wanderings - 630miles: Recent Episodes

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHmonday, 15TH june 2026Start location: Woolacombe (SS 45779 43799)

End point: Braunton (SS 46300 34939)

Map: Explorer 139

It looks like today is going to be dry and warm but maybe a bit on the cloudy side.

Barnstaple low tide 11:11

Barnstaple high tide 19:01

A lot of today's walk will be spent trudging along sandy beaches, starting with Woolacombe Sands, followed by Putsborough Sands, then Croyde Beach and finally, a shortish trudge along Saunton Sands.

I start the day at Woolacombe where, except for a few dog walkers and joggers, I have the whole beach to myself. It's rather a nice start to the morning.

I head towards the sea before trudging along the beach for a good two miles.

The far end of Woolacombe Sands leads directly into Putsborough Sands.

At the end of the beach I leave the sand behind me and pass the refreshment hut before turning right onto a track over Napps Cliff. The views looking back over Putsborough Sands to Woolacombe Sands are lovely.

view over woolacombe

A grassy path goes through several stiles and onwards towards Baggy Point.

I come across a memorial bench which has a magnificent view and a fitting sentiment.

“Nanna + GrampieHere is a good place to sit and chatAbout love and dreams and stuff like that”

memorial bench

The path becomes a lot rockier around Baggy Point before heading back in the opposite direction towards Croyde Bay.

baggy point

I pass Baggy Point Coastguard Pole. It’s a replica from 2016 but would once have been twice the height with a zip wire and was used by coastguards to practice rescuing passengers and crew from stricken vessels.

coastguard pole

10,000 American soldiers lived and trained on the North Devon coast during World War Two and Baggy Point was used for practising cliff assaults from the sea using grenades and live fire on dummy pillboxes.

I have one last view back over Putsborough Sands and Woolacombe Sands.

I round Baggy Point and pass a man on the cliffs, rock climbing.

rock climbing

I now have views over Croyde.

view over croyde

I pass a restored pond, built by the Hyde family who were keen conservationists.

restored pond

The path passes a preserved whalebone of a large whale that was washed up on Croyde beach in 1915. They were preserved by the Hyde family who gave Baggy Point to the National Trust in May 1939.

whalebone

The path joins the road around Croyde Bay and at the National Trust car park I duck down on to Croyde Beach and head out across the sandy beach. Although it's still early it's quite busy and there are plenty of surfers enjoying the waves here.

At the far end of the beach I climb a flight of steps and head along the road for a bit before some steps on the other side of the road take me up to what looks like a new section of the coast path above the road.

I pass a Grand Designs disaster.

grand designs disaster

I walk along the overgrown path above the road heading for Saunton Sands.

I now have lovely views overlooking the large expanse of Saunton Sands before climbing down to the road at the Saunton Sands Hotel.

view over saunton sands

  saunton sands hotel

I manage to find the path behind the hotel and pass a tennis court, adventure playground and putting greens before dropping down to the beach cafe and car park.

There are colourful beach huts at the start of Saunton Sands.

saunton sands

  saunton sands

The general plan is to walk along the beach for a bit and then climb over the dunes to reach Braunton Burrows. I make several failed attempts to climb the dunes but I’m met by a barbed wire fence each time and have to retrace my steps.

Finally I climb a dune and am met by a gate over the other side and enter in Braunton Burrows.

There are orchids everywhere and mostly seem to be southern marsh orchids and pyramidal orchids.

Eleven different species of orchids have been found throughout the dune systems.

Braunton Burrows was declared Britain's first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in November 2002. It's a rather lovely place especially when the sun is out.

I pass the remains of a rusty old tank and come across an American assault training center which was used in World War Two for the Normandy Landings in 1944.

rusty old tank

  assault training center

I amble along the sandy paths trying to find my way to the Sandy Lane car park but all of the paths just seem to double back on themselves and there are no distinguishing features to work out which way to go.

Suddenly I find that I have been walking aimlessly in the burrows for hours without making any progress.

As a last resort I finally whip out my phone and fire up the OS app which should help me to work out which direction to go in. It helps a little bit but not as much as I would like.

I’m in a panic now. In the end I cross some scrubby ground and reach a locked gate. I vault over the gate and a nice, young lady with a child on her back and a dog in tow rescues me and we walk together back to the car park. It turns out I wasn’t that far away in the end. PHEW!!

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• cat’s-ear
• foxgloves
• hogweed
• red campion
• honeysuckle
• navelwort
• wild carrot
• ribwort plantain
• bird’s-foot trefoil
• six-spot burnet
• bladder campion
• sea thrift
• devil’s-bit scabious
• kidney vetch
• dog rose
• hebe
• knapweed
• red valerian
• scarlet pimpernel
• mesembryanthemum
• toadflax
• viper’s bugloss
• herb robert
• rape
• southern marsh orchid
• pyramidal orchid

• large-flowered evening primrose

  PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

Woolacombe to Braunton 630miles Download MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 14.8 miles which amounts to 36059 steps. It has taken me way too long at almost 6 hours. I had a panicky end to what is a very nice stretch of coast. Seven out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP croyde

  grand designs disaster

  southern marsh orchid

  rusty old tank

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHsunday, 14TH june 2026Start location: Ilfracombe (SS 55429 47698)

End point: Woolacombe (SS 45697 43836)

Map: Explorer 139

It looks like I’m going to get some pretty decent weather today, warm, no rain and very little wind.

Ilfracombe low tide: 11:48

Ilfracombe high tide: 18:09

I start the day in the car park next to Ilfracombe lifeboat station and drop down to the sheltered sandy beach and trudge along it before climbing steps onto the harbour wall.

I continue around the other side of the harbour to visit Verity, standing at 20.25 metres and weighing 25 tonnes. She is on long term loan to North Devon Council as a gift from the London and Devon based artist Damien Hirst.

I'm quoting the pretentious blurb on the sign now :-

“‘The sculpture is an allegory for truth and justice. Her stance is taken from Edgar Degas’s Little Dancer of Fourteen Years (c.1881). An anatomical cross-section of her head and torso reveal her skull and the developing foetus inside her womb.’”

Now I'm all for public art and sculpture but, come on Ilfracombe, Damien Hirst?

I head out on a headland which just takes me back next to Verity.

back at verity

I retrace my steps and head out along Capstone Road where I pass the former home of Henry Williamson, the author of Tarka the Otter. A path takes me around Capstone Parade and on to Capstone Point.

capstone parade

I pass Wildersmouth Beach and head out of Ilfracombe.

wildersmouth beach

  wildersmouth beach

I pass the odd looking Landmark Theatre and climb up steps next to it. A path leads up to a road where I follow Torrs Park Avenue and at Avoncourt I turn right to leave Ilfracombe behind me.

landmark theatre

I'm now on Torrs Walk, a path hacked out of the bedrock when Ilfracombe became a popular 19th century seaside resort, which zig zags uphill.

torrs walk

  torrs walk

I have one last magnificent view back over Ilfracombe before heading off along grassy slopes.

view over ilfracombe

I come across a clump of common spotted orchids next to the path.

I follow the utterly peaceful grassy path before it descends to a gate and a minor road which I follow to Lee Bay, where I enjoy the small rocky cove.

On the way down to the cove I come across loads of painted lady and red admiral butterflies feeding on hebe.

coast path to lee

It's lovely around here but it used to be dominated by the derelict eyesore of Lee Bay Hotel. The hotel had been empty for something approaching 20 years but it is finally being redeveloped.

I amble down to the beach and enjoy it for a little while.

I continue along the road which climbs uphill away from Lee Bay and climb onto Damage Cliffs and the path becomes a rollercoaster ride climbing up and down steps and across footbridges through a couple of valleys. On the way I come across some more common spotted orchids.

damage cliffs

I come across a lovely beach, unnamed on my map, but possibly Bennett's Mouth.

I come across Bull Point Lighthouse, built by Trinity House in 1975 replacing an earlier 1879 lighthouse.

bull point lighthouse

  bull point lighthouse

Woolacombe now comes into view and it’s really not that far away now.

woolacombe

The path climbs steeply up to a road between Mortehoe and Woolacombe where I have magnificent views back over Morte Point.

morte point

Hang on a sec though! Woolacombe is so close now but the coast path signs are pointing in the wrong direction and claiming that I head to Woolacombe via Combesgate Valley. The coast path must have been re-routed since the last time I was here.

I climb even steeper away from Woolacombe to reach a road which I cross and follow signs to Combesgate Valley.

combesgate valley

  combesgate valley

I’m now miles above Woolacombe and quite a long way inland but the path finally swings back down towards Woolacombe where I have magnificent views over Woolacombe Beach.

woolacombe beach

  woolacombe beach

I drop steeply down through the valley and then follow a path next to the road to reach my destination for the day, Woolacombe, where my lift awaits in a parking spot on the road opposite Bar Electric.

That was a long detour away from Woolacombe that I wasn’t expecting!

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• mesembryanthemum
• wrens
• chaffinches
• stone chats
• red valerian
• fennel
• bird’s-foot trefoil
• white valerian
• bladder campion
• hydrangea
• scarlet pimpernel
• poppies
• roses
• elderflower
• oxeye daisy
• red campion
• foxgloves
• ribwort plantain
• cat’s-ear
• common spotted orchid
• hebe
• painted lady butterflies
• red admiral butterflies
• speckled wood butterflies
• day lillies
• meadowsweet
• honeysuckle
• herb robert
• fuchsias
• field scabious

• sea thrift

  PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

Ilfracombe to Woolacombe 630miles Download MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 10.8 miles which amounts to 27543 steps. It has taken me 5 hours. Despite a bizarre final detour it has been lovely walking today. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP ilfracombe

  verity

  foxglove

  common spotted orchid

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHSATURDAY, 13TH JUNE 2026Start location: Braunton (SS 48397 35438)

End point: Instow (SS 47285 30190)

Map: Explorer 139

It looks like I’m in for a quite nice day weather wise today. It won’t be baking but it should be a warm and dry day.

Barnstaple low tide 09:09

Barnstaple high tide 17:20

Today’s walk is a walk which, on paper, looks a bit on the boring side, walking largely on old railway tracks. But hey! The birds are singing and the wild flowers are looking lovely.

I start the day at the car park at Velator Quay and walk up to the roundabout at Velator on the way in to Braunton.

velator quay

  velator quay

A sign here points to Barnstaple along a tarmac cycleway and there are plenty of signs around showing that the cycleway used to be a railway.

path to barnstaple

The path is surprisingly busy this early in the morning with walkers, dog walkers, cyclists and joggers all over the place.

busy path

I pass a sign threatening that I could be arrested and prosecuted under the National Security Act.

prohibited place

The Barnstaple to Ilfracombe Railway was built in 1874 by the London and South Western Railway as an extension of a rail network that stretched right back to Waterloo Station in London but closed in 1970. The line between Braunton and Barnstaple was subsequently bought by North Devon District Council and made into a footpath and in the late 1980s was upgraded to a cycleway and is now part of National Cycleway Network number 27.

railway signal

The flowers are out in all their glory and I see plenty of ribwort plantains, knapweeds, buddleia, elderflower, buttercups, ox-eye daisies and hogweed.

The walking is easy and I pass RMB Chivenor, home to Commando Logistic Regiment Royal Marines and 24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers.

rmb chivenor

I manage to capture a speckled wood butterfly on camera.

speckled wood

I pass under bridges and pass by the Waterside Cafe.

bridge

  waterside cafe

I pass a wrecked boat and the wooded path gives way to views across the River Taw over towards Fremington Quay. I have plenty of cyclists and runners for company as I approach Barnstaple.

I pass behind Heanton Court Pub and Restaurant.

The route continues by an industrial estate where a flock of geese rises up from the River Taw.

tarka trail

  i need a boost

I continue along the path heading towards the A361.

The route continues along the tarmac path underneath the Taw Bridge carrying the A361.

I cross Yeo Bridge to reach Barnstaple.

It’s now time for my only (major!) ascent of the day. I climb up the 14 steps onto Long Bridge. I walk across the ancient bridge putting up with the traffic as best I can. It won’t last long.

long bridge

  long bridge

I leave Barnstaple behind me via a tarmac path which seems to be new and walk underneath the other side of the bridge carrying the A361.

I pass Taw Wharf, a new housing development, that wasn’t here the last time I passed through.

taw wharf

I join a path along old railway tracks along the south side of the estuary of the River Taw and I’m now back on National Cycle Network 27.

The Taw Vale Railway and Dock Company laid the track between Fremington and Barnstaple in 1846 and was originally a goods line operated by horses. The company repackaged itself as the North Devon Railway who then extended the railway through Instow to the original station at Cross Parks at East-the-Water at Bideford. The Bideford Railway Heritage Centre website contains a full history of the railway.

The path is used by plenty of cyclists, joggers and dog walkers.

The path moves away from the river and goes through Fremington Cuttings.

I reach the old Fremington station which now houses the Fremington Quay Cafe and the Fremington Quay Heritage Centre. Fremington Quay was once a bustling port, importing and exporting goods all around the world.

fremington quay cafe

I cross a bridge over a tidal inlet and continue along the trackbed away from the river.

I pass a Gaia Trust Nature Reserve at Home Farm Marsh.

I then pass Yelland Stone Row, a Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age double row of paired stones where I chat with a couple walking their dog and share my Ordnance Survey map so that they can work out how to get back onto the road.

yelland stone row

I then pass Tarka Trail Camping.

tarka trail camping

  tarka trail camping

The coast path turns right and heads across the salt marsh but I’m quite happy to keep going along the Traka Trail.

I come across the site of the former Yelland Power Station, once a vast, coal fired power station, built in 1955 and now I can’t see any remains.

yelland power station

I come across foxgloves and flag iris right at the end of their flowering season and then pass Instow Pond.

I visit the North Devon Cricket Club tucked away behind the path. The thatched pavilion is a grade 2 listed building dating back to the late 1700s. There’s a game in play today so I stop for a bit to take in the action.

I go through a car park and drop down onto Instow Sands. The tide is miles out and there are surprisingly few people on the beach for a rather nice Saturday.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• blackcaps
• chiffchaffs
• wrens
• chaffinch
• curlew
• hogweed
• buddleia
• goats-beard
• elderflower
• knapweed
• perforate st john’s-wort
• ragwort
• oystercatchers
• song thrush
• small tortoiseshell
• pheasant
• swallows
• little egret
• speckled wood butterfly
• red campion
• herb robert
• oxeye daisy
• bird’s-foot trefoil
• stinking iris
• ribwort plantain
• rabbit
• whitethroat
• skylarks
• tufted vetch
• rosebay willowherb
• scarlet pimpernel
• tansy
• meadow crane’s bill
• sheep’s sorrel
• cat’s-ear
• rape
• ribbed melilot
• field scabious
• red clover
• honeysuckle
• oak
• meadowsweet
• yellow flag iris
• poppies

• viper’s-bugloss

  PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

Braunton to Instow 630miles Download MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 12.1 miles which amounts to 28917 steps. It has taken me 4 and a half hours. The weather has been pretty decent for a change and although the walk looks rather boring on paper I’ve rather enjoyed it. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHthursday, 21st MAY 2026Start location: Kynance Cove (SW 68714 13285)

End point: Poldhu Cove (SW 66779 19793)

Map: Explorer 103

Yesterday, my weather forecast app was promising me some pretty decent weather for today but when I got up this morning I was faced with very thick fog.

Lizard Point high tide: 09:05

Lizard Point low tide: 15:39

We drive the short distance to Kynance Cove but the heavy fog persists and I can’t see a thing.

fog at kynance cove

I start the day at the National Trust car park at Kynance Cove where I come across some of the native bloody cranesbills.

bloody cranesbill

I’m pretty much bang on high tide so I’m going to go over the top of the cove. I descend steeply down towards the cove before taking the high water path which takes me around the top of the cove.

high tide path

I continue along the path which takes me down to the beach at the far side of the cove, passing below the Kynance Cove Cafe.

As I climb out of Kynance Cove I pass more of the native bloody cranesbills. The views back overlooking Kynance Cove should be magnificent but I can barely see a thing.

At the top of the cliffs there are loads of rooks and I can hear choughs but I can barely make them out.

It is an unexpected surprize to find loads of heath spotted orchids as I thought I would be a bit too early this year.

Three choughs fly past me and I can make them out despite the fog.

chough

I amble along the top of the cliffs, enjoying the wildflowers.

I continue along the cliffs, enjoying the views to reach Predannack, passing conservation grazing cattle on the way, although they are shrouded in fog.

predannack

The fog is so thick that I can’t make out any of the cliff edges or any of the correct paths so I accidentally follow a path inland and get lost. I don’t mind as I’m not in any rush but I struggle to find a path back out to the coast. The sea thrift, however, is at it’s best and there are plenty of other wildflowers to enjoy.

I know I must have strayed inland as I can no longer hear the sea but I can hear a cuckoo. Eventually I resort to my OS Maps app and find a footpath which takes me back out to the coast at Lower Predannock.

It is now a pleasant walk to Mullion Cove, which comes into view.

mullion cove

I amble along the cliff top and then start descending down to Mullion Cove.

I ascend the other side of Mullion Cove and pass the Mullion Cove Hotel. I’m now on Polurrian Cliff.

polurrian cliff

I head along the cliffs enjoying more of the wild flowers and pass Carrag-Luz or ‘Love Rock’.

carrag-luz

  I amble down a path towards Polurrian Cove, admiring the flowers on either side of the path.

I reach sandy Polurrian Cove. I waste more time pottering along the sandy beach before climbing back out of Polurrian Cove and heading along the cliffs.

I’m now towards the end of the walk and the fog is starting to lift.

I stop briefly at a memorial bench, in memory of Liz Rudd, which has magnificent views, to let some walkers pass me. As I’m admiring the views some more choughs fly past me, making their delightful racket.

“If ever our souls part to say goodbyemeet me there, where the sea meets the sky;lost, but finally free.”

I pass the Marconi monument, a granite monument commemorating the first transatlantic radio transmission on the 12th of December 1901. I continue along the cliffs enjoying the masses of pink sea thrifts.

I reach Poldhu Cove where the Poldhu Beach Cafe can be found and waste more time on the sandy beach. The beach is covered in seaweed.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• bloody cranesbill
• choughs
• rooks
• stonechats
• swallow
• cuckoo
• cormorant
• heath spotted orchids
• foxgloves
• ragged robin
• sea thrift
• bluebells
• kidney vetch
• oxeye daisy
• red campion
• scabious
• flag iris
• common dog-violet
• wild carrot
• ribwort plantain
• bladder campion
• cats-ear
• hogweed
• gladioli
• red valerian
• aeonium
• mint

• echium

  PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

Kynance Cove to Poldhu Cove 630miles Download MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 8.4 miles which amounts to 22153 steps. It has taken me 4 hours. The weather has been extremely foggy and I’ve barely seen a thing. Seven out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP sea thrift

     red valerian

  heath spotted orchid

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHwednesday, 20TH MAY 2026Start location: Kennack Sands (SW 72662 16415)

End point: Coverack (SW 78326 18739)

Map: Explorer 103

It’s not a particularly warm day today and is fairly blustery.

Coverack high tide: 08:31

Coverack low tide: 15:08

I wander down from our apartment for the week towards Kennack Sands.

I pass the Mora Beach Cafe on the way down to the beach here and wander down on to the beach to waste a bit of time. It’s close to high tide so I’m going to have to climb over the dune systems rather than walk all the way along the beach.

I walk across the beach and climb back up on to the cliffs, enjoying all of the wildflowers and wildlife on the low cliffs.

I'm pretty much on my own now until I reach Coverack! I walk along easy paths over Eastern Cliff through gorse and heather passing Spernic Cove, Lankidden Cove, Butter Cove and Downas Cove to reach Beagles Point.

I pass a memorial to the crew of Sea King XV702 who perished close to here on the night of the 21st March 1974. They were so young.

sea king xv702

  sea king xv702

On Beagles Point I admire the view back to Lizard Point which will soon disappear from view.

beagles point

I climb over the cliffs to reach Black Head where a butterfly finally settles enough for me to take a photograph, this time a pearl-bordered fritillary.

black head

I reach the old coastguard lookout at Black Head and then turn in a northerly direction and enjoy the flora and fauna here.

old coastguard lookout

  old coastguard lookout

Easy walking takes me on towards Coverack but before reaching the small fishing village, I have an awkward descent down to Porthbeer Cove which twists and turns all over the place, is strewn with rocks and very overgrown. I’m afraid I don’t make a very elegant descent, spending a large part of the time sliding down rocks on my arse. It doesn’t help that my backpack is so heavy.

I leave the delightful Porthbeer Cove and another easier path takes me into Coverack where I enter the village along a path covered in flowers.

I pass the small harbour full of fishing boats. A long stretch of the road is closed here while repairs are being made to the sea wall.

Coverack is looking lovely on this spring day. I pass St Peter's, the parish church here and continue through Coverack to reach the car park at the end of the village, my destination for the day.

“Coverack - Fishing village on the shore of a rocky bay which has a sandy bottom and looks as translucent as a swimming pool. Stone pier and lifeboat station at the southern end of the village. Boats run fishing trips for visitors.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• chaffinch
• wren
• pheasant
• cuckoo
• swallow
• skylarks
• whitethroat
• pearl-bordered fritillary
• speckled wood butterfly
• wild carrot
• foxgloves
• ribwort plantain
• red campion
• rape
• herb robert
• forget-me-not
• bladder campion
• common dog-violet
• bluebells
• sea thrift
• flag iris
• red valerian
• birds-foot trefoil
• kidney vetch
• gorse
• bloody cranesbill
• three-cornered garlic
• scabious
• ox-eye daisy
• mexican fleabane
• aeonium
• gladioli
• echium
• red hot poker
• iris
• roses

• pelargoniums

  PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

Kennack Sands to Coverack 630miles Download MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 6.1 miles which amounts to 18244 steps. It has taken me 3 and three quarter hours. The weather has been cold and windy and that last descent down to Porthbeer Cove was horrible. Six out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP pearl-bordered fritillary

  gladioli

  coverack

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHsunday, 17TH MAY 2026Start location: Kennack Sands (SW 72662 16415)

End point: Kynance Cove (SW 68714 13285)

Map: Explorer 103

The weather is on the cold and windy side at the moment so my fleece is on which I would never normally do this late in the season.

Lizard Point high tide: 05:45

Lizard Point low tide: 12:25

Lizard Point high tide: 18:09

We are staying in an apartment next to Potters Bar in Kuggar near to Kennack Sands. I amble down towards Kennack Sands, passing Thai Wok Takeaway (a tiny little takeaway shack that seems to be very popular), Kennack Sands Holiday Park and Sea Acres Holiday Park.

thai wok takeaway

  kennack sands holiday park

  sea acres holiday park

The flowers on either side of the road are looking lovely.

Before reaching Kennack Sands I join the South West Coast Path on my right, to head towards The Lizard and Kynance Cove. It’s quite a short walk today. I have a last view over Kennack Sands before heading off to Kynance Cove.

kennack sands

I amble along the path to Poltesco Cove where a footbridge crosses a wooded river.

poltesco

Here can be found the ruins of a serpentine works, once a thriving Victorian factory making mantlpieces, gravestones, shop fronts and polished ornaments made from the local serpentine stone quarried locally.

serpentine works

  serpentine works

I come across a lone early purple orchid just starting to go to seed.

early purple orchid

On leaving Poltesco I come across a small herd of Exmoor ponies being used for conservation grazing.

I reach flowery Cadgwith and enjoy the roses and poppies here.

I wander down to the beach trying to avoid all of the fishing equipment left clumsily lying around! A fishing boat is just being winched in as I arrive.

Leaving the beach, I pass the Cadgwith Cove Inn before climbing out of the village in front of a row of cottages overlooking the harbour.

I head out of Cadgwith, passing the Devil's Frying Pan, where the collapse of a sea cave has led to the creation of a 100 metre deep hole.

I reach a small habitation at Church Cove.

I head towards the Lizard Lifeboat Station at Kilcobben Cove.

lizard lifeboat station

A stone memorial here tells me that on the night of the 29th December 1962 ‘The Ardgarry’ and her crew of twelve were lost in a storm off of this coast.

the ardgarry

I reach bass point. A plaque here tells me that on the 15th of January 2004, the Breton trawler ‘Bugaled Breizh’ sank off Lizard Point with five sailors losing their lives.

bass point

  bugaled-breizh

  bugaled-breizh

I pass the Bass Point National Coastwatch Station.

bass point national coastwatch station

I pass the Housel Bay Hotel where three choughs fly by me. It's a pleasant morning so I continue ambling around to the Lizard Marconi Wireless Station, the oldest surviving Marconi wireless station.

I pass in front of the Polbrean Youth Hostel and then continue along the coast path in front of the lighthouse.

lizard lighthouse

I wander down the footpath towards Lizard Point, the most southerly point on mainland Great Britain.

lizard point

Choughs have taken up residence around here. They became extinct in Cornwall in 1973 but returned in 2001. They have been relatively successful in recent years with 48 pairs raising 129 young last year. I see a few of them flying around but they are difficult to photograph.

I continue along the cliffs towards Kynance Cove enjoying the magnificent views and the lovely wildflowers.

Before reaching Kynance Cove, Pentreath Beach can be found which is a little difficult to reach, involving scrambling down what appears to be little more than a goat track. It definitely looks worth the diversion but it's too adventurous for me with my heavy backpack.

pentreath beach

I amble along to reach Kynance Cove where I come across some of the native bloody cranesbills.

bloody cranesbill

I descend steeply down to the cove. For a change I’ve got quite a bit of beach so I waste quite a bit of time here. There are only a few people here. I strap back on my bag and climb back out of the cove and back up to the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• blackcaps
• wrens
• chiffchaffs
• swallows
• whitethroats
• choughs
• stonechats
• cow parsley
• alexanders
• red campion
• bluebells
• rape
• foxgloves
• ribwort plantain
• wild carrot
• cuckooflower
• hogweed
• cats-ear
• bladder campion
• gorse
• early purple orchid
• navelwort
• scarlet pimpernel
• scabious
• sea thrift
• exmoor ponies
• three-cornered garlic
• kidney vetch
• red valerian
• borage
• gladioli
• roses
• nasturtians
• aqualegia
• mesembryanthemum
• birds-foot trefoil

• bloody cranesbill

  PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

Kennack Sands to Kynance Cove 630miles Download MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 8.3 miles which amounts to 23174 steps. It has taken me 4 and a half hours. The weather has been cold and windy but it has been a lovely stretch of the coast. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP foxglove

  cadgwith

  early purple orchid

  mesembryanthemum

  beach collection

View Details

tuesday, 24th february 2026Map: Explorer 155

We’re staying in Bath for a few days partly as a birthday celebration, partly as a retirement celebration, and most importantly because there are loads of bookshops in Bath and we intend to bring home with us plenty of books.

I haven’t been to Bath in a long time so while I’m here I’m taking the opportunity of walking the Bath Skyline.

We’re staying in an apartment just outside the city centre so I start my walk here and head towards the start of the Bath Skyline on Bathwick Hill.

I head across Lower Bristol Road and join the River Avon where I cross a footbridge over to the other side of the river. I amble along the riverside behind Avon Street, built in the early 1700’s for wealthy spa visitors. Avon Street was cleared in the 1970’s. I pass several industrial buildings.

I pass a bank of primroses before reaching the Kennet and Avon Canal.

primroses

I follow the footpath along the canal but it seems to peter out so I get completely lost climbing up Widcombe Hill. I retrace my steps and eventually find my way back to the canal.

I continue ambling along the footpath next to the canal, enjoying the space with dog walkers, cyclists and joggers.

I climb up steps onto a bridge over the canal and start the climb up Bathwick Hill to reach the start of the Bath Skyline at the entrance to National Trust Bathwick Fields where I come across my first marker for the day.

one

I cross the road over to Cleveland Walk where I continue until I come across a narrow footpath on the right opposite Sham Castle Lane. I follow a path towards North Road where I turn right and continue to a kissing gate on the opposite side of the road with my second marker.

two

I climb up some steep steps and follow a path through a field. When I reach the top I go through a gate to reach a small road. I could detour to Sham Castle but conditions today are filthy so I’m just going to concentrate on completing the walk.

Sham Castle was built in 1762 for Ralph Allen, one of the key figures responsible for Bath’s Georgian revival.

I’m very high up so have lovely views over Bath.

view over bath

  three

I take a path down some steps into woodland and follow the path right and right again steeply uphill to kissing gate at the top. It is very muddy so I slip and slide all over the place and it’s very difficult keeping on my feet.

I hear blackbirds, song thrushes, blackcaps, robins, great tits, blue tits and woodpeckers amongst other birds. Spring is definitely around the corner.

I should pass some stone markers and a trough marking some of the natural springs that provided clean drinking water to the city in Georgian times. The only trouble is I’m concentrating so much on staying upright that I fail to notice them.

(blurry) four

I turn left onto a track where I come across three robins (presumably male) scrapping away in the woods. I keep woods to my left and leave a wider track on the approach to radio masts and take a smaller grassy path to the left. I walk across two fields and then follow a short slope which bears left where I turn right into a wood through a gate.

radio masts

  five

I follow a winding path through woods until I reach a junction. I go straight across past large rocks on both sides and up a short slope between two trees where the path splits. I take the wider path in the middle, past a large rocky cliff on the right. I keep to the higher path which ascends gently to a large Y junction, where I bear left and continue to a metal kissing gate.

six

I pass through the kissing gate into an open field and continue ahead with a fence on my left. At the end of the field, I go through a gate in a wall and bear right. I cross a field keeping the wall on my right before reaching a gate. I go through the gate and turn left along a track. I turn right before some metal gates and go through a wooden gate. I climb over a stone a stile in the wall on the left. It’s rather high up and so I have to ditch my bag and camera and clamber over in an undignified fashion. I then turn right along the road for a bit. I turn left onto a public footpath at a gap in the wall just before the Cats and Dogs Home. I follow a path, which narrows at the end then reaches Claverton Down Road. I go left briefly and then cross the road to reach a small layby.

During the 18th century there was a two-mile race course with marker stones running across Claverton Down and parts of Bushey Norwood providing popular entertainment for Georgian society.

bushey norwood

  seven

I go through a gate to the left of the layby and follow a fenced path, going through several wooden gates until I reach woodland on the right.

eight

I turn right into woodland, and follow a woodland path where I pass a woodland play area.

I pass a clump of snowdrops and then crocuses.

snowdrops

  crocuses

I reach a wooden gate in a stone wall. I go through the gate and straight over a cycle track. I continue, with a playing field on my right.

The playing field is also known as Monument Field after a memorial tower built in honour of Ralph Allen by his nephew in-law, Bishop Wharburton. It was demolished in the 1950’s after falling into disrepair.

I bear left down a rocky slope, ignoring a wooden stile straight ahead.

nine

I turn right through some stone pillars and continue along a path with views down to the valley on my left.

view over bath

I go past a pond on my left which has a marsh marigold flowering in it. Mine back home haven’t started flowering yet.

I then climb up steps to my right. I continue straight ahead through trees until I re-join the cycle track. I turn left onto the cycle path and follow it until I reach a metal kissing gate on the left. There is a rather out of place Dott electric scooter next to the gate.

dott electric scooter

  ten

I go through the gate and follow a path down to the main road at the bottom, passing a large clump of snowdrops.

I cross the road and continue down the road with a field and views to the right.

view over bath

I turn right into a field through a kissing gate and then immediately turn left through a second kissing gate. I walk downhill across a field keeping views ahead. I bear right to reach a kissing gate next to a water trough. I go through the gate and follow a path down steps keeping a fence to my left.

Smallcombe Wood to my right are the most ancient woods in Bath. A great variety of native tree and shrub species provide a home for abundant bird life including nuthatch, wrens and blackcaps.

smallcombe

  eleven

I go through a kissing gate at the bottom of the hill, cross a lane, and go through a gate opposite. I continue up a steep path with steps, bearing right and bending left. I go through another kissing gate into a field and continue up a slope until Bath is in view.

view over bath

I bear right then keep left as the path forks and continue to a kissing gate into Richens Orchard.

richens orchard

I cross the top of the orchard to another kissing gate and then bear left and head for a final kissing gate. The waymarking has been fantastic all along the walk but I must have missed one here and took the wrong path down the hill, confusing myself and ending up in the wrong place.

I come out onto a path next to some cherry blossom.

I try to correct myself but get hopelessly lost and wander around aimlessly for a while before correcting myself to reach the National Trust Bus Stop where my walk started. That’s the end of the Bath Skyline.

I retrace my steps from earlier on today and head down Bathwick Hill and along the Kennet and Avon Canal and the River Avon. Unfortunately, I confuse myself again and take the wrong path and end up next to Pulteney Weir and Bridge. Never mind. It’s easy walking from here back through Bath and on to our apartment.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• primroses
• celandines
• helebores
• swans
• blackbirds
• blackcaps
• great tits
• blue tits
• song thrushes
• robins
• woodpeckers
• snowdrops
• crocuses
• marsh marigold
• woodspurge
• cherry

• green alkanet

  PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

Bath Skyline 630miles Download MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 11.2 miles which amounts to 28448 steps. The Bath Skyline itself is about 6 miles. It has taken me 5 hours. The weather has been pretty good for February and I soon had to ditch my fleece. It has been very muddy though and I’ve slipped and slid all over the place although I did manage to stay on my feet. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS map

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHmonday, 9th june 2025Start location: Lyme Regis (SY 34574 92500)

End point: West Bay (SY 46148 90403)

Map: Explorer 116

I should have another lovely day today with no chance of rain.

Lyme Regis low tide: 11:38

Lyme Regis high tide: 18:23

I start the day at the Charmouth Road car park above Lyme Regis. A sign here tells me that there are 114 steps down to the foreshore. I climb the steps down to the foreshore where I have a view of the Black Ven landslip and the coast path walk for the day is laid out in front of me, although a little hazily.

I can see over to Golden Cap and in the distance, East Cliff and West Cliff at West Bay and Burton Bradstock and just beyond those, Chesil Beach stretches out to the Isle of Portland. This is one of my favourite stretches of coast on the whole coast path.

hazy view from lyme regis

  hazy view from lyme regis

I climb back up to the Charmouth Road car park and head towards Charmouth Road.

Today's walk has typically in the past been dogged by landslips resulting in several inland diversions starting with an inland diversion at Lyme Regis.

I head upwards through fields high above Lyme Regis, photographing the wild flowers and I have a final view over the Cobb.

the cobb

I enter a wood and the sign posts which were once very confusing, are now OK, so I wander along tracks through the woods until I'm then dumped out onto a busy road above Lyme Regis where I enjoy some of the garden flowers.

I continue along the road until a sign points me to a path through Lyme Regis Golf Club.

lyme regis golf club

I continue walking through the golf course following a stone path. There are some spectacularly bad golfers out on the course.

I come across a patch of common spotted orchids in the middle of the course.

There is now a decent coastal route behind the golf course and down into Charmouth without having to walk along nasty, stinky main roads.

I come across a sculpture of Mary Anning in woods and you can find out all about the making of the sculpture.

It is a thoroughly pleasant walk now next to the golf course before I come across a viewing point looking back over the cliffs to Lyme Regis.

view to lyme regis

A signpost tells me that I’m two miles from Lyme Regis and just half a mile away from Charmouth.

It’s now time to descend down to Charmouth along a minor road.

view over charmouth

I decide today to head through the main part of Charmouth, passing the Royal Oak pub, the Charmouth Community Library, St Andrews Parish Church, Charmouth Stores, Charmouth Pharmacy, Bank House Cafe, Charmouth Bakery and Charmouth Fish Bar and Pizzeria.

I head back the way I came and descend down a road towards the beach where I come across some beach huts and the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.

I wander along the beach here which is surprisingly busy.

I head up from Charmouth Beach and walk towards a bridge above East Beach, where I cross the River Char. With a spring in my step I start to ascend the cliffs out of Charmouth.

I amble along the cliffs enjoying the views back to Charmouth and ahead towards Golden Cap as well as all of the wildflowers.

view over charmouth

I come across a coast path sign at Westhay Farm and descend into a meadow full of flowers, including yellow rattle going to seed. It looks absolutely lovely.

I’m now headed towards Golden Cap. I walk through a field full of cows and then climb slowly up on to the top of Golden Cap.

golden cap

It's a long way up at 627 feet and the highest point on the south coast but it’s a surprisingly easy climb. I enjoy the magnificent views from up here. In one direction I can see out to the Isle of Portland and in the other direction back to Lyme Regis and beyond.

There are several paragliders flying around.

Golden Cap is named after the distinctive outcrop of golden greensand rock at the tip of the cliff and is owned by the National Trust. There is a trigpoint s3752 on the eastern side which must have one of the best views of any of the trigpoints.

I hang around for a while admiring the views before taking the long descent down to the Anchor Inn at Seatown.

I crunch my way across the pebbly beach before heading across a footbridge at the car park and then climb back onto the cliffs.

seatown

  seatown

I climb up Ridge Cliff high above Seatown where I have magnificent views back over Seatown.

view over seatown

It’s getting quite hot now and I’m getting seriously sweaty. After descending the other side of Ridge Cliff there’s an even higher climb up to Thorncombe Beacon.

thorncombe beacon

It's now another long descent, this time down to the village of Eype where there's another pebbly beach at Eype Mouth

eype mouth

  eype mouth

I head over the footbridge over a stream where I come across some colourful pebbles.

colourful pebble

Another ascent and descent over West Cliff takes me to the charming West Bay.

west bay

  west bay

I've lost count of the number of times I've visited West Bay, but it's an awful lot. I round the harbour passing The George, the Bridport Arms Hotel, The West Bay Hotel, the amusement arcade and all of the food shacks dotted around the harbour. It is very busy.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• oxeye daisy
• red clover
• knapweed
• honeysuckle
• roses
• hydrangea
• foxglove
• red campion
• red valerian
• mexican fleabane
• aqualegia
• common spotted orchid
• poppy
• fuchsia
• wild carrot
• yellow rattle
• ribwort plantain

• bird’s-foot trefoil

  PODCASTThe 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 11.7 miles which amounts to 30001 steps. It has taken me 5 and a quarter hours. The weather has been lovely and warm and I’ve been walking on one of my favourite stretches of the coast. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP common spotted orchid

  mary anning

  happyness

  west bay

  beach collection

View Details

south dorset ridgewaysunday, 8TH june 2025Start location: West Bexington (SY 53077 86409)

End point: Hardy Monument (SY 61296 87600)

Map: Explorer OL15

It looks like I'm in for quite a nice day today. It won’t be baking but there’s no chance of rain.

Bridport low tide 10:37

Bridport high tide 17:37

This is a completely new walk for me. I’m intending to walk the South Dorset Ridgeway over a couple of days. Although I can find some decent information about some of the features along the walk I can’t find any descriptions so I’m winging it a bit over the next couple of days.

I’ll be walking through an ancient landscape and one of the most diverse Neolithic and Bronze Age landscapes consisting of Neolithic causewayed enclosures, bank barrows, henge monuments and stone circles, an awful lot of Bronze Age barrows and later Iron Age hillforts.

I start the day in the car park at West Bexington and wander down to Chesil Beach to join all of the anglers.

chesil beach

  chesil beach

I head up through the village and pass The Club House and the Chesil Beach Manor House Hotel.

the club house

  the manor house

I leave the village and follow a South Dorset Ridgeway sign which tells me the the Hardy Monument is only six miles away so it’s just a short walk today.

south dorset ridgeway sign

I walk steadily up a track heading towards the B3157 at Limekiln Hill admiring all of the wildflowers in the verges.

west bexington track

I walk alongside the B3157 for a bit and then along a track through fields next to the road where I come across a sign telling me that a hill fort is half a mile away.

south dorset ridgeway sign

I pass a barrow before crossing the B3157 at Tulk’s Hill.

barrow

  tulk’s hill

I head towards Abbotsbury Castle Hillfort where I have stunning views across the Jurassic Coast.

abbotsbury castle hillfort

Abbotsbury Castle is an Iron Age hillfort in a prominent position overlooking the coastline.

The hillfort is a triangle shaped enclosure covering about 1.8 hectares with a large Bronze Age round barrow sitting in one corner. From here I can see the remains of the medieval abbey in Abbotsbury village as well as St Catherine’s Chapel.

The signs have completely run out so I’ve no idea which way I’m supposed to be going. I end up clambering on muddy paths up and down the hillfort before finally finding a path that takes me back down to the coast road.

coast road

I climb up a minor road and finally come across a South Dorset Ridgeway signpost but it’s only telling me where I should have come from.

south dorset ridgeway sign

I follow a path through fields passing several barrows along the way. I have lovely views over Chesil Beach and towards the Isle of Portland.

isle of portland

I cross a minor road, Bishop’s Road, and enter a stinker of a path, covered in nettles, gorse and brambles which carries on for quite a while.

I had intended to divert slightly off of the ridgeway to visit Grey Mare and Her Colts and Kingston Russell Stone Circle but there was a complete lack of signage and I hadn’t consulted my map properly.

Grey Mare and Her Colts is a long rectangular mound, a Neolithic burial monument, probably built around 5000 years ago and is likely to have been used for generations by a local community who lived close by. The barrow was built high on the ridge, with views to the coastline and beyond.

Kingston Russell Stone Circle is a late Neolithic or early Bronze Age circle of 18 fallen stones. This is the largest of three stone circles in the South Dorset Ridgeway area, at about 30 metres in diameter, but easily missed if the grass is long as all 18 stones are lying down! The location of this stone circle is very prominent - this was clearly a place to see and be seen, most likely of deep significance to the people who constructed it.

I would have diverted again off of the ridgeway to visit the Valley of Stones Natural Nature Reserve. This National Nature Reserve has an unusual train of sarsen stones, boulders strewn across the valley, tumbled down from the ridge during the last Ice Age. It is very likely that some of the stones used in stone circles and standing stones on the Ridgeway came from here.

Unfortunately, the lack of signage meant that I didn’t visit any of these features.

I fight my way through this stinker of a pathway where I have views over strip lynchets, a form of a medieval field system.

strip lynchet

I continue along the stinky ridgeway and the going gets better before I come to Hampton Down Stone Circle.

This small circle was constructed on the ridge above Portesham about 4000 years ago and has been greatly altered over its life. In 1908 a photo shows 16 stones but in 1964 it had grown to 28 stones. However, excavation at this time revealed that many of the stones were out of place so it was shifted slightly west and restored with 10 stones to the correct site, now measuring about 6 metres across.

I like my archaeology but it looks to me like somebody has just chucked a few boulders in a corner of a field!

I cross a road and continue along the path to reach Hell Stone. Only I don’t because it is a terribly overgrown path covered in nettles, gorse and brambles and I can’t even see the path so I have to gingerly make my way along it hoping that I don’t turn my ankle on the flint pebbles underfoot, which I can’t see.

south dorset ridgeway sign

The Hell Stone long barrow was constructed around the same time as Grey Mare and her Colts. However, antiquarians in 1866 decided to (badly!) reconstruct the stone chamber at the front of the long earthen mound, setting these huge stones upright with a cap on top.

Needless to say, I was so concentrating on (and swearing a lot) staying upright on the path that I completely missed Hell Stone.

I come across a sign pointing to my left but it’s just pointing at a wall and some thick woods so it’s clearly positioned in the wrong place.

I retrace my steps and walk steeply through woods to come across Black Down and the Hardy Monument.

hardy monument

This area around the Hardy Monument is rare for the South Dorset Ridgeway in being mainly heathland.

The Hardy Monument was built in 1844 in memory of Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, born close by the here in 1769. He was Flag Captain of HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar when Nelson was fatally wounded as they paced the decks together.

The National Trust became owners of the site in 1938 and have maintained it ever since. When the tower is open visitors can climb the 84 steps inside for wonderful views from the top.

I expected to be at Black Down Car Park at this point which doesn’t show on my Ordnance Survey map and as far as I can tell doesn’t even show up on my Ordnance Survey app so my lift has to drive up from the Black Down Car Park up to the Hardy Monument to pick me up.

I was expecting to visit the Black Down Stone Circle, presumably next to the Black Down Car Park, but this is another feature that I completely missed.

This newish stone circle, built in, I think, 2016, has been designed by artist Amanda Moore to celebrate the ‘land of bone and stone'.

The stone blocks are arranged with one facing true north and the others aligning with the summer and winter solstice sunrises and sunsets. The square windows cut into each for viewing the sunrises and sunsets also allow light to shine onto the central Portland Stone during the solstices. For the rest of the year you can enjoy views out across Dorset's amazing landscape and Jurassic Coast.

I had intended to continue along the South Dorset Ridgeway tomorrow from the Hardy Monument to Ossmington Mills but the signposting has been terrible at times and a couple of long stretches of the path have been terrible and clearly neglected all of this year so I’ve abandoned my plans.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• red valerian
• white valerian
• roses
• common mallow
• lavender
• wild carrot
• stinking iris
• pheasants
• stone chats
• speckled wood butterflies
• nettles
• gorse

• brambles

  PODCASTThe 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 7 miles which amounts to 17817 steps. It has taken me three and a half hours. The weather has been beautiful but the signposting has been dreadful at times and a couple of long stretches of the path have been awful. I have been stung to buggery by nettles and brambles and scratched by gorse. One out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP south dorset ridgeway sign

  strip lynchet

  hardy monument

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHwednesday, 14TH MAY 2025Start location: Hallsands (SX 81574 38494)

End point: Blackpool Sands (SX 85484 47843)

Map: Explorer OL20

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

Dartmouth high tide 07:58

Dartmouth low tide 13:41

I walk down from the village car park, past a tennis court, and down to reach Hallsands.

I amble along the path through Hallsands, enjoying all of the spring wildflowers.

The path continues to Greenstraight Beach and then on to Tinsey Head.

greenstraight beach

  tinsey head

I enjoy the wildflowers on Tinsey Head before dropping down to Beesands.

I walk along the road at Beesands to reach the Cricket Inn, birthplace of the Rolling Stones, before continuing on my way past St Andrew's Church.

beesands

  the cricket inn

I wander along the beach at Beesands before heading off towards Torcross.

beesands

I climb up the wooded slopes of the cliff where I photograph the wildflowers and come across a clump of early purple orchids.

A short walk takes me to Torcross where I climb down steps, admiring the view across Slapton Sands, to reach the promenade. I walk past the Start Bay Inn and the Sherman tank next to the car park, honouring the memory of servicemen.

I drop down onto Slapton Sands and trudge along the sandy and shingly beach, although there is not much in the way of sand today.

slapton sands

I reach the picnic site at Strete Gate and it is suddenly quite busy. My boots are full of pebbles so I empty them next to the toilet block by the car park.

I continue on the path climbing up towards Strete where the verges are covered in wildflowers.

I pass a sign pointing up the bridleway where I used to come down onto Slapton Sands.The path continues upwards away from Strete Gate picnic site and I pass a bench with magnificent views over Slapton Sands. The bench is dedicated to the memory of Philip and Mary Carter. Thank you Philip and Mary.

“In memory of Philip and Mary Carter. Tireless campaigners for South West Coast Path and founders of the South West Coast Path Association.”

philip and mary carter

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

echium

I briefly follow the A379 into Strete where I pass the Parish Church of St. Michael, Strete Post Office and Stores, Strete Chapel and the King's Arms but everything seems to be covered in scaffolding.

scaffolding

A sign at a junction tells me that Torcross is three miles away and that Blackpool Sands is one mile away.

A rather circuitous route follows fields and paths heading towards Blackpool Sands and there are plenty of wildflowers to enjoy.

I now have some lovely views over Blackpool Sands. My camera is playing up though and most of the photos from here are over exposed. I’ve had this new camera a couple of years now but I still can’t work out what it is doing at times.

view over blackpool sands

I cross a steep grassy valley and have some lovely views over a beach I don’t know but must be Landcombe Cove. You can definitely get down there as I can see footprints in the sand.

I wander down Widewell Lane smothered in wildflowers and I have a lovely view over Blackpool Sands.

I wander downhill to the beach and have a potter around the sandy, shingly beach before wandering back to the Blackpool Sands Cafe where my lift awaits. Only it doesn’t because the car park machines are out of order so you have to buy a ticket online even though there is no phone signal around here so my lift is driving from Torcross as soon as I reach here.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• red hot poker
• bladder campion
• gladioli
• iris
• alexanders
• hogweed
• three-cornered garlic
• red campion
• bird’s-foot trefoil
• common dog-violet
• scarlet pimpernel
• gorse
• germander speedwell
• primroses
• bluebells
• greater stitchwort
• herb robert
• ribwort plantain
• red admiral butterfly
• navelwort
• early purple orchids
• foxgloves
• wild garlic
• comfrey
• white valerian
• honesty
• green alkanet
• red valerian
• herb bennet
• echiums
• cow parsley

• garlic mustard

  PODCASTThe 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 8 miles which amounts to 22311 steps. It has taken me 4 hours. The weather has been beautiful although my camera has been playing up around Torcross and Blackpool Sands. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP beesands

  beesands

  beesands

  early purple orchid

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHtuesday, 13TH MAY 2025Start location: Salcombe (SX 74046 39082)

End point: Hallsands (SX 81574 38494)

Map: Explorer OL20

Today's weather forecast for today and the rest of the week looks to be fantastic.

Start Point high tide 07:15

Start Point low tide 13:12

I start the day back in Salcombe and walk around to the Ferry Inn. It is very confusing walking through Salcombe but I eventually make my way through and climb down to the jetty where I catch the ferry over from Salcombe to East Portlemouth. The ferry turns up straight away and I’m the only passenger. The ferry fare is £2.70. The ferry turns up so quickly that I don’t really have any time to take any decent photographs.

salcombe

  salcombe

I come ashore at East Portlemouth where I have lovely views back to Salcombe.

arriving at east portlemouth

  ferry times

I turn right and amble along the road enjoying the wildflowers and immediately come across a clump of stumpy echiums.

stumpy echiums

I follow a minor road to reach Mill Bay, where I enjoy fine views back across to Salcombe.

view back to salcombe

A mass of sand from the beach has blown onto the road. The road verges are covered in wildflowers. I come across masses of a bell like plant which I don’t come across very often but is the three-cornered garlic (allium triquetrum) and I come across it throughout my walk today.

mill bay

I walk along the cliffs along Portlemouth Down towards Gara Rock. There are bluebells everywhere! I also come across a lone early purple orchid.

signpost to gara rock

  early purple orchid

I come across a small pearl-bordered fritillary and I will continue to come across them throughout the day.

small pearl-bordered fritillary

I reach a plaque commemorating the centenary of the Salcombe lifeboat disaster, when the RNLI lifeboat William and Emma capsized off Salcombe Bar with the loss of thirteen crew on the 27th of October 1916.

salcombe lifeboat disaster

I have lovely views ahead of me towards Gara Rock and Gammon Head.

The paths are covered in foxgloves just coming into flower. I love foxgloves!

foxglove

  foxglove

I come across stonechats clacking away in the gorse.

I come across common bird's-foot trefoil, a scabious of some kind and something I don't recognize. I've come across it at home as well but it doesn't seem to feature in my wildflower book.

I spot a beach with some people on it. The beach doesn't seem to be marked on my map but is known as Seacombe Sand and a very nice place it is.

seacombe sand

As I leave Seacombe Sand I come across large clumps of seathrift and bloody crane’s-bill.

sea thrift

  bloody crane’s-bill

I cross a footbridge and enter West Prawle, Higher House and Borough farms and there are foxgloves and spurges everywhere. They look like wood spurges to me but it's not particularly woody.

I continue along Deckler's Cliff passing Deckler's Island, Shag Rock and Bullock Cove.

I spot another lovely looking beach, this time at Venerick's Cove. I know it's accessible so I scramble down myself but I don't quite make it to the beach as my heavy rucksack is making things a little unsafe.

I scramble back up and come across more bloody crane's-bill. It seems to like it around here.

I come across a tiny adder but it disappears into the undergrowth before I have a chance to photograph it.

I continue along the coast path past Pig's Nose, Ham Stone and Bull Rock. I head out on to Gammon Head, given to the National Trust by the Rose family on the 5th of January 1965.

The view over Gammon Head is magnificent.

I come across yet another lovely beach, this time at Maceley Cove. It is a very steep descent to the beach but my rucksack makes the decision not to descend easy.

maceley cove

  maceley cove

The path zig zags to reach Prawle Point National Coastwatch Station.

prawle point national coastwatch station

I have lovely views over towards Start Point. I continue along the path which takes me past Cobstone Cove, Western Cove, Landing Cove and Wollow Cove.

view to start point

The path verges are full of wildflowers so I amble along taking photographs.

I round Langerstone Point and pass Sharper's Cove and Horseley Cove and on reaching Maelcombe House I come across a speckled wood butterfly and a stonechat.

speckled wood butterfly

  stonechat

The path passes in front of Maelcombe House and crosses Woodcombe Point, covered in wildflowers.

maelcombe house

I reach Lannacombe Beach which I wander down to to enjoy the sandy beach.

I leave the beach and enter Down Farm and then pass Limpet Cove.

I pass Great Mattiscombe Sand which I must visit one day as it looks lovely and out to sea are Frenchman's Rock, Barler Rock, Little Sleaden Rock and Great Sleaden Rock.

great mattiscombe sand

I head round Start Point and pass the Start Point Lighthouse.

start point lighthouse

I now have magnificent views over Start Bay and over to Slapton Sands.

I have one last chance to capture the wildflowers before reaching Hallsands.

I follow the path down a steep slope to reach Hallsands, the village that fell into the sea. In May 2012, an access road, viewing platform and two houses were affected by a 200 tonne landslide.

FLORA AND FAUNA* skylarks * whitethroats * stonechats * pheasants * hydrangeas * white valerian * three-cornered garlic * echiums * red valerian * bluebells * greater stitchwort * early purple orchid * gorse * small pearl-bordered fritillary * foxgloves * ribwort plantain * bladder campion * scarlet pimpernel * bird’s-foot trefoil * herb robert * cat’s-ear * sea thrift * bloody crane’s-bill * red admiral * kidney vetch * wild carrot * alexanders * speckled wood butterfly * common vetch * primrose * herb robert * navelwort

**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 11.8 miles which amounts to 31487 steps. It has taken me 5 hours 40 minutes. The weather has been beautiful. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP small pearl-bordered fritillary

  seacombe sand

  sea thrift

  start point lighthouse

  beach collection

View Details

a circular walkalong allaleighmonday, 12TH MAY 2025Start location: Higher Dinnicombe (SX 81945 53190)

End point: Higher Dinnicombe (SX 81945 53190)

Map: Explorer OL20

Although there is a bit of rain around this week and it’s a gloomy start to the day the weather should be OK today.

I won’t be anywhere near the sea today but :-

Dartmouth low tide 12:44

Dartmouth high tide 06:46, 19:05

I leave our holiday cottage, Higher Dinnicombe, and walk up the lane towards Dartmouth Golf Course admiring all of the spring flowers in the verges.

higher dinnicombe

I walk along the golf course before climbing over a stile which takes me into farmland. I walk across three fields where the skylarks are singing their hearts out.

I come across a lot of clover which I’ve never seen before and turns out to be crimson clover.

crimson clover

I leave the farmland via a gate and join a minor road which takes me towards Cornworthy. There are lots of wildflowers in the hedges and plenty of butterflies flittering around.

I manage to photograph a painted lady, an orange tip and a red admiral.

painted lady

  orange tip

  red admiral

I follow the road which comes to a junction where a sign is telling me that Cornworthy is a mile away.

cornworthy one mile

I turn left and continue along the road. At Lower Tideford Farm I come across a field full of sheep. One of the sheep has got its head stuck between the railings and some wire and seems to have been stuck there a while.

lower tideford farm

  sheep

I wander down the track towards the farmhouse to let the farmer know about the sheep. As I head back up the track to the gateway a woman drives up armed with a pair of wirecutters and rescues the sheep from its predicament. The sheep runs off bleating in relief.

I continue on my way and turn right at a signpost and then enter the village of Cornworthy.

entering cornworthy

I pass the village church where the clock is telling me that it is a quarter to eleven, and then pass the village hall.

cornworthy church

I pass the telephone box which has a notice on it saying that BT are proposing to remove the phone box.

telephone box

  telephone box removal

I stop at the wisteria covered Hunters Lodge Inn. The inn was closed when I first passed it six years ago but is now open with newish tenants Grahame and Sue Nutt.

I enter the garden at the back of the pub to admire the Alice in Wonderland mural. It’s rather sad to see that the larger of the walls has been painted over.

alice in wonderland today

  alice in wonderland six years ago

I pass through the rest of the village passing more wisteria covered houses.

The Dart Valley Trail heads off to my right but I continue straight on through the village.

leaving cornworthy

I pass the ruins of Cornworthy Priory, standing alone in the middle of a field. The gatehouse is all that remains of the 13th century priory. The convent was abandoned in 1539 when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries.

cornworthy priory

I continue along the road leaving Cornworthy behind me and at Edgecombe Barn come across a a large patch of early purple orchids on top of a bank by the side of the road. There are a lot more orchids here than the last time I passed here four years ago.

edgecombe barn

I leave the road at Coomery and wander along the ancient track, Allaleigh, which was once important for transporting timber. Nowadays it is just a muddy, rutted track.

allaleigh

It is now a pleasant amble along Allaleigh where I enjoy the wildflowers.

I pass by the Green Lanes Centre, set up in 1984, an education centre where young and old can learn about the local heritage, wildlife and ecology.

green lanes centre

Towards the end of Allaleigh I pass a group of ruined buildings where a chapel once stood. It now seems to be a home for swallows.

old chapel

I leave Allaleigh and head up a minor road before turning right and heading along the road which takes me back to the golf course and Higher Dinnicombe.

leaving allaleigh

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• herb bennet
• primroses
• red campion
• shuttlecock fern
• bluebells
• celandines
• greater stitchworth
• hart’s-tongue fern
• rhododendron
• common dog-violet
• herb robert
• cow parsley
• hawthorn
• canada geese
• foxglove
• garlic mustard
• crimson clover
• cuckoo flower
• devil’s-bit scabious
• painted lady butterfly
• orange tip butterfly
• red admiral butterfly
• skylarks
• germander speedwell
• honesty
• aqualegia
• red valerian
• wild garlic
• alexanders
• dead nettle
• green alkanet
• wisteria
• woodspurge
• early purple orchid
• bastard balm

• swallows

  PODCASTThe 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 5.4 miles which amounts to 14066 steps. It has taken me 2 and a half hours. A short walk today but thoroughly enjoyable. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP painted lady

  telephone box

  hunters lodge inn

  alice in wonderland

  early purple orchids

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHsaturday, 10TH MAY 2025Start location: Bantham (SX 66847 43731)

End point: Salcombe (SX 73978 39343)

Map: Explorer OL20

Although there is a bit of rain around this week it looks like I'm in for some beautiful weather today.

Dartmouth low tide 11:33

Dartmouth high tide 17:53

We drive from our holiday cottage, Higher Dinnicombe, over to Bantham where I’m dropped off at the road which leads into Bantham village, next to the Sloop Inn.

sloop inn

I head through the car park and explore sandy Bantham Beach where I share the beach with a family who are camping here. There are, however, a load of surfers and paddleboarders out in the sea.

I head through sand dunes to rejoin the coast path proper where there are fine views back along the coast to Burgh Island but I head in the other direction along the edge of Thurlestone Golf Course.

thurlestone one mile

I come across big black beetles on the golf course and stonechats are clacking all around me in the scrubby vegetation. I take in more of the wildflowers on the golf course and there are massive clumps of sea thrift and kidney vetch clinging to the low cliffs.

I wander across Thurlestone Beach and then Leas Foot Sand before reaching South Milton Sands. Thurlestone Rock can be seen out at sea.

thurlestone beach

leas foot sand

south milton sands

On leaving South Milton Sands I head out onto the low cliffs past Beacon Point and Mouthwell Point on towards Outer Hope. It is now a straight drop into the village.

hope cove

Easy walking takes me down to the Hope and Anchor Inn. I have lovely views over Hope Cove which consists of Outer Hope Beach and Inner Hope Beach.

outer hope

  outer hope

I follow the road and a path through the village to reach Inner Hope. I wander down onto the beach and explore for a bit before it's time to head for Salcombe.

inner hope

I climb some steps out of Inner Hope and follow a woodland path out on to the open slopes leading to Bolt Tail where I enjoy the views across Hope Cove and the wildflowers.

bolt tail

hope cove

I amble around Bolt Tail which was once an Iron Age promontory hill fort.

bolt tail iron age hillfort

I walk around the headland passing Yeovil Rock, Wolf Rock, China Rock and Graystone Ledge and then climb Bolberry Down at 395 feet. Skylarks are everywhere singing their hearts out but it is very blustery so recording them is difficult.

bolberry down

I come across a herd of long horn cattle who are as docile as anything.

long horn cattle

  long horn cattle

The path continues before dropping steeply from Cathole Cliff into a valley where a footbridge crosses Soar Mill Cove.

I walk along The Warren where I enjoy the views back to Bolt Tail.

I pause to admire the views here before continuing along the path, passing Little Mew Stone and Mew Stone. I enjoy all of the wildflowers next to the coast path.

As I round Bolt Head I now have lovely views across Starehole Bay but the coast path signs have dried up and I must have chosen the wrong path because none of this is familiar even though I haven’t been here in quite some time.

whoops! wrong way!!

I do have lovely views along the estuary over to Salcombe now.

view over salcombe

I keep going and eventually come across a sign that links me back to the coast path, next to Overbecks Garden. On the path back down to the coast path I pass a ginormous bee hotel and an equally ginormous echium.

bee hotel

  echium

A proper road continues to the beach at South Sands where I pass the South Sands Hotel. I explore the beach here.

I continue on the road, first rising uphill and then down to North Sands Beach.

I pass the Winking Prawn Beach Cafe and then pass a small patch of cheery red hot pokers, before rising up and down again to reach Salcombe.

red hot poker

I have lovely views out to sea overlooking the estuary and also across the estuary over to East Portlemouth.

I amble along the road into Salcombe, admiring the MASSIVE echiums and the lovely views.

I walk around to the Ferry Inn where I will catch the ferry over from Salcombe to East Portlemouth tomorrow. I retrace my steps and head through the narrow streets and paths of Salcombe to the Creek Car Park where my lift awaits.

salcombe

  salcombe

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• linnet
• whitethroat
• skylarks
• oystercatchers
• song thrush
• chiff chaff
• wild carrot
• red campion
• sea thrift
• kidney vetch
• gladioli
• greater stitchwort
• bluebells
• gorse
• foxgloves
• long horn cattle
• hawthorn
• wild garlic

• red hot pokers

  PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

  MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 12.4 miles which amounts to 32957 steps. It has taken me 5 and a quarter hours. The weather has been beautiful and the walking has been lovely. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP sea thrift

  long horn cattle

  bee hotel

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHthursday, 19TH SEPTEMBER 2024Start location: Helford Passage (SW 76417 26977)

End point: Falmouth (SW 80464 33389)

Map: Explorer 103

We’ve been staying in Falmouth since last Friday and the weather has been lovely. It looks like I'm in for another day of beautiful weather today.

   falmouth early morning

  falmouth early morning

Falmouth high tide 06:49

Falmouth low tide 13:29

I start the day at the car park above Helford Passage where I can hear a chiffchaff singing. I amble down through the village to reach the Ferryboat Inn.

“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 I’m going in the opposite direction today.

I walk along the beach collecting shells below the Ferryboat Inn before following a familiar coast path sign which ambles along the river before entering woods.

I walk along a track to reach the back entrance of Trebah Garden and pass behind the private beach here.

I have magnificent views along the Helford estuary towards Rosemullion Head.

The coast path has been re-routed behind Durgan and heads along a shady path inland before dropping down to reach the tiny village of Durgan.

shady path

I amble through the village of Durgan and enjoy the small beach here before leaving the village, passing the Old School House. It takes very little time to transverse 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

I join a road and head above Grebe Beach. The beach is not signposted from the coast path so it’s usually quiet here.

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

On the edge of the meadow I pass a robin who is happily singing to himself (or possibly herself, rare in birds but the female sings as well).

robin

It is now a short walk to Porth Saxon beach where I enjoy the views down the river. I usually have this beach to myself but there’s quite a few people here out walking their dogs.

I amble briefly along the coast path to reach the beach at Porthallack where the weather is so calm that the water is just gently whispering. I have more magnificent views along the Helford estuary.

I leave Porthallack and climb a steep but brief grassy slope.

steep grassy slope

I enter woods below the village of Mawnan Smith at Mawnan Glebe where I immediately come across a buzzard.

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 amble up and down the slopes of the wood before leaving them to head out across Rosemullion Head.

rosemullion head

It is now pleasant walking along the gentle slopes before I walk below the sub tropical gardens of Meudon Hotel. I briefly drop down to the beach here.

I gradually drop down to Maenporth Beach and head out onto the sandy beach.

I amble along the beach enjoying the lovely weather and pass Life's a Beach, the beach cafe here at the far end of the beach.

“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

It's now a pleasant couple of miles walk towards Swanpool Beach, on the way passing a memorial to the Home Guard.

As I drop down to Swanpool Beach I pass a memorial bench in the memory of Sophie Louise Banks who took her own life at a very young age. I have passed this bench many times over the years.

sophie louise banks

I pass next to the Hooked on the Rocks (recently re-opened as Beach House Falmouth) restaurant and then head out onto the pleasant sandy beach which is being enjoyed by plenty of dogs (and plenty of people as well!).

“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

I amble along the beach and then join the short path heading towards Gyllyngvase Beach. On the way I pass another memorial bench in memory of another Sophie Louise, this time Sophie Louise Cook who died from a cardiac arrest, again at a very young age.

sophie louise cook

It is easy walking to reach the delightful Gyllyngvase Beach on the outskirts of Falmouth. There are plenty of people on the beach even this far out of season but it’s no surprize given the lovely weather.

“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

I amble along the sandy beach passing the Gylly Beach Cafe before rejoining the road. I wander through Gyllydune Gardens before following roads which drop down into Falmouth.

Along the way I pass Beryl Bike number 31601 which has been next to this wall all week.

beryl

I make my way to Discovery Quay next door to the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

It is now a pleasant walk through the heart of Falmouth and back to our home for the week, Bussillion.

“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

FLORA AND FAUNA* chiffchaff * buzzard * robin * ragwort * red campion * ribwort plantain * honeysuckle * buddleia * scots pines * gunnera * knapweed * wild carrot * sweet chestnut * herb robert * redshank * crocosmia * sea aster * gorse * rosebay willowherb * hemp agrimony * aeonium * japanese anemone

**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 9.5 miles which amounts to 23492 steps. It has taken me 4 hours. The weather has been beautiful and I’ve walked one of my favourite stretches of the coast path. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP helford passage

  helford river

  pebbles

  beryl

  falmouth

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHSATURDAY, 1st june 2024sunday, 2nd june 2024 Start location: Hartland Quay (SS 22278 24747)

End point: Bude (SS 20590 06516)

Map: Explorer 126, 111

This walk is a little on the long side for my ageing limbs so I’m going to split it into two much shorter walks by heading for Morwenstow and then returning to the village the next day to continue to Bude.

The weather forecast for the entire two days is fantastic and it’ll be warm and sunny with very little in the way of wind.

   **Saturday, 1st June 2024**

Bude low tide 07:37

Bude high tide 13:49

sunday, 2nd June 2024

Bude low tide 08:45

Bude high tide 14:54

   I wander down from high above Hartland Quay to start the day on the beach at Hartland Quay. It is a beautiful early summer morning with hazy sunshine so I enjoy the beach for a little while.

The quay here was originally built in the 16th century but swept away in 1887. I marvel at the folded rocks here but it's time to get going. I wander up the slipway, completed in 1976 by volunteers from the Hartland Boat Club. Lundy should be clearly visible out to sea but it is too hazy today.

hartland quay slipway

I leave the beach and head up the road to the Hartland Quay Hotel and pass the Wreckers Retreat Bar, a traditional smugglers inn.

wreckers retreat

I climb steps uphill and head out on to the coast path before coming across a waterfall at Speke's Mill Mouth, all the while enjoying the early summer wild flowers.

I head inland and cross a footbridge. I used to have a choice of routes, the cliff top route or the valley route but the valley route seems to be the only one signposted. The signpost is covered in ivy and has seen better days.

valley route

I pass behind Brownspear Point, Longpeak, Hole Rock, Gunpath Rock, Mansley Rock and Cow Rock. I rejoin the coast path. I continue along the path to reach a road junction at Sandhole Cross.

sandhole cross

I turn right along the road and then regain the cliffs to round Nabor Point. Somebody around here is keen on transmitter masts!

I pass Gull Rock, Coney Rock and Ramtor Rock and come across an Iron Age fort at Embury Beacon. Most of the fort has fallen into the sea but a section of the inner rampart still runs across the headland.

embury beacon

A sign tells me that I’m one mile from Welcome Mouth and I come across a lone orchid which I assume is a common spotted orchid but it’s a manky specimen.

welcome mouth one mile

  common spotted orchid

I continue along the path, descending to Knap Head before a steep zig zag path takes me down to Welcombe Mouth where stepping stones take me across a stream above another waterfall.

welcombe mouth

  stepping stones

I pass the car park and climb steeply up a scrubby slope to find a hut overlooking Marsland Mouth where Ronald Duncan wrote his poetry and plays.

ronald duncan’s hut

The hut fell into disrepair after Ronald died in 1982 but it was rebuilt by his daughter Briony.

I come across a couple of fellow walkers who ask me to take their photo high up on the cliffs, which I do.

A series of steps takes me down the steep slope to Marsland Mouth.

marsland mouth

I cross a footbridge at Marsland Water. I'm now on the border between Devon and Cornwall and a wooden sign welcomes me to Kernow. I’ve been buggering around so much that my fellow walkers have caught up with me so I take another photo of the two of them in front of the county boundary.

welcome to cornwall

I climb wooden steps and then climb up onto the top of Marsland Cliff. Out to sea I can see Gull Rock and I have magnificent views back over Marsland Mouth.

marsland mouth

I come across a signpost for the Tamara Coast to Coast Way, a 90 mile Cornish walking route reaching from the south to the north coast of Cornwall via the Tamar valley. I’m not sure why the signpost is here because I’m nowhere near the River Tamar.

tamara c2c

I climb steeply down more steps and then cross a footbridge over a stream. I amble across Cornakey Cliff and a grassy descent leads me to a footbridge over Westcott Wattle. All the while I enjoy the wild flowers.

A slippery scrambling climb leads me over Henna Cliff before crossing another footbridge over a stream and I can now make out Morwenstow just inland. More steps lead me up onto Vicarage Cliff.

vicarage cliff

According to my ancient Ordnance Survey map I should come across Hawker's Hut but I fail to see any sign of it.

From here I follow a footpath inland towards Morwenstow, passing Morwenstow Church, to reach the car park at Rectory Farm where my lift awaits.

morwenstow church

I return to the car park next to the tea rooms at Rectory Farm in Morwenstow the next morning and head out towards the coast path.

rectory farm tea rooms

I head back along the footpath towards Vicarage Cliff where I pass Morwenstow Church again. It is another beautiful sunny morning.

vicarage cliff

  Morwenstow church

As soon as I reach the coast path I come across a sign pointing to the left telling me that Hawker’s Hut is 200 yards away. So I didn’t miss it yesterday and it’s located in the wrong place on my Ordnance Survey map. Sure enough, when I look at the up to date digital version of the map it has been moved.

hawker’s hut sign

I amble along the cliffs and come across a National Trust sign for Hawker's Hut, a little hut made from driftwood and built by the Revered Hawker, the eccentric Victorian vicar of Morwenstow, who liked to smoke a pipe of opium here with his literary friends.

hawker's hut

I zig zag down a steep slope and pass a National Trust sign for Tidna Shute and cross yet another footbridge over a stream.

tidna shute

I come across a ruined coastguard lookout station at Higher Sharpnose Point.

coastguard station

I amble along a grassy path before a steep zig zag descent leads me to a footbridge in the valley at Stanbury Mouth. Apparently a steep and difficult climb takes you down to the beach but I can't see much of a path and it looks too dangerous anyway.

stanbury mouth

I now have a steep climb up to the radar station at GCHQ Bude where I come across a fox. I don’t know what it’s supposed to signify.

fox

GCHQ Bude is an eery place and it feels like they are listening to me! I quickly pass it by.

I amble past the station but fail to see any coast path signs. I cross a load of concrete pads and walk across a fenced in field. This can’t be right.

fenced in field

I can now see the sandy beaches leading up to Bude. Fortunately, towards the end of the field I come across a wooden bit of the fence which I can climb over and this takes me back to the coast path at Steeple Point. Out at sea are Squench Rock, Pigsback Rock and Kempthorn's Rock.

steeple point

A steep descent down the cliff takes me to Duckpool Beach. On the way down I come across common centaury. It may be common but it’s not something I recognize so hopefully now I’ve spotted it I should see it more often.

common centaury

The beach here is rather pleasant, particularly when the tide is out, which it is today. I crunch across the beach and head down to the lovely sand exposed by the tide.

I enjoy the beach here with quite a few other people on this sunny day. I should now head inland to cross a footbridge but instead cross back up the beach and find a path that climbs up the steep grassy slope back onto the clifftops. I walk downhill and cross a teeny footbridge at Warren Gutter.

From here it is a thoroughly lovely walk along the clifftops above Warren Little Beach, Eliza Beach and Warren Long Beach before descending down to another footbridge at Sandymouth.

The tide is out today so there is quite a bit of sand.

The tide is nowhere near far enough out though to continue along the beach so I head back onto the low cliffs where I have lovely views back over Sandymouth. Before reaching Northcott Mouth I come across a load of flag irises.

flag iris

I continue along the path to reach Northcott Mouth. At low tide, the wreck of the SS Belem is revealed, wrecked in November 1917.

northcott mouth

I walk along the top of Maer Down where I come across some lovely clumps of wild carrot. I now have views over the beaches at Bude.

I continue along the path to reach Crooklets Beach. I cross a footbridge and pass the beach huts.

I drop down to the beach at Summerleaze Beach next to Bude Sea Pool.

bude sea pool

I head out across Summerleaze Beach which is rather busy, before heading in to the car park behind the beach where my lift awaits. A fun fair is taking place in the car park so it is a rather noisy end to a peaceful day.

summerleaze beach

  summerleaze beach

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• sheep’s sorrel
• foxglove
• red campion
• flag iris
• stonecrop
• wild carrot
• gorse
• cat’s-ear
• bugle
• cuckooflower
• ribwort plantain
• kidney vetch
• sea thrift
• oxeye daisy
• devil’s-bit scabious
• common centaury
• oystercatchers
• stone chats
• swallows
• chiff chaffs
• whitethroat
• linnets

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

**MARKS OUT OF TEN?**According to my phone I've walked 18.5 miles over the last couple of days which amounts to 47023 steps. Few, that’s a long way. I’m glad I did it over two days. It has taken me eight hours 45 minutes. The weather has been gorgeous across the two days and it has been a rollercoaster ride. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP welcombe mouth

  morwenstow church

  hawker’s hut

  duckpool

  bude sea pool

  beach collection

  beach collection 2

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHtuesDAY, 7th may 2024 Start location: Dartmouth (SX 87863 51250)

End point: Brixham (SX 92545 56290)

Map: Explorer OL20

The weather forecast for today looks to be pretty good and I should have a nice sunny day.

Dartmouth low tide 12:10

Dartmouth high tide 18:39

I start the day in Dartmouth and head through the lower part of Dartmouth where I have lovely views across to Kingswear. There is a massive Hurtigruten Expeditions ship clogging up the harbour at Dartmouth.

I amble down towards the lower ferry and wait for it to cross over from Kingswear.

dartmouth lower ferry

I cross over the River Dart to Kingswear using the lower ferry which costs me £2.00. On reaching Kingswear I pass under an arch next to the post office and then climb up Alma Steps.

I take one final look back over to Dartmouth and then set off for Brixham.

I follow a minor road out of the village where I come across spring flowers.

I then follow a coastal path diversion towards Kingswear Court.

I enter Warren Woods and zig zag down a slope, cross over a stream and then zig zag up the other side of the valley.

warren woods

I now have lovely views back over to Dartmouth Castle on the other side of the river mouth.

dartmouth castle

I reach Brownstone Battery at Inner Froward Point, built in 1940 to protect the Dart estuary and Slapton and Blackpool Sands from enemy invasion.

higher brownstone

I pass by Froward Point Coastwatch Station and head down the battery.

froward point coastwatch station

The battery consists of two gun positions and each would have been armed with six inch guns. The gun emplacements remain to this day as do the two magazines that served the guns. Below the gun emplacements are two searchlight positions which would have scanned the sea for enemy ships. The trouble is that all of the information boards that were here eight years ago seem to have disintegrated so nobody passing now would be able to read about all of this.

The path zig zags up and down the cliffs towards Outer Froward Point where, out to sea, can be seen Shooter Rock, Shag Stone and Mew Stone. I continue meandering along the coast path passing Old Mill Bay, Kelly's Cove and Pudcombe Cove.

I come across the rear entrance of Coleton Fishacre which used to be infested with rhododendrons (presumably ponticum) but these appear to have been grubbed up now leaving hydrangeas all around.

I come across some wall butterflies which I manage to photograph.

I round Scabbacombe Head enjoying all of the wild flowers.

scabbacombe beach one mile

A steep, slippery descent leads me down to Scabbacombe Sands.

I head along the cliffs high above Long Sands and round Crabrock Point, passing Crabrock Point Coastguard Cottage. Along the way I come across some yellowhammers on gorse and then a patch of early purple orchids.

yellowhammer

I reach Mansands where I enjoy the pebbly and sandy beach.

It is a steep climb up onto Southdown Cliff and I have to stop several times to catch my breath - otherwise known as admiring the view.

southdown cliff

Once I reach the top I have magnificent views back over Mansands.

mansands

I head towards Sharkham Point enjoying more of the wild flowers.

I then head around St Mary's Bay, passing below the holiday villages. I would normally head down to St Mary's Bay Beach but I’m flagging today so I continue heading along the cliffs.

st mary’s bay beach

It is now a short walk to Berry Head, a National Nature Reserve, where I amble along the meandering paths. Along the way I come across another patch of early purple orchids.

I join a road which passes the Berry Head Hotel and walk through Shoalstone Car Park. It is now a pleasant waterfront walk leading me into Brixham where I pass above the art deco Shoalstone Sea Water Pool.

A harbourside walk from the breakwater takes me past the marina and into the centre of the town.

I pass Torbay Lifeboat Station next to the marina and then head towards the town centre car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• speckled wood butterflies
• peacock butterflies
• oystercatchers
• seals
• whitethroats
• chaffinches
• chiff chaffs
• wrens
• a rabbit
• orange tip butterflies
• small tortoiseshell butteflies
• wall butterflies
• great tits
• robins
• goldfinches
• common lizards
• yellowhammers
• poppies
• navelwort
• wallflowers
• mexican fleabane
• irises
• green alkanet
• red valerian
• herb robert
• echiums
• wild garlic
• agapanthus
• aeoniums
• garlic mustard
• bluebells
• foxgloves
• greater stitchwort
• gorse
• common dog-violet
• oxeye daisies
• bugle
• primroses
• stonechats
• red campion
• cow parsley
• germander speedwell
• gunnera
• hydrangeas
• celandines
• scarlet pimpernel
• sea thrift
• flag iris
• early purple orchids
• honesty

• ribwort plantain

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

  MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 12.9 miles which amounts to 32789 steps. It has taken me six and a quarter hours. It has been a thoroughly pleasant walk in lovely weather. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP wall butterfly

  flag iris

  brixham

  beach collection

View Details

JOHN MUSGRAVE HERITAGE TRAIL, DART VALLEY TRAIL, GREENWAY WALK AND SOUTH WEST COAST PATHsunday, 5TH MAY 2024 Start location: Heron’s Rest (SX 87912 54748)

End point: Heron’s Rest (SX 87912 54748)

Map: Explorer OL20

The weather forecast doesn’t look very good today. I’m expecting rain and it’s not going to be particularly warm again.

Greenway Quay low tide 10:52

Greenway Quay high tide 17:23

I start the day at our holiday cottage, Heron’s Rest, set high above the River Dart and Dartmouth. It’s a rather foggy start to the day.

the view from heron’s rest

I leave the cottage and head left along the road where I pass what was once the Maypool Youth Hostel.

The wildflowers in the hedgerows are looking at their very best.

I enter a field where I have magnificent views over the River Dart before entering the grounds of Greenway House.

view over dartmouth

I come across a signpost for the Greenway Walk and head off in the direction it is pointed.

greenway walk

I follow a footpath through woods and then join a minor road and follow this for a while towards Galmpton, where I come across Greenway Halt just below the road.

greenway halt

Next to the entrance to Greenway Halt a sign points through fields telling me that there is a permissive path to Galmpton.

permissive path

I follow the sign into a field full of cows and climb down to cross a stream. I continue following paths which take me to Galmpton Creek.

galmpton creek

Galmpton Creek has been a boatbuilding centre for centuries, and in its heyday over 300 sailing trawlers were built here, as well as wooden motor torpedo boats during World War II. It is still a bustling marine repair centre, but its use nowadays is mostly for pleasure craft.

I pass Dartside Quay where I join Kiln Lane. I follow the lane which passes a lime kiln before joining onto Stoke Gabriel Road which takes me through Galmpton.

This lime kiln is one of several scattered on the estuary foreshore, and limestone from a nearby quarry was burnt here to produce a soil fertiliser. The area from Berry Head sits on a thick bed of Devonian limestone, once marine reefs, and Galmpton was an important centre for quarrying the stone on the River Dart. It was also used as a ballast in the early ships sailing from here to Newfoundland, and Galmpton Creek limestone has been found in some of the earliest buildings in the New World. It also appears in French and Spanish harbours, for the same reason.

At Galmpton I come across a hedgehog area sign but I don’t see any hedgehogs.

hedgehog area

I pass Galleon Stores and next to the turning into Slade Lane can be found the Manor Inn.

manor inn

I turn left into Slade Lane and follow the road up to Galmpton Warborough Common.

galmpton warborough common

It is a pleasant surprise to find early purple orchids covering the football pitch here. It doesn’t look like football is played very often here!

I pass the war memorial next to the A3022.

war memorial

I cross the busy road and then follow a footpath which takes me underneath the arches of Hookhills Viaduct, below the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway line.

The viaduct was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Construction commenced in 1860, after Brunel’s death, and was opened to the railway in 1864. The viaduct has nine arches and is 85 feet tall and 116 yards long.

I follow the road which takes me down to the large, curving red sandy beach at Broadsands. I amble out along the beach before retracing my steps, admiring the colourful beach huts and the Venus Cafe. It is properly murky.

It starts raining lightly as I leave Broadsands and amble along the South West Coast Path around Churston Point to reach the shingly Elberry Cove.

I amble along the beach and then head along the coast path besides Churston Golf Club before passing Fishcombe Point to reach Churston Cove, where I now have views towards Brixham Harbour.

churston cove

It is properly raining now. I was expecting rain but not this heavy so I don my waterproofs. I cross the shingly and rocky beach and climb up onto the coast path and continue towards Brixham, dropping steeply down to Fishcombe Cove.

It is chucking it down so my camera goes away in my backpack and I put my waterproof cover over the bag. I climb steeply out again and head through Battery Gardens where the remains of 378 Battery Artillery Southern Command can be found. I head along Oxen Cove next to what was once AstraZeneca's Brixham Environmental Laboratory but which was donated to Plymouth University in 2013.

I pass through the car park and then pass Brixham Fish Market to reach the centre of Brixham.

I amble along the harbour and pass the full sized replica of the Golden Hind in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe.

golden hind

I retrace my steps back through Brixham where Brixham Pirates Festival is taking place. A loud band is playing pirate songs and everyone is having a thoroughly miserable time!

I pass back next to Brixham Fish Market and back towards Fishcombe Cove where I pick up with the John Musgrave Heritage Trail.

The John Musgrave Heritage Trail is a 35 mile walking trail encompassing parts of Torbay, South Hams and Teignbridge. It was launched in March 2006 in memory of John Musgrave, a former chairman of the South Devon Group of the Ramblers, whose generous legacy to the group on his death in 2003 has been used to fund the development of the trail. John was an enthusiastic walker, leading walks in many of the areas through which the trail passes.

I pass through woods and then open scrubby ground where I come across some early purple orchids. It’s still chucking it down so I only risk one miserable photo.

miserable early purple orchids

I follow a track before joining a road which leads me into the village of Churston Ferrers.

I continue along the John Musgrave Heritage Trail and wander along Churston Road to reach Churston Cross. I cross the A3022 and come across Jubilee Sensory Garden but I can’t find out anything about it.

jubilee sensory garden

I pass Alston Farm and the rain is stopping and it’s trying to brighten up. At Higher Alston I follow a sign pointing left up a track. The wildflowers are looking delightful if rather sodden in the hedgerows.

I join the busy A379 which I warily cross by dodging the speeding cars. It’s then just a question of following fields back to our holiday cottage, Heron’s Rest.

john musgrave

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• red campion
• wild garlic
• green alkanet
• primroses
• herb robert
• cow parsley
• garlic mustard
• greater stitchwort
• flag iris
• dog rose
• red valerian
• roses
• wisteria
• mexican fleabane
• pheasants
• comfrey
• cerinthe major purpurascens
• irises
• kniphofia
• californian poppies
• common dog-violet
• ribwort plantain
• early purple orchids

• elderflower

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

  MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 11.2 miles which amounts to 27293 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours. The weather has been pretty miserable but I’ve enjoyed myself. Seven out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP hedgehog area

  kniphofia

  broadsands

View Details

DART VALLEY TRAILSATURDAY, 4TH MAY 2024 Start location: Heron’s Rest (SX 87912 54748)

End point: Heron’s Rest (SX 87912 54748)

Map: Explorer OL20

It has been a shocking year so far and has felt like it is constantly chucking it down but the weather forecast looks pretty good today although it’s not going to be particularly warm.

Dartmouth low tide 09:26

Dartmouth high tide 16:02

I start the day at our holiday cottage, Heron’s Rest, set high above the River Dart and Dartmouth. It is a misty start to the morning.

the view from heron’s rest

I leave the cottage and head along the road before heading along a track beside some cottages. A signpost tells me that it is three and a half miles to Kingswear.

I walk alongside a field before climbing a stile which takes me into Long Wood which is largely owned by the National Trust.

long wood

The wildflowers in the hedgerows are looking at their finest.

Near to the start of Long Wood I come across a patch of dreaded Japanese knotweed. It’s never nice to see this but it doesn’t seem to have spread further than the last time I was here, two years ago.

japanese knotweed

I amble down through the wood enjoying the masses of bluebells and other wildflowers and I have fleeting views of the River Dart and its creeks.

I leave the wood and briefly join the road down to Noss. Phillip and Son Shipyard used to be located here until 1999 and is now the home to Noss Marina. It is very expensive to acquire a yacht. Swallows are flying all around the marina.

The shipyard was attacked by German bombers on the 18th of September 1942, killing 20 men and women who were building military vessels to assist in the war effort. A memorial stone here in honour of the people who lost their lives during the bombing had been in storage for five years but has now been fully restored and put back next to the marina. It’s not particularly easy to find but I eventually found it.

“THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ON 18 SEPTEMBER 1942Frederick Clarence Adams, aged 22John Richard Ash, aged 21David Bott, aged 29Jack George Charles Bustin, aged 52Rosie Annie Crang, aged 20Thomas Farr, aged 58Richard Franklin, aged 26Lionel Edgar Holden, aged 44Walter Lewis, aged 40George Herbert Frank Little, aged 17Henry James Luckhurst, aged 70John Martin, aged 48Ernest Poole, aged 51Sydney James Alfred Pope, aged 17Hubert Ernest William Putt, aged 37Ewart Edgar Trant, aged 27Nella Eileen Trebilcock, aged 28Samuel James Veale, aged 21Frederick Thomas Skinner Vickery, aged 28Hazel Joan Weaver, aged 20”

memorial stone

I retrace my steps and cross a road and pass Coombe Cottage before continuing along the path towards Kingswear. I come across a lone early purple orchid. There used to be a lot more around here.

early purple oirchid

A sign warns me about killer pine cones! I joke but the cones are monsters and could do some serious damage if one lands on your head.

killer pine cones

I now have magnificent views over Dartmouth. Unfortunately my camera seems to be playing up today and the photoes are all overexposed for some reason.

I drop down to the road that takes me to Dartmouth Higher Ferry.

I join the railway track of the Paington to Kingswear Railway and follow the railway track in to Kingswear. As I reach Kingswear I have a lovely view of the steam train passing by me.

steam train

I follow the footpath over a footbridge above the railway line and into Kingswear where I pass the Steam Packet Inn, the Ship Inn and the railway station.

Here I take the Dartmouth Lower Ferry over to Dartmouth. It costs me the princely sum of £2.00.

dartmouth lower ferry

The crossing offers lovely views of Dartmouth, Kingswear, Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth Castle and the open sea.

I alight the ferry below Bayards Cove Fort, a Tudor fort built between 1522 and 1536.

I can’t find any Dart Valley Trail signs so I’m going to have to make up the route through Dartmouth. Fortunately I’ve done the walk before so I vaguely remember where to go.

I walk through the centre of Dartmouth and pass Dartmouth Visitor Centre and head behind the health centre where I find a set of stone steps, Cox’s Steps, heading upwards. This takes me to Clarence Hill which climbs steeply up to Tounstal Hill and then to Church Road where I pass behind St Clement’s Church.

clarence hill

I reach the A379 where there’s a Dart Valley Trail sign on a lamp post on this side of the road.

I cross the busy A379 near to the entrance to Britannia Royal Naval College and walk down Old Mill Lane behind the college.

I reach the end of the road and come across more signs pointing across Tounsal Crescent. I cross the road and find some steps next to Archway Cottage which takes me down to the next part of Old Mill Lane. I amble along this lane for quite some time until it takes me to Old Mill Creek.

At Old Mill Creek I cross over a bridge and turn right and follow a road which becomes unmetaled Lapthorne Lane where I pass Distin’s Boatyard and Creekside Boatyard.

I come across a signpost, next to a Raleigh Estate information board, which shows me that the Dart Valley Trail takes two different routes. I take the longer route to my right.

I amble through a woodland area which turns into a pine forest, passing, what my notes tell me is a lake on my right, but I’m sure it must be just part of the creek.

The woodland alternates between broadleaf and pine and the edges of the path are covered in mint for some reason. There are wildflowers everywhere, including some foxgloves not quite in flower yet and some wild strawberries.

I leave the forest and cross a steeply sloping field where I have lovely views back over the River Dart.

I climb up a path next to fields. I hear the steam train chugging back to Paignton and I have lovely views over to Noss Marina on the other side of the river.

It’s a long climb upwards before I reach Green Lane, although it’s not marked on my Ordnance Survey map, which is covered in stinky wild garlic.

I turn right into fields and cross a field with no discernible path through it but the Dart Valley Trail sign is pointing right across the field. I follow a deeply rutted track until I join the road at Fire Beacon Hill. It must be a stinky old path after some proper rain.

I briefly follow the road before climbing over a stile and along a track and I’m now on the outskirts of Dittisham, where I climb down Rectory Lane.

I amble steeply down through Dittisham.

At the bottom of the road I reach the gaudy, pink Ferry Boat Inn and Anchorstone Cafe on the banks of the River Dart.

Here I catch the Greenway and Dittisham ferry which takes me over the river to Greenway. The ferry fare is £3.

I head steeply up the road and then head through the main entrance to the Greenway Estate, once the holiday home of Agatha Christie.

“One day we saw that a house was up for sale that I had known when I was young... So we went over to Greenway, and very beautiful the house and grounds were. A white Georgian house of about 1780 or 90, with woods sweeping down to the Dart below, and a lot of fine shrubs and trees - the ideal house, a dream house.”

— Agatha Christie

I pass through a field on the outskirts of the estate before I enter a field where I have magnificent views high over the River Dart towards Dartmouth.

I follow the road past what was once the Maypool Youth Hostel and from here it is a short walk back to Heron’s Rest.

Not many photos today as they were mostly rubbish.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• red campion
• herb robert
• garlic mustard
• bluebells
• cow parsley
• greater stitchwort
• gorse
• primrose
• wild garlic
• celandine
• navelwort
• japanese knotweed
• bugle
• ribwort plantain
• wood spurge
• dog rose
• foxglove
• common dog-violet
• wild strawberry
• forget-me-not
• green alkanet
• honesty
• wisteria
• pheasants
• speckled wood butterflies
• song thrush
• wrens
• blackcaps
• great tits
• heron
• seal

• whitethroats

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

  MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 10.4 miles which amounts to 25285 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours. The weather started off misty but turned into a rather nice day. Shame about the photos. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP the view from heron’s rest

  early purple orchid

  steam train

  beach collection

View Details

south west coast paththursday, 7TH september 2023Start location: Seaton (SX 30424 54394)

End point: Portwrinkle (SX 35730 53867)

Map: Explorer 108

It looks like I'll be in for another day of beautiful weather with sun forecast for all day long and practically nothing in the way of a breeze. This is getting monotonous. Those temperatures look way too hot though.

Whitsand Bay high tide 11:15

Whitsand Bay low tide 17:40

I start the day next to The Smugglers Inn in Seaton. We tried to park here on Sunday and Monday but the place was heaving even though the kids should have been back at school and the car parks were rammed full. It is much quieter this morning but it is early yet.

smugglers inn

The beach at Seaton is a spacious grey sand beach popular with families and you can find the Seaton Beach Cafe here. Despite the good weather forecast the day has started grey and overcast.

seaton beach cafe

I drop down to the beach and amble along the sand. The tide is far enough out for me to continue a long way along the beach before I have to climb up onto the sea wall.

I walk along the sea wall photographing some of the wild flowers before dropping down to Downderry Beach.

Downderry Beach is a sheltered beach made of grey sand and shingle with rock pools at low tide.

The wreck of ‘Gypsy’, the sister ship to the ‘Cutty Sark,’ is hidden under a kelp bed not far from the shore line. I pass underneath the Inn on the Shore at the far end of Downderry Beach.

inn on the shore

I come inshore next to St Nicolas Primary School which is just about to start its school day so there are parents and kids everywhere.

st nicolas primary school

I turn right and head along the imaginatively named Main Road heading towards Battern Cliffs.

I climb out of Downderry and then leave the road at a signpost telling me that Portwrinkle is two and a half miles away.

portwrinkle two and a half miles

I continue to climb upwards along Battern Cliffs, photographing some of the wild flowers around here.

I pass some apple trees no doubt grown from pips from a coast path walker’s cast aside core.

apples

I come across several species of butterflies including red admirals, speckled woods, wall brown, meadow browns and small coppers but they all prove to be elusive to photograph except a lone wall butterfly.

wall brown butterfly

The photographs for the entire day turn out to not be very good with a mixture of under and over exposed photographs so when I get home I’m going to have to experiment with the newish camera again to see what settings I haven’t got set up quite right.

I come across a green woodpecker which I don’t see very often and a lone pheasant which I see all the time.

I continue along the cliff tops and have lovely views over the harbour at Portwrinkle. It’s a shame that my camera isn’t able to capture the views.

The path reaches the village of Portwrinkle passing the tiny harbour. I explore the sand and shingle beaches here inside and outside the harbour.

It's time for a few not very good flower photographs and then my walking is done for the day and it's time to get my lift back to our home from home for the week.

The weather has remained largely overcast but the sun is now out and I’m hot and sweaty and my foot has been playing up again so I’ve hobbled my way most of the way around.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• red valerian
• white valerian
• red admiral butterflies
• speckled wood butterflies
• wall brown butterflies
• meadow brown butterflies
• small copper butterflies
• wild carrot
• ribwort plantain
• oxeye daisies
• red campion
• periwinkle
• knapweed
• buddleia
• hydrangea
• blackberries
• apples
• scarlet pimpernel
• yarrow
• toadflax
• red hot poker
• fleabane
• roses
• tansy
• aster
• green woodpecker

• pheasant

  PODCASTThe 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 a pathetic 4.7 miles which amounts to 12191 steps. It has taken me two hours 35 minutes. The weather started off overcast but turned magnificent and has been way too hot and it has been painful trying to walk on my injured foot. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP seaton

  downderry

  portwrinkle

  beach collection

View Details

south west coast pathwednesday, 6th september 2023Start location: Fowey (SX 12612 51668)

End point: Par Sands (SX 08682 53048)

Map: Explorer 107

The weather forecast for the whole week looks to be fantastic although it’ll be way too hot for walking. It looks like today I'll have a lovely day of beautiful weather with sun forecast for all day long and barely a breath of wind.

Par Sands high tide 10:31

Par Sands low tide 16:50

I start the day at the car park above Fowey where I wander down in to the main part of the town. All the buildings are rammed in tightly and the town is busy with lorry deliveries of beer barrels.

I head back up towards the car park and walk along the Esplanade where I pass the Fowey to Polruan ferry at Whitehouse.

whitehouse

At Whitehouse I have lovely views over to Polruan.

view to polruan

I head along Readymoney Road where I take up with local dog walkers and arrive at Readymoney Cove Beach, a small, sheltered sandy beach.

readymoney cove

  readymoney cove

I leave Readymoney Cove and now have lovely views over to Polruan and up the River Fowey.

view back to polruan

  view back to fowey

I pass the remains of St Catherine's Castle, one of a pair of small artillery forts built by Henry VIII in the 1530s to defend Fowey Harbour.

I pass over Penventinue Cove and then pass Coombe Haven which is completely deserted except for some stranded jellyfish. I head up onto Southground Cliffs and Lankelly Cliff.

coombe haven

The path descends to the south facing beach at Polridmouth Cove, which actually consists of two beaches. From the first beach I can see the beacon on Gribbin Head and I then follow the sea wall to reach the second beach which has a few people on it.

I climb grassy slopes at The Gribbin and pass below the 84 foot red and white Gribbin daymark, erected in 1832, enabling sailors to pinpoint the approach to Fowey's harbour.

I now have fine views over St Austell Bay where I can make out Par Sands, Carlyon Bay, Charlestown, Du Porth and Porthpean.

st austell bay

I continue along the cliffs and drop down to the beach at Polkerris. Here you can find the Rashleigh Inn where thirsty walkers can stop for a nice pint.

rashleigh inn

I enjoy the beach for a while which is getting quite busy. A sandy, crescent shaped, south west facing beach can be found here.

I head up the slipway passing Sams on the Beach which is based in the old Polkerris lifeboat station.

sams on the beach

I climb out of Polkerris and I have lovely views back over the harbour.

polkerris harbour

It is now a short hobble to reach the views over Par Sands.

I drop down to the car park at Par Sands, passing the Ship Inn at Polmear on the way.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• red admiral butterflies
• speckled wood butterflies
• ribwort plantain
• yarrow
• perforate st john’s-wort
• knapweed
• bladder campion
• bird’s-foot trefoil
• ragwort
• herb robert
• red campion
• blackberries
• stranded jellyfish
• scarlet pimpernel
• wild carrot
• scabious

• cat’s-ear

  PODCASTThe 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 a pathetic 7 miles which amounts to 17285 steps. It has taken me three hours 25 minutes. The weather has been magnificent but way too hot and it has been painful trying to walk on my injured foot. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP fowey

  polridmouth

  polkerris

  par sands

  beach collection

View Details

south west coast pathtuesday, 5th september 2023Start location: Charlestown (SX 03779 51676)

End point: Par Sands (SX 08682 53048)

Map: Explorer 107

It looks like I'll be in for another day of beautiful weather with sun forecast for all day long. The temperatures look they are going to be on the high side with not much in the way of wind so walking could be a bit on the sweaty side.

Par Sands high tide 10:00

Par Sands low tide 16:13

I haven’t been able to put any weight on my right foot for a couple of days after injuring it on the walk on Saturday so walking today is going to be a bit tentative so I’ve changed my plans and I’m going to be walking much shorter walks for the rest of the week.

I start the day back in Charlestown where the sand and pebble beach here sits just outside the harbour and where I enjoy the the early morning sun before setting off.

I pass by the Pier House Hotel and Restaurant before rounding the harbour. The Charlestown Shipwreck and Heritage Centre is found at the head of the harbour.

I drop down and enjoy the grey beach next to the harbour before regaining the coast path.

I regain the cliffs and pass in front of Porth Avallen Hotel, photographing the flowers as I amble along.

porth avallen hotel

I pass above Charlestown National Coastwatch Station.

charlestown national coastwatch station

  charlestown national coastwatch station

The path continues in front of Carlyon Bay Hotel and I come across loads of red admiral butterflies. I continue to photograph the flowers around here.

carlyon bay hotel






red admiral

I descend down 80 or so concrete steps to reach Carlyon Bay Beach.

Carlyon Bay consists of three beaches, Crinnis, Polgaver and Shorthorn, and once upon a time it was lovely around here but on my previous visits had turned into an eyesore with the Cornwall Coliseum at the top of Crinnis Beach gradually falling into disrepair. The Coliseum was finally demolished in the Spring of 2015.

There are still mixed opinions about this beach but despite there still being some remnants of the coliseum and a pretty odd security presence, I rather like it around here especially this early in the morning when there’s hardly anyone about.

rubble

  security prescence

The sandy beach is around two miles long. Actually, it’s not sand, it’s made up of something called ‘Stent’ which is a waste material from the china clay and tin mining activities.

There's a number of pop up shops - although they look more permanent nowadays - on the beach which are quiet this early but I expect will be heaving later.

I don’t think there is an exit point at the far end of the beach so I head back up the concrete steps to rejoin the coast path where it continues alongside the Carlyon Bay Golf Course and towards a disused china clay works at Spit Point.

china clay works

I find a beach which is normally deserted just before reaching the china clay works but it's actually quite busy today and there are quite a few people swimming in the sea. There is a dead dolphin on the beach. The beach is unmarked on my Ordnance Survey map but must be Spit Point Beach.

I enjoy the beach here before walking through the deserted and dusty china clay works to reach the hideously busy A3082.

My foot is starting to feel quite painful now and I’m hobbling along propped up by my walking pole. The path continues past the Port of Par and then through the stinky village of Par passing the Church of the Good Shepherd.

church of the good shepherd

I continue past the Welcome Home Inn and find a sign pointing out to the coast path.

welcome home inn

I follow a convoluted path which eventually leads me to a wildflower meadow at Par Beach Local Nature Reserve.

par beach local nature reserve

I pass a bee hive, part of a ‘rewilding our honey bees’ project. The hive was installed by Just Bee Eco Hives.

rewilding our honey bees

  rewilding our honey bees

The path finally leads me to the beach at Par Sands where I wander along the sandy beach and at the far end walk through the sand dunes to reach the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• red admiral butterflies
• speckled wood butterflies
• small tortoiseshell butterfly
• japanese anemones
• red valerian
• ribwort plantain
• hydrangea
• buddleia
• blackberries
• herb robert
• crocosmia
• fuchsias
• hawthorn
• scabious
• wild carrot
• bird’s-foot trefoil
• toadflax
• roses
• red campion
• tansy

• ragwort

  PODCASTThe 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 a pathetic 5.5 miles which amounts to 13376 steps. It has taken me two hours 40 minutes. The weather has been magnificent but way too hot and it has been painful trying to walk on my injured foot. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP charlestown

  carlyon bay

  spit point beach

  beach collection

View Details

south west coast pathsaturDAY, 2nd september 2023Start location: Mevagissey (SX 01485 44790)

End point: Charlestown (SX 03779 51676)

Map: Explorer 105

The weather forecast for the whole week looks to be fantastic although it’ll be way too hot for walking. It looks like today I'll have a lovely day of beautiful weather with sun forecast for all day long and barely a breath of wind.

Mevagissey high tide 08:02

Mevagissey low tide 14:22

Today's walk starts at the car park above Mevagissey. I descend down to the harbour. It's early and the harbour hasn't really got going yet.

I do a bit of exploration and pass the Wheelhouse Inn, the Harbour Tavern, The Sharks Fin, The Fountain Inn, The Ship Inn and the Cellar Bar before heading around the harbour towards Mevagissey Museum.

I climb up out of Mevagissey where I have lovely views back over the harbour.

The path heads behind houses on the outskirts of Mevagissey and the walk continues around Penare Point where the fields are full of docile cows.

cows

I amble along taking photographs of the wild and cultivated flowers.

I now have lovely views over Pentewan Beach. It’s looking pretty busy down there despite the fact that the kids should be back at school.

view over pentewan

I descend to Pentewan Beach and the Pentewan Sands Holiday Park. The official coast path route skirts around Pentewan Beach, presumably because the beach is privately owned. I head for the beach anyway and, technically, do a bit of trespassing.

At the end of the beach a path takes me back to the official coast path at Pentewan village.

Pentewan apparently means 'foot of the radiant stream'. I cross a stream but I can’t say that it’s particularly radiant. The village and harbour here date back to medieval times and although the harbour was once important for shipping china clay it is now entirely cut off from the sea.

I take a footbridge over the harbour entrance and then round the harbour to reach the The Ship Inn.

ship inn

The path leaves the square in Pentewan village and then climbs steeply up Pentewan Hill and passes All Saints Church.

pentewan village

all saints church

I amble along the path out of Pentewan, photographing the various flowers.

I have a final view down towards Pentewan beach.

leaving pentewan beach

  leaving pentewan beach

The path passes Polrudden Cove and I have lovely views across to the beacon on Gribbin Head.

beacon on gribbin head

I continue ambling along the coast path where a sign warns me that the cliffs are dangerous and that the owners are not responsible for trespassers injuries. I also pass a lone cormorant out on a rock.

At a stream at East Vans I come across a puzzled couple who are examining a fallen down signpost and have no idea which direction to go. I will continue to meet them throughout the day, mostly the three of us going in the wrong direction.

We head off towards Hallane Mill which used to be surrounded by sculptures but these are long gone and the mill now seems to be a holiday let for Classic Cottages.

hallane mill

The path continues towards Black Head and passes a big granite block in memory of the Cornish poet A L Rowse.

“A L ROWSE CH
1903-1997
POET AND HISTORIAN

LEF A GERNOW
VOICE OF CORNWALL

THIS WAS THE LAND
OF MY CONTENT”

a l rowse

I should double back round on myself at the memorial but there aren’t any signs indicating this so I head off in the wrong direction where I meet the couple for a second time at a dead end on Black Head.

I’m starting to feel pain in my right foot, which has never happened before, and this injury will continue to cause me problems for the rest of the week.

We retrace our steps and round the memorial stone where the path heads for some woodland and then climbs up along Ropehaven Cliffs.

ropehaven cliffs

I enter woods and, at a bench, follow the wrong path (no signs again) and get temporarily lost. The couple follow me down the wrong path before we realize that we’ve gone wrong again and retrace our steps up to the bench to follow the correct path.

I pass Gwendra Point, Silvermine Point and Phoebe's Point where I have magnificent views over St Austell Bay.

view over st austell bay

I drop down to the village of Porthpean where there is a lovely, sandy beach. It is much busier than I was expecting. The beach is home to Porthpean Sailing Club and the Porthpean Beach Cafe can be found here.

There aren’t any signs so I go wrong again but eventually see my fellow walkers one last time walking along the sea wall where, at the far end, I find a set of steps which takes me back onto the cliffs.

A short walk over Carrickowel Point takes me to Du Porth Beach which means 'two coves' in Cornish. The beach is privately owned but accessible to the public and it's much quieter than Porthpean Beach.

My foot is causing me some serious grief now so I take a quick photograph before retracing my steps back on to the cliffs.

du porth

I regain the coast path and it takes me behind back gardens where I have a final view back over Du Porth.

du porth

I pass the Crinnis Cliff Battery, constructed around 1793 to defend the entrance to the new harbour at Charlestown.

crinnis cliff battery

I hobble down the path to reach Charlestown, an unspoilt example of a late Georgian working port, originally used to export copper and import coal but subsequently used to export china clay.

Nowadays it is much more recognized as a television and film location and has been used for The Onedin Line (Blimey! that was a long time ago!!), The Eagle has Landed, Longitude, Apocalypto and Doctor Who amongst others.

The sand and pebble beach here sits just outside the harbour.

I hobble painfully up through Charlestown to the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• californian poppy
• yarrow
• echium
• blackberry
• roses
• hydrangea
• red admiral butterflies
• speckled wood butterflies
• fuchsia
• herb robert
• red campion
• buddleia
• ribwort plantain
• purple loosestrife
• crocosmia
• cyclamen
• cat’s-ear
• wild carrot

• cormorant

  PODCASTThe 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 9.8 miles which amounts to 24724 steps. It has taken me four and three quarter hours. The weather has been magnificent but the latter half of the walk has been painful trying to walk on my injured foot. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP mevagissey

  st austell bay

  porthpean

  beach collection

View Details

east devon waymonDAY, 5TH june 2023Start location: Woodbury Castle (SY032872)

End point: Exmouth (SX999811)

Map: Explorer 115

The weather forecast for the entire week continues to look fantastic. Today should be sunny and warm all day long.

Although I will only get glimpses of the sea today I’ll include the tide times for Exmouth Dock.

Exmouth Dock high tide 08:18

Exmouth Dock low tide 14:23

I start the day back at the car park at Woodbury Castle and cross over the road to Estuary View car park to see what the view is actually like. There are a load of bushes in the way but I can see where I’ll be walking for the rest of the day.

estuary view

  woodbury castle car park

  estuary view car park

I return to Woodbury Castle car park and follow the fingerpost to Exmouth on the south side of the car park. I follow a track south, keeping the A3180 road on my right.

fingerpost

I almost immediately come across common spotted orchids on the side of the track.

I go straight over a lane into a car park near Four Firs crossroads.

four firs car park

I turn right in this car park through a wooden gate into an area of conservation grazing, following the path through heathland. I bear right and follow the track uphill aiming for a gap in the conifers on the brow of the hill.

gap in conifers

After the conifers, where the track swings left I go straight ahead down a narrow pebble path through the gorse towards Blackhill Quarry. This is an amazing landscape of quarried red sand and gravel, being managed by the RSPB with grazing ponies.

I pass the lake in Blackhill Quarry on my right and join a broader track. I follow waymarkers and go through a gate, ascending towards woodland.

I turn right at the top, near Fryingpans on the map, then fork left at a waypost. I pass through a wooden gate and enter Lympstone Common. I keep straight ahead where I join a public bridleway. When I reach a crossroads of public bridleways, I turn left and follow waymarks though a pleasant woodland until I reach a car park, where I turn right on to the lane towards the B3179 road.

I turn left along the B3179 walking along it for 80 yards, then turn right down Higher Marley Road. This is a narrow residential road with no pavement.

higher marley lane

Bystock Woods is to my left. At the bottom where the road curves to the left, I keep straight on Marley Road, ignoring Gorse Lane on the left.

marley road

I continue between iron bollards on to a traffic-free section to reach Dinan Way.

I cross over this road via a pedestrian refuge to continue down Marley Road which is again closed to vehicles. I pass houses and, when the road becomes open to vehicles again with houses on both sides, I fork right ahead by a waymark post up a wooded track.

I cross over Hulhum Road, bearing slightly right and turn down a grassy public footpath with houses on my left and fields on my right, where I have my first proper glimpse of the estuary.

glimpse of the estuary

There are people here strimming the life out of the vegetation. When I reach Summer Lane I turn left to pass A La Ronde on my left, a unique 16-sided National Trust property. Members and paying visitors can visit the house, enjoy the views over the estuary and visit the tea room.

a la ronde

I continue on the lane with views ahead to the estuary where I will soon be walking. At a cross roads I go straight over the A376 Exeter Road, next to a petrol station.

I walk down Courtlands Lane, and after the last house on the right turn right over a stile along a public footpath.

I walk between a hedgerow on my right and an earth bank on my left and follow it left around a field of wheat. I go through a kissing gate and resume walking in the same direction with the hedge now on my left. I follow the path as it turns right around the field and then left through another kissing gate, glimpsing the view down to the estuary.

field of wheat

I go through another kissing gate onto an access track and, at the lane cross over on to a public bridleway. This turns left before meeting a lane. I turn right and continue until I see a railway arch over the road.

railway arch

Just before the arch I turn left though a gate to follow the Exe Estuary Trail for three quarters of a mile, a shared cycle route and footpath, part of National Cycle Network Route 2.

exe estuary trail

  exe estuary trail

I pass a mural, made up of drawings by children from Lympstone Primary School and designed by Jo Salter who painted it with Steve Pixie.

I’m now next to the railway line and I begin to hear trains going into and out of Exmouth. As the path climbs a little I see the estuary on my right, a paradise for bird watching.

exe estuary

Ahead I can see the landmark of Exmouth church tower.

exmouth church tower

After another half a mile I pass National Trust owned Lower Halsdon Farm and join Mudbank Lane. I follow it right as it crosses a bridge over a drainage channel.

lower halsdon farm

I have lovely views over the estuary and I enjoy the wildflowers bordering the trail.

view over estuary

  view over estuary

I turn right at the public footpath sign into a park, then turn right up steps to cross the railway tracks, taking care to look out for approaching trains. I go through
a kissing gate, then left at the junction to follow the path along the estuary.

beware of trains!

I have more magnificent views over the estuary and pass a signpost pointing back to where I have come from.

view over estuary

  view over estuary

  east devon way

After passing through a pleasant grassy nature reserve, I emerge and pass a coach park then a car park on my left and pass behind the railway station where a train is just drawing in. I follow the road beside the estuary until I arrive at a viewpoint with interpretation boards marking the western end of the East Devon Way. My walking is done.

viewpoint

  start and end of the east devon way

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• red campion
• bracken
• common spotted orchids
• roses
• foxgloves
• aqualegia
• rhododendrons
• herb robert
• white valerian
• red valerian
• bluebells
• hogweed
• gladioli
• borage
• navelwort
• cuckooflower
• wrens
• robins
• chaffinch
• chiffchaff
• guinea fowl
• swallows
• sparrows
• whitethroat
• goat’s-beard
• common bird’s-foot trefoil
• common mallow
• ribwort plantain
• ox-eye daisies

• sea holly

  PODCASTThe 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 7.7 miles which amounts to 18051 steps. It has taken me three hours. The weather has been magnificent again and the walking has been lovely. Ten out of ten!

walk details map exe estuary trail

  mural

  exe estuary

  east devon way

  (not) beach collection

View Details

east devon waysunDAY, 4TH june 2023Start location: Sidbury (SY139919)

End point: Woodbury Castle (SY032872)

Map: Explorer 115

The weather forecast for the entire week looks fantastic. Today should be sunny and warm all day long.

Although I will only get glimpses of the sea today I’ll include the tide times for Lyme Regis.

Lyme Regis high tide 07:30

Lyme Regis low tide 12:56

I start the day at the car park behind Sidbury Village Hall and I head into the village, passing St Giles Church and the Red Lion pub.

sidbury

  st giles

  the red lion

Further on just after a stone wall I turn right along a footpath signed to White Cross.

footpath to white cross

On my right I first pass Court House with its stone mullioned windows, then the stone pillars and black-and-white gabled gatehouse to Sidbury Manor. I walk straight on, with some thatched white cottages away to my left, and soon reach a field gate. I go through the gate and follow the hedge on my right.

At the far corner of the field I follow the footpath sign to the right, pausing for a moment to look behind me at the pine-covered hill behind Sidbury which I walked through a year ago. I go through a metal gate and turn right on to a lane.

This lane becomes a track after it crosses a babbling brook where I keep to the left. I pass the thatched Goosemoor Farm on my right, continue ahead through a gateway on a track hedged on both sides.

I walk along an overgrown path where I come across a stinky gate blocking the path. It won’t open and is leaning at a terrible angle so I’ve got no choice but to shove my bag underneath and scramble over.

stinky gate

At another gate I continue straight on uphill through the centre of a large field. After the next gate I go diagonally left across a field towards the line of tall pine trees at the brow of the hill. I have lovely views over the rolling countryside.

views over countryside

I walk along a track with a wire fence on the right. At the next gate I go straight on, keeping a small copse on my left, then at the end of the copse I continue straight ahead to go through a gate and reach a lane.

I cross over the lane and go left into the Forestry Commission woodland. This is White Cross, with a small car park area. I follow the track for half a mile walking slowly behind a horse and pass Hollow Head Cross where, shortly afterwards, I bear right at a fork.

I go though a gate on to Fire Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve on Harpford Common.

fire beacon hill

I take the left fork by the interpretation board and continue on the plateau with distant views of the sea.

interpretation board

fire beacon hill

I start to descend, following the track - which is fairly steep and rocky - down then round to the left.

I continue down the hill and at a Nature Reserve notice board on my left I turn sharp right on a more level path. At the bottom, I turn right on to a lane, and shortly take the footpath on the left down some steep steps through a gate into fields where I come across donkeys.

I walk down a steep field admiring the wildflowers and the views.

I keep the field boundary to my right, aiming towards the gate at the bottom, which leads to the B3176 road.

I cross over into Harpford Wood, owned by Clinton Devon Estates, where I am immediately warned to keep off the log stacks.

KEEP OFF LOG STACKS!

Once in the wood I discover the Victorian old railway bridge which I walk underneath, towards a sandstone gulley with a stream, which runs through the woods.

railway bridge

I pass a brick lined drainage and access tunnel as I follow the path through the woods. I have no idea whet the tunnel is accessing and have no interest in finding out!

drainage tunnel

At the end of the woodland track I exit the woodland and reach a kissing gate and a nettle ridden path which leads me on to Knapps Lane.

knapps lane

I walk slightly downhill and after a few yards turn left towards St Gregory’s Norman Church in Harpford Village and after a few yards turn right keeping the Church on my right. There’s no church service today.

st gregory’s

  st gregory’s

  no church service

I pass Court Place, a grand white house and turn right, then go through a gate on to the footpath towards the River Otter. There are sand martins flying all around me and I can see them entering their nests on the banks of the river.

river otter

I go over the bridge and straight on, away from the river, across a field.

I pass through a gate at the trees and turn right and then, almost immediately, left up 24 steps and by orchards along a woodland track, up some steps and then take a left then immediately a right turn at a hedgerow.

I walk through the orchards where I’m warned to keep children and pets under control as the trees have been sprayed.

I eventually walk downhill at a field edge to reach a lane at the bottom. I turn left then immediately right along the lane signposted to Southerton.

the road to southerton

At the end of this lane I turn left along the footpath opposite a house named Badgers Hill. I continue up steps and turn right over a stile where the path now has a wire fence on either side. When I reach a wider track, I turn right through woodland and go though a gate to enter Hunger Hill which has conservation grazing.

The landscape has changed dramatically as I am now going over heathland and wide open spaces.

hunger hill

As I approach a close-boarded fence I follow it left to reach a gate and exit the heathland. I go left on to a lane past a cottage called Benchams Cottage.

After 100 yards I turn left along a footpath through a gate on to the Pebblebed Heaths of Clinton Devon Estates, with conservation grazing. I follow the pebbled track with fields on my right leading down to a stream which I cross by a footbridge.

I then continue uphill on the pebble track, though a gate and cattle grid until the track becomes a surfaced roadway and I come across common spotted orchids.

I continue on this roadway through Aylesbeare Common RSPB Nature Reserve where, just before reaching the main A3052 road, there is an information board.

aylesbeare common

I’ve now reached the end of stage 4 of the East Devon Way if you are walking it from east to west.

east devon way

I cross this busy road with fast- moving traffic to reach the car park known as Joney’s Cross diagonally left opposite.

joney’s cross

From the car park I head towards the far right corner and take the path leading to a lane. I cross over the lane and follow the ‘To Public Footpath’ sign and head west, down the track. After 120 yards I turn left down the track south, away from the main road. I follow this wide ‘coach and horses’ track to near Morish Cotley, with farmland in the distance in front of me. There are common spotted orchids on either side of the track.

The path emerges from the woodland on to a lane. I turn right, with a large white thatched house on my left surrounded by flowers, heading downhill.

A woman at the house shouts out to me ‘good morning’ and then changes her mind and shouts ‘or maybe good afternoon’. I’ve no idea which one it is either. It turns out that it is a quarter to one in the afternoon.

At the bottom, at a small red brick barn, I turn left for about 100 yards, past a converted chapel.

red brick barn

  converted chapel

I reach Hawkerland cross roads. At the bridge over the stream, I turn right up a public bridleway, then take the right fork along a pebbly track wide enough for a vehicle, with high banks on either side.

hawkerland cross roads

At the next fork I take the left track uphill to enjoy the wide-open space of the common. I follow the wide track for nearly 2 miles with gorse bushes (not in flower for a change) on either side.

There are numerous forks and junctions, but I keep straight ahead, looking out for frequent waymark posts to guide me. Ahead in the distance I eventually see the main road and a wooded hill which is Woodbury Castle. On my left are open vistas of the heathland.

I keep on the track when it eventually veers left, keeping Woodbury Castle ahead of me. As I near the castle, I walk alongside it on my right and look out for a waymarker to turn right into the woodlands. Here I can clearly see the ramparts of the castle, a prehistoric hilltop fort dating back to 500-300BC.

I go immediately left then right into the castle and follow the waymarks which lead me in a horseshoe-shaped curve around the ramparts until a final left turn brings me to the car park.

woodbury castle panorama

I pass an information board and then enter the car park where my lift awaits.

information board

  woodbury castle scheduled monument

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• roses
• forget-me-not
• green alkanet
• nigella
• red valerian
• hogweed
• herb robert
• red campion
• herb bennett
• clover
• cow parsley
• rape
• common sorrel
• foxgloves
• greater stitchwort
• heather
• bluebells
• goat’s-beard
• rooks
• chaffinch
• pheasants
• chiffchaffs
• song thrush
• wrens
• buzzard
• donkeys
• poppies
• wisteria
• mexican fleabane
• speckled wood butterfly
• great spotted woodpecker
• stonechat
• common spotted orchids

• common bird’s-foot trefoil

  PODCASTThe 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 11.2 miles which amounts to 25907 steps. It has taken me four and three quarter hours. The weather has been magnificent and the walking has been lovely. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP donkeys

  logs

  st gregory the great

  common spotted orchid

  poppies

  (not) beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHThursday, 11TH MAY 2023The weather forecast for today isn’t great but I’ve been hampered by poor weather all week and this is the last chance to get in some walking, so I’ll just have to take my chances.

Port Isaac high tide 10:00

Port Isaac low tide 16:15

I’m dropped off on the outskirts of Tintagel and follow a footpath down to the coast path covered in wild flowers, heading for Barras Nose.












   barras nose

A coast path sign tells me that Trebarwith Strand is two and a quarter miles away. I’m beginning to doubt the accuracy of these signs.

trebarwith two and a quarter miles

I reach Tintagel Castle on Tintagel Head. Blimey! That’s an expensive entrance fee.

I pass the cafe, once used as offices and workshops for the mines and climb back up onto the cliffs where it starts raining.

I head towards St Materiana's Church above Glebe Cliff. Odd name for a church and I don't know why it's called this. The cover of the first edition of possibly my favourite book, A Month in the Country by J L Carr, featured this church even though the book itself was set in Yorkshire.

st materiana

  st materiana

  glebe cliff

I continue along a track, passing Tintagel Youth Hostel.

tintagel youth hostel

The weather can’t seem to make up its mind and I’m battered by heavy showers followed by sunny spells which results in a lot of rainbows.

It is now a rocky path over Glebe Cliff, around Dunderhole Point, Gull Point, Higher Penhallic Point and Lower Penhallic Point passing quarries on the way.

I climb my way gingerly down the cliff to reach Trebarwith Strand, one of my favourite beaches. The trouble is that I’m close to high tide and the beach has been completely consumed by the sea. The path down is lethal after the rain.

I climb steeply out of Trebarwith Strand, passing The Port William, and I have final views over the strand before heading back along the cliffs.

I now have stonechats for company, clicking away in the shrubs and I can see Port Isaac not that far away in the distance.

view over port isaac

I round Dennis Point and then drop down into the valley behind Backways Cove.

I then head along an easy path above Treligga Cliff and then cross a stone slab bridge above Tregardock Beach.

treligga cliffs

I climb up onto Tregardock Cliff. It’s a stinky, narrow and muddy path, overhung by rusting barbed wire waiting to spike anyone who slips.

I reach Dannonchapel and come across a coast path sign that tells me that Port Isaac is only three and three quarter miles away.

   port isaac three and three quarter miles away

It has finally turned into a glorious day and I have lovely views over to Port Isaac and back to Trebarwith.

view over to port isaac

  view back to trebarwith

I slip and slide along until the going gets a bit difficult along Jacket's Point. I cross a footbridge above a waterfall and then climb a load of steps before crossing several valleys to reach Barrett's Zawn. It is extremely tough going slipping and sliding on the mud and slippery rocks.

I continue along the top of Bounds Cliff and pass over Pigeon's Cove, St Illickswell Gug and Rams Hole before rounding Tresungers Point.

I drop down to the road at what was once Headlands Hotel but is now derelict. I walk down into Port Gaverne, passing the Port Gaverne Restaurant and Hotel.

port gaverne

I follow the road steeply uphill out of Port Gaverne to reach my destination for the day, the car park above Port Isaac.

welcome to port isaac

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• pheasants
• wall butterfly
• small copper butterfly
• oystercatchers
• stonechats
• gorse
• red campion
• bladder campion
• sea thrift
• foxgloves
• spring squill
• ribwort plantain
• kidney vetch
• bluebells
• ox-eye daisy
• navelwort
• common sorrel
• birds-foot trefoil
• oxslip
• stitchwort
• common dog-violet
• red valerian

• hawthorn

  PODCASTThe 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 10.7 miles which amounts to 27843 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours. The weather was stinky to start with but improved massively. Despite slipping and sliding through mud much of the day, eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP st materiana

  sea thrift

  view to port isaac

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHwednesday, 10TH may 2023The weather forecast for today looks OK if a little on the cold side and with the possibility of rain.

Boscastle high tide 09:43

Boscastle low tide 15:14

I start the day back in Boscastle at the car park next to the shops and walk down through the village passing the Cobweb Inn and the bridge over the river before heading along the tarmac path next to the harbour.

I pass next to the harbour wall and have some final views of the village before climbing back onto the cliffs where I have some lovely views of the sheltered inlet to the harbour.

I come across a sign telling me that Tintagel is three and a half miles away. I don’t think so. If it is it’s going to be a very short walk!

tintagel three and a half miles

There are plenty of wildflowers around but my camera is playing up today. It’s a new camera to replace my battered old field camera. I thought I’d tested it enough over the last couple of weeks to get used to it but a lot of todays photographs are under exposed.

I pass a white tower on Willapark, built in 1827 as a summer home.

There are the remains of man made rabbit warrens here. I head out along the cliffs passing Grower Rock and the Ladies Window rock arch. I have magnificent views back to where I've come from.

I now pass numerous sea stacks, Short Island, Long Island and the rocks that make up Saddle Rocks.

sea stacks

I revert to my iPhone to see if it’s any good at taking close up photographs of the wildflowers but I don’t particularly like the results.

I come across another signpost telling me that Tintagel is still three and a half miles away!

tintagel still three and a half miles away

I head above Trambley Cove and Trewethet Cove before reaching Rocky Valley. It certainly lives up to its name. I gingerly clamber down one side of the valley, cross a footbridge over the stream in the middle of the valley and then climb steps up the other side. It is a wild and beautiful place but it is infested with the dreaded japanese knotweed.

rocky valley panorama

It has turned into an unexpectedly lovely day and I now have spectacular views over towards Tintagel.

view to tintagel

I head over Benoath Cove and Bossinney Haven which are both closed due to falling rocks.

bossiney haven closed!

I walk inland of a headland before heading off across Smith's Cliff on the seaward side of Camelot Castle Hotel and Tintagel.

Before reaching Barras Nose I pass a fellow coast path walker who’s heading in the opposite direction and is carrying a MASSIVE amount of luggage.

massive amount of luggage

I reach Barras Nose and my walking for the day is almost at a close.

   barras nose

I've now reached Tintagel Castle on Tintagel Head. It feels wild and remote today but was once a hive of mining, slate quarrying and fishing activity. Beyond Merlin's Cave there is King Arthur Mine, driven into the headland and worked for silver and lead in the 19th century.

tintagel castle

  tintagel castle

I head up towards the castle before passing the cafe, once used as offices and workshops for the mines. I then follow an access road which takes me up to the village of Tintagel. I wander through the village to the car park where my lift awaits.

tintagel

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• sea thrift
• cowslips
• bladder campion
• common dog-violet
• common sorrel
• gorse
• red campion
• bluebells
• ribwort plantain
• navelwort
• herb robert
• bugle
• kidney vetch
• japanese knotweed
• celandines
• rabbits
• wrens
• chaffinches
• chiffchaffs
• goldfinches
• wall butterfly

• stonechats

  PODCASTThe 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 6.2 miles (not 3.5 miles) which amounts to 15833 steps. It has taken me three hours. A pleasant short walk in what turned out to be lovely weather. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP rocky valley

  rocky valley

  rocky valley

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHtuesday, 9TH may 2023Yesterday was a right off as it rained all day long. The forecast for today is pretty ropey and my weather forecast app is showing rain and thunderstorms.

Bude high tide 08:40

Bude low tide 14:59

I head down to the beach at Crackington Haven first thing in the morning. The sea is looking rather angry and it is very misty.

It is now a rollercoaster ride to Boscastle. I climb out of Crackington Haven and head over three footbridges. On the slopes above Crackington Haven I come across lots of rather damp spring wild flowers.

At Carn Draught I zig zag up the steep cliff and then amble along a wriggly path through gorse. This turns out to be completely the wrong way and I briefly confuse myself when I do rejoin the coast path by going in the wrong direction. I quickly correct myself.

I amble along the cliffs, where I should have lovely views back over Crackington Haven but it’s too misty to see much. I walk above Little Strand, Samphire Rock and The Strangles but the mist has become so thick that I can’t see anything.

misty coast

Out of the mist appear some animals which I first think are cows, then sheep but turn out to be goats.

goats in the mist

  goats in the mist

I’m not particularly expecting orchids this week but I come across a couple of early purple orchids.

early purple orchid

  early purple orchid

I should come across an outcrop of folded rocks around here but I still can’t see anything.

I head up and down High Cliff and the MASSIVE Rusey Cliff but it’s not until I’ve conquered them both that I realize that they were even there due to the mist. I first encountered these two in 2006 when I thought they were staggeringly big and the blood thundered in my head as I tried to climb them. Nowadays I barely notice that they are there!

rusey cliff in the mist

  rusey cliff

There is apparently a tricky descent to Rusey Beach but I can’t see a thing and it's probably too dangerous today anyway. I head towards Gull Rock.

The going gets slightly easier and I head along the cliffs passing Saddle Rock, Beeny Sisters and around Fire Beacon Point and pass Seal's Hole before doubling back on myself around a valley at Pentargon, crossing above a waterfall. I still see very little but I think the mist is trying to start to clear.

misty coast

  beeny cliff

I climb up a long flight of steps at Hillsborough and pass a rather nice patch of early purple orchids. The mist is definitely clearing and a brief shower passes over me.

hillsborough

I now have views over the higher part of the village of Boscastle.

overlooking boscastle

I head out towards Penally Point and suddenly I can see the harbour at Boscastle.

boscastle harbour

I swing back downhill and walk down a narrow road past a number of cottages and buildings to reach the bridge over the river.

That's my walking done for the day so I head for the car park where my lift awaits. It has been a short walk today and I’ve barely seen anything because of the mist.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• song thrush
• chiffchaffs
• red campion
• common dog-violet
• sea thrift
• herb robert
• bracken
• foxglove, almost in flower
• bluebells
• kidney vetch
• gorse
• common sorrel
• navelwort
• cowslip
• bladder campion
• goats
• early purple orchids
• wall butterfly
• rabbits
• swallows
• sand martins

• oystercatchers

  PODCASTThe 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 8.1 miles which amounts to 21268 steps. It has taken me three and three quarter hours. A short walk today and I barely saw anything because of the mist but it somehow stayed virtually dry. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP mist

  goats in the mist

  early purple orchid

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHSUNDAY, 7TH may 2023It looks like it might be quite a nice day today with some sun and not much in the way of wind.

Bude high tide 07:20

Bude low tide 13:43

I start the day in stinky Bude in the car park behind Summerleaze Beach. I head out onto the beach and watch the surfers before retracing my steps.

summerleaze beach

  summerleaze beach

I head back towards Bude and take a footbridge over the River Neet and then a wooden lockbridge over Bude Canal.

bude canal

I pass Efford Cottage, built in 1820 and head on a path towards the coast.

I pass the eight sided storm tower on Compass Point, built in the 1820s as a coastguard shelter, which is surrounded by scaffolding.

storm tower

I wander along grassy slopes where I pass Efford Beacon trig point, number S5629.

trig point S5629

I now have lovely views back over stinky Bude.

view over bude

I pass what was once the Elements Cafe Bar, Italian Restaurant and Hotel which is now in a sorry state of disrepair. I then wander through Phillip's Point Nature Reserve and enjoy the spring flowers here.

elements cafe bar

I pass Higher Longbeak and then Lower Longbeak with its funerary round barrow.

I descend towards Widemouth Sand, passing the Bay View Inn. I walk along the beach at Widemouth Bay heading towards Black Rock before leaving the beach and heading back up onto the cliffs.

I head along a rocky track before crossing a stream. I head along the minor road passing what was once the Outdoor Adventure Centre but is now OA Surf Club.

oa surf club

I pass Ocean View, a new development of a 5 bedroomed house with an indoor pool, gym, steam room, sauna and cinema room, all within a two acre plot. That’s not going to be cheap!

ocean view

I climb up onto Penhalt Cliff where I have some lovely views back towards Bude at Penhalt Cliff Poundstock car park.

penhalt cliff poundstock car park

  view from the car park

I pass Foxhole Point and then Bridwill Point before climbing steeply down to Millook. I wander down the road and head out onto pebbly Millook Haven Beach.

I climb steeply up the road and then regain the cliffs and have lovely views ahead of me. The wildflowers around here are looking at their very best and the geology is not bad either.

I enter woods at Dizzard Point, which are blissfully peaceful before entering fields and bush covered slopes, passing Chipman Cliff, Stoneivy Rock and the cave at Mot's Hole.

dizzard

Along the way I pass Dizzard Point trig point, number S5612.

I pass some ponies munching on the vegetation and they don’t take any notice of me.

I have magnificent views ahead of me before coming across the deepest valley I think I've ever come across. It doesn't even appear to be marked on my Ordnance Survey map but the National Trust have it down as Lower Tresmorn. There's nothing 'lower' about it. The photograph does it no justice. I clamber slowly down the valley, cross a footbridge and then clamber gingerly up the other side.

At the bottom of the valley I come across a small copper butterfly.

small copper butterfly

The path heads out to Castle Point and passes Little Barton Strand and Great Barton Strand and heads towards Pencannow Point before darting back towards Crackington Haven.

I now have lovely views over Crackington Haven and I head down the slopes to the village, enjoying the flowers next to the path.

I pass the Coombe Barton Inn where a saxophonist is playing and head down to enjoy the beach here as well as the heavily folded rocks. It’s close to low tide so I have to walk a long way down the beach to reach the sea.

crackington haven

  crackington haven

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• sea thrift
• gorse
• song thrushes
• skylarks
• swallows
• oystercatchers
• bluebells
• greater stitchwort
• bracken
• herb robert
• red campion
• cowslips
• common dog-violet
• common sorrel
• germander speedwell
• celandines
• bugle
• cuckooflower
• alexanders
• sand martins
• bladder campion
• chiffchaffs
• chaffinches
• peacock butterfly
• blackcaps
• speckled wood butterfly

• small copper butterfly

  PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

  MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 12.2 miles which amounts to 30591 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours.

It has been a lovely day today walking in North Cornwall which I haven’t seen for seven years. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS MAP view from car park

  small copper butterfly

  crackington haven

  crackington haven

  beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHsunday, 25TH SEPTEMBER 2022The weather forecast for today looks to be pretty good so it’s time to get cracking.

Falmouth high tide 05:53

Falmouth low tide 12:18

It’s a relatively late start for us as it’s a Sunday and the King Harry Ferry doesn’t start until 09:00. We catch the first ferry which is a relatively expensive £7 single and then head to the car park above Portscatho at Gerrans. I amble down through the village, passing the Plume of Feathers.

plume of feathers

I head down to the beach and enjoy the early morning sun.

My grandfather used to love swimming in the sea here. One day he found a great big slab of wood on the beach here and took it back to my grandparents home in Offwell, Devon. We used to use the slab of wood as a cricket wicket whenever we visited so it became known as the Portscatho Wicket.

portscatho

I leave the beach and wander around Portscatho, passing the tiny harbour, and then say goodbye to the village. It’s been seven years since I was last here and who knows how long it will be until I’m next here.

leaving portscatho

I amble along the gentle cliffs, enjoying the late season wild flowers. It is surprisingly hot and a lot warmer than I was expecting.

I’m ambling along quietly and suddenly here a familiar call. Several choughs fly over me. I can’t make out their red beaks but their call is unmistakeable. I’ve never seen choughs this far west before so they must be doing very well.

choughs

I spot a wall brown butterfly and manage to take a bad photograph. There are also clouded yellow butterflies flying around but they are much more difficult to photograph.

wall brown butterfly

I continue ambling and say hello to several dog walkers while enjoying the wildflowers.

I continue towards Towan Beach where I come across a raggedy speckled wood butterfly.

speckled wood butterfly

I reach Towan Beach where I enjoy the sandy beach along with several dog walkers.

towan beach

On leaving Towan Beach I come across the remains of a wreck post, erected by the coastguard service and used to simulate a ship's mast in training exercises. It was still complete the last time I was here but all that’s left now is a stump. I wonder what happened to it?

wreck post

It is a pleasant surprise to see another group of choughs fly over me.

I round Killigerran Head and Porthmellin Head.

killigerran head

killigerran head

I continue along the path above Porthbeor Beach. I thought that Porthbeor Beach was supposed to be inaccessible but, tantalisingly, I think I can make out footprints in the sand.

porthbeor beach

The mystery is solved as further along the path I spot people leaving the beach and climbing aboard a boat.

I now have some lovely views over to Falmouth.

view to falmouth

I’m now at St Anthony Head and walk through St Anthony Meadow where I come across Shetland ponies grazing on the vegetation.

st anthony head

shetland ponies

shetland ponies

I round Zone Point and pass the 19th century battery on St Anthony Head and then head down towards St Anthony's lighthouse, built in 1835.

19th century battery

I follow signs behind the lighthouse before getting an actual glimpse of the lighthouse further on.

st anthony’s lighthouse

After leaving the lighthouse I have magnificent views over to St Mawes and Falmouth in the distance.

view over st mawes

I head through woods to reach some beehives where the bees are very active.

beehives

I pass through the churchyard of St Anthony's Church and then pass the rather modest Place House.

st anthony’s church

place house

I’ve now reached the Place Ferry. I glance at my phone and it’s 12:14. There’s supposed to be a ferry at 12:15. I’m bang on low tide and there’s no sign of a ferry so maybe it’s not running for a while.

Suddenly people start to ascend Toddy's Steps in front of me. Once they are past I descend the steps and notice the ferry further along the beach. The ferry is just about to leave but the ferryman calls out to me so I slither along the slippery beach and board the ferry, just in time.

The ferry takes me over to St Mawes and it has moved with the times and I’m able to buy a combined ticket to St Mawes and then on to Falmouth for £13.50 using a contactless machine. It's a thoroughly pleasant 5 minute trip.

I leave the ferry and then wait for the connecting ferry to take me back to Falmouth.

st mawes

I catch the 12:45 ferry and it's now a pleasant 15 minutes or so journey to my destination for the day, Prince of Wales Pier in Falmouth.

approaching falmouth

It's now a short walk up through the busy streets of Falmouth to return to our cottage, Bussillion, for the week, overlooking Falmouth harbour.

My knees and ankles have been playing up all year, although they’ve been OK on the short walks this week, so it might be time to think about hanging up the walking boots. If so this is a fitting end as I started walking the south west coast path in Falmouth seventeen years ago. It has been a great few years.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• oystercatchers
• red campion
• mouse-ear hawkweed
• common knapweed
• blackberries
• common toadflax
• burdock
• ragwort
• CHOUGHS!
• wild carrot
• ribwort plantain
• wall brown butterfly
• speckled wood butterfly
• clouded yellow butterflies
• fleabane
• great mullein
• shetland ponies
• bees

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 7.7 miles and, including the ferries, covered a distance of 10.2 miles, which amounts to 18174 steps. It has taken me three and a half hours.

Sun, sea, sand, choughs and ferries. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

choughs

towan beach

beehives

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHsaturday, 24TH SEPTEMBER 2022The weather forecast for today seems to be pretty good considering that we are now well and truly into autumn territory. There’s a northerly wind blowing so it’s not going to be particularly warm but I shouldn’t get much in the way of rain.

Falmouth low tide 11:39

Falmouth high tide 17:29

I start the day at the car park high above Portloe and wander down the road, photographing the flowers as I go.

portloe

portloe

I reach the tiny beach and fishing harbour at the bottom of Portloe after passing the charming granite cottages on the way down and then the Lugger Hotel (@TheLuggerHotel).

I spend way too long enjoying the harbour before setting off on the gorse and bracken covered cliffs out of Portloe. I have fine views back across Portloe.

view over portloe

view over portloe

On leaving Portloe, I’m immediately greeted by the sound of singing chiffchaffs who have been silent all summer but for some reason strike up their song again in September. Robins are also singing away.

The wild flowers and berries, even this late in the season are looking lovely. At Broom Parc I come across hydrangeas, crocosmia going to seed and sloes.

I round Manare Point and reach the rocky shore at Parc Caragloose Cove. I enter some woodland and then climb a long, grassy slope before rounding Blouth Point.

I'm now above the bouldery Kiberick Cove and out to sea I can see Gull Rock.

kiberick cove

kiberick cove

I continue along the gorse covered slopes passing Horse Rock, Lemoria Rock and Haine's Rock to reach Nare Head.

nare head

A national trust sign warns me that the boardwalk in front of me is in a state of disrepair. It is indeed a bit of a mess but I take care and manage to cross it and survive.

warning

boardwalk

I come across a beetle ambling along the south west coast path but I’m useless with beetles so I have no idea what type it is.

beetle

I come across my first sheep of the day. In the past this walk has been smothered in sheep.

sheep

On Nare Head I come across a World War II bunker which was used to protect the port of Falmouth. Special effects systems, scattered strategically across the headland, were controlled from this bunker by four Royal Navy crewmen.

world war ii bunker

These effects were designed by British film studios to simulate lights from docks, railway tracks and stations. As enemy bombers approached, the bunker crew switched on the lights. Flying at night, the enemy aircrew were fooled into thinking they had spotted Falmouth. As the bombs were dropped, the bunker crew triggered fires and explosions to give the impression of successful bomb strikes.

bomb strikes on nare head

Next to the World War II bunker is an atomic early warning bunker, built in 1963. The bunker was designed as a survival unit in which three officers from the Royal Observer Corps could live for up to three weeks, following a nuclear attack, whilst monitoring radioactive fallout. Made of concrete it lies a metre below ground and measures five by three metres. It was closed in 1991 and has since been restored and equipped by the local Royal Observer Corps Association.

atomic early warning bunker

I now have magnificent views across Gerrans Bay towards Carne Beach and Pendower Beach.

gerrans bay

For the first time since leaving Portloe, I come across a couple of people walking their dog near to the bridge at Tregagles Hole.

I pass Shannick Point, Malmanare Point and Pennarin Point and the views over Carne Beach and Pendower beach are lovely.

view over pendower beach

I drop down onto Carne Beach, a fine south facing sandy beach. It starts to rain quite heavily but I don’t think it will last long so I don’t dive into my bag for my waterproofs.

The tide is out so I amble along the beach and cross into Pendower Beach.

carne beach

carne beach

pendower beach

I head off of the beach using a slipway and pass by what was once the Pendower Beach House Hotel but is now a sad looking wreck of a building. Several attempts have been made to redevelop this site but all seem to have failed.

pendower beach house hotel

At least there is now a beach hut here selling ice creams and hot and cold drinks.

beach hut

beach hut

I climb out of Pendower Beach via the road, where I come across a flattened toad, and have magnificent views back over the beaches.

The path takes me out on to Treluggan Cliff where there are Shetland ponies chomping on the vegetation.

treluggan cliff

One friendly pony is blocking the footpath and takes some persuading to let me pass.

shetland pony

shetland ponies

I come across and manage to photograph a small copper butterfly. There are also clouded yellow butterflies flying around but they prove more difficult to photograph.

small copper butterfly

I continue along the coast path to reach Porthbean Beach and I climb down some steps to reach the beach. I amble along the sand pondering on the forces that were at play to create the near vertical sedimentary rock strata before leaving the beach via some wooden steps.

porthbean beach

porthbean beach

The path leads me past the National Coastwatch Station on Pednvadan Point and I now have magnificent views over towards the village of Portscatho.

national coastwatch station

portscatho

portscatho

I drop down to Porthcurnick Beach which is surprisingly busy.

porthcurnick

Here can be found the Hidden Hut (@thehiddenhut) beach cafe.

the hidden hut

I cross the beach and climb up some steps where I have lovely views back across the beach.

It's now a short walk to head in to Portscatho, home of cricket.

portscatho

I walk through Portscatho along North Parade and pass Tavola pizza and pasta bar before dropping down to explore the beach.

tavola pizza and pasta bar

I head out of the village, passing the Plume of Feathers and head uphill towards Gerrans where my lift awaits in the car park. Portscatho is a lovely place but it seems to be overrun with cars nowadays.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• fuchsias
• gorse
• bracken
• chiffchaffs
• robins
• hydrangeas
• blackberries
• crocosmia
• red campion
• holly
• sloes
• stonechats
• skylarks
• hemp agrimony
• fleabane
• beetle
• yarrow
• a flattened toad
• cormorants
• shetland ponies
• small copper butterfly
• clouded yellow butterflies
• red valerian
• amaryllis belladonna
• agapanthus
• buddleia
• fig

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

MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 8.9 miles which amounts to 21620 steps. It has taken me four hours. It has been seven years since I last walked this section of the coast path but it never fails to delight. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

bomb strikes

shetland pony

small copper

beach collection

View Details

south west coast pathmonday, 5th september 2022The weather forecast for today doesn’t look very good so I’d better just get going early in an attempt to avoid any thunderstorms.

Torquay low tide 06:46, 19:46

Torquay high tide 13:43

I start the day back in Torquay and wander past the fountain, riviera wheel, around the harbour and past the harbour.

fountain

riviera wheel

torquay harbour

torquay marina

I then head up Beacon Hill next to the now defunct Living Coasts zoo and aquarium to reach the Imperial Hotel. I always seem to get lost in this suburban section of Torquay but today I'm going to follow the coast path perfectly.

I follow what appears to be Rock End Walk before turning right into Daddyhole Road and follow the coast path at Daddyhole Plain, a limestone plateau 75 metres above the sea, where I pass NCI Torbay.

nci torbay

I climb down steps, follow a tarmac path which takes me down to a road bend and climb down more steps to reach a beach cafe below the Osborne Hotel. I follow the coastal road above Meadfoot Beach before following a road uphill.

meadfoot beach and cafe

I manage to find the correct path for a change and head out to Thatcher Point. I re-join the road and then head up a footpath above the road where I come across an Inukshuk on a bench, created by pupils from St Mary’s Catholic Primary in Wrexham.

inukshuk

“You have found an Inukshuk made by year 4 pupils from St Mary’s Catholic Primary in Wrexham, UK.
An Inukshuk in the shape of a person signifies

safety, hope and friendship

Please take me to a new place (near or far) for someone else to find!

Please take a photo and tell us where you found/placed the stone using #stmaryswxm4

We can’t wait to see how far they travel!”

— Quote Source

I take one of the stones which I’ll re-deposit in my home town of Clevedon when I get home.

my inukshuk stone #stmaryswxm4

my inukshuk stone in clevedon #stmaryswxm4

I re-join the road and I know I've gone wrong here in the past. This time though I spot a sign on the other side of the road. This coast path sign is clearly pointing to the right towards Anstey's Cove and along Bishops Walk. I can't possibly go wrong!

bishop’s walk

Bishop’s Walk was created by Henry Phillpotts, the Bishop of Exeter from 1831 until 1869.

I follow the woodland path of Bishop’s Walk at the end of which I come across a car park above Anstey's Cove. I continue briefly along a road before coming across a signpost marked 'To Babbacombe & St Marychurch over the downs' where I climb up steps on to a wooded slope and I'm now back up on the cliff tops.

I walk along the grassy cliffs of Walls Hill and then across Babbacombe Cricket Club.

I follow signs to Babbacombe Downs, the highest clifftop promenade in England. I'm sure I've come along Oddicombe Beach at the bottom of the cliffs in the past. Must have gone wrong again!

oddicombe beach

I reach Babbacombe Cliff Railway, built in 1926 to shuttle tourists to and from the beach. Something is wrong though as the cliff railway is roped off and there is a policeman guarding the railway.

I pass Babbacombe Model Village and follow the side of the village in an attempt to re-join the coast path but there’s a ‘road closed’ sign in my way. This is all a bit odd.

road closed

I retrace my steps and follow another footpath in an attempt to re-join the coast path but this footpath is roped off with police tape.

When I get home I find out that an engineer had died in an industrial accident, unrelated to the railway, earlier that morning and that the path between Babbacombe Beach and Oddicombe Beach had been closed as well as the path from St Marychurch down to Oddicombe Beach.

I finally re-join the coast path as it continues through woods next to Torquay Golf Club. More coast path signs lead me to the beach access road at Watcombe Beach, surrounded by cliffs and wooded hillsides.

A steep path leads down to the beach and then I have the choice to following a tarmac path or some rather shabby looking steps. I choose the tarmac path but immediately regret it as overnight rain has juiced up the path and I end up sliding down the slope. I retrace my steps and head down the neglected steps instead to reach the beach.

watcombe beach

I retrace my steps and continue through the woods to Maidencombe where I drop down to the beach, passing the Cafe Rio.

cafe rio

maidencombe beach

I climb back up the steps past the cafe and finish my walk at Maidencombe’s small car park where my lift awaits.

Just past the car park you can find the Thatched Tavern. Guess what! The pub has a thatched roof!!

FLORA AND FAUNAIt hasn’t been much of a day for flora and fauna. Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• a buzzard

PODCASTThe 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 8.6 miles which amounts to 23257 steps. It has taken me four hours and has been a tedious walk mostly through suburban Torquay and not helped by the police roping off a lot of the coast path at Babbacombe. Two out of ten!

walk details

map

inukshuk

beach collection

View Details

south west coast pathsunday, 4th september 2022The weather forecast for the day is a bit on the dodgy side so I’d better get a move on to try and avoid as much of the rain as possible.

Torquay high tide 12:22

Torquay low tide 18:06

I start the day back in Brixham where I pass a statue of William Prince of Orange, who landed here on the 5th of November 1688, standing at the head of the harbour. The clouds are looking rather threatening.

“The Liberties of England and The Protestant Religion I Will Maintain”

william of orange

I pass the full sized replica of the Golden Hind in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe.

golden hind

I then pass behind Brixham Fish Market which has some lovely pictures representing Brixham on its walls.

I head out of Brixham passing Oxen Cove next to what was once AstraZeneca's Brixham Environmental Laboratory but which was donated to Plymouth University in 2013.

oxen cove

I climb up concrete steps to reach Battery Gardens and pass the Brixham Battery Heritage Centre. I round Fishcombe Cove and a steep climb out of the cove awaits.

fishcombe cove

I walk around the beach at Churston Cove and a woodland path takes me past Churston Golf Club.

churston cove

I walk across the shingly beach at Elberry Cove, which is surprisingly busy with dog walkers and joggers.

elberry cove

elberry cove

I round Churston Point, which is heaving with dog walkers, to reach the delightful Broadsands, you guessed it, a broad sandy beach flanked by colourful beach huts.

broadsands

I enjoy the sandy beach here before walking past the colourful beach huts and exit at the far end of the beach, passing beneath the railway viaduct. I’ve now got a bit of blue sky which is a bit of a surprise but I’m not complaining.

railway viaduct

I then follow the railway line towards Goodrington Sands and the Paignton to Kingswear steam train passes me, heading in the opposite direction.

steam train

I head along the beach at Goodrington Sands, passing the colourful beach huts and head past the Inn on the Quay.

goodrington sands

I follow paths over Roundham Head and walk through Roundham Gardens where I have lovely, if rather murky, views back over Goodrington Sands.

back over goodrington sands

I come across a load of pebbles with dinosaurs on them perched on the red sandstone cliffs.

Paignton is now laid out in front of me.

I pass Paignton's tiny harbour and walk along the esplanade to reach the pier.

paignton harbour

paignton pier

I head out onto what’s left of the red sandy beach and amble along the sand, passing the pier and the colourful beach huts.

paignton

passing paignton pier

At the end of the esplanade I head inland a little along a busy road. I walk by the dwindling beach at Preston Sands and then pass more colourful beach huts.

At the end of the beach huts I climb up a concrete slope and head across Hollicombe Head, cross a bridge over the railway line and enter Hollicombe Park.

I head along the main road into Torquay, passing Livermead Sands, and then pass what is left of Corbyn Head Beach where you can find more colourful beach huts and a beach cafe.

I walk along the sea wall next to Torre Abbey, founded in 1196, which started life as a medieval monastery before its dissolution by Henry VIII. Nowadays it is a museum, art gallery and Ancient Scheduled Monument.

A crowd has gathered to watch a seal. I take some photos of the seal but they are rather blurry. It briefly starts lightly raining but almost immediately stops.

I reach Torquay Harbour on the north shore of Tor Bay, which although now given over to marine leisure activities, still remains a commercial and busy little port.

torquay harbour

I stop off in a park with a fountain under the shadow of the English Riviera Wheel.

riviera wheel

I explore a bit more of Torquay but my walking for the day is over.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered (not much of it) on the walk today includes :-

• common mullein
• hydrangea
• seal

PODCASTThe 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 miles which amounts to 22296 steps. It has taken me three and three quarter hours. The weather has been a bit on the dull side but the rain mostly held off and the walking has been very easy. It has been a thoroughly enjoyable short walk through suburban Torbay. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

brixham

railway viaduct

dinosaur

beach collection

View Details

south west coast pathsaturday, 3rd september 2022 The weather forecast for this week looks awful but I might just about get away with a day without rain today.

rain, rain, go away

Dartmouth high tide 11:10

Dartmouth low tide 16:52

I start the day in Dartmouth and head through the lower part of Dartmouth where I have lovely views across to Kingswear.

view over to kingswear

I amble down towards the lower ferry and wait for it to cross over from Kingswear.

waiting for the ferry

I cross over the River Dart to Kingswear using the lower ferry which costs me £1.50. It’s exactly the same cost as six years ago. On reaching Kingswear I pass under an arch next to the post office and then climb up Alma Steps.

alma steps

I take one final look back over to Dartmouth and then set off for Brixham.

view back to dartmouth

I follow a minor road out of the village where I come across the autumn flowers of amaryllis, hydrangea, agapanthus and cyclamen. I then follow a private road towards Kingswear Court.

I enter Warren Woods and zig zag down a slope, cross over a stream and then zig zag up the other side of the valley.

warren woods

I now have lovely views back over to Dartmouth Castle on the other side of the river mouth.

I reach Brownstone Battery at Inner Froward Point, built in 1940 to protect the Dart estuary and Slapton and Blackpool Sands from enemy invasion.

higher brownstone

I pass by Froward Point Coastwatch Station and head down the battery.

froward point coastwatch station

The battery consists of two gun positions and each would have been armed with six inch guns. The gun emplacements remain to this day as do the two magazines that served the guns. Below the gun emplacements are two searchlight positions which would have scanned the sea for enemy ships. The trouble is that all of the information boards that were here six years ago seem to have disintegrated so nobody passing now would be able to read about all of this.

brownstone battery

view from brownstone battery

The path zig zags up and down the cliffs towards Outer Froward Point where, out to sea, can be seen Shooter Rock, Shag Stone and Mew Stone. I continue meandering along the coast path passing Old Mill Bay, Kelly's Cove and Pudcombe Cove.

I come across the rear entrance of Coleton Fishacre which used to be infested with rhododendrons (presumably ponticum) but these appear to have been grubbed up now leaving hydrangeas all around.

I round Scabbacombe Head and then a steep, slippery descent leads me down to Scabbacombe Sands. Everywhere is so parched that it feels like I’m constantly pouding on concrete.

scabbacombe sands

I come across fresh pony poo but I don’t see any ponies today. I also come across several beetles writhing on their backs so I stop to put them upright.

I head along the cliffs high above Long Sands and round Crabrock Point, passing Crabrock Point Coastguard Cottage, to reach Man Sands where I enjoy the pebbly and sandy beach, although there’s not much in the way of sand. For such an isolated beach it is surprisingly busy.

man sands

It is a steep climb up onto Southdown Cliff and I have to stop several times to catch my breath - otherwise known as admiring the view.

southdown cliff

I reach Sharkham Point and then head around St Mary's Bay, passing below the holiday village. I head down some concrete steps where the cliffs are infested with japanese knotweed and head out onto St Mary's Bay Beach. There are a few dog walkers on the beach but there’s not much of a beach today.

st mary's bay

japanese knotweed

It is now a short walk to Berry Head, a National Nature Reserve, where I amble along the meandering paths.

I join a road which passes the Berry Head Hotel and walk through Shoalstone Car Park. It is now a pleasant waterfront walk leading me into Brixham where I pass above the art deco Shoalstone Sea Water Pool.

shoalstone sea water pool

A harbourside walk from the breakwater takes me past the marina and into the centre of the town.

brixham harbour

brixham marina

I pass by a memorial garden dedicated to the memory of Winston Spencer Churchill and opened on the 24th May 1966. I don’t know whether there is any connection between Churchill and Brixham.

memorial garden

I pass Torbay Lifeboat Station next to the marina.

torbay lifeboat station

I pass a statue of William Prince of Orange, who landed here on the 5th of November 1688, standing at the head of the harbour.

“The Liberties of England and The Protestant Religion I Will Maintain”

I amble around the harbour, passing the full sized replica of the Golden Hind in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe but Brixham is way too busy for me today so I don’t hang about.

golden hind

I head behind Brixham Fish Market to reach the car park where my lift awaits.

brixham

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• amaryllis
• hydrangea
• agapanthus
• cyclamen
• stonechats
• gunnera
• speckled wood butterflies
• fuchsia
• herb robert
• buddleia
• red valerian
• sloes
• japanese knotweed

PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 12.1 miles which amounts to 32273 steps. It has taken me six hours. The weather has been pretty good given the forecast and I haven’t encountered any rain. Eight out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

amaryllis belladonna

hydrangea

lifeboat

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHtuesday, 7TH june 2022Today’s weather forecast looks to be pretty good. It should be warm with some sun and not a lot in the way of wind.

Clovelly high tide 11:45

Clovelly low tide 17:52

I start today’s walk at the top of Clovelly in the car park next to Clovelly Visitor Centre, leaving via the road. I immediately come across a small paddock full of orchids - they look like they are southern marsh orchids again.

southern marsh orchids

I walk down the service road heading in towards Clovelly and admire the wildflowers. All of a sudden it starts raining lightly which I wasn’t expecting.

I continue down the road to Mount Pleasant, where I admire the views overlooking Clovelly.

I head back up the service road where a tractor passes me headed towards the top of Clovelly and towing dustbins.

I go through a heavy, black gate and walk along a grassy track heading towards the woods.

I enter the woods, passing a shelter, where a song thrush is singing loudly. I leave the woods and then re-enter them.

I reach Angel's Wings, a wooden shelter built in the 19th century by Sir James Hamlyn Williams, a former owner of Clovelly.

angel’s wings

I cross a field at Gallantry Bower where a sign tells me that an ancient ring of earthworks is perched near the cliff edge. All I can see is a load of bracken.

gallantry bower

The name Gallantry Bower is said to be either derived from the actions of lovers leaping to their doom (it is said that somewhere on Gallantry Bower you can jump off and fall to the base of the cliff without touching the side) or being the site of the village gallows.

The path here is a bit fiddly and I've got lost here before but the signposting seems to be better than I remember and I make it without event to the zig zag path that leads to Mouthmill Beach. There are wildflowers everywhere and I come across a plant which I don’t recognize and turns out to be bastard balm.

I cross a stream over a bridge to reach Mouthmill Beach. The tide is out far enough for me to be able to walk out onto the bouldery beach over to Blackchurch Rock, a spectacular sea stack with two huge natural rock windows.

Some nutters like to climb this rock for fun!

I leave the beach, passing an 18th century lime kiln. The limestone was brought here by ship from south Wales.

lime kiln

I climb up a zig zag woodland path through Brownsham Woods where the bluebells should be looking amazing but have already almost completely gone over.

I cross a field full of sheep and then enjoy the views back to Blackchurch Rock.

blackchurch rock

A foggy mist has descended and there is dampness in the air and no sign of the promised sun. I descend steeply on a winding path and then reach Windbury Hillfort which is again covered in bracken.

I walk through more wooded valleys and fields and eventually come to a memorial plaque in memory of the crew of a Wellington bomber which crashed here on the 13th of April 1942.

wellington bomber memorial

Along Beckland Cliff I pass fields with deliberately planted wildflower margins.

More fields, a wooded valley and a footbridge lead to trig point S5434 at 498 feet at Chapman Rock.

trig point s5434

trig point s5434

On top of the fog and mist it has now started raining as well. I should be able to see across to Lundy but there’s no chance of that. The skylarks seem to think that the weather is just about to improve as they’ve taken to the air and started singing. I watch one bird in particular sing for several minutes continuously.

I spot a hare running towards me along the coast path but as soon as it sees me it disappears into the undergrowth.

At Eldern Point I pass the site of another crashed aircraft, this time a B-24 Liberator Bomber which crashed on the 22nd of January 1943.

I can now see Hartland Point Radar perched above the misty cliffs.

hartland point radar

I walk along East Titchberry Cliff which rounds Shipload Bay and I have lovely, if misty, views to Hartland Point. I enjoy the wildflowers around here even if they are now rather damp. I also get a glimpse of a deer.

deer

A grassy track climbs above Shipload Bay and passes on the seaward side of Hartland Point Radar, originally built during the Second World War, it is now an automated radar station, maintained by the Civil Aviation Authority and linked to Swanwick near Southampton.

hartland point radar

I walk down to the car park where there is a refreshment hut. It should be open from 10:30 until 5 but, even though it is close to 12, clearly isn’t open.

hartland point refreshment kiosk

A sign tells me that it is 106 miles to Minehead in one direction along the south west coast path and 524 miles to Poole Harbour in the other direction.

coast path sign

A pod of dolphins (or porpoises) have gathered in Barley Bay and have attracted a small group of people’s attention. I take some photographs but you can’t really make out much.

dolphins

dolphins

I head towards Hartland Point Lighthouse, a grade two listed building. The lighthouse is still listed on the Trinity House website but was sold in 2011 and is now in private ownership. It looks like there’s some refurbishment work going on at the moment.

hartland point lighthouse

The path now changes direction and starts to head southwards and becomes a lot rougher and rockier.

I pass a memorial to the ship Glenart Castle, torpedoed by a U-boat in 1918 and I have a final views back to Hartland Point Lighthouse.

“In proud and grateful memory of those who gave their lives in the hospital ship Glenart Castle.”

glenart castle memorial

hartland point lighthouse

I head over Upright Cliff before dropping into a valley and crossing a footbridge. I climb out of the valley and drop into another one behind Damehole Point where the views over Hartland Quay and towards Cornwall are amazing.

view towards cornwall

I climb steps up a steep slope and then drop down into another valley and climb again.

I descend into a valley again - this is becoming familiar! - and walk inland past a house and cross a stone bridge over the Abbey River. A little further upriver can be found Hartland Abbey (@HartlandAbbey), a former abbey and now the family home of the Stucley family.

I head back out towards the coast and head across Warren Cliff where there is a square ruined tower and sheep grazing the grass. I can see inland towards the Church of Saint Nectan in the hamlet of Stoke.

sheep and tower

I suddenly come across loads of painted lady butterflies feeding on thistles and I can now quite clearly see Lundy out to sea.

painted lady

lundy

I pass Rocket House to reach a road and from here it is a short walk along a track to reach the Hartland Quay Hotel.

hartland quay from above

I would normally head down the road to Hartland Quay passing the Hartland Quay Hotel and the Wreckers' Retreat Bar but my ankle has been playing up towards the latter part of the walk so I end the walk in the car park above the hotel where my lift awaits.

That's my walking over for the week!

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• southern marsh orchids
• red campion
• foxgloves
• song thrush
• bastard balm
• ribwort plantain
• sea thrift
• bluebells
• rhododendrons
• pheasants
• skylarks
• honeysuckle
• hare
• deer
• speckled wood butterflies
• dolphins
• painted lady butterflies
• stonechat
• germander speedwell

PODCASTThe 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 10.9 miles which amounts to 28569 steps. It has taken me five and three quarter hours today which is way longer than it should have taken but I’ve been hampered by a dodgy ankle. The weather has been a lot damper and mistier than I was expecting but it has still been a lovely walk. Ten out of ten!

walk details

map

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHmonday, 6TH JUNE 2022Should be in for a rather nice day today with little in the way of wind.

Clovelly high tide 10:48

Clovelly low tide 16:55

I start today's walk back at Westward Ho! and it’s a lovely morning so I amble slowly down to the seafront.

westward ho!

westward ho!

I follow the promenade passing some modern flats on the seafront before walking past a long row of colourful beach huts, decorated for the Platinum Jubilee.

beach huts

I pass Rock Sea Pool, built in Victorian times, severely damaged in the storms of 2014 and refurbished in 2015.

rock sea pool

I leave Westward Ho! on grassy slopes before reaching a tarmac path which was once the track bed of the Bideford to Westward Ho! railway.

old railway track

I now have lovely views over towards Clovelly which looks a lot closer than it actually is. It must be at least twelve miles away.

view to clovelly

At Cornborough Range the old railway track heads off to the left towards Bideford but my path continues along the cliff top and it's time for a roller-coaster ride.

coast path sign

I walk up and down over Cornborough Cliff, Abbotsham Cliff, Green Cliff and then Cockington Cliff, admiring the June wildflowers.

abbotsham cliff beach

I have plenty of birds for company including a load of stonechats and linnets. The views back to Westward Ho! and over to Clovelly are lovely.

stonechat

I descend down to Babbacombe Mouth with its rocky and pebbly beach.

babbacombe mouth

babbacombe mouth

I climb steeply up onto Babbacombe Cliff and there are more lovely views. I amble up and down the cliffs but the paths are very overgrown and fiddly to negotiate. It doesn’t help that my walking pole is broken and won’t open.

After almost an hour of scrambling up and down the cliffs I finally descend to reach Peppercombe, where there is a pebbly beach. I have the whole beach to myself.

peppercombe

The cliffs at Peppercombe are carved from 280 million year old red Triassic stone (unusual around here) and I have lovely views eastward back towards Westward Ho! and grand sweeping views westward towards Hartland Point. I can just make out the Isle of Lundy out to sea.

Clovelly can now be clearly seen clinging to the cliffs in the distance.

The wildflowers are lovely and I pass scarlet pimpernel, herb robert, gorse and hypericum (or st john’s-wort).

I come across a group of orchids on a slope. They look like southern marsh orchids but I can only get to one. There’s also some lovely ragged robin here as well.

southern marsh orchid

ragged robin

I’m now just two and a half miles away from Bucks Mills, a route almost entirely through woods.

I climb steeply out of Peppercombe, admiring the views back from where I've come, and head along wooded slopes. The woods should be full of bluebells but they seem to have finished early this year. Chiff chaffs are singing their hearts out everywhere as well as a song thrush.

view to clovelly

At the end of Worthygate Woods I descend steeply and gingerly down to the tiny village of Buck's Mills.

On the slipway down to the beach I pass Buck's Mills Cabin, used as an artist’s studio by Judith Ackland and Mary Stella Edwards, from the 1920’s up to the 1970’s. The National Trust became custodians of the Cabin in 2008.

buck’s mills cabin

I’d normally wander down to the pebbly beach and admire the stream tumbling over the cliff before ascending back up to the village. But today I’ve been having problems with my knees and my left ankle - don’t know why, must be old age - so I head back up the slipway instead.

buck’s mills beach

The coast path climbs uphill between houses to reach Buck's Valley Woods.

The path between Peppercombe and Hobby Drive has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The walking is lovely and chiff chaffs, wrens, robins, blackbirds, great tits and many more birds are singing their hearts out.

The path continues, sometimes through woods, sometimes besides woods and there are pheasants everywhere. The woods contain a number of rhododendrons.

I come across a farmer driving a tractor, cutting the grass for silage.

silage

Eventually the path reaches Hobby Drive and I come across a stone memorial bench …..

“The new portion of road measuring 833 yards was added to The Hobby by Frederick and Christine Hamlyn in the year of Our Lord God 1901.”

memorial bench

This area has inspired artists, including the famous 19th century artist Samuel Palmer, whose work 'A study of Trees' captures the characteristic woodland forms still found in this area. Nope, I've not heard of him either!

The path continues downhill through woods and there are now glimpses of Clovelly through the trees. As I approach Clovelly I come across more and more dog walkers.

view down to clovelly

I reach the ancient Wrinkleberry Lane and the coast path continues high above Clovelly but it's time for me to visit the village and end today's walk.

The village of Clovelly tumbles 400 feet down a steep hillside from the visitor centre down to the harbour. I suspect the village is going to be too busy for my liking today so I briefly walk down the top part of the village to take a photo.

clovelly

I climb back up through the top part of Clovelly and leave through the visitor centre where my lift awaits in the car park.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• rabbits
• honeysuckle
• sea thrift
• jackdaws
• bladder campion
• foxgloves
• whitethroat
• oystercatchers
• stonechats
• linnets
• painted lady butterflies
• meadow brown butterflies
• pheasants
• sweet chestnuts
• southern marsh orchids
• ragged robin
• st john’s-wort
• red valerian
• bracken

PODCASTThe 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 13.1 miles which amounts to 33241 steps. It has taken me six hours but I have been ambling quite a bit and it’s a tough section of the coast path. The weather has been lovely but the same can’t be said for my dodgy body parts!. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

map

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHsunday, 5TH june 2022The weather forecast for today is pure filth!

Yelland Marsh high tide 10:16

Yelland Marsh low tide 16:50

The weather forecast for today is filthy and it has rained heavily overnight but when I get up there seems to be a break in the weather so it is time to head back to Instow and continue the walk to Westward Ho!

The ferry is running from 09:30 to 11:40 today so I’ve arrived fairly early to catch the ferry at about 09:50. I have the ferry to myself, except for the crew that is! The journey over costs me a paltry £2 and they’ve gone card payments only and contactless!!

ferry at appledore

I reach the other side of the River Torridge at Appledore and walk along the waterfront and pass the parish church of Saint Mary's, just in time for the church bells to start peeling.

I reach the older part of Appledore at Irsha Street where I pass the Beaver Inn (@TheBeaverInn).

The houses are crammed in here and I take some photos of the house signs.

The Royal George (@trg_appledore) is close to the Beaver Inn and was shut and looking a bit run down the last time I passed here but is back up and running which is great to see.

royal george

I pass in front of the lifeboat station.

appledore lifeboat station

The coast path just past here had been undercut by the storms of 2014 the last time I was here but I’m able to walk along the beach again which takes me all the way to Northam Burrows Country Park, very close to Westward Ho!

northam burrows country park

I’ve got a bit of a trek though rounding the burrows and I walk along the grassy banks of the park, where skylarks are singing. I pass the site of what was once RAF Northam of which little remains except the concrete bases of radar masts.

raf northam

raf northam

After an uneventful walk I start to head back towards Westward Ho! again. I climb over the pebbly ridge to drop down onto the sand exposed at low tide and start to walk along the beach but it’s hard going as I keep sinking deeply into the sand.

pebbly ridge

I clamber back over the pebbly ridge and continue through the dune system, passing the golf course here and then Pebble Ridge Kitchen. The sun is even starting to come out which I wasn’t expecting.

I clamber back over the pebbly ridge one last time by the Lifeguard Station and drop down onto the beach at Westward Ho!

lifeguard station

It is now an easy walk along the beach into Westward Ho! but I was wrong. The tide is too far in for me to come ashore at the slipway so I have to climb over the pebbly ridge one last time (honest!) but it’s much easier at this end of the beach as the pebbles are much smaller.

westward ho!

I amble through a rather busy town to reach the car park where my lift awaits. I’ve somehow managed to dodge a decidedly dodgy weather forecast.

FLORA AND FAUNAIt has been such a short walk that I haven’t encountered much today but flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• skylarks

PODCASTThe 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 5.3 miles which amounts to 11884 steps. It has taken me one and three quarter hours. The weather has been surprisingly dry and the sun even came out at one point. Seven out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

map

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHsaturday, 4th june 2022I have been keeping an eye on the weather forecast for this week for a while and, except for tomorrow, it has been pretty good so I’m a little surprised to wake up this morning to find it raining, grey, overcast and not very warm. I mean, seriously?! Why is the wind blowing from the east in June?

Barnstaple high tide 09:41

Barnstaple low tide 13:47

Today’s walk is a walk which, on paper, looks a bit on the boring side, walking largely on old railway tracks. But hey! The birds are singing and the wild flowers are looking lovely.

I start the day at the car park at Velator Quay and walk up to the roundabout at Velator on the way in to Braunton. It’s overcast but at least it’s not raining.

velator quay

A sign here points to Barnstaple along a tarmac cycleway and there are plenty of signs around showing that the cycleway used to be a railway.

I pass a sign threatening that I could be arrested and prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act.

The Barnstaple to Ilfracombe Railway was built in 1874 by the London and South Western Railway as an extension of a rail network that stretched right back to Waterloo Station in London but closed in 1970. The line between Braunton and Barnstaple was subsequently bought by North Devon District Council and made into a footpath and in the late 1980s was upgraded to a cycleway and is now part of National Cycleway Network number 27.

national cycleway network 27

The flowers are out in all their glory and I see plenty of ribwort plantains, knapweeds, cow parsley, buttercups, ox-eye daisies and hogweed.

I manage to take a photograph of a skipper butterfly but they look so alike that I’m not sure which type it is.

skipper butterfly

The walking is easy and I pass RMB Chivenor, home to Commando Logistic Regiment Royal Marines and 24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers and 22 Squadron ‘A’ Flight Search and Rescue Force RAF.

rmb chivenor

I pass under bridges and pass by the Waterside Cafe.

railway bridge

waterside cafe

I pass a wrecked boat and the wooded path gives way to views across the River Taw over towards Fremington Quay. I have plenty of cyclists and runners for company as I approach Barnstaple.

wrecked boat

view over to fremington quay

I pass behind Heanton Court Pub and Restaurant.

heanton court

I pass Tarka Trail sign number 3 with a link to an audio clip. I somehow missed Tarka Trail sign number 1 at Velator Quay and Tarka Trail sign number 2 at Heanton Court. I’ll try and look out for more later on in the walk. The signs were installed in January 2016.

tarka trail 3

The route continues by an industrial estate where a flock of geese rises up from the River Taw.

geese

wham bam i am a man!

national cycle network 27

I come across a song thrush perched on a wall who doesn’t seem to mind my presence.

song thrush

The route continues along the tarmac path underneath the Taw Bridge carrying the A361.

I cross Yeo Bridge to reach Barnstaple where I pass The Watergate. A wedding seems to be taking place there but everyone seems to have paused for a fag break!

the watergate

I walk across the ancient Long Bridge.

long bridge

I leave Barnstaple behind me via a tarmac path but it’s been seven years since I’ve been this way and things have changed a bit. There aren’t any signs and I can’t remember which way to go so firstly choose the wrong path (possibly) next to Oliver Buildings. A sign informs me that the development here is coming soon but judging by the state of the building it won’t be any time in the near future.

oliver buildings

I retrace my steps when I don’t recognize anything and choose another path which is immediately more recognizeable and come across murals by Mel Saggs in the underpasses. These murals have been gaffitti-ized themselves since the last time I was here.

I join another path along old railway tracks along the south side of the estuary of the River Taw and I’m now back on National Cycle Network 27.

national cycle network 27

The Taw Vale Railway and Dock Company laid the track between Fremington and Barnstaple in 1846 and was originally a goods line operated by horses. The company repackaged itself as the North Devon Railway who then extended the railway through Instow to the original station at Cross Parks at East-the-Water at Bideford. The Bideford Railway Heritage Centre website contains a full history of the railway.

The path is used by plenty of cyclists, joggers and dog walkers.

cyclists

I pass Tarka Trail sign number 4, Tarka Trail sign number 5 and Tarka Trail sign number 7 but somehow manage to miss Tarka Trail sign number 6.

tarka trail 4

tarka trail 5

tarka trail 7

The path moves away from the river and goes through Fremington Cuttings.

fremington cuttings

I reach the old Fremington station which now houses the Fremington Quay Cafe and the Fremington Quay Heritage Centre. Fremington Quay was once a bustling port, importing and exporting goods all around the world.

fremington quay

I cross a bridge over a tidal inlet, where I hear and see a solitary curlew, and continue along the trackbed away from the river.

I pass a Gaia Trust Nature Reserve at Home Farm Marsh and then Yelland Stone Row, a Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age double row of paired stones. I then pass Tarka Trail Camping.

The coast path turns right and heads across the salt marsh but I’m quite happy to keep going along the Traka Trail.

turn right

I come across the site of the former Yelland Power Station, once a vast, coal fired power station, built in 1955 and now I can’t see any remains.

yelland power station

I come across foxgloves and flag iris and then pass Tarka Trail sign number 10 at Instow Pond. I seem to have missed Tarka Trail sign number 8 at Fremington and Tarka Trail sign number 9 at Isley Marsh.

foxgloves

flag iris

tarka trail 10

I visit the North Devon Cricket Club (@instowcricket) tucked away behind the path. The thatched pavilion is a grade 2 listed building dating back to the late 1700s. There’s a game in play but the action is very slow so I don’t stop for too long.

It has now started raining but I can’t really complain as I’m close to my destination and I’ve managed to avoid rain all day long.

I go through a car park and drop down onto Instow Sands. We were early travelling down yesterday and so popped here for an hour in lovely weather when it was pretty busy. Today though there is only a few hardy dog walkers.

instow sands

instow sands

The tide is too low for the Instow to Appledore ferry to be running at all today, so I’ll attempt to come back later in the week when the ferry is running to complete the walk to Westward Ho!

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• blackcaps
• robins
• wrens
• hogweed
• ribwort plantain
• knapweed
• ox-eye daisies
• herb robert
• dog rose
• common dog-violet
• red campion
• canada geese
• song thrush
• tufted vetch
• curlew
• goat’s beard
• bird’s-foot trefoil
• cow parsley
• swallows
• speckled wood butterfly
• skylarks
• foxgloves
• yellow flag iris

PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 12.7 miles which amounts to 28601 steps. It has taken me four and a half hours. The weather has been a bit on the dull side and the walking has been very easy but it has been a thoroughly enjoyable walk mostly along old railway tracks. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

mel saggs

cyclists

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHwednesday, 4th may 2022I should have much better weather today than the previous two walking days with perhaps even a bit of warmth and sun and with very little in the way of wind.

Lyme Regis high tide: 09:24

Lyme Regis low tide: 14:59

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

End point: Anchor Inn, Seatown DT6 6JU SY419917

Map: Explorer 116

I start the day back at the Charmouth Road car park above Lyme Regis. A sign here tells me that there are 114 steps down to the foreshore. I climb a few of the steps down where I have a view of the Black Ven landslip and the coast path walk for the day is laid out in front of me.

I can see over to Golden Cap but the rest of the coast is still in a bit of a haze. This is one of my favourite stretches of coast on the whole coast path.

view to golden cap

The birds are making an awful racket and I even manage to spot a bullfinch.

I climb back up to the Charmouth Road car park and head towards Charmouth Road.

Today's walk has typically in the past been dogged by landslips resulting in several inland diversions starting with an inland diversion at Lyme Regis.

I head upwards through fields high above Lyme Regis, photographing the wild flowers and I have a final view over the Cobb.

view over the cobb

path closed

I enter a wood full of bluebells and wander through the wood following the signs. Part of the path here is very steep and would be difficult to climb in wet weather.

I continue along a minor road before reaching the main road into Lyme Regis. I continue along the road for a little while until a sign points me to a path through Lyme Regis Golf Club.

lyme regis golf course

I continue walking through the golf course following a stone path. I used to enter woods here to come out onto the main road into Charmouth next to the Fernhill Hotel but the coast path seems to have been re-routed and a coast path sign is pointing in a completely new direction.

What a pleasant surprise. There is now a decent coastal route out of Lyme Regis and down into Charmouth without having to walk along nasty, stinky main roads.

I come across a sculpture of what must presumably be Mary Anning in woods.

mary anning

When I get home I find out all about the making of the sculpture.

It is a thoroughly pleasant walk now next to the golf course before I come across a viewing point looking back over the cliffs to Lyme Regis.

view points

A signpost tells me that I’m two miles from Lyme Regis and just half a mile away from Charmouth.

signpost

It’s now time to descend down to Charmouth along a minor road. I throroughly approve of this re-routing of the coast path.

descending to charmouth

It is now an uneventful walk through the back streets of Charmouth following coast path signs.

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

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

I head up from Charmouth Beach and walk towards a bridge above East Beach. Hang on a sec! I’m used to being diverted miles inland at Charmouth but there’s a new coast path sign pointing in an easterly direction over the cliffs.

new coast path sign

I have never been this way before. Either I’ve been going in the wrong direction or I’ve been following an old re-route due to landslides. With a spring in my step I start to ascend the cliffs out of Charmouth. This walk is going to be much shorter than I thought it would be.

view over charmouth

I amble along the cliffs enjoying the views back to Charmouth and ahead towards Golden Cap as well as all of the wildflowers.

I come across a coast path sign at Westhay Farm and descend into a meadow full of green-winged orchids and some yellow rattle. It looks absolutely lovely.

I walk down through a field full of cows and calves with some trepidation after the experiences of the last couple of walks but they are as docile as anything.

I start to climb slowly up on to the top of Golden Cap. It's a long way up at 627 feet and the highest point on the south coast but it’s a surprisingly easy climb.

climbing golden cap

I enjoy the magnificent views from up here. In one direction I can see out to the Isle of Portland and in the other direction back to Lyme Regis and beyond.

view from golden cap

Golden Cap is named after the distinctive outcrop of golden greensand rock at the tip of the cliff and is owned by the National Trust. There is a trigpoint s3752 on the eastern side which must have one of the best views of any of the trigpoints.

trigpoint

view from golden cap

I hang around for a while admiring the views before taking the long descent down to the Anchor Inn (@anchoratseatown) at Seatown.

leaving golden cap

I enjoy the beach at Seatown and then head for the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• bullfinch
• goldfinches
• chiffchaffs
• song thrush
• blackcap
• ribwort plantain
• bluebells
• wild garlic
• herb robert
• garlic mustard
• swallows
• speckled wood butterfly
• stonechat
• wheatear
• green-winged orchids
• yellow rattle

PODCASTThe 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 7.7 miles which amounts to 18706 steps. It has taken me four hours but I have been ambling quite a bit. The weather has been lovely and not having to divert massive distances around Lyme Regis and Charmouth has made the walk so much better. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

green-winged orchids

green-winged orchids

green-winged orchids

yellow rattle

beach collection (sort of)

View Details

east devon waymonday, 2nd may 2022The weather forecast isn’t much good today and doesn’t look particularly warm but I shouldn’t have much in the way of wind. It’s not likely to be a very good day for photographs again.

Lyme Regis high tide 08:24

Lyme Regis low tide 13:52

Start location: Dolphin Street Car Park, Colyton EX24 6JT, SY246940

End point: The car park behind the village hall, Sidbury, EX10 0SN, SY138917

Map: Explorer 115 & 116

I start the day back in Colyton at the Dolphin Street car park. I cross over the road and walk behind The Colcombe Castle with the market square on my left and then along Vicarage Street behind St Andrew’s Church, with its distinctive lantern tower.

colcombe castle

colyton church

On my left I pass the grand wrought iron gates of Colyton House where, opposite, the East Devon Way rejoins me from the right.

colyton house

I cross over the stone Chantry Bridge and turn immediately left into a field next to the River Coly.

chantry bridge

east devon way

I pass a large industrial building which is the last remaining oak tannery in Britain.

oak tannery

The next two or so miles is an uneventful walk next to the river, crossing several fields, passing through several gates and crossing small footbridges. Along the way I take photographs of some of the rather bedraggled flowers.

Eventually I exit the riverside fields and join Northleigh Lane. I follow this road towards Northleigh for a mile and a half and come across some early purple orchids.

I pass Road Pitt Farm and then, at Farwood Cross, I go straight over the crossroads past some stone cottages on my left.

farwood cross

I now have Northleigh in my sights and can make out the church with its distinctive white tower.

northleigh

I go over a small stone bridge and continue up the lane past more cottages on my right.

At a junction I turn left where the signpost points towards ‘Farway, Southleigh and Honiton’ and walk towards Northleigh Church, passing a colourful garden on my left filled with tulips.

I enter the churchyard and then follow a footpath keeping the church on my right. I follow the path round to the left where it becomes a track before reaching a lane.

northleigh church

I turn right onto the lane, which goes uphill slightly. I turn left, go though a gate and continue across the field to pass through another gate.

In this next field I follow the hedge on my right and, before reaching the bottom corner, cross over a stile in the hedge to reach a lane, where you I turn left.

I cross over the lane and turn right into a field almost immediately opposite. I walk diagonally though this field aiming for a bridge in the centre.

I leave the field over the stiles at the bottom and turn right on to the road. I pass Netherton Cottage and in front of me is Netherton Hall with its large flint and brick wall. I follow the road as it curves to the right.

Just past Netherton Hall I turn left down a lane towards a ford, signposted Farway. I cross over the ford on the footbridge, and then walk through Farway village, with its thatched cottages.

ford

farway

I turn right at the cross roads, signposted Farway Church & Honiton. In front of me are two old fashioned petrol pumps.

farway signpost

petrol pumps

I follow a lane to the right and pass a farm where a large marquee has been erected although I don’t see any sign of what it’s going to be used for.

marquee

Where the road bends to the right, there is dead end road sign to my left at Valley View Road. I take the footpath into the field in front of me.

At the bottom of the field I go over a stile and a wooden bridge, and fork left towards a thatched house, marked Tedbridge on my map. I pass Tedbridge Cottage and cross over a footbridge over a stream and then turn left in through a field and right to follow the side of the stream.

I turn right on to a lane, go through the gate at the end of the field and cross the stream. I follow a lane up to Church Green where I can see St Michael’s Church with its fine yew trees.

st michael’s church

I leave the church behind and follow the road out of Church Green uphill, steeply at times, for three quarters of a mile to reach a t-junction. On the climb up I come across some more early purple orchids.

I cross over the t-junction and enter Farway Forestry Commission woodland where I follow a bridleway until I come across a large vehicle turning circle, where I take a track to the right and then a wide track on my left.

farway forestry commission

I turn left to reach the Ottery St Mary to Beer road, which I cross with care and walk to the right of a cottage and then through a farmyard.

Past the farmyard I turn left down a public bridleway, and enter Knapp Copse Local Nature Reserve. I’m now next to the babbling Roncombe Stream and the lane surface becomes a stony path where I come across a group of people out walking their dogs. The dogs are very friendly and surround me wagging their tails and jumping up on me.

knapp copse

knapp copse

I pass through a newly- planted orchard and pass signs for permissive paths on my right and left and the bridleway eventually swings right to reach a gate into Lower Knapp Farm holiday complex.

lower knapp farm

I go through a gate and then follow a gravel path between the holiday buildings and then follow an access drive with Roncombe Stream first on my left and then on my right, to reach Roncombe Lane where I turn right.

I turn left through Lower Mincombe Farm where I come across more friendly dogs, cross over the stream and turn right through a gate and up a track, which then swings left steeply uphill.

At the top I go right, still climbing, to reach a field with a threatening sign telling me that there is a bull in the field. Great!

I go diagonally across the field but don’t see any cows. I keep a copse on my right and suddenly, as I head towards the gate masses of cows suddenly appear and there is indeed a bull with them.

I calmly move towards the gate as the cows converge on me and make it to the gate just in time. As I go through the gate I am completely surrounded by cows although they seem to be pretty friendly.

I turn onto a lane and then turn right again over a stile, immediately after Oaklands Farmhouse, where I come across a public footpath sign to Sidbury.

I walk along a woodland track leading downhill, then along the top edge of an open field. This leads to a conservation woodland, which is quite boggy but has a boardwalk through the muddiest parts.

Once out of the woodland I go straight across a field and go though the metal gate into another wooded area. I should now see the Old Dairy House with its Victorian decorative bargeboards but it is completely obscured by trees. I reach a lane with Hatway Cottage opposite and turn left.

I follow a lane steeply uphill for a quarter of a mile and near the top follow a public bridleway on my right and eventually enter a pine plantation. I come to a wider vehicle turning area and follow a signpost on my left directing me to a public footpath on my right.

I follow the signs through the woods. The path now descends steeply through Buckley Plantation. The loose earth down this steep slope proves to be very slippery so I pack everything away in my bag and head gingerly downhill where I can now see glimpses of Sidbury with its church below.

buckley plantation

I reach a field on the outskirts of Sidbury and walk straight ahead towards the church, cross a stile, and go through a gate and then turn left keeping to the left of farm buildings.

view over sidbury

I go though a kissing gate and turn right on to the lane past Long Barn House. I turn immediately left down a lane to the village, cross the River Sid by the red brick bridge where we stayed in a holiday cottage in 2016. It is now a short hop and a step to enter the village of Sidbury.

old holiday cottage

At the main road I pass the Red Lion pub, the church and the butcher/convenience store, and turn left behind the village hall to reach the car park where my lift awaits.

red lion

sidbury church

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• garlic mustard
• green alkanet
• greater stictchwort
• wild garlic
• bluebells
• red campion
• cow parsley
• chiffchaffs
• wrens
• pheasants
• early purple orchids
• cuckooflower
• ribwort plantain
• tulips
• primroses
• robins
• song thrushes
• fig
• blackcaps

PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 12.7 miles which amounts to 29566 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours. The weather has been a bit dull and misty but at least my notes aren’t falling to pieces today. 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

tulips

tulips

early purple orchids

View Details

east devon waysunday, 1st may 2022I’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.

murky 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.

town mill sign

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.

lyme regis brewery

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.

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.

old water mill

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.

talbot arms

uplyme 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.

uplyme cricket club

lym valley croquet club

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.

wadley hill

murky cannington railway viaduct

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.

sheep

I walk downhill though a field full of dandelions.

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.

axminster to lyme regis railway

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.

murky wide open vistas

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.

musbury castle

early purple orchid

early purple orchid

early purple orchid

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.

musbury church

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.

five to ten?

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.

seaton tramway

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

seaton tramway

seaton tramway

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.

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.

cows

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.

colyton

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora 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

PODCASTThe 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

early purple orchid

cows

View Details

hardy waywednesday, 29TH SEPTEMBER 2021It 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.

slape manor

river cottage

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.

wind turbine

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.

view over bridport

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.

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.

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 FAUNAFlora 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

PODCASTThe 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 DETAILSWell 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

View Details

wessex ridgewaymonday, 27th september 2021It 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.

thorncombe 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.

lambert’s castle

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.

coney’s castle

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 FAUNAFlora 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

PODCASTThe 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 DETAILSWell 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

View Details

wessex ridgewaysunday, 26th september 2021It 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 7oC.

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).

wessex ridgeway trail

field of corn

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.

lewesdon hill

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

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 Castleand Coney’s Castle.

It was bequeathed to the NationalTrust 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.

cole’s cross

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.

thorncombe

thorncombe

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 FAUNAFlora 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

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

MAP

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHwednesday, 15th september 2021It 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

gyllyngvase beach

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

swanpool beach

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

maenporth

maenporth

maenporth

maenporth

maenporth

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

mawnan glebe

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

porthallack

porthallack

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

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

bosloe

bosloe

bosloe

bosloe

bosloe

bosloe

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

durgan

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

helford passage

helford passage

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.

mawnan old church

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora 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

PODCASTThe 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 DETAILSWell 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

falmouth

falmouth

falmouth

falmouth

helford river

beach collection

View Details

south west coast pathsaturday, 11th september 2021Today's weather forecast looks great with sunny spells all day long and very little in the way of wind so it might be a bit on the warm side.

Helford river entance high tide 08:58

Helford river entrance low tide 15:22

I start the day back at the harbour in Coverack where I left the South West Coast Path back in June.

“Coverack - Fishing village on the shore of a rocky bay which has a sandy bottom and looks as translucent as a swimming pool. Stone pier and lifeboat station at the southern end of the village. Boats run fishing trips for visitors.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

I pass the small harbour full of fishing boats and continue through the village of Coverack.

coverack

coverack

coverack

coverack

coverack

Coverack is looking lovely on this late summer's day. I visit St Peter's, Coverack’s parish church where signs warn about leaving wilting flowers in the churchyard and the consequences of doing so!

st peter’s

I must be almost bang on high tide as there is only the tiniest slither of beach.

I climb a tarmac road to leave Coverack and then enter a muddy area using granite stepping stones to keep relatively dry and mud free. It is hard work making any progress. It always seems to be muddy here!

I continue on the path towards Lowland Point passing a herd of cows who briefly block the coast path but pass by looking at me with curiosity.

I enter the long abandoned Dean Quarry where there is a lone person fishing from the rocks below me and cormorants (I guess they could be shags but I don’t know how to tell the difference) perched on a rock out to sea.

cormorants

I pass through the quarry with its signs still warning of explosions and blasting.

dean quarry

dean quarry

dean quarry

dean quarry

dean quarry

dean quarry

dean quarry

dean quarry

I come across plenty of red admiral butterflies feeding on the buddleia bushes around here.

red admiral

I continue towards Godrevy Cove where I can see a couple of people walking along the beach. It is usually completely empty and I have the beach to myself. It's not really surprising since it's in the middle of nowhere!

godrevy cove

I reach Godrevy Cove and it is positively heaving. Not only are the couple of people I saw earlier still on the beach but another couple of people are walking towards me. There is also a fellow coast path walker at the top of the beach who I will see again in Porthoustock, Porthallow and finally munching on some food looking out over Gillan Creek close to Helford.

I amble along the grey, sandy beach, collecting shells and then head inland on a path where I come across another couple of people and then a massive gunnera.

The path from here to Porthallow would test the Trade Descriptions Act as a ‘coast path’ as, for much of the time, it's far from the coast. Hopefully, one day this stretch of coast path will be improved.

The path crosses farmland to where I come across swallows perched on the telephone wires around here. I reach the village of Porthoustock with its shingle beach housing small fishing boats and its still active quarry, silent today as presumably it doesn’t get worked on a Saturday.

porthoustock

porthoustock

porthoustock

“Porthoustock - Cliffs sculpted into giant terraces by extensive quarry workings. Red flags are hoisted and sirens sounded during blasting operations.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

I follow the road to leave Porthoustock and then keep my eyes open for the signs that point to a vague path over fields. I walk through one field containing borage, cornflowers and the odd sunflower. A very strange combination but rather nice.

I briefly re-join the road before the path nips down a track behind the road where I pass the Fat Apples Cafe and then re-joins the road again for the short trek into Porthallow.

apples

“Porthallow - Forty years ago this sheltered cove had a pleasant sandy beach; now it is covered with grey stones thrown back by the sea from quarries further south. Cars can be parked overlooking the beach.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

I pass the Five Pilchards Inn, which is finally sporting a full collection of name letters and proves to be difficult to photograph as the low sun is just above the pub. I wander on the pebbly beach here.

five pilchards inn

porthallow

porthallow

porthallow

porthallow

Porthallow marks the halfway point on the South West Coast Path. There are 315 miles to Minehead in one direction and 315 miles to South Haven Point, Poole in the other direction.

midway marker

I walk along the back of the beach and then climb some concrete steps before battling with the jungle like vegetation.

The flowers around here are amazing, even this late in the season, and there are bees and butterflies fluttering around everywhere. I enjoy the views back to Porthallow.

A cliff top walk leads me to Nare Head where I can now see the Helford estuary which will be my companion for the rest of the day. The Nare Point National Coastwatch Station can be found here.

nare point national coastwatch station

I walk along Trewarnevas Cliff but the views are mostly obscured by trees and the paths are fiddly and overgrown. There are surprisingly popular beaches here and I enjoy Men-aver beach with a few other people before dropping down to the shore of Gillan Creek at Gillan Harbour.

“Gillan Harbour - The inlet, where a small creek runs into the sea between wooded banks, has silted up since it was a medieval port. On the south side is Flushing, a group of houses amongst oak and pine woods looking down on the harbour. Opposite Flushing is St Anthony, a peaceful hamlet with a 15th-century church which has 128 candles hanging in small brass chandeliers. The church tower is built of a fine-grained granite found only in Normandy, which lends weight to the story that it was built in thanksgiving by shipwrecked Normans who after being washed ashore at this spot, returned with the materials. The emblem of St Anthony is a pig, which is why people born in the parish are jocularly called St Anthony pigs, and the annual parish celebration, held in December is the Piggy Feast. East of the village are the ruins of a fort on Dennis Head built by Henry VIII to protect the flank of Pendennis Castle, Falmouth. Swimming is safe.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

A signpost gives me two options. I can either take the shorter route over stepping stones in Gillan Creek or the longer route around Gillan Creek. Last time I was here the stepping stones were out of order due to bank erosion but it appears that they are in use again. They can only be used at low tide though so I have to take the longer route.

I climb up a road and then follow a road towards Flushing Cove where I can finally see the creek with plenty of swans on it. A sign here tells me that a male swan was killed by a labrador here but that the female swan managed to rear her four remaining cygnets by herself.

The coast path continues along the banks of Gillan Creek towards St Anthony. I look down towards the set of stepping stones but they are still covered in water.

I drop down to the shoreline of Gillan Creek at the other side of the stepping stones and the shoreline leads me to the tiny village of St Anthony-in-Meneage where I explore the grounds of the parish church of St Anthony.

st anthony

I walk along the road past the church and then through a gate and then up through fields. At the top of the field I take a headland detour which rounds the headland and then takes me back to where I started.

I turn direction and walk along the Helford River with fine views across to the other side.

I then enter woods where the views are more fleeting before joining a road which leads into Helford where I pass the Holy Mackerel Cafe.

holy mackerel cafe

helford

I walk down to the ford and footbridge and pass the post office shop and the thatched Shipwrights Arms (@ShipwrightsArms) which is looking lovely.

shipwrights arms

“Helford - Attractive, sleepy village at the head of a small inlet off the Helford River. A stream runs between houses and can be crossed by footbridge or ford. Like those of other villages, snug in well-wooded sheltered valleys near by, the cottage gardens are very pretty; palms grow outdoors. Swans often glide on the water near the foreshore and can sometimes be fed by hand. During the summer, non-residents’ cars are not allowed in the village but there is an adequate car park in a field on the hillside. Boats for hire, sailing school.”

— AA Book of the Seaside, 1972

I walk along a path and climb down some steps to reach the ferry stop but I’ve taken so long that I've hit the river close to low tide so the ferry won't be running for another hour and a quarter. A couple join me who were told that the ferry would be running until 3 ‘o’ clock. It’s a quarter to three so they’re in for a long wait back at the pub.

helford river

helford river

I make a phone call and then retrace my steps back to the public car park above Helford and then wait for my lift to arrive to take us back to our holiday cottage in Falmouth.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• seagulls
• jackdaw
• agapanthus
• japanese anenome
• red campion
• fleabane
• devil’s-bit scabious
• betony
• salad burnet
• common knapweed
• gorse
• sea thrift
• hydrangea
• buddleia
• speckled wood butterflies
• stonechat
• sea thrift
• red admirals (loads of them)
• cows
• cormorants
• cat’s ear
• blackberries
• crocosmia
• gunnera
• swallows
• borage
• cornflowers
• sunflowers
• ribwort plantain
• fuchsias
• echiums
• apples
• perforate st john’s-wort
• swans

PODCASTThe 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 15.7 miles which amounts to 36924 steps. It has taken me six and three quarter hours. Despite the lack of coast path between Godrevy and Porthallow and then taking so long that I missed the ferry, I’ve had glorious weather all day long and the flora and fauna has been magnificent. Properly sweaty! Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILSWell bugger me! All of my tracking apps worked for me today. I’ve also got a new Garmin eTrex 10 which should prove to be more reliable than my apps although its operating system is utter garbage and the software that goes with it is utterly baffling at the moment. The elevation maps below actually vaguely resemble each other.

mytracks app

ordnance survey

MAP

coverack

red admiral

cornflower

borage

sunflower

helford passage

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHtuesday, 8th june 2021Today's weather forecast looks great with sun all day long so it might be a bit on the warm side.

Lizard Point low tide 10:53

Lizard Point high tide 16:55

I return to the car park in the Lizard village first thing in the morning and wander down the footpath again towards Lizard Point, but instead of getting the dreaded 'No Signal' on my phone, I have a full on 4G signal.

I pass in front of the polbrean youth hostel where I can look down and see the familiar sight of masses of seagulls on Lizard Point.

polbrean youth hostel

seagulls on lizard point

I continue along the coast path in front of the lighthouse.

lighthouse

I pass the Housel Bay Hotel. It's a pleasant morning so I continue ambling around to the Lizard Marconi Wireless Station, the oldest surviving Marconi wireless station, but it seems to be closed at the moment.

lizard wireless station

I pass the Bass Point National Coastwatch Station. A plaque here tells me that on the 15th of January 2004, the Breton trawler ‘Bugaled Breizh’ sank off Lizard Point with five sailors losing their lives.

bass point

I head towards the Lizard Lifeboat Station at Kilcobben Cove, which, although it was only opened in May 2012, is surrounded in scaffolding. Every time I pass this place it seems to be undergoing repairs!

lizard lifeboat station

A stone memorial here tells me that on the night of the 29th December 1962 ‘The Ardgarry’ and her crew of twelve were lost in a storm off of this coast.

stone memorial

I reach a small habitation at Church Cove and head towards Cadgwith.

church cove

I leave Church Cove and come across a big clump of giant gunneras. From an unseen house I can hear someone tuning and then playing their guitar.

I come across a small copper butterfly feeding on scabious.

small copper butterfly

I head on towards Cadgwith, passing the Devil's Frying Pan, where the collapse of a sea cave has led to the creation of a 100 metre deep hole.

devil’s frying pan

On the outskirts of Cadgwith I come across a Jensen car which appears to be in immaculate condition. I think it must be a Jensen CV-8.

jensen cv-8

I reach flowery Cadgwith and enjoy the roses and poppies here before wandering down to the beach trying to avoid all of the fishing equipment left clumsily lying around! I amble around the beach. Leaving the beach, I pass the Cadgwith Cove Inn (@CadgwithCoveInn) before climbing out of the village in front of a row of cottages overlooking the harbour.

cadgwith

cadgwith

cadgwith

cadgwith

cadgwith

I continue to Poltesco Cove where a footbridge crosses a wooded river.

Here can be found the ruins of a serpentine works, once a thriving Victorian factory making mantlpieces, gravestones, shop fronts and polished ornaments made from the local serpentine stone quarried locally.

poltesco serpentine works

On leaving Poltesco I come across more pearl-bordered fritillaries. They prove to be hard to photograph but I do get one shot.

pearl-bordered fritillary

I continue on towards Kennack Sands, enjoying the views back over Poltesco. I reach Kennack Sands, pass the cafe here and wander down on to the beach to waste a bit of time. It can get popular here and is a lot busier than I’ve ever seen it before. There’s even a lifeguard service.

kennack sands

kennack sands

kennack sands

kennack sands

I walk across the beach and climb back up on to the cliffs, enjoying all of the wildflowers and wildlife on the low cliffs. I'm on my own now until I reach Coverack! I walk along easy paths over Eastern Cliff through gorse and heather passing Spernic Cove, Lankidden Cove, Butter Cove and Downas Cove to reach Beagles Point. It turns out I’m not alone as I do come across quite a few people.

heading towards beagles point

There have been butterflies fluttering around everywhere since leaving Kennack Sands, mostly speckled woods and pearl-bordered fritillaries but I did also see a couple of red admirals.

red admiral

I pass a memorial to the crew of Sea King XV702 who perished close to here on the night of the 21st March 1974.

sea king memorial

On Beagles Point I admire the view back to Lizard Point which will soon disappear from view.

view back to lizard point

I climb over the cliffs to reach the old coastguard lookout at Black Head. I turn in a northerly direction and enjoy the flora and fauna here. I come across one solitary orchid and not a particularly good specimen. I’m sure there used to be more orchids around here.

solitary orchid

Easy walking takes me on towards Coverack but before reaching the small fishing village, I have an awkward descent down to Porthbeer Cove which twists and turns all over the place and is strewn with rocks.

porthbeer cove

I leave the delightful Porthbeer Cove which I don’t think I’ve come across before and another awkward path takes me into Coverack where I pass the Lifeboat House Restaurant and the Paris Hotel and enter the village, passing the small harbour full of fishing boats.

Coverack is looking lovely on this summer's day. I pass St Peter's, the parish church here, and I would have dropped down to the beach, but it is much busier than I would have liked.

coverack

coverack

coverack

The last time I was here, Coverack had taken a battering in the winter storms but everything is fully repaired now.

I head to the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• speckled wood butterflies
• pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies
• rabbits
• house martins
• red campion
• rape
• cow parsley
• foxgloves
• navelwort
• ox eye daisies
• bluebells
• sea thrift
• bladder campion
• devils-bit scabious
• common mallow
• birds-foot trefoil
• kidney vetch
• wild carrot
• borage
• flag iris
• english stonecrop
• honeysuckle
• wild garlic
• gunnera
• small copper butterfly
• clover
• hawthorn
• pale flax
• scarlet pimpernel
• wood spurge
• dropwort
• red admiral butterfly
• elderflower
• poppies
• roses
• echiums
• gladioli
• agapanthus

PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 12.6 miles which amounts to 30841 steps. It has taken me six hours. I’ve had glorious weather all day long and the flora and fauna has been magnificent. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILSA familiar story now and two of my tracking apps failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app. However my Ordnance Survey app actually worked.

MAP

small copper butterfly

pearl-bordered fritillary

red admiral

agapanthus

coverack

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHmonday, 7th june 2021Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday dear me
Happy birthday to me!

The weather forecast for today looks to be great with sun all day long and it might actually be quite warm.

Porthleven low tide 10:10

Porthleven high tide 16:01

I start the day at the car park in the Lizard village next to the Top House Inn. I'm walking this walk to Poldhu Cove in the wrong direction so that when I reach Kynance Cove it should still be pretty quiet.

I wander down the footpath towards Lizard Point, the most southerly point on mainland Great Britain noticing that for the first time ever, I don’t have the dreaded 'no signal' on my phone, but instead have a 4G signal. I wander down to Lizard Point where masses of seagulls have congregated by the cafe.

seagulls on lizard point

There’s also a chough wandering around but I can’t get my camera out quick enough to photograph it and I’d have had the wrong lens on anyway. I amble down to the old lifeboat station (I'll pass the latest lifeboat station tomorrow) and then climb back up and head off along the cliffs. Masses of seagulls are flying around here.

old lifeboat station

Choughs(@cornishchoughs) have taken up residence here. They became extinct in Cornwall in 1973 but returned in 2001. I don’t seem to be able to find any up to date and reliable breeding numbers but they seem to be doing ok. I see a few of them flying around but they are difficult to photograph.

I continue along the cliffs towards Kynance Cove enjoying the magnificent views and the lovely wildflowers.

I disturb a couple more choughs and they fly off before I have a chance to whip out my camera and I then come across a herd of cows together with their calves.

Before reaching Kynance Cove, Pentreath Beach can be found which is a little difficult to reach, involving scrambling down what appears to be little more than a goat track. It definitely looks worth the diversion but it's too adventurous for me with my heavy backpack.

pentreath beach

I amble along to reach Kynance Cove where I come across some of the native bloody cranesbills.

bloody cranesbill

The car park is looking quite busy even though it is still very early but there aren’t many people about so I descend steeply down to the cove.

kynance cove

kynance cove

kynance cove

kynance cove

kynance cove

kynance cove

For a change I’ve got quite a bit of beach so I waste quite a bit of time here. There are only a couple of people here. I strap back on my bag and climb back out of the cove, passing the Kynance Cove Cafe on the way up.

kynance cove

kynance cove

kynance cove

kynance cove

kynance cove

kynance cove

As I climb out of Kynance Cove I pass more of the native bloody cranesbills. The views back overlooking Kynance Cove are magnificent.

view over kynance cove

view over kynance cove

After ambling for far too long I head off along the Lizard cliffs where I encounter the first orchids of the day, including loads of heath spotted orchids so I waste more time, taking photographs.

An old schoolfriend of mine take her own life eight years ago yesterday. I last spoke to her the day before she died on the phone at this exact spot.

I amble along the top of the cliffs, enjoying the wildflowers.

I continue along the cliffs, enjoying the views to reach Predannack. Predannack airfield is nearby and there is usually a constant stream of helicopters flying overhead but it's quiet today. Maybe they don't fly on a Monday? The wild flowers around here are amazing and there's sea thrift everywhere. I come across ragged robin which I rarely see at home and a small patch of what looks like southern marsh orchids.

Mullion Cove comes into view and I have some kayaks racing past me down below.

kayaks

I take the steep descent down to the harbour. The last time I was here, Mullion Cove had taken a battering in winter storms and the harbour was badly damaged. It has now been fully repaired.

mullion cove

mullion cove

mullion cove

mullion cove

I ascend the other side of Mullion Cove and pass the Mullion Cove Hotel (@mullioncove).

mullion cove hotel

I head along the cliffs enjoying more of the wild flowers and pass Carrag-Luz or ‘Love Rock’.

carrag-luz

Above Polurrian Cove I come across an unfamiliar moth which, I think turns out to be a barred yellow moth.

barred yellow moth

I reach sandy Polurrian Cove. I waste more time pottering along the sandy beach before climbing back out of Polurrian Cove and heading along the cliffs.

polurrian cove

polurrian cove

I stop briefly at a bench which has magnificent views to let some dog walkers pass me.

“If ever our souls part to say goodbye
meet me there, where the sea meets the sky;
lost, but finally free.”

I pass the Marconi monument, a granite monument commemorating the first transatlantic radio transmission on the 12th of December 1901. I think that Marconi probably had a better signal 100-odd years ago than I've had today although, to be fair, I think I’ve got a 3G signal here but the sun is too bright for me to be able to see my phone screen properly. I continue along the cliffs enjoying the masses of pink sea thrifts.

marconi monument

As I descend to Poldhu Cove a chough flies across my horizon, calling as it goes. What a lovely end to the day.

descending to poldhu cove

I reach Poldhu Cove where the Poldhu Beach Cafe (@poldhu) can be found and waste more time on the sandy beach. It's quite a bit busier here than I'm used to but not too bad for a sunny summer’s day.

poldhu cove

poldhu cove

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• seagulls
• choughs
• ribwort plantain
• mesembryanthemum
• foxgloves
• bluebells
• red and white campion
• wild carrot
• bladder campion
• cows
• sea thrift
• kidney vetch
• dropwort
• birds-foot trefoil
• bloody cranesbill
• heath spotted orchid
• common dog-violet
• scarlet pimpernel
• devils-bit scabious
• ragged robin
• southern marsh orchid
• flag iris
• rape
• barred yellow moth

PODCASTThe 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 10.75 miles which amounts to 25616 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours. I’ve had glorious weather all day long and the flora and fauna has been magnificent. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILSFor a change two out of three of my tracking apps have actually worked today so I have some walk details. They don’t entirely match up but there you go.

MAP

heath spotted orchid

southern marsh orchid

sea thrift

ragged robin

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHSunday, 6TH JUNE 2021After yesterday’s manky weather it looks like today will be lovely, with sun all day long and nothing in the way of wind. Perfect for walking. Woop!

Porthleven low tide 09:26

Porthleven high tide 15:20

I start the day at the car park at Praa Sands where I climb steps down to the beach. I head down the beach to the sea and then start to amble along the beach. Some of the murkiness from yesterday still remains but I don’t think it will last very long.

praa sands

Part way across the beach I climb back on to the low cliffs, passing a memorial honouring the crew of a Sunderland Flying Boat which crash landed on Praa Sands on the 2nd of June 1943.

I head through the holiday park here passing massive echiums and I enjoy the wild as well as the cultivated flowers. They are all extremely damp after yesterday’s rain and much more advanced than they would be at home.

I leave the holiday homes behind and climb onto Lesceave Cliffs where I continue to enjoy the wild flowers.

Lesceave Cliffs were given to the National Trust by the family of William Arthur Quintrell Treloar in his memory. I have some final views back over Praa Sands and the weather is already picking up.

view back over praa sands

I continue climbing to reach Rinsey Head where I come across Wheal Prosper tin mine, a rubbish mine which was only open for six years. A sign tells me that Wheal Prosper featured in a BBC TV series, Poldark, in 1995 but I can find no trace of this programme.

rinsey cliff

I head onto Trewavas Cliff where the sea thrift is looking magnificent.

trewavas cliff

sea thrift

The path then starts to ramble aimlessly along the cliffs, although the paths seem to be much better than they used to be. I come across Wheal Trewavas which started work in 1834, at its peak employing 200 miners but the mine closed suddenly in 1846.

I enjoy more of the wild flowers on the cliffs before finally entering Porthleven.

I follow the coast path down to the harbour at Porthleven and head around the harbour where I come across the Harbour Inn.

I amble along the road out of Porthleven where I walk past ancient fishing winches and canons protecting the harbour, enjoying the views back to Porthleven.

I walk along the path above Porthleven Sands.

porthleven sands

I then descend to Loe Bar and crunch along the pebbly beach.

loe bar

I regain the cliffs and amble along the top where I continue to enjoy the wildflowers.

I come across masses of five-spot burnets feeding on the sea thrift as well as what must be wall brown butterflies but they are so flighty that I don’t get to see their upper wings to be certain.

five-spot burnet

five-spot burnet

wall brown

As I approach Gunwalloe Fishing Cove I come across a raptor enjoying the sunshine. I’m rubbish when it comes to raptors but is it possibly a common buzzard? Are they even a seaside bird?

buzzard?

I come across a hairy caterpillar shuffling across the path. When I said I was rubbish at identifying raptors I’m even worse when it comes to caterpillars. Is this a ruby tiger moth caterpillar? I have no idea.

ruby tiger moth caterpillar?

I come across a common blue butterfly. It’s becoming quite a day for butterflies.

common blue butterfly

common blue butterfly

common blue butterfly

I drop down to Gunwalloe Fishing Cove and enjoy the sandy and pebbly beach. The Halzephron Inn (@InnHalzephron) can be found 100 yards inland here.

I climb up onto Halzephron Cliff and, oh my word, is that a small pearl-bordered fritillary? I’ve never seen one of these before.

After this first one I see several more but they prove to be too flighty to photograph.

I continue along Halzephron Cliff enjoying the beautiful wildflowers and I have a final view back to Porthleven Sands. Halzephron Cove can be found here but the climb down is a little adventurous even for me.

Creation or evolution? Judging by all the flora and fauna I’ve seen today it can only be evolution.

I continue along the cliff before descending down to Dollar Cove. The cove is named after the great wreck in 1780 when 2 tonnes of silver coins were lost overboard.

dollar cove

dollar cove

dollar cove

It is now a short hop and a skip to Church Cove at the church of St Winwaloe, set into the hillside beside the beach. I waste yet more time on the sandy beach here before heading along the beach and then climbing back onto the cliffs.

church cove

church cove

church cove

church cove

It is another short hop and a skip to reach Poldhu Cove where the Poldhu Beach Cafe (@poldhu) can be found and I waste more time on the sandy beach. It's quite a bit busier here than I'm used to although not too bad for a sunny Sunday.

poldhu cove

poldhu cove

I amble back along the beach to reach the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• rabbits
• chiffchaffs
• chaffinches
• skylarks
• stonechat
• small pearl-bordered fritillary
• red and white valerian
• bluebells
• wild carrot
• red campion
• echiums
• aqualegia
• arum lily
• bottlebrush
• iris
• roses
• sea thrift
• foxgloves
• birds-foot trefoil
• ribwort plantain
• bladder campion
• devils-bit scabious
• kidney vetch
• english stonecrop
• five-spot burnet
• wall brown butterfly
• buzzard
• ruby tiger moth caterpillar
• navelwort
• common blue butterfly
• wild garlic
• gladioli
• mint
• hawthorn
• scarlet pimpernel

PODCASTThe 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 11.3 miles which amounts to 26520 steps. It has taken me four and three quarter hours. After a murky start I’ve had glorious weather and the flora and fauna has been magnificent. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILSA familiar story now and two of my tracking apps failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app. However my Ordnance Survey app actually worked.

MAP

five-spot burnet

wall brown butterfly

common blue

pearl-bordered fritillary

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHsaturday, 5th june 2021The weather forecast for this week had been looking pretty good until I got up this morning and the forecast is now showing that it’ll be grey and damp. At least there won’t be much in the way of wind. Whatever happened to all that sun?

Porthleven low tide 08:36

Porthleven high tide 14:37

I start the day on the Promenade close to Jubilee Pool (@JubileePoolPZ), Penzance's lido and the UK's largest remaining seawater lido. The view across to Newlyn is decidedly murky.

murky newlyn

The view towards Penzance is not any better.

murky penzance

The last time I was here the lido had suffered significant damage in winter storms and I suspected that it wouldn’t open ever again. But I was wrong and it did open and is now looking lovely. Jubilee Pool is run for the community, by the community, and has been operated since 2017 as a charitable community benefit society. On 31st May 2020 Jubilee Pool celebrated its 85th birthday.

jubilee pool

jubilee pool

I duck behind Jubilee Pool and stand next to the war memorial where I have murky views over towards St Michael’s Mount.

war memorial

st michael’s mount is there somewhere

I continue along the coast path around the harbour and pass the Isles of Scilly Travel Centre (@IOSTRAVEL). Along the way I pass the Dolphin Inn and the Dock Inn.

dolphin inn

dock inn

ticket office

I wander through the car park passing the Penzance Sailing Club and then pass Penzance railway station and then join the cycleway, passing what was once the heliport for catching the helicopter to the Isles of Scilly but which is sadly now a Sainsbury's superstore.

A sign has promised me lovely views but all I can see is murkiness.

view over st michael’s mount

I join the beach and trudge towards St Michael's Mount (@ntmichaelsmount). It is extremely murky and I can barely see St Michael’s Mount but I do believe the mist is lifting.

st michael’s mount

There’s a river flowing down the beach so I have to retrace my steps and cross a bridge over the river next to the road before following the path next to Folly Field.

I head towards Marazion and walk along Fore Street and then Turnpike Hill, passing the Godolphin Arms, the King's Arms and the Fire Engine Inn. Beside the Godolphin Arms is Maypole Gardens.

maypole gardens

I head out of Marazion. The coast path signs have dried up and I’m sure I haven’t gone this far out of Marazion before.

I head down a track that looks like it might go out to the coast and then follow a public footpath. I find some coast path signs again but none of this looks familiar.

I reach Trenow Cove and there is a curlew on the beach and swallows flying around me. I look back over the beach towards St Michael's Mount before heading along the path to Boat Cove.

trenow cove

trenow cove

st michael’s mount

I used to encounter southern marsh orchids along here but someone has been over enthusiastic with a strimmer and there’s no sign of them. Nevertheless, I enjoy the wildflowers around here even if they are a little damp.

I reach Perranuthnoe. In the village can be found the Victoria Inn but I skirt around the village and enjoy the relatively quiet Perran Sands just down the road before regaining the coast path.

perran sands

perran sands

perran sands

Rain/mist looks like it is set in for the day now and it is much windier than the forecast promised. I continue to amble back along the coast path below Acton Castle where I come across masses of six-spot burnets.

six-spot burnet

acton castle

I reach Cudden Point and I am now seeing wild cabbages everywhere.

cudden point

cudden point

I continue on to Prussia Cove. Prussia Cove is actually made up of three distinct coves, Piskies Cove, Bessy's Cove and King's Cove.

prussia cove

prussia cove

prussia cove

prussia cove

prussia cove

prussia cove

prussia cove

I continue my ambling to reach Kennegy Sands. The beach seems to be permanently closed here. It used to be difficult to access by climbing down two chain ladders but it's now fenced off. Even so, I'm sure I can spot footprints in the sand below!

foundered footpath

kennegy sands

I then head on towards Praa Sands. Here can be found the Sandbar. It is very murky here and the beach is all but deserted.

murky praa sands

praa sands

My walking is done for the day and so I head to the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• echiums
• red and white valerian
• curlew
• swallow
• wrens
• red campion
• cow parsley
• alexanders
• rape
• foxgloves
• ribwort plantain
• sea thrift
• bird’s-foot trefoil
• bluebells
• bladder campion
• yarrow
• six-spot burnet
• hogweed
• buttercups
• common dog-violet
• wild cabbage
• honeysuckle
• navelwort
• wild garlic
• kniphofia
• english stonecrop

PODCASTThe 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 11.3 miles which amounts to 26269 steps. It has taken me four and a half hours. The weather has been pretty poor today with rain, mist and murkiness for much of the day and it has been much more blustery than it should have been. Seven out of ten!

WALK DETAILSAll three of my tracking apps failed me today, including my normally extremely reliable backup myTracks app, so no walk details today.

MAPSince all three of my tracking apps failed me today I’ve no way of generating a map.

bluebell

honeysuckle

foxglove

kniphofia

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH HAMS, DEVONwednesday, 12th MAY 2021For May it looks like it’s going to be pretty cold today and although the winds seem to have died down it looks like it is going to be pretty damp.

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

Our holiday cottage for the week is Higher Dinnicombe near to Dartmouth in the South Hams of South Devon. I leave our cottage early and head up the track towards the golf course of the Dartmouth Golf and Country Club where I pass the chickens and the sheep belonging to the owner of Higher Dinnicombe. The track is looking lovely, covered in spring wild flowers.

I pick up a public footpath but go in the opposite direction to the previous three days. I amble through fields of flowering rape on my way to Allaleigh Cross.

At Tideford Park Farm I come across camellias, hellebores and a nice collection of tulips.

My plan was to pick up a footpath down to Capton Mill. I’m presented with a choice of two footpaths. I choose the first one but ambling for a little bit it is clear that this one is going in the wrong direction so I retrace my steps and choose the other footpath instead. After a little while it is clear that this one is going in the wrong direction as well. Oh well! I might as well stay on this one now.

I wander along a minor road to Broadridge and then pick up a bridleway which takes me down to Barberry Water Bridge. I enjoy the wildflowers on either side of the bridleway.

I join a minor road at Barberry Farm and follow this for a bit before finding a footpath which takes me over grassed slopes full of sheep.

sheep

sheep

I now have fine views over the River Dart.

I continue along the footpath to reach Higher Dittisham.

higher dittisham

It’s time to turn back in the other direction and head for Cornworthy. I’m now on the Dart Valley Trail so I walk along the road for a bit next to the River Dart before following a footpath towards East Cornworthy.

river dart

Just before Dittisham Mill I turn right over a wooden footbridge and climb some stone steps before following a footpath along a field edge and then a wooded area covered in wild garlic.

I turn left onto a minor road and climb up after a bridge at East Cornworthy before turning right at a signpost pointing to Coombe.

east cornworthy

Here I come across a sign promising me that there will be loads of hedgehogs about. Needless to say I didn’t see any!

hedgehogs

I pass Coombe Farm Studios and Gallery and Fingals Luxury Country House B&B, where I come across some lovely camassias.

fingals

camassia

I pass by Old Coombe Orchard.

old coombe orchard

At Barberry Cross I carry straight on before turning right down Broadgates Lane which is covered in bluebells and wild garlic.

barberry cross

I follow the lane which becomes a road. I should cross straight over at Longland Cross but the road is closed so, instead, I turn left and head for Butts Cross where I pick up a bridleway which takes me down into the village of Cornworthy. I come across housemartins nesting in the eaves of a house and enjoy the centaurea montana on the edges of a number of the front gardens.

centaurea montana

As I enter the village the church clock starts to chime ten ‘o’ clock.

ten ‘o’ clock

I stop at the wisteria covered Hunters Lodge Inn. The inn was closed when I passed it two years ago but was just about to open with new tenants Grahame and Sue Nutt. I’m glad to see that the inn is indeed now open even if the times are challenging.

hunters lodge inn

I pass through the rest of the village passing more wisteria covered houses.

wisteria

The Dart Valley Trail heads off to my right but I continue straight on through the village. As I’m leaving the village my first swifts of the year fly over me screaming.

I pass the ruins of Cornworthy Priory, standing alone in the middle of a field. The gatehouse is all that remains of the 13th century priory. The convent was abandoned in 1539 when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries.

cornworthy priory

I continue along the road leaving Cornworthy behind me and come across a couple of early purple orchids on top of a bank by the side of the road.

I leave the road at Coomery and wander along the ancient track, Allaleigh, which was once important for transporting timber. Nowadays it is just a muddy, rutted track.

I pass a flyer for a guided walk taking place on Thursday the 27th of May hosted by Valerie Belsey. Coincidentally, there are a couple of books by Valerie in our holiday cottage. One is ‘Exploring Green Lanes in the South Hams’ and the other is ‘The Buzzard and the Bikers’ which I have now read.

flyer

It is now a pleasant amble along Allaleigh where I enjoy the wildflowers.

I pass by the Green Lanes Centre, set up in 1984, an education centre where young and old could learn about the local heritage, wildlife and ecology.

Towards the end of Allaleigh I pass a group of ruined buildings where a chapel once stood.

ruined buildings

I leave Allaleigh and head up a minor road before recrossing the rape fields back to our holiday cottage where I am serenaded by an awful lot of skylarks. What a beautiful end to the day and somehow I’ve got back pretty early and managed to avoid the deluge of rain that would pour down shortly after I get back.

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• swallows
• squirrels
• swifts
• rabbit
• primroses
• common dog-violet
• red campion
• greater stitchwort
• bluebells
• rape
• camellia
• hellebores
• tulips
• cow parsley
• garlic mustard
• wild garlic
• welsh poppy
• green alkanet
• celandines
• herb robert
• camassias
• forget-me-not
• euphorbia
• red valerian
• wisteria
• cowslip
• early purple orchids
• wood anemones
• shiny crane’s-bill

PODCASTThe 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 9.9 miles which amounts to 23162 steps. It has taken me four hours. What a thoroughly pleasant walk and despite a dodgy forecast I’ve managed to stay dry. Ten out of ten!

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

MAP

tulip

hedgehogs

wisteria

cornworthy priory

beach collection

View Details

south hams, devontuesday, 11TH may 2021It doesn’t look a particularly warm day today and it does look like it might be quite blustery.

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

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

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

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

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

war memorial

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

george inn

st. michael’s

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

blackawton village sign

cousins cross

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

blackawton primary school

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

electricity sub-station

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

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

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

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

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

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

bowden farm

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

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

surfaced track

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

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

friendly bear

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

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

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

tree topped boundary

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

ponies

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

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

rounded hillside

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

chickens

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

wood farm

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

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

woodford

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

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

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

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

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

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

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

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

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

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

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

MAP

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHmonday, 10TH may 2021It doesn’t look a particularly warm day today but I should get some sun but it does look like it might be quite blustery.

Dartmouth high tide 06:10

Dartmouth low tide 12:13

Dartmouth high tide 18:32

Our holiday cottage for the week is Higher Dinnicombe near to Dartmouth in the South Hams of South Devon. I leave our cottage early and head up the track towards the golf course of the Dartmouth Golf and Country Club where I pass the chickens and the sheep belonging to the owner of Higher Dinnicombe. The track is looking lovely, covered in spring wild flowers.

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

forces cross

airheadz

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

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

welcome to blackawton

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

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

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

collaford wood

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

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

strete

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

leaving strete

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

views of the sea

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

A rather circuitous route follows fields and paths heading towards Blackpool Sands and there are plenty of wildflowers to enjoy.

I now have some lovely views over Blackpool Sands.

view over blackpool sands

I cross a steep grassy valley and have some lovely views over a beach I don’t know but must be Landcombe Cove. You can definitely get down there as I can see footprints in the sand.

steep grassy valley

steep grassy valley

landcombe cove

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

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

view over blackpool sands

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

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

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

uprooted tree

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

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

st peter’s

the green dragon

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

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

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

little dartmouth

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

small copper butterfly

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

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

castle cove

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

dartmouth castle

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

warfleet creek

warfleet creek

I now have lovely views over both Dartmouth and Kingswear.

dartmouth

kingswear

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

dartmouth

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

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

PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 13.2 miles which amounts to 31371 steps. It has taken me five and a half hours. The weather has been surprisingly good if a little on the blustery side. Despite a long section of the walk being on minor roads, eight out of ten!

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

MAP

hat

speckled wood butterfly

rhododendrons

dartmouth

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHsunday, 9TH may 2021It looks like today is going to be cold, grey and cloudy. Perfect weather! Not!! At least I shouldn’t get much rain and the prevailing winds should be light.

Dartmouth low tide 11:35

Dartmouth high tide 17:56

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

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

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

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

blackawton

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

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

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

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

strete

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

st michael

torcross three miles

strete post office and chapel

king’s arms

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

view over slapton sands

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

The path takes me down towards Strete Gate picnic site and I pass a bench with magnificent views over Slapton Sands. The bench is dedicated to the memory of Philip and Mary Carter. Thank you Philip and Mary.

“In memory of Philip and Mary Carter. Tireless campaigners for South West Coast Path and founders of the South West Coast Path Association.”

slapton sands

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

early purple orchid

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

small copper butterfly

slapton sands

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

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

strete gate

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

slapton sands

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

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

torcross

torcross

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

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

PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

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

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

MAP

st. michael

view over slapton sands

small copper butterfly

early purple orchid

beach collection

View Details

south west coast pathmonday, 21st september 2020I should have a warm and sunny day today with very little in the way of wind.

Lyme Regis high tide: 09:58

Lyme Regis low tide: 15:37

I start the day back at the Charmouth Road car park above Lyme Regis. A sign here tells me that there are 114 steps down to the foreshore. I climb a few of the 114 steps down to the foreshore where I have a view of the Black Ven landslip and the coast path walk for the day is laid out in front of me.

today’s coast path

I can see over to Golden Cap and in the distance, East Cliff and West Cliff at West Bay and Burton Bradstock and just beyond those, Chesil Beach stretches out to the Isle of Portland. This is one of my favourite stretches of coast on the whole coast path.

I climb back up to the Charmouth Road car park and head towards Charmouth Road.

Today's walk has typically in the past been dogged by landslips resulting in several inland diversions starting with an inland diversion at Lyme Regis.

I head upwards through fields high above Lyme Regis, photographing the wild flowers and I have a final view over the Cobb.

view over the cobb

I enter a wood and the sign posts are very confusing so I wander aimlessly along tracks through the woods until I'm then dumped out onto a busy road above Lyme Regis where I enjoy some of the garden flowers.

I continue along the road until a sign points me to a path through Lyme Regis Golf Club.

I continue walking through the golf course following white stones before I head through some woods and I come out onto the main road into Charmouth next to the Fernhill Hotel.

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

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

charmouth heritage coast centre

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

charmouth

charmouth

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

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

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

stonebarrow hill

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

hazy golden cap

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

clouded yellow butterfly

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

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

It's a long way up at 627 feet and the highest point on the south coast but it’s a surprisingly easy climb. I enjoy the magnificent views from up here. In one direction I can see out to the Isle of Portland and in the other direction back to Lyme Regis and beyond.

the view from golden cap

the view from golden cap

the view from golden cap

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

Golden Cap is named after the distinctive outcrop of golden greensand rock at the tip of the cliff and is owned by the National Trust. There is a trigpoint s3752 on the eastern side which must have one of the best views of any of the trigpoints.

trigpoint s3752

I hang around for a while admiring the views before taking the long descent down to the Anchor Inn (@anchoratseatown) at Seatown.

anchor inn

I crunch my way across the pebbly beach before heading across a footbridge at the car park and then climb back onto the cliffs.

seatown

seatown

I climb up Ridge Cliff high above Seatown where I have magnificent views back over Seatown.

ridge cliff

view over seatown

It’s getting quite hot now and I’m getting seriously sweaty. After descending the other side of Ridge Cliff there’s an even higher climb up Thorncombe Beacon and then it's now another long descent, this time down to the village of Eype where there's another pebbly beach at Eype Mouth

view from thorncombe beacon

eype mouth

eype mouth

I head over the footbridge over a stream where I come across some colourful pebbles.

colourful pebbles

Another ascent and descent over West Cliff takes me to the charming West Bay.

I've lost count of the number of times I've visited West Bay, but it's an awful lot. I round the harbour passing The George (@georgewestbay), the Bridport Arms Hotel, The West Bay Hotel (@westbayhotel), the amusement arcade and all of the food shacks dotted around the harbour. It is very busy.

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

west bay

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

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

burton bradstock

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

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

busy hive beach

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

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

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

PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 15 miles which amounts to 33811 steps. It has taken me six hours. I love this stretch of coast despite the inland diversions and it has been warm and sunny. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILSYou are taking the piss Ordnance Survey app. Seriously?!

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

map

clouded yellow butterfly

view from golden cap

west bay

beach collection

View Details

south west coast pathsunday, 20th september 2020The weather forecast for the first half of the week looks to be pretty good but decidely ropey for the second half of the week so I’d better get my walks in early. The forecast for today looks to be nice and sunny with very little in the way of wind. Perfect!

Lyme Regis high tide: 09:21

Lyme Regis low tide: 14:53

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

cones

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

dolphin hotel

barrel of beer

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

anchor inn

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

catch of the day

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

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

overlooking beer

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

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

everything’s changed … but nothing’s changed

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

seaton hole and shadow

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

beach searchlight emplacement

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

waves shape the shore

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

axmouth harbour

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

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

warning sign

I continue along the bridleway where some runners pass me.

runners

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

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

rousdon landslip

axmouth-lyme regis undercliffs

covid-19 warning

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

goat island

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

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

sheepwash sign

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

sheepwash

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

view of sea and cliffs

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

freshwater pumping station

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

pinhay cliffs

I spend some time photographing the wildflowers.

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

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

ware cliffs

small copper butterfly

view to golden cap

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

red admiral

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

the cobb

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

monmouth beach

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

sandy town beach

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

pebbly town beach

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

church cliff beach

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

church cliff walk

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

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

podcastThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

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

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

map

small copper butterfly

red admiral butterfly

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHtuesday, 8TH SEPTEMBER 2020It looks like I have another decent weather forecast for the day. It should be warm, dry and with little in the way of wind.

Cape Cornwall high tide 08:39

Cape Cornwall low tide 15:10

I start today's walk at the car park above Pendeen Watch lighthouse. One of my favourite walks today despite the fact that it goes through the stinky dump that is Land's End!

pendeen watch lighthouse

pendeen watch lighthouse

I've learnt from previous walks to head up the road a bit rather than start walking straightaway on what looks like the coast path but soon peters out on a gorse infested, scrubby slope.

A granite stone points me in the right direction - at least it should do but it's so worn that I can't make out any of the lettering anymore. The path rises and falls gently over valleys set back from the cliffs on the route to Trewellard Zawn.

useless granite stone

boscaswell cliff

Stretched out in front of me is Cornwall's tin mining country.

tin mining country

Just inland can be seen the buildings of Geevor Tin Mine (@geevormuseum), the last working tin mine in the area and only closed in 1990. Today Geevor Tin Mine is a museum and heritage centre, covering an area of 67 acres.

geevor tin mine

The landscape ahead is littered with ruined buildings, chimneys and engine houses of the tin mines that long ago were abandoned.

I continue through this wasteland to reach Levant Beam Engine, a restored steam powered Cornish beam engine. Levant Mine was established in 1820 and closed in 1930 and was mined for tin and copper.

Levant Mine has been owned by the National Trust since 1967. Two closely situated engine houses can be found here. The larger, roofless engine house was built in 1835 whereas the smaller, restored engine house dates from 1840.

Littered in the vicinity of the engine houses are the remains of the compressor house and the tiled floor of the count house.

A friendly collie dog comes up to me so we have a little game of fetch the stone.

roscommon cliff

I come across stonechats calling just how their name suggests, just like two small stones being hit together.

stonechat

I continue on a track passing more chimneys and engine houses and pass the buildings of Old Crowns Mine perched precariously on the cliffs at Botallack, consisting of the pumping house built in 1835 and the higher winding house built in 1862.

“Chains, pipes, conduits, protruded in all directions from the precipice; rotten-looking wooden platforms, running over deep chasms, supported great beams of timber and heavy coils of cable; crazy little boarded houses were built, where gulls’ nests might have been found in other places.”

— Rambles Beyond Railways, Wilkie Collins

old crowns mine

The mine here closed in 1895 before being briefly opened again before the First World War.

Arsenic was a by product of the tin mining process and you can find the remains of the arsenic refining works here.

More walking through tin mining country takes me to Kenidjack, passing West Wheal Owles and Wheal Edward on the way.

west wheal owles

wheal edward

At West Wheal Owles, a serious accident occurred in 1893 killing nineteen men and a boy and the mine subsequently closed. A memorial stone recording the names of the victims should be close by but I can never find it.

“10th January 1893
wheal owles mine disaster

Thomas Allen
John Olds (Bosanko)
Lewis Blewett Wilkins
William Roberts
Peter Dale
James Rowe
William Davey
William Stevens Thomas
William Eddy
John Taylor
James Edwards Trembath
Mark Taylor
Thomas Ellis
James Thomas
John Grose
Edward White
Thomas Grose
Edward Williams
Charles Hitches Thomas
James Williams”

I follow the path high above the cliffs at Porth Ledden before heading towards the hump of Cape Cornwall, once thought to be the most westerly point of Cornwall. Fortunately that is now reserved for Land's End otherwise here would have become a stinky theme park.

cape cornwall

The path heads inland down steep Kenidjack Valley away from Cape Cornwall before heading back towards the cape on the other side of the valley. Along the way I pass some friendly donkeys.

donkeys

kenidjack

The wild flowers on the valley sides are looking lovely.

Cape Cornwall Mine, a tin mine, operated intermittently between 1838 and 1883. The mine's 1864 chimney near the peak of the cape was retained as an aid to navigation and stands out on the cape to this day.

Cape Cornwall was purchased for the nation by H J Heinz Co Ltd to mark their centenary year and presented to the National Trust on March 25th 1987.

I amble down the access road at Cape Cornwall and wander down the slipway at Priest's Cove. Priest's Cove, tucked in to the bottom of Cape Cornwall, is still a working fishery and small fishermen's huts have been built in to the rock for mending nets and storing crab and lobster pots.

priest’s cove

An easy path climbs steeply away from Cape Cornwall before levelling out at Carn Gloose where I come across trig point s8141.

carn gloose

trig point s8141

bollowall

I head inland down and then back up Cot Valley which used to be a centre for mining and tin processing before heading back towards the coast at Porth Nanven.

At Letcha I come across long horned cattle.

letcha

long horned cattle

I pass mine shafts and cross footbridges to reach a National Trust sign at Nanjulian. Three choughs fly over me. CHOUGHS!! What a top bird.

nanjulian

The path becomes rugged and I clamber around the rocky Aire Point and have lovely views over Whitesand Bay.

There are usually planes in the sky everywhere, presumably taking off and landing at Land's End Aerodrome but I only see a couple today.

I ignore the coast path signs and clamber over rocks to reach the beautiful beach at Gwynver Beach, with its soft, fine sand.

gwynver beach

I usually have Gwynver Beach to myself but, although it’s not heaving, there are a few people on the beach today and there’s a lifeguard service.

overlooking gwynver beach

escalls cliff

If the tide is out you can walk directly into Sennen Cove but it's in too far today so I climb out of Gwynver Beach and climb down onto Sennen Cove, ignoring the coast path signs again. I trudge along the sandy beach. Life doesn't get much better than this! Except that it’s uncomfortably busy particularly towards the village side of the beach.

sennen cove

sennen cove

At the far end of the beach is the village of Sennen Cove and walking through the village I pass Old Success Inn (@oldsuccessinn), The Old Boathouse village shop (@theOldBoathous1) and at the far end of the beach the lifeboat station.

sennen cove

There is a tiny fishing harbour here, next to the lifeboat station.

sennen cove harbour

I pause for a while in the village knowing that Land's End is just around the corner and then leave the village via the car park at the harbour end of the village, climbing up a flight of steps up Mayon Cliff and then follow a path to a clifftop lookout. This is Pedn-men-du and there are fantastic views over to Longships Lighthouse. There are an awful lot of people about.

mayon cliff

The views back over Sennen Cove are lovely but I can't linger any longer.

I leave Sennen Cove behind me and walk past the iron age Maen Cliff Castle. I cross a fiddly area to reach stinky Land's End. Have I mentioned, by any chance, that I dislike Land's End?

I don't hang about and quickly pass Greeb Farm and leave the crowds of Land's End behind me and the walking quickly becomes pleasant again. I pass the Armed Knight, an impressive rock feature and arch stuck out in the Atlantic.

armed knight

I walk around Pordenack Point to reach Mill Bay, otherwise known as Nanjizal Bay. The colours of the sea around here are amazing shades of blue, turquoise and green, completely different to the grubby brown sea of home.

The beach here is always delightful and because there is no direct access by road, is usually deserted. Today is unusually busy. Rock pools, arches and caves abound but there’s too many people about for my liking.

nanjizal bay

In 1966, the Doctor Who episode "The Smuggler's" was filmed on the beach.

I climb slopes to reach the point at Carn Les Boel which is home to an iron age promontory fort. There are people everywhere which is very unusual as I usually find the place deserted. I come across more choughs and it’s lovely to hear them cawing away.

I come across a friendly herd of cows blocking the coast path.

cows blocking the coast path

I walk along the cliff tops to reach the National Coastwatch Station at Gwennap Head and then pass some daymarks to reach the beach at Porthgwarra.

national coastwatch station

Porthgwarra is an old fishing hamlet and there are still a few boats which launch from here and there is a small shop and cafe.

porthgwarra

I leave Porthgwarra via a track at the end of the road and walk along the top of the cliffs before steeply descending. I pass St Levan's holy well.

st levan’s well

It's a steep climb down to the beach at Porth Chapel, too much for these weary legs. The sandy beach here is lovely and usually completely deserted, but there’s a few people down there today.

porth chapel

I walk around the headland of Pedn-men-an-mere. From here it is a short walk to my destination for the day, Porthcurno.

I pass behind the Minack Theatre (@minacktheatre), an open air theatre cut into the rock with shows taking place throughout the summer. The theatre is back open again albeit with restricted visitor numbers.

I climb steeply down steps in the cliff to reach a path with a view of the lovely beach at Porthcurno. It is very busy down there so I’ll have to avoid the beach.

porthcurno

I continue along the coast path and reach the car park where my lift awaits.

porthcurno

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• rabbits
• himalayan balsam
• stonechats
• goldfinches
• long horned cattle
• choughs
• wheatears
• peregrine
• buzzards
• red valerian
• crocosmia
• bladder campion
• knapweed
• gorse
• heather
• herb robert
• blackberries
• ribwort plantain
• yarrow
• honeysuckle
• cows

PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 17.4 miles today which amounts to 40870 steps. It has been magnificent walking in glorious weather for a third day on the trot but after yesterday’s pounding it’s a weary person heading back to our holiday apartment. Despite stinky Land’s End, ten out of ten!

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

map

tin mining country

old crowns mine

priest’s cove

cows blocking the coast path

beach collection

View Details

SOUTH WEST COAST PATHmonday, 7th SEPTEMBER 2020I have an ok-ish forecast for the day. It should be cool, cloudy and with very little in the way of wind. It should be perfect for walking.

St Ives high tide 08:42

St Ives low tide 15:03

I start the day at our holiday apartment in Carbis Bay and wander down the road to the beach which is inhabited by a few dog walkers.

carbis bay

The Carbis Bay Hotel dominates the shore line here and I wander up through the grounds of the hotel.

The coast path crosses the railway line over a bridge and passes the Baulking House, a lookout used to spot shoals of pilchards. I have lovely views towards St Ives.

the baulking house

The path drops me down on to Porthminster Beach below the railway station at St Ives. The beach is virtually completely empty at this early hour of the morning. The Porthminster Beach Cafe can be found here.

porthminster beach

porthminster beach cafe

I explore some of the narrow streets and alleyways of St Ives. I pass the lifeboat station and the Lifeboat Inn (@lifeboatstives) before reaching the harbour.

st ives harbour

st ives harbour

I duck behind the harbour near to St Ives Museum and cross Porthgwidden Beach before climbing onto the grassy slopes of The Island (or St Ives Head) - it's not an island as it's joined on to the mainland!

porthgwidden beach

porthgwidden beach

The restored St Nicholas Chapel can be found here. For some reason it’s being restored again, this time by Legacy Restoration SW LTD, which is why it has fencing all around it.

“This ancient chapel of St. Nicholas, which has stood on this site since time immemorial, partially destroyed by order of the War Office in 1904, was rebuilt and restored to its former condition by Sir Edward Hain in 1911 being the coronation year of King George V.”

st nicholas chapel

I enjoy the views over Porthmeor Beach before dropping down onto the beach, where Tate St Ives (@Tate_StIves) can be found but I'm way too early for opening time and I have some serious walking to do anyway.

porthmeor beach

tate st ives

I wander along the beach and then leave St Ives via a tarmac path. The path becomes stonier and muddier as I approach Clodgy Point.

I walk past Hor Point and along some boardwalk at Pen Enys Point.

Walking is fiddly along the cliff tops but the wild flowers are amazing, even this late in the year.

I pass some flat rocks where, in November 1936, a ship called the Bessemer City was shipwrecked. The crew of 33 were saved, but her cargo of tinned food spilled into the sea. People came from miles around to collect tins. The labels had washed off so they never knew whether they were opening tinned peaches or corned beef!

I come across a herd of cows blocking the path but they are extremely friendly.

cows blocking the path

I soon reach the 318 feet trig point S8139 at Carn Naun Point where I can make out the lighthouse at my destination for today, Pendeen Watch.

trig point s8139

I now feel completely isolated and the landscape has suddenly become a lot more rugged after the admittedly, fiddly, start to the day. Let the roller coaster ride to Pendeen Watch begin!

I drop down into a valley and then cross a stream pouring from the valley mouth as a waterfall. There are rugged rocks below and out to sea are The Carracks, home to a colony of grey seals. I don't see any today.

treveal

I pass headlands and coves before dropping into another valley and cross a stream above Wicca Pool which is reached by a difficult scramble down rocks. Granite was quarried and shipped from here for St Ives church.

I climb out of Wicca Pool via some granite steps and it's then a bouldery walk towards Zennor Head, crossing a couple of streams.

tregerthen

I'm now high above Porthzennor Cove.

I walk around Zennor Head, given to the National Trust in December 1953, and there are now magnificent views over Pendour Cove and towards Gurnard's Head. The Tinners Arms at Zennor is a short walk inland for thirsty walkers.

zennor head

I’ve recently finished the ‘Ingo Chronicles’ books by Helen Dunmore which are set in and around Zennor, but renamed as Senara Churchtown presumably after St Senara’s Church in Zennor. I’m also currently carrying a book of poems by Helen titled ‘Inside the Wave’.

I climb down granite steps and cross a footbridge over a stream.

I climb uphill and walk around the inaccessible Pendour Cove, linked to the myth of the Mermaid of Zennor who supposedly lured local boy Matthew Trewhella to a watery grave through her beauty and singing, and the more accessible Veor Cove before rounding Porthglaze Cove and then heading above Treen Cove.

treen cove

I finally come across some habitation in the form of a couple of houses and pass below an old engine house, once part of Gurnard's Head mine. The engine house has definitely seen better days.

engine house

A copper mine on Gurnard's Head was in operation before 1821 initially under the name of Wheal Treen and was later worked under the name of Gurnard's Head Mine. By 1877 it had fallen into disuse. The ruined engine house and mine buildings are now all that remains.

I pass a couple of men who are repairing some of the gates around here. It looks like extremely hard work lumping barrow loads of rocks around.

I pass the rugged promontory of Gurnard's Head and, do you know what? From some angles it sort of does look like a Gurnard. The headland is the site of an iron age promontory fort known as Trereen Dinas.

I pass ponies grazing the slopes.

I continue along the coast path to reach Porthmeor Cove where I cross a stream using a rock slab footbridge. The foreshore is made up of rocks and boulders but the tide is going out and just starting to expose a small sandy beach. Porthmeor Cove is a Site of Special Scientific Interest on account of its geology.

I continue along the cliffs passing a headland containing the remains of Bosigran Castle, a simple iron age cliff castle. The cliffs around here are popular with climbers, the most notorious of which is Commando Ridge, so called because of its association with the Marine Commando Cliff Assault Wing who trained here in the 40s and 50s.

bosigran

rock climbing at bosigran

There are more remains of mining activity here with two engine houses standing next to the road a little inland. This appears to be Carn Galver tin mine.

carn galver tin mine

It’s time to walk across an awful lot of cliffs starting with Bosigran Cliff and followed by Trevean Cliff, Trevowhan Cliff, Morvah Cliff, Tregaminion Cliff, Chypraze Cliff and Portheras Cliff.

The bouldery path becomes grassier on the way to Portheras Cove where I use some stepping stones to cross a waterfall filled stream.

portheras cove

From here it is an easy walk to reach my destination for the day, the lighthouse at Pendeen Watch, which has been guiding ships through these treacherous rocky waters since 1900. The lighthouse is still in use but was fully automated in 1995.

pendeen watch lighthouse

FLORA AND FAUNAFlora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

• robins
• little ringed plovers
• stonechats
• goldfinches
• speckled wood butterflies
• bladder campion
• red admiral butterfly
• small tortoiseshell butterfly
• oystercatchers
• gunnera
• snapdragon

PODCASTThe podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?According to my phone I've walked 17.8 miles today which amounts to 44054 steps. Ouch! It has been magnificent walking in surprisingly glorious weather but it has to be said that it has been a rough, rocky and remote trek. Ten out of ten!

I don’t think I’ll ever walk this stretch in its entirety ever again as it has been a bruiser. Better to split it into two smaller walks at Zennor.

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

map

st ives harbour

porthgwidden beach

tate st ives

beach collection