Kingswear (Dartmouth) to Starcross: August/September 2014

Kingswear (Dartmouth) to Starcross (Exmouth Ferry): August/September 2014



River Dart Estuary from Kingswear

A series of six linear walks covering the varied section between Kingswear on the Dart Valley and Starcross on the Exe Estuary. We stayed in a mobile home at the Devon Valley Holiday Village, Shaldon for this section.  Our accommodation was described as 'no frills', but it was convenient and good value - if a little 'tired' and 'frayed at the edges'!

 

 

Kingsear to Man Sands
 

The first day's walk of this session was from Kingswear to Man Sands.  We drove to Hillhead, where we caught the bus to Kingswear for the commencement of our walk.

The Mew Stone from Pudcombe Cove

On this warm and sunny late August day following the Dartmouth Regatta, there were many people out and about: a popular section of the coast.

We punctuated our walk with refreshment stops at Inner Froward Point and Scabbascombe Sands.  The latter is a delightful sandy cove.  Man Sands, another superb beach, is where we left the Coast Path and headed back to Hillhead via Woodhuish Lane and Penhill Lane.

 

 

Sunday 31 August 2014.

SWCP distance (Kinswear to Man Sands): 9.8km (6 miles);

Walk total/Session total: 12.8km (8 miles);

SWCP distance from Minehead to Man Sands: 777km (483 miles);

SWCP distance from Man Sands to South Haven Point: 238km (148 miles)

Man Sands to Brixham Harbour

A late(ish) start for the next session on a rather grey and drizzly morning for our second linear walk of this section - from Man Sands to Brixham Harbour.

Once again, we drove to Hillhead and parked the car at the roadside before retracing our steps down to Man Sands via Penhill Lane and Woodhuish Lane to join the Coast Path by the old lime kiln at the southern end of Man Sands.

From Man Sands we persevered up the long, steep climb to the cliff-top above Southdown Cliff, rounding Sharkham Point to follow the cliff-top path at St Mary's Bay.  A few yards before the sign-posted path diversion, inland from St Mary's Bay, we paused on the conveniently-placed bench overlooking the bay and enjoyed watching the jays as they were flying to and fro.

'Flying Lady' - scupture at St Mary's Bay

At Berry Head we took the short detour to the lighthouse at the end, stopping for a welcome tea and cake in the Guardhouse Cafe, within the old Napoleonic fort.  From there is was a about a mile and a half to Brixham, where we watched a seal just off of Breakwater Beach before catching the bus to Hillhead.

A grey early evening from Berry Head with Thatcher Rock in the distance across Torbay

Monday 01 September 2014.

SWCP distance (Man Sands to Brixham Harbour): 9.1km (5.7 miles);

Walk total: 12.4km (7.7 miles);
Session total: 25.2km (15.6 miles)

SWCP distance from Minehead to Brixham Harbour: 786km (488 miles);

SWCP distance from Man Sands to South Haven Point: 229km (142 miles)

Brixham Harbour to Torquay Harbour

Brixham Harbour

Another linear walk on another rather dull day (weatherwise!).  Fortunately, though, the weather improved as the day progressed. 

This time we took the bus (Stagecoach service 11) from Shaldon to Torquay, Strand Harbourside.  We then took the seasonal ferry from Beacon Quay to Brixham Harbour; setting out from there for our return to Torquay.

Before leaving Brixham, though, we stopped for a refreshment break at the 'Claws' kiosk on The Quay - for coffee and crab sandwich.  Despite this early snack break, we still managed to consume the picnic meal that we had brought with us: in two stages: Ebury Cove and Goodrington Sands.

Beach Huts at Broad Sands

Dart Valley Railway near Goodrington Sands

Paignton Harbour

Reaching Torquay, we, once again, took the bus back to Shaldon.

Wildlife spotted along the way: Buzzards; a kestrel being harassed by a crow.

Tuesday 02 September 2014.

SWCP distance from Brixham Harbour to Torquay: 14km (8.7 miles);

Walk total: 15.5km (9.6 miles);
Session total: 40.7km (25.25 miles)

SWCP distance from Minehead to Torquay Harbour: 800km (487km)

SWCP distance from Torquay Harbour to South Haven Point: 215km (133 miles)

 

 

Torquay Harbour to Babbacombe
 

Another linear walk.  Once again we caught the bus (the Stagecoach 11 service) from Shaldon to Torquay, Strand Harbourside.

At the harbour we re-joined the Coast Path and headed out, firstly along the town's roads, passing Living Coasts before taking the cliff-top footpath.

We paused for a coffee break above Meadfoot Beach before continuing passing Hope's Nose, Ansty's Cove and Long Quarry Point before reaching Babbacombe, where we enjoyed a 'spur of the moment' lunch break at The Cary Arms at Withy Point: crab and smoked salmon sandwiches with chips: very good!

The Cary Arms, Withy Point

Instead of taking the cliff railway we climbed up to Marychurch to catch the bus back to Shaldon.

 

Wednesday 03 September 2014.SWCP distance from Torquay Harbour to Babbacombe: 7.7km (4.8 miles);
Walk total: 8.95km (5.5 miles);

Session total: 49.65km (30.8 miles)

SWCP distance from Minehead to Babbacombe: 808km (502km)
SWCP distance from Babbacombe to South Haven Point: 207km (128 miles)

Babbacomb to Shaldon

 

This is described as 'a tough section of almost constant ups and downs', which we completed out of sequence to fill the gap between Babbacombe and Teignmouth.  We think that the 'strenuous' grading is correct!

'Are they edible, I wonder?'

Bittersweet Berries



Honeysuckle Berries

Another bus walk in which we caught the bus from Shaldon to St Marychurch before re-joining the Coast Path at the Cliff Railway.

 

Although the route offers little by way of wide sea views, the way is, nevertheless, pleasant, much of it through woodland and along field-edge paths.

 

We broke the day's walk with a number of short picnic stops: above Watcombe Beach, on a bench by the path above Mackerel Cove, where we were joined by a tame robin who seemed to enjoy some crumbs from our lunch boxes.

 

Wildlife spotted on the walk included a stoat and a small adder, sunning itself on the path.

Friday 05 September 2014.
SWCP distance from Babbacombe to Shaldon: 8.7km (5.4 miles);

Walk total: 10.1km (6.25 miles);

SWCP distance from Minehead to Shaldon: 815km (506km)
SWCP distance from Shaldon to South Haven Point: 200km (124 miles)

 

Shaldon to Starcross

 

This was a linear walk from The Ness Inn, Shaldon to Starcross with the Exmouth Ferry adjacent to the railway station.

Shaldon to Teignmouth Ferry

 

Our starting point was at the Long Stay car park close by The Ness Inn, with just a short walk to the Shaldon to Teignmouth ferry (£1.50 per person, single journey).

 

After passing through Teignmouth, we followed the 'low tide' route beside the railway; along the sea wall, with waves beginning to break over the path in places.  Above the railway, engineers were carrying out stabilisation work to the cliffs after recent cliff-falls.

 

Cliff stabilisation work above the railway

 

Inter-city train beside the Coast Path

 

We had our refreshment stops between Holcombe and Shell Cove and in the park in the centre of Dawlish.  Our final refreshment stop was at the entrance to the holiday park near Dawlish Warren.

 

The sea wall section between Dawlish and Dawlish Warren remained closed following the severe storm damage earlier in the year, which had closed the railway for six weeks.  We, therefore followed the 'high tide' route: 'in land' from the railway with but fleeting views of the sea.

Dawlish

 

It was an interesting section; if not the most scenic.  Much of the way was through the urban development of holiday towns.

 

• Common Terns diving for fish while we waited for the ferry at Shaldon;
• Little Egrets at Cockwood, on the Exe Estuary

Thursday 04 September 2014.

SWCP distance from Shaldon to Starcross: 13.5km (8.4 miles);

Walk total: 14.7km (9.1 miles);

SWCP distance from Minehead to Starcross: 828km (514km).

SWCP distance from Starcross to South Haven Point: 187km (116 miles)

More to follow........  Keep looking!