National Trust by the Rose family on the 5th of January 1965. The path zig zags to reach Prawle Point National Coastwatch Station but is poorly signposted so I get lost. Eventually I find my way to the car park at East Prawle.

The path passes in front of Maelcombe House before reaching Lannacombe Beach. I avoid falling down the crumbling cliff at The Narrows where I find my one and only orchid of the day. I'm clearly not looking out for them properly!

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

I follow the path down a steep slope to reach Hallsands. I last walked through here in April 2012 and, shortly afterwards, in May 2012, an access road, viewing platform and two houses were affected by a 200 tonne landslide. I wander down to the viewing platform to assess the damage.

The path continues to Greenstraight Beach and then on to Tinsey Head before dropping down to Beesands. I walk along the road at Beesands to reach the Cricket Inn (@TheCricketInn), birthplace of the Rolling Stones, where I stop for a pint of Otter Brewery's (@otterbrewery) Otter Bitter and then continue on my way past St Andrew's Church.

I inspect the storm damaged beach at Beesands before heading off towards Torcross.

A short walk takes me to Torcross where I climb down steps, admiring the view across Slapton Sands, to reach the promenade and the end of my walk. I walk past the Start Bay Inn (@StartBayInn) and the Sherman tank, honouring the memory of servicemen, and head in to the car park where my lift awaits.

Torcross and Slapton Sands also took a battering in this winter's storms, although most of the damage has been cleared now

In 1943, Torcross and the surrounding area was evacuated so that Slapton Sands could be used as a training area in preparation for the D-Day landings. This video tells the story of the evacuation all those years ago in the words of seven local residents who were children at the time.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

skylarks
woodpeckers
bluebells
wild garlic
red campion
red hot pokers
little egret
one orchid
navelwort
dead nettles

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?

Phew! What a trek!! According to my phone I've walked 26.2 miles today which amounts to 46914 steps. Although it has been a blustery day (nothing like yesterday though) the weather has been fantastic, the rain stayed away and the walking has been great. 9 out of 10.

View outer hope to toreros in a larger map

heron's rest to torcross

May 10, 2014 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

10th may 2014

We're staying this week in a cottage called Heron's Rest, thanks to Classic Cottages. The cottage is set in a peaceful location, high above the Dart valley overlooking Dartmouth.

The weather forecast for today has been dreadful (but getting progressively better) all week and after heavy overnight rain it looks like I've got a thoroughly nice spring day to look forward to. Could be a bit blustery though.

Dartmouth high tide 15:49

Dartmouth low tide 08:59

After packing my bag, I leave Heron's Rest for the walk through Long Wood down to the ferry crossing over the River Dart to Dartmouth. It's a lovely Spring day so I take advantage and photograph some of the spring flowers.

Just before leaving Long Wood I come across a sign warning of basking adders. Unfortunately the day is still young and so hasn't warmed up yet so I don't come across any.

After the delightful walk through Long Wood I reach the bank of the River Dart and catch the Higher Ferry (I was robbed of 50p for the crossing!) over to Dartmouth.

I amble through Dartmouth passing the Floating Bridge Inn and come across a Morgan Roadstar Brooklands Edition car parked on the waterfront.

I continue ambling through Dartmouth passing the Ship in the Dock Inn, the Windjammer Inn and the George and Dragon before walking along the cobbled waterfront, passing Bayards Cove Inn and then through Bayards Cove Fort, a small Tudor artillery fort guarding Dartmouth's inner harbour. I climb steps to leave the waterfront and head through Warfleet Creek and towards St Petrox Church.

From here I head next door to Dartmouth Castle which, for over 600 years, has guarded the narrow entrance to the Dart estuary.

The path zig zags out towards Blackstone Point, Coombe Point and then Warren Point, passing secluded coves on the way before heading inland to reach a minor road. This road leads to the A379 which takes me in to Stoke Fleming where I pass the Green Dragon and St Peter's Church.

I follow the A379 (think I've gone the wrong way!) out of Stoke Fleming and on to Blackpool Sands where I have a potter around the shingly beach. The Venus Beach Cafe can be found here.

I leave Blackpool Sands via a lovely woodland path and cross a steep grassy valley and then a rather circuitous route (needless to say I got lost!) to reach Strete where I pass the King's Arms (it seems to be closed and is to let) and see St Michael's Church in the distance.

I follow the A379 out of Strete before a path takes me down to the Strete Gate picnic site from where I drop down onto Slapton Sands. I trudge along the beach which starts off sandy but soon becomes more shingly.

The wind has been blustery all day but seems to turn into a gale here and I can barely stay on my feet so I head back to the main road to try and find some relief, cross it, and drop down to a path that follows the road in front of Slapton Ley. There isn't any relief!

From here it should be an easy walk to the car park at Torcross, the destination for today's walk. Unfortunately, today it isn't an easy walk so I stumble around in the wind until I reach the car park where I shelter in a hide overlooking Slapton Ley for a bit.

I leave the shelter of the hide, head past the Sherman tank at the entrance of the car park and on to the Start Bay Inn (@StartBayInn) where I enjoy a yummy pint of Otter Brewery's Otter Ale.

I leave the shelter of the hide, head past the Sherman tank at the entrance of the car park and on to the Start Bay Inn (@StartBayInn) where I enjoy a yummy pint of Otter Brewery's Otter Ale.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

owls
magpies
no adders
chaffinches
robins
wrens
thrushes
empty snail shells
skylarks
bluebells
wild garlic
swallows
red campion

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 16 miles today (much further than I was expecting) which amounts to 32396 steps. Despite the wind for most of the day it has been a great day's spring walking with plenty of interest to see throughout the day. 9 out of 10.

View heron's rest to torcross in a larger map

uphill to shipham

April 18, 2014 by Mark Seymour

west mendip way

18th april 2014

The weather forecast for the day looks to be fantastic, especially considering that it's Easter weekend. Can't complain!

Today's walk is relatively local and starts on the beach at Uphill just outside of Weston-Super-Mare. I walk along the beach to reach the official start of the West Mendip Way at Uphill Marina. Skylarks are out in numbers singing their hearts out.

The West Mendip Way was opened on the 24th of May 1979 and a plaque at Uphill Marina commemorates the opening but is hidden away on the sea defence wall and is now obscured by ivy.

I pass a limekiln and then an explosives store before entering Uphill Nature Reserve and then walk through Walborough Nature Reserve where I encounter some friendly cows.

I get dumped briefly onto the busy A370 where the birds don't seem to mind the noise, before heading off on a side road, passing Coombe Farm. The way marks for the West Mendip Way seem to be non existent.

I turn left and climb the side of Purn Hill, a 6.1 Hectare nature reserve managed by Avon Wildlife Trust. There are plenty of butterflies flying around here but they are a bit flighty so I only manage to photograph a speckled wood.

The path leads towards Bleadon village and I take a break here at the church of St Peter and St Paul.

I've walked this walk three times now and, maybe I'm blind, but I've failed to find any decent way marks so once again I get lost trying to find my way out of Bleadon and end up passing the Queens Arms twice.

Eventually, after much swearing, I find myself on the roman road at the top of Hellenge Hill but it takes me close on an hour. I walk along the road and encounter some pigs, skylarks and robins.

The road continues for about a mile before veering to the left to descend to Hutton. My path leads straight ahead instead, along a bridleway. The bridleway descends for about 2 miles until it reaches Loxton village.

I take a break here at Loxton Parish Church before descending to the busy M5 motorway heaving with Easter traffic.

I cross the bridge over the busy motorway and head towards Webbington Hotel and Spa before heading along the road below Crook Peak. At a grassy area I begin the climb of the northern slopes of Crook Peak. I reach the top where I have buzzards for company and a decent view back over the motorway and Loxton village beyond.

I climb to a triangulation point on the summit of Wavering Down at 211 meters above sea level, along the way passing sheep, ponies and cows and calves.

I have some lovely views from up here.

I pass Hill Farm and then descend through woods where the wild garlic is just coming into flower to a car park and then onto the busy A38. I cross the road at a petrol station and then join a bridleway which leads towards Shipham.

On the bridleway I encounter my first primroses of the day before coming to a field full of sheep and lambs making a lot of noise.

The path crosses some fields and over a stream before descending to the village of Shipham where I visit the parish church of St Leonard and pass the Penscot Inn where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

skylarks
chaffinches
robins
orange tip butterflies
speckled wood butterflies
tortoiseshell butterflies
cows
sheep
ponies
wild garlic
primroses
bluebells
dog violets

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?

My pedometer app has failed me again so I'm going to have to find a more reliable one. It looks like I've walked 15.9 miles, mostly thanks to the help of the unscheduled diversion at Bleadon. It has been a beautiful spring day today and despite failing to find the correct path out of Bleadon the walking has been fantastic. 8 out of 10.

View uphill to shipham in a larger map

a short walk around slimbridge

January 25, 2014 by Mark Seymour in slimbridge

25th january 2014

Slimbridge is a wetland reserve managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust near the village of Slimbridge, Gloucestershire. Slimbridge lies on the estuary of the River Severn. It was opened on the 10th of November 1946 by the artist and naturalist Sir Peter Scott. The reserve was the first Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust centre to be opened and there are now nine reserves dotted throughout the United Kingdom.

It's a rather pleasant winter January day today so we head up to Slimbridge for a wander. Due to the recent bad weather I'm a little rusty with my 105mm macro lens so today's photos didn't turn out too well. Here's a few photographs from the walk :-

Here's what Slimbridge sounded like today :-

FLORA AND FAUNA

Errrr ….. rather a lot today. Flora and fauna encountered on the walk includes :-

black headed gulls
bewick's swan
richardson's canada geese
common shelduck
long tailed tits
crested screamer
puna teal
south american comb duck
greylag geese
rooks
robins
blue tits
great tits
coscoroba swans
snowdrops
goldfinches
great spotted woodpecker
chaffinch
hellebores
moorhens
coots
greater flamingos
lesser flamingos
black-crowned cranes
red-breasted geese
emperor geese
demoiselle cranes
andean flamingos
james' flamingos
fat pigeons
mute swans
willow
bull rushes
alder
jackdaws
caribbean flamingos

DISTANCE WALKED

According to my phone I've walked 3.2 miles today which amounts to 6831 steps.

View slimbridge in a larger map

bridport farmers' market

January 11, 2014 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

11th january 2014

Today's weather forecast looks like it will be fantastic, especially considering the amount of rain we've had recently, and does, indeed, turn out to be bright, sunny and warm. Must make the most of it as it doesn't look like it will last vey long.

Today is Bridport Farmers' Market day which is a perfect excuse for heading out to the South West Coast Path at West Bay. The farmers' market is held on the second Saturday of every month in the Arts Centre (@BridportArts).

Producers attending the market today included :-

Barley Sugar Bakehouse (@TheBarleySugar) - yummy treacle tart with orange and ginger today
Bothen Hill Produce (@bothenhill)
Bridge Farm Cider
Bridport Gourment Pies (@bridportpies)
Daisy's Woodland Chicken
Dorset Coffee
Elwell Fruit Farm
Fussels (@andy_fuss)
Homemade by Lizzie and Bekki- the baking birds (@bekkibemrose and @lizzibakingbird)
Leakers Bakery (@leakersbakery)
Meat Free Martha (@meatfreemartha)
Mere Fish Farm (@MereFishFarm)
Stockland Venison
Woolsery Cheese (@woolserycheese)
Wyld Meadow Farm

First up is a wander around Bridport (including stocking up on supplies at Leakers Bakery (@leakersbakery)), exploring the saturday market and along the way passing The Ropemakers, the George Hotel, the Woodman Inn, The Greyhound, The Bull Hotel and The Hope & Anchor.

After that I head out to West Bay along the Monarch's Way to join the South West Coast Path. It's pretty muddy out so I squelch along the fields at a very slow pace before reaching Park Dean Holiday Park at West Bay.

After exploring West Bay for a bit - passing the George Hotel and The West Bay Hotel - I trudge along the beach to reach Freshwater Beach Holiday Park, enjoying the mild January weather.

Here I head inland slightly, walking through the holiday park - it's pretty dead at this time of year - and then through fields to reach Burton Bradstock. I turn left to walk through part of the village and then head towards St Mary's church. I cross the stream that burbles away here and then cross fields to reach Hive Beach.

Often I'll continue walking along Cogden Beach before doubling back on myself, crossing fields to reach the National Trust car park above Cogden but today is a short walk day so I end my walk by the Hive Beach Cafe, which is closed this week for annual maintenance but is open for business again on Monday.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

sheep
robins
lots of dogs
lots of gulls

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

I've walked about 5.5 miles today. My pedometer app failed me again but it should be about 12000 steps.

Love Bridport.

Love West Bay.

Gorgeous weather.

10 out of 10.

We'll be back next month.

View bridport to burton bradstock in a larger map

I didn't do any recording today but below is a recording from farmers' market day back in October. It includes recording from Bridport itself, Bridport Farmers' Market, the river behind Palmers Brewery, West Bay, Harbour Amusements in West Bay, West Bay beach, St Mary's Church, Burton Bradstock and Hive Beach at Burton Bradstock.