87 Hartland Quay to East Titchberry

View south from Hartland Quay

We started this walk from remote Hartland Quay with great views back to the south, albeit into the sun, and ahead to the north.

We climbed steadily to reach the cliff top and walked along the grassy path. There was a fine view out to sea towards Lundy island.

 

A bit further on there was a very photogenic ruin (of a tower according to the OS map). Off to the right, the church of St Nectan (a new one!) could be seen across the grassy plateau. Apparently the 130 foot tower is the highest in North Devon.

Soon there was a sharp descent to Dyers Lookout, with an attractive valley coming in from the landward side.

Hard on the heels of the corresponding ascent was a further sharp descent to Blegberry Beach, with of course another climb afterwards.

Next up was the rocky Damehole Point. Inland, a long and rather lovely valley ran behind the coastal cliffs. This was a bit unusual – we have seen any amount of valleys running inland at right angles to the sea.

Before long we had our first views of the lighthouse at Hartland Point. It was opened in 1874 and like so many is now automated.

We passed behind it and headed towards the radar dome on the top of a red sandstone cliff above Barley Bay. It was erected in 1994 and is used for air traffic control.

We continued along the cliff top path to Shipload Bay ...

... where we turned inland to reach East Titchberry Farm with its old Malt House clearly in need of some care and attention.

Conditions: bright and sunny.

Distance: 4 miles.

Map: Explorer 126 (Clovelly & Hartland)

Grading: Strenuous.

Rating: Five stars.

75 Treyarnon Bay to Trevone Bay

It's been raining for about 20 hours since we reached Treyarnon Bay yesterday. The forecast for today is encouraging, but as we set off again it is grey and drizzling. Passing round Treyarnon Point we reach the vast expanse of the lovely Constantine Bay and walk its full length along the softish sand. Above is the rather hazy view back.

At the end you climb a few steps and pass into Boobys Bay. This is more rocky and the path follows the grassy area to the back of the beach. Inland there are a few scattered houses and we especially liked this 1930-ish one in the style of Edward Lutyens.

We plodded on, passing behind Dinas Head to reach Trevose Head, whose white lighthouse we have seen intermittently since Newquay. That its light was on is indicative of the prevailing murk. 

I wanted to see the lighthouse more closely and we followed the road from behind the headland into a sort of courtyard where we were impressed by the pedimented entrance to the lighthouse and the four attached cottages forming a sort of courtyard.

A bit further on we turned a further unnamed headland and the weather miraculously relented - the sun broke through the clouds. We passed this fantastic art deco house above a small bay ...

... and soon reached Mother Ivey's Bay. There was a large holiday park behind the sandy beach. The back of the beach great views back to the newish Padstow lifeboat house and the Merope Rocks. 

We rounded Cataclews Point to reach the simply huge Harlyn Beach.

We followed the path above the beach around the right side and then had to descend and walk the last bit along the sand. In the far right corner a small river enters the bay under a bridge and we reached the road there near to a welcoming pub where a wedding party were celebrating in what was now warm sunshine.

After a refreshing drink we walked around the grassy headland to Trevone Bay, where it was a pleasure to see another of these lovely sandy beaches being used for its true purpose.

Conditions: wet at first, but eventually quite sunny. A high wind throughout.

Grading: Easy.

Map: Explorer 106 (Newquay & Padstow).

Distance: 6.0 miles. Distance now covered 458 miles.

Severity: Moderate.

Rating: Four stars.

39 Mount Batten to Cremyll Ferry

The Citadel from Mount Batten Point

Now for the final stretch of the Coast Path in Devon. We pick up the route at Mount Batten and pause to enjoy the view across the Sound to the Citadel, with the celebrated Plymouth Hoe on the left. We walk round past the marina and climb to then get a comprehensive view across the area known as Cattewater - the estuary of the River Plym. There is a just-so story to account for the odd name: there was allegedly once a rock formation which looked rather like a cat.

As we entered Turnchapel we saw the first of many variations on the usual methods of signing: finger posts and yellow arrows on low posts, both usually having the familiar acorn symbol. The idea with this older version was presumably that the appropriate directional arrow would be painted white.

Turnchapel has the character of a fishing village, with its neat cheerfully painted houses. Most have a doorcase, although in the case of the one on the extreme left it is painted on.

Passing behind some seemingly abandoned wharves, we followed a creek round to pass a new housing development on the end of Hooe Lake.

The lake itself has an interesting mixture of industrial buildings and hulks of old ships around its edges and at the far end what looks like a small castle. We followed a mixture of urban and woodland paths around the lake, passing another novel sign post on the way ...

... and emerged at Radford Castle, looking derelict and unloved. It sits on a dam separating the tidal Hooe Lake from the freshwater Radford Lake. All I can turn up on it is that it is "an early 19th century folly".

It has to be said that the next few miles were fairly grim: boat yards, light industrial areas, a length of the A379, chemical plants, more light industry. Not like anything previously seen on this scale in two hundred miles of coast! Of course Plymouth is by far the biggest urban settlement we have passed through and the most industrialised.

Eventually, we emerged onto a hedged tarmac path in Coxside which offers a great view back across the Sound to Mount Batten.

In the ivy hedgerow, alerted by a flash of orange, we spotted a Garden Tiger moth: staggeringly beautiful.

And at the end of the path, there is the ultimate signpost-cum-waymark. We saw other less dramatic variants too: red arrows on stone and red metal finger posts high up at right-angles on lampposts.

We pass the uninspiring National Aquarium building, cross the footbridge across the mouth of Sutton Harbour and reach the busy Barbican. It is too crowded and messy to be worth photographing. We continue along the harbourside to pass beneath the massive Citadel.

This picture shows one end. It was built in 1666 by Charles II and incorporated an earlier fort of Drake's time. Charles seems to have wanted to promote Plymouth as a cross-channel port and may also have had it in mind that the town supported Parliament in the still-recent Civil War - the guns were able to fire into the town as well as out across the Sound. It would have been nice to see the baroque Portal.

There was now a great opportunity to see Plymouth's newly refurbished art deco Tinside Lido, albeit looking into the sun. It originally opened in 1935 and was closed in 1992. It reopened after massive renovation in 2005.

Now we reached the famous Hoe. The first thing that struck us was the art deco column on the far side. It is in fact a war memorial to sailors who died at sea. After the First World War an Admiralty committee recommended that the three "manning" ports in Great Britain - Chatham, Plymouth and Portsmouth - should each have an identical memorial of unmistakable naval form, an obelisk, which would also serve as a leading mark for shipping. The memorials were designed by Sir Robert Lorimer, with sculpture by Henry Poole. The Plymouth Naval Memorial was unveiled by HRH Prince George on 29 July 1924. We saw the one in Portsmouth in February 2012 without realising that it was one of a trio.

Walking back towards the sea gives a fantastic view of Smeaton's Tower. This was once the third Eddystone Lighthouse, completed in 1759 and in use until 1877 when it was found to be unstable. The upper part was dismantled and relocated here as a memorial to its designer John Smeaton. The foundations and stub of the old tower remain on the Eddystone Rocks, close to the current lighthouse.

We walked through West Hoe to reach the monumental French chateau-style Duke of Cornwall hotel, which dates from 1863.

We somehow lost our way here and headed towards the Cremyll Ferry by a route that took us past the
imposing Royal Marine Barracks at Stonehouse. It dates from 1784, but the majority is mid 19th century.

At the the end of the walk, by the ferry, was the extraordinary entrance to the Royal William Victualling Yard. It dates from 1826-35 and was the work of Sir John Rennie. The 13 foot high figure on the top of the arch is the reigning monarch, William IV. The victualling work of the Yard is symbolised by the bulls' heads and tools on the facade.

Conditions: clear, sunny and warm.

Distance: 7.5 miles. We have now completed the coast of South Devon. Next stop Cornwall!

Map: Explorer 108 (Lower Tamar Valley and Plymouth).

Rating: Four stars for the best bits, but a lot was very dreary.

26 Exmouth (Starcross) to Teignmouth

Exmouth from Starcross

The third day of our latest SWCP trip. We finished up last night at the ferry in Exmouth, so today we drove round to the other side, Starcross, and set off from there. The first two miles just follow the road (the A379 from Starcross to Cockwood and then a minor road) down to Dawlish Warren. As we approached this well-known holiday area, we were staggered by the number of holiday parks on either side of the road.

We wondered about going to see the nature reserve, but decided to press on, joining the path along the sea wall just by Dawlish Warren station. Signs warned that the sea wall route could be dangerous at high tide, but mercifully it was close to low water.

Quite soon, you see Cowhole Rock. I have scrupulously framed the photo to avoid the Red Rock cafe, the busy path and the railway, all of which are off to the right.

Once past the rock, you walk between the sea on the left and Brunel's extraordinary railway line, with red sandstone cliffs to its right.

It was interesting to see from close up how almost liquid the sandstone looks and how eroded it is.

Gradually the path comes nearer to sea level and you pass a series of groynes. Hole Head stands at the end of the bay.

After four miles of hard path we took a break for refreshments in Dawlish. As we left the town and climbed up to Lea Hill, we were surprised to see quite a lot of people positioned on the railway bridge and higher up, many with cameras, tripods, the works. We found out that they were all in place to see a steam train pass by which was expected in 30 minutes or so.  A quick Google search reveals that this service, run by Steam Dreams, is pulled not by the usual restored old steam locomotive, but by a new replica called the Tornado built by a group of enthusiasts .

We carried on and instead took a nice picture of the curve of Dawlish Beach leading up to the Langstone Rock. The wave patterns made an interesting sight.

After Lea Hill, there was a section of road, then we turned left to see - what joy! - a normal section of coast. I include the photo only to remember the sense of relief we felt. 

As we were descending towards the right, we heard the whistle of the steam engine, which is, it must be said, a wonderful nostalgic sound. I was quite pleased with this impromptu shot, taken by pointing vaguely in the right direction and focusing by guesswork. No doubt the people in Dawlish did much better.

After a steep climb with further views over Dawlish and another brief section along the road, we reached the sea wall by Shag Rock and followed it along, above the beach, to Teignmouth.

The seafront at Teignmouth presents a mainly 19th century face to the world. The symmetrical and harmonious blocks of hotels date from the 1820s (although some had to be rebuilt after damage during the war), while the pier dates from 1865.

The nearby lighthouse dates from 1845 and at 6m is probably one of the smallest you are likely to see, but its static red light still performs a useful function guiding boats through the mouth of the Teign to the harbour beyond.

The curious wheels attached to the lighthouse are a contribution to the 2012 Sculpture Trail: Spinning Flowers by Imel Sierra Cabrera.

The walk ended, as it had begun, with a view across a river estuary from a ferry point, this time in Teignmouth Harbour looking across to Shaldon. All that remained was to get a taxi back to Starcross.

Conditions: cooler than of late and very cloudy.

Distance: 8 miles. Distance now covered 124 miles.

Map: Explorer 115 (Exmouth and Sidmouth).

Rating: three stars. We felt that this was the least enjoyable leg so far, as it was almost entirely on made up paths. There were many interesting aspects however.