circular walk around blackawton

May 17, 2021 by Mark Seymour

south hams, devon

tuesday, 11TH may 2021

It doesn’t look a particularly warm day today and it does look like it might be quite blustery.

For a change, I won’t be going anywhere near the sea today so no need for any tide times.

Our holiday cottage for the week is Higher Dinnicombe near to Dartmouth in the South Hams of South Devon. I leave our cottage early and head up the track towards the golf course of the Dartmouth Golf and Country Club where I pass the chickens and the sheep belonging to the owner of Higher Dinnicombe. The track is looking lovely, covered in spring wild flowers although some golf course debris in the form of a golf score card has made its way down the track.

I pick up a public footpath which crosses the golf course and then heads over a series of fields before reaching the A3122 at Forces Cross next to Airheadz Hair and Beauty Salon. This used to be the Forces Tavern but closed in 2011. I can’t imagine either of them get much traffic.

I cross the A3122 and join a road headed towards Blackawton where I enjoy the wildflowers in the hedgerows.

I reach the village sign on the outskirts of Blackawton and then wander down Main Street into Blackawton where I pass the war memorial.

I pass by the George Inn to reach St. Michael’s Parish Church where my walk officially begins.

I set off from the church’s main lychgate, near the stone Blackawton Village sign. I walk briefly down Main Street below the churchyard and reach Cousins Cross.

I turn right up Park Lane with the churchyard above me and then turn right into School Lane and head towards the Blackawton Primary School.

Just beyond the school and before an electricity sub-station I find a bridleway heading to my left.

I cross the field, heading towards a gate in the far boundary. Kids are making an awful racket playing in presumably a playground next to the field. In the next field I come across cows before heading diagonally right down to the bottom corner where there’s a gate with a three-way fingerpost, although one of the directions is missing.

I go right to another gate and follow the field to my left which leads down to another gate. I pass through this gate and follow its arrow diagonally right across the field down to a further gate.

In the next field I follow the right-hand boundary gently downhill with the River Gara babbling in the valley to my left. Another gate leads to an arrowed post pointing obliquely left towards the bottom of the field, where a wooden footbridge crosses the River Gara.

Beyond the bridge I follow the bluebell festooned bridleway steeply uphill where I have lovely views across open countyside. I’m serenaded by a song thrush and then a blackcap.

The path swings left and after about 300 metres I come across another three-way fingerpost, this one still intact.

I ignore the footpath left and keep ahead to a two-way post in a few metres. A gate leads into a field, and I continue to the right on the bridleway, passing the left-hand end of barns at Bowden Farm.

A fingerpost points along a track round the end of the barns to another post about 75 metres away. At this second post I enter a field and I now have distant views of Dartmoor.

I turn right to follow the right hand boundary of the field. I go through a gate and turn left onto a surfaced track away from the farm.

After about half a mile the track emerges at the bend of another surfaced track. I turn left and follow it as it drops to Grimpstone Farm where I come across donkeys in a field.

I pass Grimpstone Farm where I encounter a friendly bear who keeps a beady eye on me.

I continue beyond the outbuildings, rising and falling with the track as it becomes unsurfaced and muddy.

About 300 metres beyond the farm the track reaches a gate. I ignore the gate and instead veer left on a narrower path downhill towards trees, a gate and a stream. I go through the gate and hop over the stream and continue up the path beyond, climbing for about 150 metres until, just before Ritson Barton, I come across a fingerpost on my left.

I follow its direction left through the field on a track, crossing a stream then passing through an ancient tree topped boundary about 120 metres from the fingerpost. I keep going in the same direction and reach footpath arrows on the boundary fence pointing me to the left, staying in the same field, approaching trees and the stream again.

At the bottom of the field I turn right through a gate and walk along the bottom of the next field which has a couple of ponies in it.

I reach a stile and just beyond it an arrowed post directs me slightly left to a little wooden footbridge on the far side of the field.

I cross this then follow the left boundary round the next field, a well-rounded hillside to my right and the stream to my left.

At the far side I follow the hedge round to a gate then cross the next field with the stream further away to my left now. At the far side I enter another field and cross the top of the field following the right boundary to a gate onto a narrow path. This soon opens out and I continue ahead past a stone building on the right to reach a surfaced track where I come across friendly chickens in a cage. One of the chicks manages to escape under the cage.

I turn left and approach Wood Farm. In the yard an arrow directs me straight ahead, passing a house on my left to follow a tree flanked path past outbuildings.

The path enters a field with an attractive moss and navelwort adorned wall on the right. I follow this boundary across the field and then keep on through a further field, with a few sheep in it, to a footpath gate on the far side. I go through this, turning left down a narrow path and follow it round until it emerges at a surfaced drive. I turn left away from the house and descend to a lane.

I turn right up the lane for 50 metres to a footpath on the left heading into an attractive collection of houses and barns at Woodford.

I walk across the yard and bear right in front of The Linney to a tall wooden gate with a faded arrow and a less faded more modern arrow. Once through here a clear path passes a selection of buildings and brings me to a gate. I reach a footbridge with another gate beyond into a field. I go right along the bottom boundary with the field sloping up to the left. The path has been churned up by the cows here.

I continue through the next field and at the far side exit via a gate/stile onto a path. I ignore the stile to my left and come across what look like freshly made sculptures cut into a trunk.

I follow the path downhill briefly before I come to a well-arrowed post.

My notes have been near flawless up to this point but now everything goes pear shaped. I keep trying to follow my notes but they are clearly wrong and I’m now lost because my sense of direction left me after I left Blackawton so I’ve no idea where I am.

I retrace my steps back to the fingerpost where I consult my Ordnance Survey map and app (which is actually working for a change!). I’ve no idea where I’m supposed to be going as my notes and map don’t seem to correlate so I’ve no choice but to abandon the rest of the walk and, instead, find my way back to Blackawton.

I follow a path and a drive takes me out onto a minor road which takes me back to Woodford and then Blackawton.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

pheasants
chaffinches
skylarks
song thrush
blackcaps
buzzards
rooks
chiffchaffs
cuckooflower
donkeys
primroses
herb bennet
garlic mustard
bugle
squirrels
tulips
greater stitchwort
celandines
red campion
common dog-violet
bluebells
cows
ponies
chickens
sheep
dead slow worm

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk will be available shortly. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 10.9 miles which amounts to 25627 steps. It has taken me four and a half hours. The weather has been surprisingly good given the forecast and it has been a thoroughly enjoyable walk despite getting lost. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

My Ordnance Survey app for showing elevation details has actually WORKED for a second day running but the two other tracking apps I use failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app.

MAP

higher dinnicombe to dartmouth

May 16, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

monday, 10TH may 2021

It doesn’t look a particularly warm day today but I should get some sun but it does look like it might be quite blustery.

Dartmouth high tide 06:10

Dartmouth low tide 12:13

Dartmouth high tide 18:32

I cross the A3122 and join a road headed towards Blackawton where I enjoy the wildflowers in the hedgerows.

I reach the village sign on the outskirts of Blackawton and I’ll explore the area around this village later on in the week.

I wander briefly into Blackawton and at Normandy Cross I head along Chapel Street where a sign tells me that it is three miles to Strete. The Normandy Arms pub used to be on the corner here but is now closed and has been converted into a couple of houses.

I pass the old Wesleyan Sunday School and the old chapel and it is now a trudge along minor roads to Strete.

I cross a bridge over a stream at Collaford Wood and enjoy the wildflowers that flank the roads. I come across a plant that I’ve not noticed before and seems to be shiny crane’s-bill but it’s not mentioned in my wildflower books. It’s a bit like herb robert but with much smaller flowers. Of course, after this I notice it everywhere.

I pass through Cotterbury and pass Eastdown Cross and Cornish Post and I have my first glimpse of the sea. I reach Blackwell Cross where a sign tells me that I’m just one mile from Strete.

I pass Combe Cross and Norns Cross and I come across the village sign on the outskirts of Strete.

I pass the Parish Church of St. Michael, Strete Post Office and Stores, Strete Chapel and the King's Arms (@KingsArmsStrete).

I leave Strete and have lovely views of the sea. I have also joined the south west coast path.

A sign tells me that Blackpool Sands is one and a quarter miles 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.

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.

At the top of the far side of the valley I come across an abandoned hat perched on a south west coast path marker.

I wander down Widewell Lane smothered in wildflowers and I have a lovely view over Blackpool Sands. The beach is virtually deserted except for a couple of people.

I have a potter around the sandy, shingly and empty beach before wandering back to the Venus Beach Cafe.

I pass by the toilet block and the path ducks down between bushes before heading out onto the A379 heading towards Stoke Fleming. I come across hydrangeas, fatsia japonica and camellias amongst other plants.

There is a small footpath diversion where a tree seems to have been uprooted, taking a fair chunk of the footpath with it.

I leave the A379 and climb up what must be Old Road although I don’t see any signs. I come across some speckled wood butterflies.

I walk down lanes through the village, surrounded by rooks, and come out next to the Green Dragon and St Peter's Church.

I wander down Rectory Lane and pass a big pond containing a giant gunnera and walk below rhododendrons. There are rooks around here making an awful racket.

I head along Venn Lane and then Ravensbourne Lane before briefly rejoining the A379. I leave the A379 and amble along Redlap Lane where I come across some extremely noisy sheep.

I reach the National Trust car park at Little Dartmouth before passing secluded coves on the way to Dartmouth. There are numerous dogwalkers and the wind has definitely started to pick up and it is very blustery.

I now have fantastic views back over towards Slapton Sands and Torcross and I come across a small copper butterfly.

I climb steeply and the path zig zags up towards Warren Point, Coombe Point and Blackstone Point and I now have views over towards Dartmouth.

I pass above Castle Cove where dogs are being exercised. It looks rather inviting down on the rocky and shingly beach but my path heads upwards.

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

It has started to get busy so I quickly pass by St Petrox Church and then head through Warfleet Creek before dropping down through the outskirts of Dartmouth towards Bayards Cove Fort, a small Tudor artillery fort guarding Dartmouth's inner harbour.

I now have lovely views over both Dartmouth and Kingswear.

I pass Bayards Cove Inn before walking along the cobbled waterfront and my walking for the day is done.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

pheasants
chickens
sheep
blackcaps
chiffchaffs
buzzards
chaffinches
swallows
wheatear
primroses
greater stitchwort
common dog-violet
bluebells
celandine
red campion
cuckooflower
green alkanet
cow parsley
wild strawberry
garlic mustard
herb robert
alexanders
wild garlic
shiny crane’s-bill
bugle
honesty
ribwort plantain
red valerian
red clover
bracket fungi
fatsia japonica
hydrangea
camellias
speckled wood butterflies
gunnera
rhododendrons
cherry blossom
small copper butterfly
yellowhammer

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 13.2 miles which amounts to 31371 steps. It has taken me five and a half hours. The weather has been surprisingly good if a little on the blustery side. Despite a long section of the walk being on minor roads, eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

My Ordnance Survey app for showing elevation details has actually WORKED for the first time in a while but the two other tracking apps I use failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app.

MAP

higher dinnicombe to torcross

May 15, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

sunday, 9TH may 2021

It looks like today is going to be cold, grey and cloudy. Perfect weather! Not!! At least I shouldn’t get much rain and the prevailing winds should be light.

Dartmouth low tide 11:35

Dartmouth high tide 17:56

Our holiday cottage for the week is Higher Dinnicombe near to Dartmouth in the South Hams of South Devon. I leave our cottage early and head up the track towards the golf course of the Dartmouth Golf and Country Club. The track is looking lovely, covered in spring wild flowers. The trouble is my macro lens is playing up and won’t auto focus and so I’ll have to rely on manual focus without any advanced practice. It doesn’t help that it’s a lot windier than my forecast is telling me.

I cross the A3122 and join a road headed towards Blackawton where I enjoy the wildflowers in the hedgerows.

I reach French Furze Post on the outskirts of Blackawton and I’ll explore the area around this village later on in the week.

I pass the old Wesleyan Sunday School and the old chapel and it is now a trudge along minor roads to Strete.

I pass through Cotterbury and pass Eastdown Cross and Cornish Post and I have my first glimpse of the sea. I reach Blackwell Cross where a sign tells me that I’m just one mile from Strete.

I pass Combe Cross and Norns Cross and I come across the village sign on the outskirts of Strete.

I pass the Parish Church of St. Michael, Strete Post Office and Stores, Strete Chapel and the King's Arms (@KingsArmsStrete). A sign here tells me that Torcross is three miles away.

I briefly follow the A379 out of Strete but it's not long before I come across a fairly new section of the South West Coast Path, only opened in July 2015, which takes me away from the busy main road and where I have magnificent views over Slapton Sands.

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

The path takes me down towards 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.”

I come across a small group of early purple orchids next to the bench.

I continue descending to Strete Gate and come across a small copper butterfly.

I pass a sign pointing up the bridleway where I used to come down onto Slapton Sands.

I reach the picnic site at Strete Gate and it is suddenly quite busy.

I drop down onto Slapton Sands and trudge along the sandy and shingly beach. It has turned into a beautiful day but is now blowing a gale straight into my face.

I'm usually defeated by the shingle and blustery winds and head for a path by the main road but I’m determined today so I head all the way along the beach to Torcross.

Today's walking is over so I wander back through Torcross passing the Seabreeze Cafe and the Start Bay Inn (@StartBayInn) before reaching the car park with a Sherman Tank at the entrance.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

pheasants
chickens
sheep
blackcaps
chiffchaffs
song thrush
ribwort plantain
chaffinches
swallows
bluebells
primroses
red campion
celandines
garlic mustard
greater stitchwort
wild strawberry
common dog-violet
cow parsley
herb robert
gorse
alexanders
dead nettle
navelwort
herb bennet
bugle
green alkanet
comfrey
cowslips
honesty
echiums
germander speedwell
small copper butterfly
foxgloves (not quite in flower)
early purple orchids
oystercatcher

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 12.6 miles which amounts to 24190 steps. It has taken me four and a quarter hours. It has been a while since I’ve been out on the south west coast path and it’s great to be back. As a bonus, the weather has been surprisingly good. Despite a long section of the walk being on minor roads, eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

My Ordnance Survey app for showing elevation details has failed me today but my backup myTracks app has worked. The roles will be reversed for the rest of the week.

MAP

lyme regis to burton bradstock

September 26, 2020 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

monday, 21st september 2020

I should have a warm and sunny day today with very little in the way of wind.

Lyme Regis high tide: 09:58

Lyme Regis low tide: 15:37

I start the day back 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 a few of the 114 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.

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 are very confusing so I wander aimlessly 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 white stones before I head through some woods and I come out onto the main road into Charmouth next to the Fernhill Hotel.

It is now an uneventful walk through the back streets of Charmouth but there’s a lack of coast path signs.

I head off of the coast path and descend down towards the beach where I come across some beach huts and the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.

I wander along the beach here which is very quiet apart from a few dog walkers.

I head up from Charmouth Beach to rejoin the diverted coast path. There is a distinct lack of signs so I follow a sign for the Monarch’s Way instead and gradually amble along the path, passing behind Seadown Holiday Park and past the fire station and the old toll house. I turn right at Stonebarrow Lane and it's now a steep and long climb upwards towards Stonebarrow Hill. I enjoy the wild flowers in the hedgerows.

I come to a break in the vegetation where I have lovely views from the lane back to Charmouth.

I continue to the top of Stonebarrow Hill where a National Trust shop can be found located in an old radar station.

There’s still a lack of coast path signs so I vaguely follow paths down the slopes. I have lovely views over to hazy Golden Cap from up here.

I finally come across a coast path sign at Westhay Farm and head back down a footpath as it rejoins the coast just before Golden Cap. There are a few clouded yellow butterflies feeding on the knapweed which are tricky to photograph but I manage a few.

I walk through a field full of cows and calves where there seems to be a relatively fresh landslip.

I climb slowly up on to the top of Golden Cap. A runner passes me but soon slows down to a walk.

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 masses of martins - probably sand martins - flying around up here and they seem to be enjoying themselves.

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 (@anchoratseatown) 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 Thorncombe Beacon and then 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 (@georgewestbay), the Bridport Arms Hotel, The West Bay Hotel (@westbayhotel), the amusement arcade and all of the food shacks dotted around the harbour. It is very busy.

I pass Samways the fishmonger and head out onto the sandy beach. It's definitely a beach day today so I ignore the iconic, crumbling yellow sandstone East Cliff and walk along the beach instead.

At Freshwater Beach Holiday Park I have to head inland in order to cross over the River Bride.

Normally I'd continue inland to walk through Burton Bradstock and, since it has been 17 months since I’ve been here, that’s what I do today instead of heading along the coast path.

I wander through the village past the Three Horseshoes and behind the church next to the river before crossing the busy coast road.

I pass Hive Beach Cafe (@hivebeachcafe) on my way back down to the beach. The National Trust car park here is absolutely heaving and Hive Beach is pretty busy so I’m not going down there.

That’s my walking done for the day. It has been another highly enjoyable days walking.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

fleabane
marestail
ribwort plantain
red clover
ragwort
yarrow
field scabious
red valerian
fuchsias
swallows
speckled wood butterflies
red admirals
clouded yellow butterflies
martins - probably sand martins

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 which amounts to 33811 steps. It has taken me six hours. I love this stretch of coast despite the inland diversions and it has been warm and sunny. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

You are taking the piss Ordnance Survey app. Seriously?!

That’s it, I’m definitely given up on using my Ordnance Survey app for showing elevation details as it is clearly incorrect. Instead I’ve started using the myTracks app which does a much better job even if it’s not entirely correct.

map

beer to lyme regis

September 26, 2020 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

sunday, 20th september 2020

The weather forecast for the first half of the week looks to be pretty good but decidely ropey for the second half of the week so I’d better get my walks in early. The forecast for today looks to be nice and sunny with very little in the way of wind. Perfect!

Lyme Regis high tide: 09:21

Lyme Regis low tide: 14:53

I start the day in the village of Beer. There are cones everywhere as part of the coronavirus precautions. It is not a pretty sight.

It’s a short walk today. I wander down through the village from the car park passing the Dolphin Hotel, the Barrel of Beer and the Anchor Inn.

The Anchor Inn is on the seafront at Beer, just by the slipway but is very quiet at this time of the morning.

I wander down the slipway passing a board showing the large variety of catch that can be expected from Beer Fisheries Ltd.

I wander out onto the beach where a tractor is shunting the fishing boats into the sea. It is very picturesque away from the orange cones and there are loads of people heading down the beach with fishing equipment.

I retrace my steps and continue through the Jubilee Memorial Grounds where I have views back over Beer, before joining the Old Beer Road.

Following exceptionally wet weather in 2012, there was a cliff fall severing part of Old Beer Road along which the South West Coast Path used to run. As a result Old Beer Road is closed for walkers and there is now a permanent diversion in place.

If I’m lucky though, despite being close to high tide, the tide is far enough out for me to be able to trudge along the pebbly beach from Seaton Hole to reach Seaton. I wander down the slip road passing a sculpture showing the various periods of pre-history on this stretch of the coast from the Triassic period to the present day.

everything’s changed … but nothing’s changed

It’s touch and go as the tide is lapping against the large boulders protecting the coast but I can just make it along the pebbly beach to Seaton with just the odd splash from the waves.

It’s tough going along the pebbly beach but I make it to the esplanade where I pass the beach searchlight emplacement used as part of Seaton’s coastal defences between 1940 and 1945 to illuminate the sea and beaches to detect enemy ships and surfaced submarines.

I continue through Seaton along the esplanade passing the ‘Waves Shape the Shore’ sculptures.

I continue past the Axe Yacht Club (@ayc_racing) and Axmouth harbour.

The coast path between Axmouth and Lyme Regis had been closed from March 2014 due to a large landslip at Culverhole Point and a large inland diversion had to be taken. A new route close to the coast but avoiding the cliff fall opened as of April 2016.

I head through the Axe Cliff Golf Club and follow a bridleway where a sign warns me that it will take three and a half to four hours to walk to Lyme Regis and that the terrain is difficult and walking arduous. It won't and it isn't!

I continue along the bridleway where some runners pass me.

I walk across a field with brief views back towards Beer and Seaton before entering woodland which is pretty much continuous all the way to Lyme Regis. I was promised light winds but it’s really quite windy so I strap on my hat. It’s late in the season but the wildflowers are looking lovely.

I pass Rousdon landslip and then come across a sign welcoming me to the Axmouth-Lyme Regis Undercliffs. There’s no getting away from covid-19 warnings though even deep in these woods.

I reach Goat Island. On Christmas Eve 1839 an enormous section of cliff slid seaward in an event known as the Great Landslip. A deep chasm formed behind the landslide block, which later became known as Goat Island. I have no idea what goats have got to do with it!

This area is renowned for landslips and slips took place in 1775, 1828, 1839 and 1840 as well as in 2014 which forced the closure of the south west coast path.

I enter woods again and come across a sign for a sheepwash which I haven’t noticed before.

The sheepwash was built in approximately 1800 and is mostly made of Chert, a locally common stone from the Greensand. The sheep were washed before being sheared or taken to market to increase the value of the fleece at market.

I briefly come across a view of the sea and cliffs before being plunged back into woods. I come across an Axmouth-Lyme Regis Undercliffs sign that seems to indicate that I’ve come to the end of the undercliffs but I pass plenty more of these signs.

I pass the ruined buildings of a freshwater pumping station and engineer’s house. Water was pumped up to the Peek estate and used for drinking water.

I pass Pinhay Cliffs where I have another brief view of the sea.

I spend some time photographing the wildflowers.

I pass the reciprocal three and a half to four hours warning sign. It has only taken me two and a quarter hours!

I reach Ware Cliffs where I have some actual GRASS to walk on and I come across a few small copper butterflies and I have a view over to Golden Cap.

I come across a lone red admiral butterfly feeding on the blackberries.

I emerge from the woods above The Cobb at Lyme Regis. I descend down to the harbour where there is a lot of people about.

I pass the Lyme Regis Power Boat Club and head out onto Monmouth Beach, so named because the Duke of Monmouth landed here in 1685 in an attempt to wrest the crown from King James II.

I head across the Cobb and then down onto Town Beach. At the Cobb end the beach has been enhanced with sand imported from France and is extremely busy but with everyone seemingly social distancing.

I cross over to the northern end of Town Beach where thousands of tonnes of pebbles were imported as part of the coastal protection scheme and placed on top of the pebbles originally here.

I try as best I can to avoid all of the stinky people before heading above Church Cliff Beach in front of the rock armour that protects the promenade.

I walk along Church Cliff Walk opened on the 17th of June 2015 as part of the Lyme Regis environmental improvement scheme and then head up the 114 steps to the Charmouth Road car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

rooks
wrens
snapdragons
buzzard
red admiral
herb robert
speckled wood butterfly
blackberries
ivy
hemp agrimony
ragwort
hawthorn
yarrow
field scabious
ox eye daisies
red clover
buddleia
marestail
fleabane
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?

What a thoroughly pleasant day's walking it has been. It was windier than expected but I’ve had sunshine pretty much all day and I’m extremely sweaty. According to my phone I've walked 11.3 miles today which is more than I was expecting and which amounts to 25228 steps. It has taken me 4 hours and 40 minutes. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

I’ve given up on using my Ordnance Survey app for showing elevation details as it is clearly incorrect. Instead I’ve started using the myTracks app which does a much better job even if it’s not entirely correct.