Day 10 - March 5th 2014 - Salcombe to Bantham

It was clear and frosty when I woke this morning. The weather forecast was promising a dry day, exactly what I'd been hoping to hear. Lea drove me to Salcombe where the passenger ferry arrives from East Portlemouth on the opposite side of the estuary. It meant I skipped the crossing, but it made no difference to the distance walked and saved many unnecessary miles driving down narrow country lanes.

Much like yesterday I found myself on narrow roads heading out of a quaint seaside town for the first mile or so. I saw storm damage again at South Sands. The road was closed here and it appeared the old lifeboat house, which houses a water sports business these days, was badly damaged internally. After passing up through Overbeck Gardens I emerged on a rugged rocky stretch of path heading towards and around Sharp Tor. Unlike yesterday there were handrails and low walls between me and the sea on the most dangerous parts of the path, I read later this section of the coast path was constructed in the 19th century.

In this area the path felt very much like Dartmoor by the sea. There were rugged rocky outcrops, the going was hilly, there were even a few ponies grazing close by. It really felt like spring today, wild daffodils were growing, many sheep were accompanied by their lambs and the sun was shining. Perfect.

After Bolt Head the path was fairly easy going, occasional muddy patches the only nuisance as I passed along gently rolling cliff-tops enjoying superb views. After briefly drifting north of the official path in an area where all the signs had been blown away near Ham Stone I made the steep descent down to Soar Mill Cove, a spectacular isolated spot which I had all to myself today. After a short break admiring the cove I made my way up the other side of the valley, this steep section being easily the most energy-sapping climb of the day.

More easy cliff-top walking followed. At Bolberry Down I caught my first views of Burgh Island and many miles of coast in the distance. Visibility wasn't perfect, but I was fairly sure that through the haze I could make out Cornwall for the first time on this journey. After admiring the magnificent view at Bolt Tail I dropped down to Inner Hope, the tide was still a little too high to let me cross the beach so I stuck to the road here.

If it weren't for recent storms the path from Outer Hope to Thurlestone would have been an easy stroll of just a mile or so. Unfortunately the cliffs had crumbled here and two diversions made it much harder work. The first was a relatively minor irritation, passing inland and back through the streets of Outer Hope for a about half a mile to bypass a section no more than 100 yards long.

The second diversion ended up costing me a quite lot of time. Strangely the only signs I saw showing the alternative route were placed well after I'd already passed the diversion. I wondered if signs further back had blown away or been removed by vandals. As a result I came to a dead-end next to a large house at Great Ledge with no option other than to double back a fair distance. As I retraced my steps I was able to warn a couple and their dog who were about to go the same way as me. This diversion was no fun at all. It added quite a lot of distance, the first half of which required walking up a seemingly never-ending farm track that was a quagmire all the way, completely underwater in places. This was by far the boggiest place I'd had to tackle at any stage of this walk so far.

At Thurlestone Sands I was pleased to rejoin the path, my boots absolutely caked in mud. The first thing I saw there was another road lost to the waves. Then I crossed over South Milton Ley on the footbridge. The southern end of this huge reed bed wasn't in the best of shape, it had clearly been under attack from the sea and was covered in debris.

Relatively easy walking took me alongside the golf course at Thurlestone. From the cliff tops I looked down on rocky beaches that appeared to be inaccessible from the land. As I approached the mouth of the River Avon there were great views across to Burgh Island and Bigbury-on-Sea where I knew Lea was waiting. As planned I arrived at low tide in the hope of wading across the Avon. Next to the lifeguards look-out I dropped down onto the sands and went over to take a look at the river. It was immediately clear and no surprise that it was far too deep and fast flowing to consider wading. So near yet so far, I was just yards away from Bigbury. I washed the mud off my boots in the river before turning back

There wasn't enough time left in the day to consider making the 9 mile diversion inland that would allow me to cross the estuary on foot. Had I arrived earlier I might have done it, but I didnt want to risk finishing in the dark. Instead I clambered up onto Bantham Ham and walked on to Bantham Quay where I stopped for the day. The seasonal passenger ferry that crosses the river here doesn't start running until late April. Fortunately we both had mobile signal, a rarity in this area, so I was able to call Lea and tell her where to come and find me.

It had been another thoroughly enjoyable day, again I'd seen wonderful places and fantastic scenery. By the time I'd stopped I was already laughing off the annoying diversions. I'd have preferred to get a few more miles covered if possible, however considering the time of year, the extent of storm damage and muddy conditions underfoot I'm very pleased with the progress I've made over the last two days.

That's it for now. I'll return to the path later this year when I'll continue on from Bantham Quay. Thanks for reading.

Distance Walked Today 14.69 miles (23.64 km)

Walking Time; 4 hours 29 minutes

Average Walking Speed 3.3 mph

Cumulative Distance Walked 216.85 miles (348.99 km)

GPS Track; https://www.strava.com/activities/533691901

Leaving pretty Salcombe on a fine Spring morning

 

 

Looking back at Sharp Tor

 

 

 Near Bolt Head, the path felt like 'Dartmoor by the Sea' here

 

 

Looking down over Soar Mill Cove before making a very steep descent

 

 

View from Bolberry Down, I caught my first glimpse of Cornwall in the distance here

 

 

Oh no, I come to the dead-end at Great Ledge

 

The unpleasant diversion route, this muddy farm track seemed to go on forever

 

Thurlestone Sands, one of several roads lost to the sea in recent storms

 

 

Looking across the impassable Avon Estuary to Burgh Island and Bigbury-on-Sea



Day 9 - March 4th 2014 - Dartmouth to East Portlemouth

At the tail end of the wettest winter since records began I returned to the South West Coast Path wondering what sort of conditions I might find myself facing. South Devon had taken a severe battering from winter storms since I last walked. Perhaps the most famous damage being at Dawlish where the railway line and adjacent coast path, part of my route on Day 7, were still closed for reconstruction a month after being destroyed by a gale.

After crossing The River Dart on the ferry with Lea I set off from pretty Dartmouth. I was on roads as far as Dartmouth Castle before making my way up through the woods, this being the first steep climb of the day. Soon I was approaching Blackstone Point with views to the east and the superb rugged section where I walked back in October. At Blackstone Point I came across the first path closure of the day, though the diversion to Compass Cove along the nearby cliff-top didn't deprive me of the view. Between Compass Cove to Combe Point were spectacular rugged cliffs, I could hear the unmistakable cry of Peregrine Falcons here and stopped for a while on the tip of Combe Point to enjoy the magnificent view.

After Warren Point the path was somewhat disappointing for a few miles, passing inland along lanes and through the village of Stoke Fleming. I briefly rejoined the coast at Blackpool Sands, a pleasant beach, before being taken inland again. There were a couple of seemingly pointless sections through steep muddy fields here. Though they keep you away from the road for a while they take you no nearer the coast and add a fair bit of extra leg work.

Soon after passing through Strete I was pleased to get back down to sea-level at the northern end of Slapton Sands. Despite being completely flat the 2 & 1/2 mile walk to Torcross wasn't as easy as you might expect. Storms had covered the path with course sand on both sides of the road most of the way and it felt similar to walking along a beach. Coming into Torcross I paused to look at the Sherman DD tank that was recovered from the sea in recent years. It's a memorial to the 946 American servicemen who lost their lives in a terrible tragedy here during Exercise Tiger during training for the D-Day landings in 1944, an awful incident that was kept top-secret at the time.

After meeting with Lea for lunch I saw the first major storm damage of the day at Torcross. Despite the protection of a huge concrete sea wall several properties facing the coast were still boarded-up and undergoing repairs. Most of the sand on the beach adjacent to the town at Torcross appeared to have been washed away.

There was more storm damage at nearby Beesands, a road along the beach having been lost to the sea. While I was here the the weather took a turn for the worse. The first of several short sharp showers dropped quite a lot of rain. For the rest of the day conditions would be tricky underfoot. South of Beesands I had my only mishap of the day, I slipped and ended up on my backside in the mud while descending a steep grass slope. Fortunately there were no people around to witness my embarrassment, though several sheep were treated to a 'You've Been Framed' type of moment. I washed off the mud as best I could in one of the many bubbling streams I needed to step over.

A little further down the rugged coast I came across the fascinating site of the ruined village at Hallsands, lost to the sea in the early 20th century after dredging removed it's natural defences. The viewing platform here was excellent, giving a great view of the site and explaining the history in detail. If I lived in the nearby modern settlement of North Hallsands I'd be nervous that history might repeat itself. The 2014 storms have brought fresh cliff falls uncomfortably close to inhabited buildings. Sea defences, a road and a car park have been destroyed.

Apart from mud underfoot it was fairly easy going from here to Start Point where I was amused to see a sign that told me there were 462 miles to go until Minehead. I walked down to take a look at the lighthouse which marks the western end of Lyme Bay, this was a pleasing landmark, it feels like a long time since I left the eastern end at Portland Bill.

The final 9 miles of the day between Start Point and East Portlemouth were spent passing along superb rugged unspoilt coastline, spectacular scenery all the way. The only people I saw in three hours were a lone fisherman on rocks near Start Point and a family exercising dogs on Lannacombe Beach. Though it's hardly a beach at the moment to be honest, storms have stripped away all the sand. Part of this time was spent passing along muddy field edges, at other times I was clambering over exposed rock and small boulders in perilous spots were a slip or a trip could lead to my demise in a rocky cove below. Perhaps my favourite spot was Maceley Cove which was being pounded by the increasingly rough sea. This was just west of Prawle Point the southern-most headland in Devon. With my boots caked in mud and the rocks slippery in the now persistant light rain I went very carefully, mindful that the path was completely deserted and there was absolutely no chance of getting a signal on my mobile phone in this area. I thoroughly enjoy these remote rural stretches, to me they're the very essence of a coast path.

With daylight fading and my legs tiring I made my way down out of the muddy woods onto the road that leads into East Portlemouth past the pretty beach at Mill Bay. After a tough but exhilarating day spent exploring many many wonderful places I'd never seen before I was pleased to meet with Lea who was waiting for me as planned in the narrow lane where the passenger ferry crosses over to Salcombe.

Distance Walked Today 23.49 miles (37.80 km)

Walking Time; 7 hours 21 minutes

Average Walking Speed 3.2 mph

Cumulative Distance Walked 202.16 miles (325.34 km)

GPS Track; https://www.strava.com/activities/533691932

Dartmouth

 

 

View from Combe Point

 

 

Looking back over Blackpool Sands after a steep climb

 

 

The Sherman tank at Torcross, memorial to 946 American servicemen lost in Exercise Tiger

 

 

Looking back at storm-damaged Torcross and Slapton Sands

 

 

Site of Hallsands ruined village, 159 people lived here in 1891, Start Point in the distance

 

 

Yay, only 462 miles to go!

 

 

Start Point Lighthouse

 

 

Approaching Prawle Point, southernmost headland in Devon

 

 

Don't look down, the path is not for the faint-hearted in places

 

 

Maceley Cove



To be continued in 2014 :)

Reluctantly this walk is now on hold now for the Winter.

I'd love to walk all of the magnificent South West Coast Path in one continuous uninterrupted journey. However the reality is I have no option but to tackle it in sections due to work and family commitments. I'm already looking forward to getting back on the path in 2014, which will include a full week of walking during a break from work. It's my intention is to get at least as far as the half-way point of the path during the year, which I note is just south of Coverack in Cornwall.

The path certainly hasn't disappointed so far, as expected delivering a superb mix of terrain; genteel seaside resorts, rugged unspoilt coastline, sandy beaches and just about everything inbetween. I've walked through many wonderful places I'd never visited before and enjoyed mile after mile of spectacular scenery. Perhaps I was a bit unlucky with the weather at times, especially on Day 1 when I was battered by an horrendous storm, though on the other side of the coin I was fortunate to stay completely clear of any aches, pains or injuries. On reflection my favourite part to date was the glorious isolated and rural section between Berry Head and Kingswear on Day 8, simply magnificent. The low point was on Day 4; a tedious detour of several miles on steep and busy roads around Charmouth. The coast path was impassable both sides of town due to landslips leaving me no option other than this unpleasant slog in heavy rain.

I'd like to say a big 'thank-you' to my parents Eileen and Bill who let me use their house as a base for the first two nights and provided the best possible hospitality. Also to my partner Lea for her invaluable support. She patiently followed along in her car on Days 1 to 5, dropping me at the start point each morning, meeting me first for lunch, then wherever I stopped to take me back to our accommodation. She also brought along food, changes of clothes, etc. Unlimited use of 'Lea's Taxi' was very much appreciated!

Many people have asked me if this is another charity walk. Initially that wasn't my intention, however I've been persuaded otherwise after a few people insisted on making a donation to a good cause in appreciation of my efforts. I've decided I'd like any money raised to go to Macmillan Cancer Support again. They're a highly worthwhile cause who are currently giving invaluable assistance to my mother during her battle against breast cancer. If you'd like to make a donation please do so via my Just Giving page which you'll find on this link, otherwise you can forward it to me.

Thanks for reading, Gary :)

 

Progress to date, 178.67 miles covered in 8 days, about an Everest worth of ascent and descent thrown in for good measure. The red line accurately shows my route as recorded by my handheld Garmin GPS device. Click pic to enlarge.

Day 8 - October 11th 2013 - Torquay to Kingswear

By necessity my walk today commenced after I'd finished my regular daily milkround in Exeter, just as it had on days 6 and 7. That's an 8 hour shift spent mainly on my feet after a 1-30am alarm call. If you're questioning my sanity at this point I wouldn't be surprised. But don't worry; I can handle it. I try to avoid walking too much over 20 miles after a working day. On a non-working day my range is 30+ miles.

When I arrived in Torquay I was delighted with the weather; it was bright and sunny with a strong, cool northerly wind. Absolutely perfect when you're about to start walking south. The first couple of miles going into Paignton weren't that much fun, going along a footpath next to a busy main road. At least there were pleasant views across Torbay to enjoy. From Paignton onwards the main road diverts inland and the seafront becomes more peaceful. The tide was high and waves were coming over the sea wall in places. It wasn't too bad but the road along the front was closed to traffic as a precaution.

At the north end of Goodrington Sands a short section of the official path was closed by an unstable cliff. The diversion here was the first I'd seen since Charmouth. Broadsands seemed a lovely spot, though the name wasn't very apt today; the high tide and rough sea meant the beach was completely covered by big waves, I couldn't really see much sand at all. As I walked along the promenade I found myself being blasted continuously by spray. I didn't mind, that sort of thing just adds to the fun as far as I'm concerned.

From Churston Point onwards the nature of the path changed noticeably. The seaside resorts were behind me now and the going started to become quite rural and moderately hilly. From here through to Brixham was a surprisingly pleasant section. Sandy beaches were replaced by more rugged coastline, the path passed through some wooded sections and across a couple of small coves. Brixham itself is a pretty fishing town, totally in contrast to the modern touristy areas I'd passed through earlier. I stopped here briefly for my lunch (a Cornish pasty again). It was consumed while I sat on a bench next to the statue of William of Orange. He landed an army of 20,000 men near here in 1688.

After leaving Brixham I made my way up to Berry Head. There was much to see including the impressive Napoleonic era fortifications. In front of the lighthouse there's one of those direction and distance signs that points out what you can see on a clear day. I could easily make out Exmouth, 18 miles distant, and several other places I'd passed through along the Jurrasic Coast. That included Golden Cap in Dorset, I wondered if there were people up there at that very moment looking back across Lyme Bay towards me. On such a fine day for walking I concluded there probably were. It was a little too hazy to make out the island of Portland from where I was, I expect those at Golden Cap could see it. Portland Bill was 42 miles away in a straight line according to the sign. I can tell you from very recent personal experience it's actually 120 miles away if you do the journey on foot without using any ferries!

Soon after leaving Berry Head the path enters a spectacular section that continues all the way around to Kingswear. You leave civilisation behind and don't see any roads or buildings for several miles. There are spectacular coves and cliffs, occasional small beaches that you can only access on foot or by boat. The path gets rocky and rugged and becomes a switchback of steep hills, it's tough going and not for the faint-hearted. In my opinion areas like this are exactly what the path is all about, representing the coast of Great Britain at its very finest and I enjoy them immensely. In one spot I found my way blocked by three grazing Dartmoor ponies who didn't want to budge, there was a cliff top close to my left and dense scrub to the right. It was a magical moment. After a brief stand-off I eventually sweet-talked my way through! I thoroughly enjoyed these last eight miles or so of today's walk, they were undoubtedly right up there with the very best I've seen on this journey so far. I was getting tired by the end, stopping for regular breathers on the last few killer hills, including the steep one that climbs through the fascinating WWII defences at Brownstone Battery. Despite that I was left in absolutely no doubt it had been more than worth the effort to see such wonderful places.

When I got into Kingswear I made my way down to the ferry terminal where the official South Coast Path crosses over to Dartmouth. My arrival was well-timed to catch the 5-00pm tourist steam train back to Paignton. It was a little more expensive than the bus, though a far more pleasant mode of transport. The steam train was hassle-free, relaxing and on time. To the contrary when I got alighted at Paignton I found my connecting train to Torquay on the National Network had been cancelled, so I ended up on a bus after all. I'm making good progress on this walk, I'm not sure if the same can be said for public transport.

Distance Walked Today 19.78 miles (31.83 km)

Walking Time; 5 hours 51 minutes

Average Walking Speed 3.4 mph

Cumulative Distance Walked 178.67 miles (287.54 km)

GPS Track; https://www.strava.com/activities/533760819

 

Paignton Pier in superb walking weather

 

 

Sands? What sands? Stormy seas at Broadsands

 

A replica of the Golden Hind in Brixham Harbour

 

Naopleonic era defences at Berry Head

 

A deserted beach at Long Sands

 

This is the stuff! A spectacular section of the South West

Coast Path somewhere near Scabbacombe Head

 

One of the Dartmoor ponies that blocked my way to The River Dart

 

Looking across to Dartmouth upon my arrival in Kingswear

 

 

This Iron Horse took me away from the River Dart

 



Day 7 - October 3rd 2013 - Starcross to Torquay

Due to Met Office severe weather warnings of heavy rain and localised flooding my decision to walk today was left until the very last minute. After finishing at work I took a close look at the live rainfall rader images and decided to go for it; I could see that the heaviest of the rain would be passing shortly before I started and that conditions should improve in the afternoon.

A big downpour had left a lot of standing water when I set off from the railway station car park at Starcross, though the rain falling at the time was actually quite light. I made my way to Dawlish Warren along the unavoidable roads, though it was a bit better than the last time I walked through here as some new wide new footpaths have been constructed where before there were none. Soon after I started to walk along the sea wall between Dawlish Warren and Dawlish it began to rain quite hard again, the sea was rough and visibilty was poor. I'd chosen to walk this section today due to low tide falling at lunchtime, at high tide two sections of the coast path in this area are impassable.

Conditions stayed misreable as I did the first hilly sections after Dawlish and made my along the sea wall that takes you into Teignmouth. I just put my head down and got on with it at a good pace, reminding myself frequently that the rain wouldn't be lasting all day. To my surprise I saw three other individual long-distance walkers out on this section despite the foul weather, each of them alone and heading north.

At Teignmouth I thought it very unlikely the ferry would be operating in the rough seas, even if it was I didn't fancy waiting around for it in the deluge. So after buying a pasty for my lunch I headed straight for the The Saldon Bridge. To my relief the heavy rain started to ease off just before I crossed.

After Shaldon the weather gradually improved and the walk became far more pleasurable . The path closely follows the clifftops around scenic Labrador Bay. The coast road is too far away to be heard over the sound of crashing waves and you feel far from civilisation, I didn't see another person here for a couple of hours along this stretch. This was my favourite part of the walk today. Mind you, the going was pretty tough all the way. You're always going up or down and it's often steep. It was also quite overgrown in places, I was glad I was wearing waterproof trousers rather than shorts when I found myself wading through nettles and brambles. Low hanging branches weighed down by rain are an annoyance when you're six feet tall.

Apart from a couple of short road sections the path is surprisingly rural and rugged as it skirts around the built-up areas to the north of Torquay. The going remains quite hilly, but you are rewarded by some great views of various coves and cliffs. With the sun breaking though by now I enjoyed walking through here too, visibilty was improving and I caught occasional glimpes of Exmouth and western end of the Jurrasic Coast in the distance.

By the time I finally emerged into Torquay itself I was beginning to tire. It was hardly surprising; I'd been up since 1-45am and put in eight hours on the milkround before this walk. During that shift I'd probably walked at least another 10 miles. I made my way to the railway station and caught the first train back to Starcross where my car was parked. It took a mere 32 minutes to return me to the place it had taken me over 6 hours to walk from. As the the train passed along the spectacular line through Teignmouth and Dawlish I could see huge waves crashing over the sea walls I'd walked along earlier, this made me very pleased that I'd researched the tide times before setting off.

The walk today was very varied, both the terrain and the weather. Admittedly the first couple of hours wasn't much fun in terrible conditions. However I was glad I hadn't let the adverse weather stop me, by the end I felt exhilerated and with an overwhelming sense that I'd thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Distance Walked Today 21.12 miles (33.99 km)

Walking Time; 6 hours 03 minutes

Average Walking Speed 3.5 mph

Cumulative Distance Walked 158.89 miles (255.71 km)

GPS Track; https://www.strava.com/activities/533694901

South Wet Coast Path, the live rainfall radar just before I set off

 

Heading south out of Dawlish as heavy rain falls, Lea Mount the first hill of the day ahead

 

A short video clip I recorded between Dawlish and Teignmouth during the downpour,
the path had turned into a river here

 

Looking back at Teignmouth through the murk

 

Yay, it starts to brighten up as I walk along the Labrador Bay cliff-top, the angle

between the fence and the horizon shows how steep it is here

 

Babbacombe Cliff Railway in the first rays of sun of the day,
the path goes under the track in a small tunnel

 

Ansteys Cove

 

Torquay Harbour and blue sky, a very welcome sight after the earlier deluge

Day 6 - September 27th 2013 - Exmouth to Starcross via The Exe Estuary Trail

The official Coast Path crosses the Exe via the Exmouth to Starcross Ferry. That seems a bit too easy to me so I chose to take a long-cut today and make my way across the river by walking around the excellent Exe Estuary Trail, one of my favourite local walks. After an eight hour shift delivering milk I set off feeling fit and well in fine weather after resting at home for an hour. It was also less than 48 hours since I'd made a blood donation, though as usual that seemed to have had absolutely no impact on me and my energy levels felt normal.

My house looks over the estuary and I can see Starcross from my bedroom window less than a mile away across the water. However it's a much longer walk to get there. The trail starts just across the road from my house. I set off at a good pace, well aware that the last river ferry from Starcross back to Exmouth would be leaving at 4-10pm. If I were to miss it I'd have to make my way home by making a time consuming train journey via Exeter St.Davids. I was soon in Lympstone, as usual the eastern side of the trail was very popular being shared by many walkers, joggers and cyclists. I also saw several bird watchers with big binoculars and cameras with huge zoom lenses. The tide was quite high and I could see huge flocks of birds on the vast expanse of water.

Between Lympstone and Exton you pass behind the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre. All Commandos famously have to complete four tough tasks here in full kit at the end of their intense 32 week training course if they're to earn their green beret, not many make it that far. There is a curious railway station, Lympstone Commando, next to the path here where ordinary trains stop but only military personnel may alight, the only one of it's type in the country. Occasional parts of the Exe Estuary Trail are on roads, including a section here, though for the most part they're very quiet lanes and you see very few cars. There are almost no hills on the trail and the entire route is essentially at sea-level and completely flat.

Just past Exton I could see a new section of the path under construction, it looked close to completion and includes a large bridge over the River Clyst. It will shorten the route a little by cutting out the part where I had to use the footpath next to the road between Darts Farm and the Bridge Inn. There are several ways you can make your way through Topsham. I prefer the footpath next to the river, even though it's fairly narrow here and always muddy because it gets covered by the water at high tide. There is another river ferry here for foot passengers which you can use to cross to Turf Lock, I passed the opportunity and continued north determined to do it all on foot. Close to Countess Weir Bridge I diverted into a housing estate to buy a sandwich and a drink in a convenience store. Due to the urgency of catching the last ferry I decided to eat while I walked rather than stopping for a break.

The Countess Weir Bridge on the southern outskirts of Exeter in the furthest place South where pedestrians can cross the River Exe on foot. The road here is very busy, though you're only next to it for a short distance before heading south on the tow path of the Exeter Ship Canal. The first section along the canal isn't exactly the best; first you pass a large sewage works on the opposite bank, then under the noisy M5 motorway. After that it gets much more tranquil and pleasant. There were swans in the water and several fishermen camping along here, all of whom seemed to have three rods each and well equipped green tents. The Turf Hotel at Turk Lock where the Exeter Ship Canal meets the Exe Estuary is a lovely spot, I'm told it's a great place to stop for lunch though I've never been in myself. After stopping briefly to take a couple of pictures I pushed on. The path from here goes along the high bank on the side of the estuary for a mile or two, to my right were peaceful flat fields where cattle were grazing, to my left with the tide subsiding there were mud flats starting to emerge where earlier there was water.

After crossing the railway line the last mile and a half was spent walking along a lane behind Powderham Castle, home of the Earl of Devon. The castle itself is quite distant and you only get occasional glimpses though the trees. There are many deer in the grounds and I got within a few feet of a wading crane at one point. It flew away before I could get my camera out. Upon reaching Starcross I felt I could have easily carried on for a few miles more, but with the ferry by far the easiest way back going any further on made no sense. To my amazement I'd arrived more than an hour before the 4-10pm ferry, in fact I'd just about made it in time for the 3-10pm crossing, my good pace today allowing me to get home an hour earlier than expected. After a relaxing crossing on the boat and an easy stroll home from Exmouth Dock tiredness finally began to kick in. I'll sleep well tonight, very happy with progress on this walk so far.

Distance Walked Today 14.97 miles (24.09 km)

Walking Time; 3 hours 37 minutes

Average Walking Speed 4.1 mph

Cumulative Distance Walked 137.77 miles (221.72 km)

GPS Track; https://www.strava.com/activities/533694892



 A typical section of the eastern side of the

Exe Estuary trail

 

Razor wire, high security at the Training Centre entrance next to
Lympstone Commando railway station

 

 A peace stroll through Topsham beside the River Exe

 

 The spot where the peaceful Exeter Ship canal passes under the busy M5 motorway

 

 Busy mum, a swan with eight cygnets on The Exeter Ship Canal

 

 Turf Lock and the Turf Hotel, there is no public road neaby, you can only get here on foot

 

 The grounds of Powderham Castle, deer graze under the oak tree

 

The best surviving engine house of Brunel's experimental

atmospheric railway at Starcross

 

 



Day 5 - September 20th 2013 - Seaton to Exmouth

I enjoyed the best weather of the walk so far today, cool with bright spells. There was no rain at all and perhaps most importantly of all for the first time I didn't have a head-wind to contend with.

The 10 miles of path between Seaton and Sidmouth were very hard-work yet exhilarating. There were breath-taking views from the cliff-tops, though a tough descent and ascent to contend with each time a river mouth was reached. Branscombe Mouth was a lovely spot, here I saw the anchor of the cointainer ship MSC Napoli which made world-wide headlines in 2007. After it grounded at Branscombe in a storm the containers which washed ashore were scavenged by enterprising locals.

The views over Sidmouth from Salcombe Hill, the highest point of the day were superb. In the fine weather this section of the coast path was busier than any I'd seen so far. When I reached Sidmouth it was buzzing having hosted the start of a Tour of Britain stage a couple of hours before my arrival. With the field including Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish, Britain's two greatest ever cyclists, large crowds had been attracted to the town. After a brief wander around taking in the atmosphere I rested on the Esplanade for a few minutes where I ate my lunch.

From Sidmouth onwards the going got easier and I was on very familiar territory; the path from here to Exmouth being a section I've walked many times before. The long slog up to Peak Hill was the last significant climb of the day, though it didn't seem as steep as those I'd negotiated in the morning. I passed straight through Ladram Bay, a favourite spot of mine, very tranquil and the sea stacks are a superb sight. Approaching Budleigh Salterton the path takes an annoying detour 2/3 of a mile inland to cross the River Otter. Once in town I stopped to buy refreshments and enjoy the sea view for a few minutes.

After some easy climbing which rewarded me with more superb views of the spectacular coast in this area I arrived at Straight Point. The small headland is a military firing range and closed to the public. Right next to it is a very large caravan park, supposedly the biggest in Western Europe. Locally it's known as Sandy Bay, though the holiday companies market it using the name Devon Cliffs. Strangely the Sea View Café has been allowed to build a patio across the official coast path here and long distance walkers awkwardly pass between tables of holiday makers enjoying a drink with their magnificent view.

After Sandy Bay I passed over Orcombe Cliffs and reached the Geoneedle that marks the western end of the Jurassic Coast, a pleasing landmark. Between here and Old Harry Rocks back on Day 1 I'd thoroughly enjoyed my journey along the World Heritage Site, undoubtedly one of the greatest natural wonders in Britain. A pleasant and flat two mile stroll along Exmouth sea-front followed. At Exmouth Dock were the official path crosses over to Starcross on a ferry I continued on to my home address from where I shall resume. It isn't my intention to use the ferry, I'd rather cross the river via an attractive long-cut; The Exe Estuary Trail.

Distance Walked Today 25.00 miles (40.24 km)

Cumulative Distance Walked 122.80 miles (197.63 km)

GPS Track; https://www.strava.com/activities/533694903

Unfortunately there are no photographs of the spectacular scenery I saw today, I accidentally set off without my camera!

Reviewing today's GPS data after arriving home