Walks Archives - Page 15 of 39

Stoke Fleming to Paignton on The South West Coast Path

Posted on May 12, 2012April 8, 2021

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

Salcombe to Stoke Fleming on The South West Coast Path

Posted on May 11, 2012May 28, 2019

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

Bigbury On Sea to Salcombe on The South West Coast Path

Posted on May 11, 2012May 28, 2019

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

Noss Mayo to Bigbury on Sea on The South west Coast Path

Posted on May 9, 2012

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