Rame to Warren Point May 2014

Rame (Wiggle Cliff) to Warren Point (Wembury)
Friday 09 May to Monday 12 May 2014

A series of four linear walks using a combination of car, bus and ferries to reach the beginning of each walk and back to the Premier Inn, Lockyer's Quay in Plymouth.  The Premier Inn offered a perfect location for this section of the Path: just a few minutes' walk from the path itself.


Rame (Wiggle Cliff) to Cawsand
Friday 09 May 2014

We completed the first walk of this section after driving from home: straight to Cawsand Triangle - in time to catch the First service 81 bus from there to the Cawsand, Polhawn car park - above the delightfully named Wiggle Cliff.

Our walk took us from Wiggle Cliff to Rame Head, where we followed the short detour to the medieval chapel before heading to Penlee Point and then north through the bluebell woods to Cawsand.


 

Around Rame Head

South West Coast Path distance: 7km (4.25 miles); total for walk (including evening Plymouth walk) 9.35km (5.8 miles).

Cumulative distance (from Minehead): 656km (407 miles).
Distance to South Haven Point: 359km (223 miles).

Cawsand to Plymouth Barbican and Coxside

Saturday 10 May 2014

The original plan had been to catch the First service 81 bus from Plymouth to Cawsand Triangle and to walk from there back to Plymouth.  Instead, though, we took the 10:30 ferry from Barbican across The Sound, passing Drake's Island to Cawsand.



The Cawsand Ferry approaching Barbican on a rather grey and murky day

We were the only passengers and we were warned by the two-man crew that, because of the difficult weather conditions, it might not be possible to disembark at Cawsand.  They told us that they would not take our fares (£4.00 each single) until they were sure that it would be possible for us to disembark at Cawsand!

It was certainly very choppy for most of the crossing, but as we drew close to Cawsand it became relatively calm and we were able to disembark without any difficulty.

Boarding the Cawsand Ferry bound for Plymouth

From Cawsand and Kingsand to Cremyll it was easy three and a half miles or so, much of the way on woodland driveways and paths through the Mount Edgecumbe Estate.  Along the way we met a group of schoolchildren doing a practise for their Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Kingsand

After a refreshments - tea and coffee - in the Orangery at Mount Edgecumbe, we left Cornwall behind and crossed on the Cremyll Ferry to Stonehouse.  From the ferry on the Devon shore the way took us up the new Eric Wallis Memorial Steps at Royal William Yard and on to Barbican and Coxside.

South West Coast Path distance: 11.8km (7.25 miles); total for walk 12.7km (7.75 miles).

Cumulative distance (this session) 22km (13 miles)

Cumulative distance (from Minehead): 669km (415 miles).

Distance to South Haven Point: 346km (215 miles).

Plymouth Coxside to Mount Batten

Sunday 11 May 2014
A linear walk after a leisurely start to the day: walking from the Premier Inn.  Shortly after starting out, we spotted the East End Cafe - and had a coffee there while waiting for our filled rolls for our picnic.  We had to wait for them, but, hey, we were on holiday!

On the way through Plymouth there are all sorts of unique and interesting South West Coast Path waymarks.

An interesting Waymark!

 

We followed the path along the roads close by Cattewater with industrial sites all around, including the huge fish processing plant of Interfish.  We then crossed Laira Bridge and called in at the Morrisons Restaurant for coffee and cake before continuing on our way past the industrial units and boatyards, through Oreston and across the causeway between Radford and Hooe Lakes to Turnchapel.

 

At Turnchapel we paused - between the showers - for a picnic looking out onto Hooe Lake.  A refreshment alternative would have been the Royal Oak - right by the path.

 

Hooe Lake from Turnchapel

Continuing on our way, we headed towards the Mount Batten ferry pier, passing the Marina and then missing the 'official' coast path along the permissive path; instead crossing the road at the roundabout, following (briefly) the path in the 'wrong' direction on the western side of Mount Batten - near to Mount Batten Bay.  When we realised that we had missed our way, we crossed over towards Clovelly Bay and approached the ferry - in a heavy downpour - from the correct direction.

It was just a short wait for the Mount Batten Ferry (£1.50 each) to take us back to Barbican.
 

South West Coast Path distance: 8km (5 miles); total for the day's walk: 10.9km (6.75 miles).

Cumulative distance (this session) 33km (20 miles)

Cumulative distance (from Minehead): 675km (419 miles).
Distance to South Haven Point: 340km (211 miles) - two-thirds of the way completed!
 

Mount Batten to Warren Point (Wembury)

Monday 12 May 2014
A (fairly) early start: in time to catch the 09:15 ferry from Barbican to Mount Batten after buying filled rolls from the Jacka Bakery in the Barbican.  Jacka is described as Britain's oldest commercial bakery, going back to at least the Sixteeenth Century.

The walk from from Mount Batten is a delightful, easy one, with fine views over Plymouth Sound for the first part.  Later it is the Great Mew Stone which dominates the view.

The path passes Bovisand Fort, where we watched the ravens, Bovisand Bay, where we paused for coffee at the Cliff Edge Cafe, Heybrook Bay, Wembury Point and Wembury Bay.

We continued to Warren Point, where the ferry links with Newton Ferrers and Ferry Wood, close by Noss Mayo before following the footpaths to Wembury village to catch the 17:00 First number 48 bus back to Cattedown, just a short walk to the Premier Inn.

South West Coast Path distance: 12.4km (7.75 miles); total for the day's walk: 17.3km (10.75 miles).

Cumulative distance (this session) 50km (30 miles)

Cumulative distance (from Minehead): 686km (426 miles).
Distance to South Haven Point: 340km (203 miles).

Pentewan to Rame: April 2014

Pentewan to Rame
April 2014

For this section we stayed with friends, who are also walking the South West Coast Path.  We were sharing a luxurious four bedroom holiday house with them: close to the village Lanlivery and about a mile-and-a-half to the west of Lostwithiel. 

Although we were all walking the Path, we did not do so together, as we had already covered the section from Place (where our friends were commencing their walk) to Pentewan.  In addition, they were planning on walking rather greater distances than we were planning!

We completed the section with a series of six linear walks, using a combination of car and bus to get to the beginning and from the end of the walks.  With careful planning it was possible to arrange a series of bus walks for this section.

Pentewan to Par

Sunday 06 April 2014

We started the day by driving to the car park by the Costcutter supermaket near Hambley's Corner, Par.

From there we caught the 10:24 Western Greyhound service 524 bus to the Pentewan Turn.

On a damp and grey day with heavy rain at times, we set out from Pentewan at about 11:00am.  We paused briefly to visit Pentewan's parish church and then headed out towards Black Head, following the diversion across the fields from above Hallane to Black Head.

The Path north from Black Head to Higher Porthpean is fairly strenuous with some steep ascents and descents.

At Charlestown, the way became easy, entering Par through the industrial china clay works, with some road walking - not very pretty!

We ended the day with mud-splattered boots and over-trousers - and rather tired!

South West Coast Path distance approximately 13.9 km (8.6 miles).  Walk total: 14.2 km (8.8 miles).

Cumulative distance from Minehead: 598 km (372 miles).

Par to Fowey

Monday 07 April 2014

A dismal, dull, grey morning with some heavy rain at times -improving during the course of the day with some sun later.  A great deal of mud, though!

We started out by driving to Fowey, parking in Park Road.  We then caught the Western Greyhound bus to Par Green, starting our walk about 10:30.

For the first part, along Par Beach and then on the cliff path above the low cliffs to Polkerris the rain fell, so it seemed, continuously: by the time we reached Polkerris we felt rather like drowned rats!  We were glad that the staff of Sam's on the Beach did not turn us away - perhaps they took pity on us!  There we enjoyed a delicious coffee and chocolate brownie.

After our coffee break we continued on to Gribbin Head with its day mark, pausing at Polridmouth for a picnic lunch.  On the approach to Polridmouth the board-walk path suffered severe storm damage and was very uneven in places.

Approaching Polridmouth .... storm damage (to the decking!)

On the way through Fowey we paused to enjoy the peace and quiet of The Quiet Garden, overlooking the harbour and Polruan.

Gribbin Head with Dodman Point in the distance

The South West Coast Path distance walked was approximately 11.8 km (7.3 miles) and the total walked was about 12.2 km (7.5 miles).
Cumulative distance from Minehead: 609 km (379 miles).

Polruan to Polperro

Tuesday 08 April 2014

A strenuous linear bus walk of about seven miles.  Firstly we drove to Polperro and parked the car near to the school at Bretwartha Brent where we caught the Travel Cornwall bus to Polruan.

Fowey from Polruan

Before setting out on the Coast Path we called at the Crumpets Tea Room for a very welcome coffee and bacon sandwich.

Lantic Bay and Pencarrow Head

Wild flowers along the way included primroses, violets, red campion, bladder campion and sea pinks.

Polperro

Birds spotted included swallows, shags, cormorants, buzzards and goldfinches.

The South West Coast Path distance was approximately 11.9 km (7.4 miles) and the total walked was about 12.5 km (7.75 miles).
Cumulative distance from Minehead: 621 km (386 miles).

Polperro to Looe

Wednesday 09 April 2014

Another bus walk.  This time we took the car to West Looe, where we parked away from the town on Marine Drive.  We then caught the Western Greyhound service 572 bus from opposite the Fire Station to Crumplehorn, above Polperro.

On the way down to the Coast Path by the harbour we had, a short rest.  This was becoming something of a pleasant habit! This time we called in at The Plantation Tea Rooms for a coffee and a pork and stuffing bap with apple sauce: delicious!

Fortified, we set off down to the harbour to commence the day's Coast Path walk: not much more than five miles to Looe to be completed this day.

Polperro Harbour

At Polperro

Polperro

There was a short, clearly marked, diversion from Downend Point to Porthallow and Talland Bay; the Path then continuing past Hove Stone, Bridge Rocks and St George's Island to Hannafore, to the southern end of West Looe.

 

Coast Path Diversion at Downend Point .... follow the arrow!

Looe from Marine Drive

South West Coast Path distance for the day's walk was approximately 7.6 km (4.7 miles) and the total walked was about 8.6 km (5.3 miles).
The Cumulative distance from Minehead: approximately 629 km (391 miles).

Looe to Portwrinkle

Thursday 10 April 2014

Looe Bay and St George's Island

A lovely Spring day!  Cloudy with sunny spells - and no rain!

Both Looe and Portwrinkle are linked to Liskeard by regular bus services.  The service between Liskeard and Looe is roughly hourly; that between Portwrinkle and Liskeard rather infrequent.  With this in mind we parked the car at Liskeard and caught the Western Greyhound 753 bus to Looe.

Arriving at Looe, we went without our pre-walk coffee, and after a little by way of some window shopping by Elizabeth, we went on our way.  While Elizabeth was window shopping, though, Vaughan had continued through the town, expecting Elizabeth to be following - which she wasn't!  Eventually, however, we met up again and continued on the way.

 

Looe

We made time for an excellent coffee right on the beach at The Black Rock Cafe at Millendreath.  Shortly after we left Millendreath we followed the major inland diversion to avoid serious landslips and storm damage, passing the Monkey Sanctuary on the way down to Seaton, where we paused for a quick picnic lunch.

Diversion notice... at the Western end.

At the Eastern end of the diversion.

Seaton, Cornwall

We kept our lunch break short, hoping to be able to catch the 15:45 A Line Travel 80B bus from Portwinkle to Liskeard.  The next bus would mean a long wait, as it was due to leave at 18:27.  So we 'quick marched' - and managed to catch the bus, with not many minutes to spare!  This was one of those occasions when using a limited frequency bus service at the end of the day's walk puts one under a certain amount of pressure: pressure best avoided if possible!

The South West Coast Path distance for the day's walk was approximately 13.6 km (8.4 miles) and the total day's walk was about 15.0 km (9.3 miles).
The Cumulative distance from Minehead: approximately 641 km (398 miles).

 

Portwrinkle to Rame (Wiggle Cliff)

Friday 11 April 2014

 

Whitsand Bay and Rame Head

A linear bus walk, using the hourly First service 81 from Kingsand, Rame Village to Crafthole.  Firstly, we drove to the tiny village of Rame, parking near the church and walking from there to the bus stop at the road junction with the lane to the village, where we caught the bus.  From Crafthole, where we alighted, we took the short walk down the lane to Portwrinkle, where we enjoyed a pre-walk coffee at The Gook Beach Cafe, above Portwinkle Beach. 

 

The Tregantle Firing Ranges were open to walkers on the day of our walk, so we were able to follow the permissive path through them, skirting immediately on the seaward side of Tregantle Fort.  Leaving the Fort behind, the path continues through Freathy and Whitsand Bay passing by the unique 'village' of countless individual and distinctive chalets, many of them with carefully tended gardens.

 

We left the Coast Path at the Polhawn Car Park, above Wiggle Cliff, and returned to Rame Church along the lanes, instead of rounding Rame Head, which we would save for the next section of our walk.

 

The South West Coast Path distance for the day's walk was approximately 8.0 km (5 miles) and the total day's walk was about 12.0 km (7.5 miles).
The Cumulative distance from Minehead: approximately 649 km (403 miles).