Woke up once again to sunshine & clear blue skies. I had a pleasant breakfast but I’m beginning to miss my fruit and kippers which seemed to have disappeared of the menu since leaving North Devon and St Ives.

There have been a large number of landslides on the first part of the walk. I thought I would  explore the first one to see if there was a way through to Charmouth, As you can see from the GPS I nearly made it!, just defeated by a huge swamp. I would have thought a track could be cleared in a matter of days, the regular walkers would soon flatten it down. However, I guess we will have to wait a few years. So back I returned to face the long diversion along a road and through a golf course telling me to beware of flying balls, well it is mainly a man’s sport.

The roller coaster continued today although it started to flatten out at the end when you have to walk alongside the gravel Chesil Beach. Once again there are some huge caravan parks despoiling the coastline. I was amazed that touring caravans are like £13,000, that’s a hell of a lot of nights in a b&b. The caravan parks reminded me of the vast plastic greenhouses we saw when Sally and I walked The Lycian Way.

A lot of day walkers today, but no one particularly interesting one guy who was thinking about doing long walks, but I doubt if he will . plus the usual number of dog walkers, it now seems you need two dogs. Everyone is kinda friendly here a lot more so than Cambridge where virtually no one says good morning to you.

After wading through the stream at Burton Bradstock. I decided to walk the next couple of miles in bare feet, very easy it was too. It’s going to be quite tempting to do a lot more of it! certainly better than wearing out rubbish Scarpa Boots, and no that issue is still not resolved.

The final few miles to Abbotsbury seemed to take ages. However as Mike had fixed me up at Peach’s B&B time didn’t matter Peach’s  is very pleasant and I managed to get onto their WiFi, which is just as well as T-Mobile doesn’t dain to serve this area. Then it was off to The Ilchester Arms for a great non-fish spread and listening to the locals going on about all the machinations the Navy are going through in these parts for the upcoming Olympics at Weymouth.

Tomorrow I will be in Weymouth, if the weather is as good as today I might walk around Portland Bill first

Today’s pictures are here statistics here and Everytrail below:

Lyme Regis to Abbotsbury on the South West Coast Path at EveryTrail

Today marks the end of my fifth week on The Path and I’ve now covered 545 miles of the 630, so only 85 miles to go

I left Larkstone House after a humungous breakfast and what can only be described as a blast with a pressure jet shower, easily the most powerful one yet on The Path.

I finally left over the pretty pedestrian bridge and started another day on the roller coaster, climbing through the most stunning bluebell wood then along the top with great views over yesterday’s cliffs. I met a pair of American ladies from Wyoming who were only going to Beer today, so I soon left them

Then down into Weston Mouth and back up again through another very muddy bit with a hiking group struggling. Past a group of National Trust folks trying to repair a path.

Branscombe Mouth was interesting with a cafe and the 14 ton anchor from the MSC Napoli that ran aground in January 2007, the 2400 containers and all the motorbikes safely removed or stolen Then it was an interesting undercliff walk towards Beer and the inevitable caravan park. Beer was nothing like I remembered it from my youth when we used to cycle from Creswell to the YHA. with a bit more climbing and descending  I was in Seaton.

In Seaton I tried 2 cafes  but neither could be bothered to serve me! the others ones looked grim so I crossed the oldest concrete bridge in the UK and started climbing out, I noticed the Axe Cliff golf club was open to walkers so after a wait I managed to get a sandwich & pint plus a talk to two golfers (whose mates are apparently doing The Path) and four local lady hikers.

After this it was a mega undercliff walk to Lyme Regis. This part was a totally new experience, more like walking through a forest ,very pleasant especially if you enjoy bird song, personally I plugged in the headphones and listened to Nocturnal  with Matt Darey.

A great walk especially reading about the Bindon Cliffs when a 1km section broke away in 1839 and proved a huge tourist attraction for many years and so to the delightful town of Lyme Regis which I must say is very pleasant, to be greeted by your host in the local pub before showing me my room in his house next door, the Smuggler, struck me as very civilised.

The photos for today are here, statistics here, and Everytrail below
Sidmouth to Lyme Regis on The South west Coast Path at EveryTrail

Today started off as a low energy day, funny how buildings can do that to you. It didn’t get much better when I left and found it to be raining.

I continued walking along the coast wall between the sea and Gods Wonderful Railway as the GWR was known. at Dawlish Warren (an apt name) you have to leave the wall and meander pass sad looking shops for the bucket & spade brigade then walk next to the road along an elaborate new path/cycleway that can’t make it’s mind which side you should be on,  before it gives up and dumps you on the narrowest bit of the road.

I crossed the railway at Starcross for the ferry with it still pouring, of cause there was no shelter. Eventually we left, me as the only passenger for the 15min £4.50 crossing to Exmouth into the new harbour complex of flats, which I’m afraid to say held no appeal. I eventually found a cafe in an old Pullman carriage at the model railway centre. A short climb later I was next to some fancy needle sculpture opened by Charles in 2002, whoever pays for this stuff? The little stone engraved stones on the side of the path were better (telling me gorse smells of coconut).

After passing the depressing caravan site near Budleigh I met three posties (Steve, Larry & Bertie) from Bristol, a very cheery lot especially given they were camping the path. One of whom had completed it before. I bumped into them again in the cafe at Budleigh. They are hoping to do A Coast to Coast walk next year so I told them about the lady who produces the b&b guide. Here’s the link for their daughters and better halves. None of the lads use the internet!

Before

After

After the lunch my spirits and the weather lifted. I gave a group of squaddies a good run for their money (OK they were carrying 60kg backpacks).

Then past the amazing Ladram caravan site. Where a gorgeous thatched cottage is surrounded by cravans. I just imagined the cottage owner waking from a deep sleep and thinking WTF has happened. Before I used to live ina gorgeous valley with a lovely beach now I’m surrounded by hundreds of campers trying to be happy.

Finally the sun came out as I was entering Sidmouth, what a civilised lovely place this is. Even the ice cream shops close at 5pm its all very prim. However, I notice like Cambridge it’s lost the main Post Office. However, it still has a vibrant range of independent shops. Mike at Luggage Transfers found me the b&b at Larkstone House & I’ve forgiven him for giving me the wrong postcode, adding an extra mile to the day

The pictures for today are here, statistics here and Everytrail below
Dawlish to Sidmouth on The South West Coast Path at EveryTrail

Tomorrow Tuesday I pass through Seaton & Beer on my way to stop at Lyme Regis, then its Abbotsbury on Wednesday followed by Weymouth for a couple of nights Thursday & Friday to do The Bill . Which means the next stop is Poole and the end.

Another brilliant sunshine day with no wind, that’s two in a row now

The day started with an easyish walk along The English Riviera past all the very English beach huts overlooking the red sands. Climbing out through the old gasworks, now skilfully converted into a park with the old gasometer basins made into pond like features (In Cambridge ours was converted to a Tesco!). After the harbour, who affords all these vast tupperware boats? and past the aviary I came across more interesting park benches, I loved the one made in stone by the National Association of Master Masons bench. Maybe it serves as a reminder to get your order in for your gravestone.

Today’s trail markers were 6 inch square solid wood posts, notched out to take the directional arrows. They really love spending money on these markers. Problem is there are so few it is easily to get confused, maybe it’s a cunning plan to get you to buy guides.

Just before Oddicombe Beach a cafe was doing brisk business selling tea at £1 and cakes at £1 as he said it kept business simple, just like the pound shop. The bridge to Oddicombe beach was allegedly closed but seemed in pretty good order to me ,-) I loved the cliff railway out of Oddicombe, although of cause I walked alongside it.

After a few more roller coaster hills and a few mistakes (Why mention a car park in the guide when you have to walk on the road! not in the car park)

Only one interesting guy today. He walks his dog 10miles in the morning & 6miles in the afternoon EVERY day. Then spends his time rock climbing round the UK. No wonder he was as thin as a rake.

The ferry across to Teignmouth was very cosy with holiday families debating about wether to walk up to the viewpoint. To get to Dawlish involved walking along the top of Brunel’s seawall holding the GWR line in place.unfortunately it ended by the tunnel so there was more ascending to do. Before I called it a day at the rather expensive, jaded & dated Oceans B&B on the Marine Parade, I think i will leave future accommodation to the experts

My pictures are here stats here and Everytrail below (I’ve given up trying to add photos to Everytrail, It’s just to frustrating & unreliable now.

Paignton to Dawlish on The South West Coast Path at EveryTrail

After the mother of all sleeps at Fairholme I awoke for the first time, on this trip, to a glorious blue sky and no wind. After a lavish breakfast I was on my way.

The first 4 miles to Dartmouth were OK, although I declined the option through the mud and followed a dog walker up to the coastguard cottages and then along the road (the old route apparently according to the OS). In fact on the side of the road there is a plethora of acorn signs which don’t really make sense.

Dartmouth is very photogenic and I recognised the huge Officer Navy Training building on top of the hill, where, in a past life, I was lavishly treated to a night’s stay. The stay came about because we sold them some kit for their electron microscope a long time ago (I remember the orderly reeling of a huge list of marmalades when I stupidly just asked for marmalade).

This time I was with the plebs and went to the chandlery, the sort of shop that sends my brain whirring on what I could use all the marine kit for around the house this time it was spinnaker tape for fixing holes in my shorts pockets, some gorgeous nylon cord & a special cement for fixing tears and holes in nylon (even punctures in rubber boats). Then it was on the ferry. Which is dragged across by a tug boat driven with extraordinary skill. At  the other side I started walking up the hill only to realize I had left my poles in the shop so back across the water and another £1.20. The ferryman felt sorry for me on the third crossing and let me on for nothing

I walked on only to get stuck behind a plonker who thought his car wouldn’t go down a narrow lane, I tried to convince him he could but he insisted on reversing which was even worse especially with his wife saying it was very going to hit with a good 3″ gap. I began to wonder if I would ever get started on the difficult bit ahead. Fortunately two ladies came by and took over I squeezed by and sped on.

A short while later the ladies zoomed past, saying they had been relieved by another group who had convinced the driver to get through. I was left thinking I’m getting very slow…I overtook them shortly afterwards when they sat down to admire the view,

The route quickly turned into a roller coaster with a vengeance up and down lots of coombes (which got me thinking about my most hated teacher at school was a Ma Coombes!).

Eventually, at Berry Head I found a cafe in the fort as i was getting parched (dry carrot cake at £2.80). I left suitably refreshed and who should I find on the seats down the lane but the two ladies from earlier in the day, so maybe I’m not so slow after all they were only on a day walking trip to Brixham taking a weekend off from kids & hubbies to visit the Dartmouth music festival.

I left them at the historic replica of the  Golden Hind ship and raced on for the next 6 miles to Paignton, past 100′s of Sally’s objects of desire, Beach huts even more up and downs past the kids and unhealthy looking folks dawdling along.

I eventually found The Adelphi ready for another good nights kip, although the bed is very soft!

The pics are here and stats here with Everytrail below:
Stoke Fleming to Paignton on The South West Coast Path at EveryTrail

No complaints about the weather today! mainly sunshine light winds pretty well perfect.

After a hearty , if somewhat late breakfast, at The Ria View I took the£1.50  ferry across the estuary and started walking at 10am. I made excellent progress and soon caught up with the lads I met at the Avon ferry yesterday, now down to 3 as the fourth had suspected food poisoning from the Brie he had last night and so was taking the bus. As for the taxi two no sight of them all day.

Totally inspiring scenery with some quite dodgy bits on Gammon Head climbing around rocks with a big drop on one side. Then past Maelcombe House a  sprawling pile that woud never get planning permission these days. Where <i met a full blown twitcher who pointed out the Stonechat.

At Start Point (great name especially with signs that say Coastal Path Start) I met a guy carrying a tripod who told me of the benefits of using neutral density filters and long exposures to get great cloud shots (the clouds are stretched to give the picture atmosphere).

Then I dropped down to a smart large building (formerly the Trout’s Hotel) where I noticed a guy languishing  in a chair, I commented there was no cafe between here and Salcombe when to my surprise his wife appeared and said we had met on the ferry from Falmouth. Oh! how I envy folks who can remember faces. So a cup of tea and slab of cake was soon forth coming and a chair passed over the railing so I could have a snack literally ON The South West Coast Path. Afterwards Paul and his wife showed me round their luxury apartment that they were preparing to rent out & an amazing place it is too. You can find it here Start Bay Lookout and it really is as luxurious as they make out

Much refreshed I continued down to Hallsands& Torcross then along the historic Slapton sands used for the mock D-Day landings (all the population was evacuated). After which the path starts using the dangerous A379 around Strete, although a £25,000 alternative path is under construction.

I finally stopped for the night in the lovely village of Stoke Fleming where Mike had fixed me up in Fairholme B&B, Chris is very friendly waiting in for me before dashing out to the Dartmouth Musical festival.

All the days pictures are here, walk statistics here and Everytrail below.

Salcombe to Stoke Fleming on The south West Coast Path at EveryTrail

Today was all about the weather, there was little else to see due to the very low cloud. At Bigbury you couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Burgh island.

What I did see were the huge number of planning applications tagged to everything that couldn’t move, Cambridge may think it has a problem of over development but crikey these seaside towns are inundated with us rich oldies pouring millions in to get a sea view. My theory is that the eye / brain  seeks movement, hence a tiny few of us walk, the majority want to sit and watch the flicker of a TV set and those with the dosh want to watch the tides come and go

I finally reachedAt the Avon ferry after taking the wrong turn in  the farm at Mount Folly where I met the couple who I had met at Wembury, although unbelievably it was me who recognised them plus a group of 4 lads all doing the path from Plymouth towards Poole. We were all getting a bit concerned as he didn’t show till 10.20 and the alternative land route looked a nightmare.

As the day went on the rain & squalls started, in Hope I hung around in the cafe, debating with myself wether to make it a short day.  The 4 lads marched past, the couple I noticed snook into the back of a taxi! The price the pub wanted, £60 for the night sealed it’s fate, I  soldiered on.

Along Bolberry Down it was horrendous, almost zero visibility heavy squally showers, the Scarpa boots leaking like sieves & sliding all over (well they are 4 weeks old!). around bolt head I got confused and ended up walking the same stretch 3 times, thus adding half an hour to the day. The Canon D550 became confused as well and and decided to stay on all the time!

Finally reached the outskirts of Salcombe where the YHA is but decided to continue up and down the hills that separate all the beaches and get into Salcombe proper. Where the nightmare of finding a room began. The pub wanted £70 for a room only! one house £60 for the room only, I phoned up another 5 all full/closed etc Finally Mike (who had tried to contact me all day but eh this is the UK mobiles only for the big townies)  came to the rescue and found me Ria View but with a small disadvantage of a late breakfast at 9am, so the Ria is where I’m at and very pleasant it is too.

I really can’t understand the mentality of folks, running a business with fixed costs, who would rather have nothing than say £40. Especially the pub who lost my evening trade too.

The photos are here, statistics here, and Everytrail below
Bigbury to Salcombe on the South west Coastal Path at EveryTrail

I awoke to the delicious smell of home made bread, a wholemeal loaf especially baked for me by Jackie, this combined with a fresh fruit salad with home made yogurt (Sally would really have loved) a bowl of steaming porridge plus two farm fresh eggs made a great start to the day. Which is more than can be said for the weather, totally foul, very low clouds squally heavy showers all made me seriously consider staying.

I started walking to the sonorous tone of a fog horn, that’s how low the cloud was the squalls continued for quite a while, hence no pics for the first part of the day. I ploughed onto the dreaded River Erme crossing which can only be done +- 1 hour of low tide, which today was at 2.30pm. I arrived at midday and thought I would spend a, hour or so in the cafe – which of cause I found, after climbing up the hill, was closed. Thanks ladies at The Old School House!

I returned to the estuary and thought I would give it a try – when the stick started bending in the current, I beat a retreat and then spent time wandering up and down to find a crossing place to no avail. Eventually at 1.30pm I managed it with water up to nearly the top of my legs using the sticks to stop me getting pushed over. The river was really swollen due to the rains.

I continued on up & down several tortuous hills  all very slippery and very close to cliff edges with swirling cloud but fortunately the rain had eased off so I could see the edges, but I still fear accidentally throwing myself off…

THe interesting part today was reflecting on how The Barings lost all their money and hence  their huge estate around Noss Mayo by bad investments in  South America (Nick Leeson did it for them again later). Whereas The Flete Estate have hung onto huge tracts of land around The Erme with no housing development.( apart from a row of ugly coast guard houses).

I arrived in Bigbury on Sea via the mega holiday caravan site at Challaborough Bay where for less than £5000 one can be yours! How do they get planning permission for such favela type places?.

Bigbury on sea is in the throes of moving upmarket from thirties bungalows, like Marashina where I’m staying, to huge glass palaces.  The local hotels  refuse meals to outsiders, so it was back to the caravan site for my supper – in the rain again! Maybe next time after my bonds turn up trumps I will stay at the iconic Burgh Island Hotel across the sand spit from here.

Only 190 miles to go

The pictures are here statistics here and Everytrail, as always below.

Noss Mayo to Bigbury on Sea on The South West Coast Path at EveryTrail

I woke up from a terrible nights sleep with a thumping headache feeling awful. I popped some Nurofen but realised I was probably suffering from dehydration  I went into Plymouth bought some new inner socks and a 2 litre bottle of carbonated water (Why don’t shops  /garages keep carbonated water in the chiller cabinets? ). I instantly drank 1 litre of it!

I reached the Mayflower steps in the harbour and saw the Mount Batten ferry, I succumbed and took the 5 minute ferry instead of walking the 7.5 miles around a very built up area.

I then started the day’s walking, marvelling at the huge blocks of stone that have been carved to act as way markers (till the money ran out at the top of Jennys Cliff).  I quickly reached a fine cafe on Jenny’s Cliff where I took a lot of pics for my sister Jenny The footpath has been reinstated so The Guide is incorrect about using the road.

The walk from there was very pleasant, looking at the submarine and all the warships cruising around. Then on through the Heybrook Bay holiday home park and on to Wembury after which it seemed to take an age to the ferry at Warren Point which only runs from 3pm to 4pm. So just as well I omitted the 7.5 mile walk otherwise I would have got there to late!

After the 5min £2.50 crossing with the ferryman bemoaning how few passengers there were it became a lovely walk along the very scenic old  carriage way apparently buit by The Barings. and then back along the top to my lovely accommodation at Worswell Barton Farmhouse where Jackie made me feel very welcome. Their solar heated shower now takes first place in the most powerful one on my South West Coast Path walk

Later in the evening Philip ran me down to the Ship Inn in the centre of the delightfully named Noss Mayo village (apparently from the French word for nose). An excellent meal too

Weather wise it was a fine day with a bit of sun and no wind.

The pictures  are here, statistics here and Everytrail below

Plymouth to Noss Mayo on The South West Coast Path at EveryTrail

Another long day with just under 19 miles walked and 4780 feet climbed!

The Schooner Point gave me an excellent  breakfast, I particularly liked the way all the homemade items were labelled and the way the cereals were stored in cavernous glass bottles with ladles. Very tidy & brand less

Since I left early it was interesting to see the beach been cleaned with a miniature piste basher, I wonder if it has magnets in to grab all the money folks have dropped during the day. Climbing out past all the luxury homes I soon descended into the distinctly downmarket Millendreath with it’s boarded up entertainment complex’s and hundreds of small chalets. I pondered how places become like this? Did it start with a local parish councillor on the make…

I then climbed up again  to the rather beautiful spiral cut into the grass and the poster with the mythology behind the number 7, making me think about the role of 7 in my life (born in the 7th month of the 7th year, 28 is 7 times 4…….. then descending through the beautiful woods into the remarkably naff beach cafes, no fancy cakes and china tea cups along the route for me today. then on through the Tregantle rifle ranges with a rather menacing warship lying offshore.

 Then to Cornwall’s answer to a shanty town, Freathy with its multitude of wooden shacks obviously built prior to the planning laws arrival. The road was getting busy so I descended onto the gorgeous beach, which you should leave  near the old boiler from  the wreck. However, in one of my more insane moments I could see a set of steps at the far end and decided to clamber around / over the amazing & dangerous jagged rocks, which at times seemed impenetrable. Reaching  the steps they turned out to lead to the rather exclusive and very private Pollawn Fort wedding centre which rather explained the skip full of champagne bottles. However, I wasn’t challenged so I snook out.

The walk continued through beautiful woods and countryside to the amazingly pretty Cawsand village which was in the middle of a May day carnival complete with Morris dancers and Navy wallahs wading in the sea. A Plymouth ferry arrived as I was on the beach so I skipped the last two miles to Cremyll and its ferry and hopped on.

I wandered up to Citadel Road, the b&b centre according to Mike and booked into Kynance House. Then went for a disastrous meal at Cafe Rouge in a distinctly uninviting deserted Plymouth centre.

All the pics are here and stats here, Everytrail below
Looe to Plymouth on South West Coast Path at EveryTrail