lyme regis to colyton

May 29, 2022 by Mark Seymour in east devon way

east devon way

sunday, 1st may 2022

I’ve been keeping an eye on the weather forecast for a few days now and it has been pretty promising but I get up this morning to find it cold and damp out. Hey ho! At least there’s very little in the way of wind. It is not going to be a good day for photographs.

Lyme Regis high tide 07:55

Lyme Regis low tide 13:15

Start location: Charmouth Road Car Park at the top of Lyme Regis DT7 3DR, SY343925

End point: Dolphin Street Car Park, Colyton EX24 6JT, SY246940

Map: Explorer 116

I start the day at Charmouth Road Car Park at the top end of Lyme Regis before heading down the 114 steps which take me to the foreshore walkway. It is pretty murky out there and there’s not much of a view of the Jurassic Coast.

It is now an easy walk into the centre of Lyme Regis. I reach The Square bus stop in the centre of Lyme Regis before leaving the sea behind me and cross the road into Broad Street car park, climb up a ramp and head under the sign to the Town Mill.

I climb down some steps and cross a cobbled courtyard where I come across the Lyme Regis Brewery, pass the Town Mill and turn left at the end of the Mill into Mill Lane by Old Lynch House, which then follows a path between the River Lim and the mill leat.

I walk along the River Lim upstream to Uplyme following signs for the East Devon Way. I go straight over Mill Green with pretty cottages on either side and with the river on my right.

I cross over the road to Windsor Terrace with the river now on my left and reach a stone bridge.

I fork left from the track on to a path to stay beside the river and go through a gate, cross a field (infested with nasty Japanese Knotweed) and cross a footbridge. I have now crossed over from Dorset into Devon.

I turn left past an old water mill and then left up a track. At the end of Mill Lane I go straight over through a leafy glen, still following the river.

The path leads towards Uplyme village shop and then emerges on the busy B3165 road, with the Talbot Arms (@talbotuplyme) pub on my left. I cross the road and keep to the left of the village hall.

I walk along the boundary of the Uplyme & Lyme Regis Cricket Club (@UplymeLRegisCC) ground where I pass Lym Valley Croquet Club. I then bear left up to the top of the hillside until I reach a gate. I go through the gate, then bear left slightly downhill on a tarmac lane.

I turn right at a sign for Wadley Hill and continue up Woodhouse Lane where I have a view of the Cannington disused railway viaduct over to my left.

It’s quite a trek to the top of the hill where I turn left along a public bridleway until I reach a gate with the bolt fitted into a tree trunk.

I go through into a field full of sheep and continue on down a grassy lane, and at the end cross over Trinity Hill Road.

I walk downhill though a field full of dandelions.

I then turn right and then immediately left on a stone bridge over the disused Axminster to Lyme Regis railway. I continue on this tarmac lane for half a mile.

At Bulmer Cross on the top of the hill I turn left downhill, past Woodlands Farm and then immediately left and then right on the stony lane. Where the lane swings left again I go straight ahead though a gate. This path used to be an old drovers trail. It leads downhill through a few fields with a stream to my left.

In the distance I can make out the white Higher Bruckland farmhouse which I head towards while enjoying the wide-open vistas of the rolling fields surrounding me, even if they are rather murky.

As I approach Higher Bruckland farm a couple of alsatians leave their owners and run towards me barking and snarling. Great! The owners eventually manage to call them back and put them on leads and they are suddenly as docile as anything.

Past Higher Bruckland farmhouse I turn right on to a footpath whcih heads steeply uphill to Musbury Castle. I head towards a copse of trees, keeping it on my left and then head diagonally left to the top of the field and through a gate. It’s rather steep.

I go up five steps and head though a field and through another gate with a National Trust Musbury Castle sign and head into woodland where I come across a couple of early purple orchids. At the end there is a five-bar gate and a kissing gate.

early purple orchid

I enjoy some of the other wildflowers around here even if they are looking rather bedraggled.

You can, if you like, detour to the right up to the top of Musbury Castle to see the fine views. I don’t today.

I continue downhill to the north west, looking at the fine views of the surrounding countryside and Musbury Church below.

I go though a gate aiming towards the farm track diagonally right of the bushes ahead across the field. I turn left on to the farm track and have fine views to the sea on my left. I walk down though the small village of Musbury with its school and St Michael’s Church.

The church clock is showing the time as five to ten but I’m sure it must be later than that. When I get home and check the photo it turns out to be half past eleven.

At the main A358 road is a village shop (Spar) in the petrol station on the right, and the Golden Hind pub on the left.

At the crossroad, I cross straight over the main road with a farm on my left and go through a small gate into what seems to be a private garden. I emerge into a large field and follow the hedge on my left, then go left at the end, through two metal gates.

I follow another hedge on my right and then turn right across a little wooden bridge and then follow the hedge on my left in the next field. At the gate I turn right along a track, then sharp left along Waterford Lane past Waterford Farm. At the end of the tarmac lane I turn right into the field and go over Nunford footbridge across the River Axe.

Once over the bridge, I follow the hedge line near the river on my right then cross a stile into woodland.

I follow the track and, soon after passing a footpath sign on my right (which I ignore), I turn left over a stile into a field.

It is now an uneventful walk through several fields over stiles and through kissing gates before reaching a farm track.

I follow the farm track and at Lower Cownhayne Farm turn left along Cownhayne Lane.

After about a quarter of a mile I turn right over a stile into a field. I keep the hedge on my left, and climb the steps of the Seaton Tramway train tracks.

There is plenty of tram activity which I am able to record and photograph.

I cross the track and climb down the steps on the other side, then go right, parallel to the tramway for a short distance. I should then head diagonally left towards the lower left corner of the field but a large number of cows have converged on me. I’m normally OK with cows but the alsatians from earlier on have spooked me and I hesitate to break through the cows.

After exploring whether I can find another way through I head back to the cow blockage and gingerly walk my way through them. Suddenly a few of them start running at me. I don’t panic and calmly walk quickly to the exit gate and the cows stop running but still follow me from a distance.

I enter another field with a much bigger herd of cows blocking the way. I bottle it and retrace my steps to find another field I can cross after jumping over a gate which leads me drama free to the outskirts of Colyton.

I amble into Colyton and turn right into Dolphin Street where my lift awaits in the car park.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

forget-me-not
cow parsley
wild garlic
dunnock
song thrush
ducks
chiffchaff
herb robert
blackcap
red campion
japanese knotweed
bluebells
early purple orchids
wisteria
clematis
rooks
iris
swallows
honesty
green alkanet
garlic mustard
dandelions
greater stitchwort
comfrey
pheasants
alsations
cows

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 10.8 miles which amounts to 25122 steps. It has taken me four and a quarter hours. The weather has been pretty grotty and I’m thoroughly damp as are my notes which are falling to pieces. Despite that it has been a thoroughly pleasant walk and I’ll have to come back and complete the entire East Devon Way when the weather is better. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

beaminster to west bay

October 03, 2021 by Mark Seymour in hardy way

hardy way

wednesday, 29TH SEPTEMBER 2021

It looks like I'm in for some nice weather today with sun all day long but those temperatures don’t look very high.

I start the day back in Beaminster but today, instead of heading out on the Wessex Ridgeway, I head along the Hardy Way heading southwards towards the coast at West Bay. It’s a chilly start to the day.

I follow the road southwards out of Beaminster and pick up a gloomy footpath by the River Brit. I come across my first Hardy Way sign next to a footbridge over the River Brit. The fields are shrouded in mist and dew clings to the cobwebs but the cows don’t seem to mind.

The Hardy Way follows the River Brit out of Beaminster and passes Parnham Park and Parnham House. A fire ravaged Parnham House in 2017 destroying the roof and internal structure but new owners have restored the house although I can’t see it because of dense woodland.

As I approach Netherbury the Jubilee Trail forks to the right but I continue following the river and then to the left of Netherbury Church where the clock strikes quarter to nine as I approach. The church is largely late medieval but was restored in the nineteenth century with protected stained glass windows. It contains brasses of the famous local seafaring Hood family from the eighteenth century.

I enter the village of Netherbury which is looking lovely and where I come across a telephone box full of books.

I amble through Netherbury and then leave the village via a track.

I then pass Slape Manor which is the original home of River Cottage from way back in 1999 and I do indeed pass right next to the cottage. I try to take some photographs of the cottage but it is densely surrounded by trees so all I can really get is the chimney.

I pass through a rather posh Slape Manor housing development before entering Waytown where I pass the Hare and Hounds.

I leave the village via a minor road and then turn right at Pineapple Lane towards Salway Ash before joining a bridleway opposite a barn at the end of a large cider apple orchard at Marles Farm.

I pass Dorset Nectar Cider Farm before leaving the road.

It is now an uneventful walk over farmland to reach Ash Lane where I pass a wind turbine and then pass Ash Lane Farm, Higher Ash Farm and then Lower Ash Farm. They are certainly radical when it comes to naming their farms around here! I photograph some of the flowers by the houses and they turn out OK unlike a lot of the other photos I take today.

I pass through a field where a cow looks rather shiftily at me but luckily she’s behind an electric fence. I found out why she’s not looking particularly friendly when I pass by her calf who is one the other side of the electric fence next to the footpath.

The bridleway continues past Middle Pymore Farm and through the grounds of Washingpool Farm where I pass a herd of red poll cows.

I now have sudden views over Bridport. Who knew it was so close.

The bridleway joins the road at Court Orchard housing estate at Allington and I amble along the B3162 into Bridport where I pass the Oddfellows Arms.

The route is now familiar as we have visited Bridport many, many times over the years. It is Wednesday market day today.

I amble along West Street and then down South Street before turning right behind St Mary’s.

I wander through the community orchard here and then pick up a path which passes Bridport Football Club.

I cross the road next to a weir and pass behind Palmers Brewery.

I pass beneath the A35 and cross meadows once used for growing flax and where, unusually, I come across a herd of cows.

I walk through West Bay Holiday Park which is still quite busy even this late in the season, to reach my destination for the day, the harbour at West Bay.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

himalayan balsam
cows
pheasants
horse chestnuts
holly
hogweed
ivy
beech
quince
fuchsias
acanthus
sheep
roses
asters
dahlias
hemp agrimony
blackberries
apples

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 9.4 miles which amounts to 21044 steps. It has taken me four hours. I’ve had pretty nice weather all day long, especially for this time of year and the temperature later on in the day has been a lot higher than forecast. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

Well bugger me! All of my tracking apps have worked for me again today for a third day running. The elevation maps below actually vaguely resemble each other.

map

thorncombe to lyme regis

October 03, 2021 by Mark Seymour in wessex ridgeway

wessex ridgeway

monday, 27th september 2021

It looks like I might have quite a pleasant day today although I might get a bit of rain and those temperatures aren’t very high. Still, it is early autumn now.

I start the day back in the village of Thorncombe next to St Mary’s Church. The clock has just struck quarter past eight. I photograph the cyclamens in the church yard but the photos are washed out so I have to edit them which is something I rarely do.

It’s time to set off so I head out of the village passing the village shop.

I enjoy some of the flowers planted next to the road before joining a footpath that passes a wildlife friendly garden and heads behind the village.

I come out into a field of sheep where I briefly join the Monarch’s Way and then a minor road. A local dog walker points me in the wrong direction but as soon as he is out of view I head in the opposite direction, briefly along the Jubilee Trail.

A short way along the road I pick up the Wessex Ridgeway where I cross stinky fields full of cowpats, heading towards Gashay Farm. I pick up a bridleway which crosses a ford and reaches a minor road at Hawkmoor Farm.

I briefly go the wrong way down Wellfield Hill but my Ordnance Survey app immediately tells me my mistake. I retrace my steps and instead head up Hawkmoor Hill which feels like an old drover’s track. It climbs steeply up to the road below Lambert’s Castle.

I climb through woodland onto the top of Lambert’s Castle where the trees thin out and I now have magnificent views to my sides and in front of me. Unfortunately my camera fails me again and all of the photos are washed out so I have no proof of the views.

I reach a trig point (S3723) at 840 feet (256 metres) and I can now see over to Chesil Beach and the Isle of Portland and have views of the sea in front of me down towards Charmouth and Lyme Regis.

Like Pilsdon Pen this early Iron Age hillfort with a single ditch and bank (rampart) also has a rich and varied past. Between 1709 and 1947 an annual fair was held here on the Wednesday before the feast of St. John the Baptist on the 24th June. During the 18th century there was also a horse-racing track built as part of the fair.

In 1806, in response to the threat of a Napoleonic invasion from France, an admiralty telegraph station was erected here. It was part of a chain of signal posts from the main fleet stationed in Plymouth to the Admiralty in London.

Today, Lambert’s Castle is looked after by The National Trust.

I drop down to a very minor road at Peter’s Gore which heads towards Coney’s Castle and I don’t encounter a single car. I have lovely views to my right over fields of cows and views to my left over fields of sheep.

The road continues through the heart of Coney’s Castle but I don’t see very much of it as the road is lined with a dense planting of trees.

This Iron Age hillfort is completely different in character to Lambert’s Castle. Coney’s Castle is unusual in that its ramparts encircle two separate areas, one much larger than the other.

Presumably Coney’s Castle has some kind of association with rabbits.

I finally leave the road and head across fields next to which the corn is being harvested. I continue across fields heading down towards Wooton Fitzpaine.

I immediately go the wrong way but correct myself and head along Meerhay Lane before joining a track that heads down through fields where I come across himalayan balsam.

I come to a ford which is crossing the footpath and is way too deep to walk through so I retrace my steps and reroute along the Monarch’s Way instead.

I amble along a road which passes Bowshot Farm and close to Stubb’s Farm I rejoin the Wessex Ridgeway and vaguely follow paths that leads me down to Penn on the busy A35.

I quickly cross the A35 when a gap appears and try to find the Wessex Ridgeway on the other side of the road but there’s no sign of it where my Ordnance Survey app says it should be.

I’m just about to cut my losses and head down Lyme Hill into Lyme Regis when I pick up a sign where Lyme Hill joins the A35.

I follow a footpath which enters Hole Common, henceforth known as Stinky Hole Common. The footpath through the woods here is terrible, covered in nettles and brambles, and doesn’t look as if anyone has been through here lately.

I finally come out onto open ground and then come across some civilization, where I follow a road back into fields again. I cross the field next to Sleech Wood and then follow a path next to the River Lim which takes me into Lyme Regis.

The town is far too busy for my liking so I walk quickly along the road avoiding as many people as possible before taking the foreshore walkway which should take me to some steps which lead up to the Charmouth Road Car Park.

Unfortunately there’s a massive group of school children blocking the walkway so I retrace my steps and head up through the churchyard and out on to the main road instead, which heads uphill to my destination for the day, Charmouth Road Car Park.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today (a decidedly sparse list) includes :-

cyclamen
pheasants
red valerian
geraniums
aster
roses
clematis
cows
sheep
fleabane
himalayan balsam

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 miles which amounts to 29196 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours. It was all going so well until I hit that ford and then the path was decidedly stinky. I don’t know what was wrong with my camera today but the photographs were rubbish so there aren’t many of them. Seven out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

Well bugger me! All of my tracking apps have worked for me again today for a second day running. The elevation maps below actually vaguely resemble each other.

map

beaminster to thorncombe

October 03, 2021 by Mark Seymour in wessex ridgeway

wessex ridgeway

sunday, 26th september 2021

It looks like I’m in for some pretty decent weather today despite being very late in the walking season. I should have sun all day long with warm temperatures and not much in the way of wind.

We’re staying in a cottage near to Bridport for the week so it’s a short drive to Beaminster where I can join up with the Wessex Ridgeway. It’s a chilly start to the day with the temperature outside only 7^oC.

Beaminster and its surrounding countryside have long been the subject of poetry and stories. William Barnes, the county’s great 19th century rural poet wrote :-

“Sweet Be’mi’ster, that was bist a-bound
By green and woody hills all round,
Wi’ hedges, reachen up between
A thousand vields o’ zummer green.”

— william barnes - poems of rural life in the dorset dialect

‘vields o’ zummer’! Blimey!!

The town also features as ‘Emminster’ in Thomas Hardy’s novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles.

I walk through the centre of Beaminster, passing the Red Lion Inn and the Greyhound Inn. I then pass Little Toller Books which looks like a lovely bookshop so I’ll have to return here later on in the week.

I leave Beaminster in a westerly direction where I pass the church of St Mary, the town’s oldest surviving building.

There are a complete lack of Wessex Ridgeway signs so I’m going to have to rely heavily on my Ordnance Survey app on my phone today which is fortunately working for a change.

I finally come across a sign but my app is telling me that it is pointing in completely the wrong direction and it turns out that it is. I walk through a very wet field of corn (or maize if you prefer).

I climb up onto the Wessex Ridgeway where I enter Pucketts Wood, owned and managed by the Woodland Trust. The wood is dominated by native broadleaves such as oak and ash and seems to have been planted up between 1992 and 1995 but there are also some newly planted trees.

At the bottom of Gerrard’s Hill I come across some donkeys munching on grass.

It is a steep climb up Gerrard’s Hill and I have lovely views back to Beaminster where the church clock is chiming and I then head north of Waddon Hill.

Waddon Hill was the site of a Roman fort and dates to the invasion of 43AD.

The lumps and bumps on this hill form part of a Roman fort, which is thought to have been a base for the Roman advance of the Second Legion. A Roman sword scabbard and coins were found here during quarrying between 1876 and 1878. Other artefacts found here include a bronze brooch now in Poole Museum, legionary equipment and 115 shards of glass, pottery, animal and fish bones.

To the south of Broadwindsor I round Lewesdon Hill, which at 915 feet (279 metres) is the highest point in Dorset and is owned by the National Trust.

It is thought that there was some kind of settlement on Lewesdon Hill in the Iron Age, possibly a place of refuge for people in times of threat. The site was protected from invaders by the steep natural slope on one side, and a man made ditch and rampart on the flatter side of the hill.

I walk along what my Ordnance Survey map tells me is Lewesdon Hill Lane which is little more than a track but seems to criss cross over the banks and ditches. I walk underneath ancient beech and oak trees. I haven’t seen a soul since leaving Beaminster and come across my first dog walker.

The path joins the B3164 at Cockpit Hill and the ridgeway turns right at Courtwood Farm down along Sheepwash Lane. I’m buggered if I can find any signs or any sign of a footpath at the bottom of the lane. All I find is fields surrounded by electric fences so I retrace my steps up Sheepwash Lane to rejoin the road.

I’ll have to re-route so I continue heading along Cockpit Hill and then turn right along a road heading towards Higher Newnham Farm where I rejoin the Wessex Ridgeway.

I climb up Pilsdon Pen which is covered in Himalayan Balsam. Even following this path up the hill it keeps veering off of the route shown on my Ordnance Survey app and I can’t for the life of me find any discernable correct paths.

Pilsdon Pen has a long history of occupation. Flint tools, over 10,000 years old and two Bronze Age burial mounds confirm that the site was used long before the hillfort was built. From 1964 to 1971, Peter Gelling of Birmingham University and a team of volunteers excavated here each summer. They uncovered and recorded the remains of 14 roundhouses near the centre of the hillfort.

Pilsdon Pen at 909 feet (277 metres) is Dorset’s second highest point and has panoramic views extending for many miles. From the top there are magnificent views of the Marshwood Vale, Golden Cap and the sea to the south, Hardy’s Monument to the east, Exmoor and the Quantocks to the west and Polden and Mendip Hills to the north. You can also see several other hillforts including Lewesdon Hill, Lambert’s Castle and Coney’s Castle.

It was bequeathed to the National Trust by the Pinney family in 1982. For many years it was thought to be Dorset's highest hill, until modern survey methods revealed that nearby Lewesdon Hill was 2 metres higher.

During 1803 Pilsdon Pen was listed as a Beacon site designed to provide advance warning of the arrival of Napoleon’s fleet.

I climb up through a field of sheep and then clamber over one of the worst stiles I’ve ever seen which is leaning over at a sharp angle and falling to pieces.

I briefly join the B3165 at Cole’s Cross where I now need to follow paths into Thorncombe.

On the outskirts of Thorncombe I head along Saddle Street before walking through this pleasant village where I pass Bonfield Block-Printers. What an odd thing to find in this out of the way village. I continue through the village to the church where my lift awaits. I come across a load of cyclamens in the churchyard where I have reached my destination for the day.

My camera has let me down badly today (or maybe it was just the person using the camera) and the photographs have been rubbish. The walk has either been gloomy making the photos underexposed or I have been walking into a low sun making the photographs way overexposed. Hey ho!

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

pheasants
rooks
donkeys
red campion
foxgloves
ferns
beech
oak
holly
bracket fungus
herb robert
himalayan balsam
yarrow
rosebay willowherb
speckled wood butterflies
red admiral butterflies
comma butterfly
chiffchaffs
cyclamen

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 9.7 miles which amounts to 21756 steps. It has taken me four and a half hours. I’ve had pleasant sun and I’ve been going up and down hills all day long so I’m extremely sweaty. Despite being far from the sea it has been a lovely walk today but the signposting has left a lot to be desired. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

Well bugger me! All of my tracking apps have worked for me again. The elevation maps below actually vaguely resemble each other.

MAP

falmouth to helford passage and back to mawnan

September 19, 2021 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

wednesday, 15th september 2021

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

Falmouth high tide 12:44

Falmouth low tide 06:23 and 19:12

I start the day at our holiday cottage in the heart of Falmouth. It is early morning and the sun is very low in the sky.

I descend down some steps and a path to reach Killigrew Street and then amble my way through Falmouth which seems to have made its way through a global pandemic largely unscathed.

I make my way to Discovery Quay next door to the National Maritime Museum Cornwall (@TheNMMC).

“Falmouth - From the Tudor period to the end of last century, Falmouth saw more shipping than any port in the country except London. In 1815, about 350 ships were counted in Carrick Roads on one day. In 1872, 3945 ships entered Falmouth bound to or from foreign ports, and as many again handled coastal trade.
Boat trips, river cruises, shark fishing, sea-angling trips from harbour, lifeboat, two theatres, cinema, summer shows in Pavilion, water galas, water-polo matches in summer, bowls, golf, cricket, tennis, pitch-and-putt, sailing regattas (Aug), fishing festival (July), sailing clubs, power-boat racing, go-karts, maritime museum, art gallery, air-bottle recharging, sailing school, concert hall, ballroom dancing. P.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

I walk through Maritime Square and head out towards the coast path. I climb out of Falmouth and head down Gyllyngvase Terrace and then Gyllyngvase Hill and then walk briefly along Cliff Road to reach the delightful Gyllyngvase Beach on the outskirts of Falmouth. There are plenty of people out for their morning swim.

“Gyllngvase Beach - Gently sloping beach of clean white sand between reefs of rock pools, with safe swimming. Falmouth’s busiest beach as it is near the town. Bathing huts, chalets, floats, deck-chairs, wind-breaks for hire, trampolines, paddling-pool, miniature railway, rescue boat. P.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

gyllyngvase beach

I amble along the sandy beach passing the Gylly Beach Cafe (@GyllyBeachCafe) before rejoining the coast path for the short walk to Swanpool Beach (@SwanpoolBeach) where I catch my first red admiral butterfly of the day.

“Swanpool Beach - Wide, sandy beach with safe swimming from white sand between rocky reefs studded with pools. Boating on a reed-rimmed pond behind the beach. Chalets, floats, deck-chairs, wind-breaks and boats for hire, trampolines, minature railway, rescue boat. P.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

swanpool beach

The beach is covered in seaweed and, again, there are a lot of people out for their morning swim. I slither my way across the vegetation and then leave Swanpool Beach next to the Hooked on the Rocks restaurant.

It's now a pleasant couple of miles walk to the third beach of the day, Maenporth Beach, on the way passing a memorial to the Home Guard.

Even this late in the season the wildflowers are looking lovely and I come across more red admirals which will prove to be a regular occurrence today.

A large container ship is out at sea slowly trying to turn around 180 degrees.

I drop down to the beach passing by Life's a Beach, the beach cafe here and walk out on to the sandy beach where there are more people taking a morning swim and quite a few people out in canoes.

“Maenporth - Popular sandy cove, sheltered from all but direct east winds with safe swimming. Half the beach is privately owned. Boats for hire on the natural lagoon behind the beach. Floats, deck-chairs, wind-breaks for hire; life-saving club. P.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

maenporth

I continue along the coast path and walk below the sub tropical gardens of Meudon Hotel (@MeudonHotel) where gardeners are out mowing the lawns. I briefly drop down to the beach here.

I head out across Rosemullion Head and then enter woods below the village of Mawnan Smith at Mawnan Glebe.

“Mawnan - Clifftop hamlet, sheltered by high woods, with a 13th-century church set in ancient earthworks. Close to the lychgate on the left of the path leading to the north door is a small, ancient headstone with a faintly discernible skull and cross-bones, perhaps the grave of a pirate who met with a grisly death. From the south door there are memorable views, with glimpses of the blue water of the river amid the lush green and gold of the surrounding woods and farmland.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

I leave the woods and suddenly I have magnificent views out over the Helford River.

I walk down a grassy slope to reach the beach at Porthallack where the weather is so calm that the water is just gently whispering.

porthallack

It is a short walk to Porth Saxon beach where I enjoy the views down the river. If anything, the sea/river is even quieter than the previous beach. The beach is relatively packed with eleven people on it including myself as well as five dogs. I usually have this beach to myself.

porth saxon

I walk under a group of scots pines and then head below Bosloe House along a path through Bosloe Hay Meadows. I usually pass this way around about June time when the meadows look fantastic. They are a lot more subdued at this time of year after they have been cut.

bosloe

The coast path joins a road which leads down into the village of Durgan where I pass the Old School House. I enjoy what little is left of the beach below Durgan before heading out through the village.

“Durgan - Hamlet of white cottages around a shingle beach; no parking. At the top of the lane are Glendurgan Gardens, owned by the National Trust, with a maze; open Mon and Wed, Apr to Sept, plus Fri in Apr and May.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

durgan

The coast path seems to have been re-routed behind Durgan and heads up a shady path inland before seeming to cross the grounds of Trebah before dumping me out on a road which leads down to Helford Passage. This can’t be right. The ferry has just arrived from over the river with a surprising number of people aboard.

helford passage

“Helford Passage - Sand-and-shingle beach, suitable for swimming and boating at all states of the tide, overlooked by an inn and holiday flats. The ferry to Helford, which runs during the summer, has been in operation since the mid-16th century. Boat trips on the river. Ideal spot for making a trip in a self-drive boat to secluded Frenchman’s Creek, which is surrounded by woods. Sailing/rowing/motorboats for hire. P.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

Should you wish, you can catch the ferry from here over to the village of Helford, which I've used on previous walks but not today. I walk below the Ferryboat Inn before following a more familiar coast path sign which ambles along the river before entering woods.

It turns out that on the way to Helford Passage I missed a great big coast path sign pointing back out to the river. Even so, it’s not my familiar route and I don’t know why the coast path has been diverted.

I head back below Trebah Garden and pass behind the private beach here.

I walk back through Durgan and head above Grebe Beach. The beach is not signposted from the coast path so it’s usually quiet here.

I pass back through Bosloe Hay Meadow and then Porth Saxon and Porthallack.

From here I follow a path that heads uphill towards Mawnan Old Church where my lift has, with magnificent timing, just arrived.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

speckle wood butterflies
red admiral butterflies
buddleia
small tortoiseshell butterfly
small copper butterflies
wrens
robins
chaffinches
chiffchaffs
common knapweed
red campion
honeysuckle
sloes
fleabane
hemp agrimony
scots pines
clover
ribwort plantain
yarrow

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 10.8 miles which amounts to 25398 steps. It has taken me four and three quarter hours. I’ve had glorious weather all day long and the temperature has been a lot higher than forecast so I’m extremely sweaty again. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

Well bugger me! All of my tracking apps have worked for me again today for a second day running. The elevation maps below actually vaguely resemble each other.