Day 91 - Monday 15 September 2003 - Paignton to Sharkham Point

 9 miles walked today

966 miles walked in total (10.615 average)

Today I was more organised and had sussed out the back roads to the main A381 so was striding out along the prom at Paignton at 8.30 am.

The path left the harbour and skirted Roundham Head, a very well kept green with great views back along the coast.   (Personally, I think Torquay is best seen from a distance!)  The path came down through the cliff gardens to Goodrington Sands and I was pleased to see that the sea was very clear.  It was mostly all prom walking today which was quite hard going on the calf muscles.

Past Goodrington, the path began to climb up towards the railway and I was finally on grass, but not for long, as I descended down concrete steps and a ramp underneath a viaduct to Broadsands.  I liked it here - the tide was right in and there wasn't anyone swimming.  It was a weird start to the day - very hazy - but it didn't take long for the sun to burn the mist away.  A short stretch over a huge park led me to Elberry Cove where I had to walk along the shingle and up the steps at the end of the beach - there were people swimming here and one old dear told me there's a little gang who swim there every day at eight in the morning.  God love 'em!

The path went through woodland from the cove and I have to admit my ignorance as to the identity of the stone that I was now walking on.  I was just glad it had been dry for some time as I can only imagine how treacherous it is to walk on in the rain.  The stone was a very shiny grey colour with a white marble effect to it.

As yesterday, it was very cool walking through the trees and a signboard informed me that The Grove is being managed in a more traditional way now.  Some of the more exotic trees that grow on this "riviera" coast are being cut down and more native trees are being planted.  It is hoped that more light will filter through the new growth to encourage low growing plants and flowers and more wildlife.

I found some good rocks above Churston Cove so sat for a while looking down on Brixham, before heading through the Battery Gardens and on to the harbour.  Brixham's a very pretty place and I really liked the atmosphere.  It's not just a picture postcard town, but has a "real" feel to it too, with the numerous fishing boats tied up alongside the pleasure craft.  The houses looking down on the harbour are all painted in vibrant colours and, whilst I couldn't imagine anything worse than living in a baby pink coloured house, I'm sure that this adds to the Brixham charm.  I wonder if there is some financial incentive from the local Chamber of Commerce to continue with the colour scheme?  It certainly does a lot for the local tourism. 

I spent quite a while in Brixham but decided I could push on a bit further.  Shiriin's back from Lesotho for a week and is spending a day walking with me.  If I subjected her to the "strenuous" eleven mile day described in my guide book for tomorrow, I'm afraid that we may end our friendship in Devon!  With that in mind, I cracked on a bit further to cut tomorrow's mileage down.

Not for too much further though as I made a total arse of myself at Berry Head.  I was studying a signboard at the fort which was positioned in front of the tea rooms.  I turned round to walk away, but didn't notice the boulder positioned by my right foot.  Oops!  So I ended up in a heap with both hands in the shingle, my right knee bashed on the ground and my left leg out at an angle.  Blood everywhere!  I think my pride was more battered than my body, but I went to the loos to mop my leg up.  Some of the people at the cafe jumped up to help me, but I put on a brave face and didn't cry until I was well out of view!

I could have stopped at Berry Head, but I'd only have to start there again tomorrow and the catering staff may have recognised me!  So I carried on along the grassy path to Durl Head, whilst trying to negotiate the huge rock built stiles in the process.  At one stage I even said out loud "you're having a laugh" - nightmare constructions.

I consulted my map to find a sensible place to stop and chose Sharkham Point as there was a car park, where I could summon a taxi.  A chap walking his dog passed me, took one look at the state of my leg and offered to drive me to Paignton.  I thanked him and said I'd get a taxi.  He said if I changed my mind and was still in the car park when he came back, he'd take me to my car.  What a kind man.

I got back to the car without further incident and headed back to the cottage to meet Shiriin who had a good laugh about my knee.  Where's a bit of sympathy when you need it?!

Day 90 - Sunday 14 September 2003 - Teignmouth to Paignton

 13 miles walked today

957 miles walked in total (10.633 average)

I was parked and ready to go at 8.45 am this morning.  I had a major hill out of Shaldon and my guide book had told me I had a strenuous hike today, but that the first part was worse than the second.  Oh good!  It was very hot all day and I drank my full two litres of water.

I came off the path at Bundle Head for some reason that I still don't really understand!  At one point I was waist deep in a field of bracken and I seriously lost my sense of humour.  I've acquired a major rash of stings and bites on my legs which is terribly attractive.  I finally got back on the path, which stayed very close to the cliff edge all the way to Maidencombe.  The scenery from the top of the cliffs was amazing back to Teignmouth, although I had no teasing glimpses forward towards Torquay until I was almost on top of it.

The beach cafe at Maidencombe was shut as was the cafe at Watcombe, so I pushed on through woods, which made a pleasant change as they were very cool, on to Petit Tor Point.  There'd been a landslip here so I detoured into Babbacombe and then down under the cliff railway - a funicular lift - which was very exciting!  At this point, I was getting delirious from too much sun and told Sam there were no "downs" today, but that it was all "up".  Sam told me to stop whingeing, put my sunhat on and just get on with it!

She enquired how far I was going today and was silenced by my reply of Brixham.  I explained that I was going to get the ferry from Torquay to Brixham, at which point all hell broke loose.   I was told off severely that I couldn't just get any old ferry, but only ones that got me across significant stretches of water.   If Tor Bay isn't significant, I don't know what is!  Anyway, I was shamed into submission and said I wouldn't do it.

I headed down to the beach at Babbacombe and had a mug of tea and a sandwich on the front and watched the divers on the beach.

After my lunch break, I headed up the three in one hill to Walls Hill and back down to Anstys Cove.  The walking today, while hard, has been very varied and I felt like I could do anything that the coast path threw at me.  From Walls Hill onwards, there were loads more people about and it felt like a Saturday with people buzzing around constantly.

I had to walk on the road for a while as I started to head into Torquay and passed some very posh huge houses with their white pillared porches and their palm trees in the gardens.   Steps led down to Meadfoot beach and, at the end of the prom, I had another climb up to Daddyhole Plain which, again, was covered in people soaking up the September sun.

The path from here zigzagged down the hill and I stopped and chatted to a guy who's walking Minehead to Poole for charity.   He's a member of the South West Coast Path Association and had the same guide book as me.   He tried to persuade me to become a member and said that a lot more information on the path was filtered to members that non members don't see.  It might have been useful today as I didn't think the path was very well signed at all.  We chatted for ages and I mentioned that I wanted to get to Mevagissey by the end of next week.   After initially dismissing this out of hand, we calculated how I could do it and he said he thought I'd do it - blinking hope so!  I told him about my aborted plan to get the ferry to Brixham, but he thought it was a good idea as there were far too many people on the prom today!

However, I got into Torquay, found the Tourist Information Office and got the bus timetables before getting an ice cream and heading off to Paignton.  This last bit was a complete nightmare as there were far too many people about for my liking.  Still, it made me walk quicker and it wasn't long before I was at the pier and ready to get the bus back.  I was very tired and didn't really appreciate the gardens along the front, but I'll have a proper look when I start tomorrow.

Day 89 - Sunday 7 September 2003 - Exmouth to Teignmouth

 8 miles walked today

944 miles walked in total (10.606 average)

What a fantastic day!  After discussion with my dorm mates last night, I decided that I really couldn't wait for the first ferry to Starcross, so I would drive it instead.

So, I was parked and ready to go at 8.30 am.  My guide book said it would be an easy day, so I took a chance and wore walking sandals instead of my boots.  A couple of miles on from Starcross, I went through the village (more of a hamlet really) of Cockwood - what a pretty place.  Two pubs, a couple of houses and hundreds of boats - my kind of town!

It started to rain at this point so I put my waterproof on over my teeshirt and fleece.  I already had long trousers on after checking the forecast last night with the Warden at Beer.  It was all road walking this morning so at least there were plenty of opportunities for taking cover in bus shelters.  At Dawlish Warren, I cut under the railway line and went in search of the facilities so I could remove my fleece as I was having a major hot flush!

From here, the path followed the railway, so I walked between the sea and the train line.  I'd already checked that high tide wasn't until 3.30 pm so I was OK to continue.  There were a lot of people using the path which was good to see.  (One train driver waved at me as he went past, so I had to return the greeting!)

At Dawlish, I went to investigate the town - another very pretty place - with a "stream" that cuts through the town surrounded by park and flowers.  At this point, the waterproof was also packed away and I was in teeshirt until nearly into Teignmouth.

From Dawlish, I had to follow roads again, but only to Smugglers Lane at Holcombe, where I got back down on to the sea wall.  The heavens opened!  It was only a short stretch from here to Teignmouth though and the views - through the rain - were fantastic - over to Torquay and Brixham.  (I hate starting out in the mornings when it's raining, but I actually quite enjoy it if I'm already walking and it starts to rain.)

Teignmouth's a very old fashioned place, but was overrun with sporty types for the sixth round of the British offshore water skiing championships.  I had a mooch around and a cream tea before heading back to the train back to my car.  Sadly, though, the train wasn't due for another ninety minutes so I got the bus instead.  Shame really as I'd been looking forward to an exciting train ride along the beach!

I've really enjoyed this weekend and am looking forward to coming down next Saturday for a full two weeks of walking.  The weather isn't supposed to be very good, but I've got some amazing scenery coming up and I should get into Cornwall!

Day 88 - Saturday 6 September 2003 - Sidmouth to Exmouth

 13 miles walked today

936 miles walked in total (10.636 average)

I left Beer Youth Hostel at 7.40 am.   Because I knew I'd be one of the first out, I'd organised my bag last night, leaving just the stuff out that I'd need for walking and stowed my big rucksack under the window seat in our dorm.  So I was quite perturbed when I could see it was raining!  I'd only got my shorts with me and my long trousers were in the dorm.  However, I decided I really couldn't wake the other five residents of the dorm by riffling through my bag to find them.

Instead I went and had a cup of tea and discussed the weather forecast with the Warden who told me it was supposed to be dry and cloudy, but no rain.  By the time I'd driven to Sidmouth, it had stopped raining anyway.  After parking shenanigans and padding up my feet, I was finally ready to walk at 8.30 am.

I had a massive hill climb to start with - what a surprise! - to get out of Sidmouth and I soon needed to stop for a breather.  The views back down to the town were stunning though and well worth the hike.

The path was on road for a very short stretch, but then cup up through woods and back out onto the cliffs.  The path was quite slippery because of the rain so I took it very steadily.  Fairly soon, the path diverted away from the cliff edge and through a conifer plantation which was very cool to walk through.  I really enjoyed this stretch and, when the sun shone through the trees, it was totally magical.  Once through the trees, the path opened right out and I could see down to Ladram Bay with its amazing sandstone formations separated from the cliffs.   At Ladram, I walked through a caravan park and found a very nice cafe for breakfast.

From Ladram, the path was on cliffs again, but very level, towards the River Otter and Budleigh Salterton.  There were no ferries over the river and nothing for it but a short detour inland to a bridge - still all on paths, no roads - and a riverside walk back to Budleigh Salterton for a drink and a mooch around.  It was only twelve o'clock, so I decided to push on and see where I could get to today.

From Budleigh, I had a short hike uphill to get back to the cliffs.  This last stretch was brilliant and I felt really invigorated.  I was then on the level for a while before a downhill to Sandy Bay and a huge caravan park.  Sam had informed me that the Johnsons used to holiday here, but Sheila was sure it would have changed in forty-eight years!

The views from the cliffs were breathtaking and I had frequent stops for photographs and just to drink in the view.  From Sandy Bay, it was all downhill to Exmouth which was full of uniforms.  The RNLI roadshow was in town and also Exmouth was in the throes of the South West Brass Band Festival - how bizarre.  I thought brass bands were a northern thing?

I went in search of the ferry to Starcross, which is where I'll start tomorrow.  The first ferry is at 10.30 am, which is a bit late for me to start.  I'll either have to drive around to Starcross, or just walk later and hope I get back in time for the last ferry back to Exmouth at five o'clock.  We'll see.

I walked up to the bus station at Exmouth, which was next to the railway station, and I was concerned at the conversation between the bus drivers, the train guards and local taxi drivers.  Apparently, there had been a collision between the Exmouth train and a kite surfer and the police and ambulance services were involved.  Goodness knows how the two had been in the same place at the same time.

After the bus ride back to my car, the Tourist Information office informed me that the Sidmouth carnival would be in full swing later tonight so I thought I'd be better off out of the town and back at Beer.  At the hostel, I came clean to the Warden that it had been me that took the fence post out this morning and he told me it happens all the time.  I also found out from him that the Anchor pub would be showing the footie so, after the speediest shower in the history of man, I legged it back down to the village to the pub, and watched the match with the locals, some of whom were dressed as Superman (complete with tights).   I walked in at half time to find that Macedonia were beating England 1-0 - what a disaster!  England soon pulled two goals back, and the pub was in uproar.

I staggered up the hill afterwards for tea and then made my way back to the youth hostel at the top of the hill.  I've really enjoyed today - thirteen miles will push my average up a bit and I didn't find it as much of a struggle as I thought I would.

Day 87 - Sunday 14 August 2003 - Seaton to Sidmouth

 10.5 miles walked today

923 miles walked in total (10.609 average)

I knew today would be hard as my guide book described it as "strenuous, then severe".  Oh good.

I left Seaton at nine o'clock and strode along the seafront to find the path up and over to Beer.  I was at Beer within forty minutes which lulled me into a false sense of security.  It's such a pretty little town and could have been somewhere on the Med - there were people in the sea too.

As I climbed out of Beer, I was overtaken by a couple walking to Branscombe, but soon caught them up and walked with them for a couple of miles.   They stopped at the cafe for tea, but I decided to carry on as I didn't want to lose momentum.

The hill out of Branscombe was a toughie and I did my usual crosslegged sit down and was accused of meditating again, the second time in two days!  I'd love to know what my expression is so I'd get some insight into why people accuse me of this.  The three chaps disappeared up the hill and I soon got up to follow them and it didn't take me long to catch them up.  They were Tom, Martin and Simon from the East Devon Rambling Club out for a Sunday stroll.  The rest of their group had travelled by bus forty miles up the road to walk fourteen miles, but these three wanted a shorter, more local, walk. I walked with them for three miles and they kept me entertained for much of the way.

Martin is a keen twitcher and leads nature rambles so he pointed out a few birds to us.  He thought he'd seen a wheatear and this was confirmed when I turned my rucksack inside out to find the bird book that Andy had bought me for my birthday.  Tom, a retired widower who had moved down from Rochdale (and a little like Compo from Last of the Summer Wine in the humorous sense and not at all in the sartorial department), told me he sees a lot of budgies while walking.  Martin told me in a loud stage whisper that Tom sees kingfishers!  I explained that Andy had also told me he'd seen a budgie while fishing one weekend, so it must be a northern thing!

We sat and had our lunch together before they took a different path inland and I was sorry to say goodbye as their good humour had made me forget how hard it was up the hills.  I soon made it down to Weston Mouth, but was struggling up the other side.  The thought that there was only one more hill to climb before Sidmouth sustained me.  So it was down again to Salcombe Mouth before the worst climb of the day up Salcombe Cliff.  I was overtaken at this stage by an elderly woman, her daughter and son in law.  They called out "are you the lady catching the 4.40 bus back to Seaton?"   Apparently, they'd been talking to the Rambling Club!   When I confirmed I was, they said they'd see me at the bus stop, as they flew up the hill.  However, on the descent I caught up with them and walked with them for the last mile into Sidmouth.  It's a good job I'm quick on the level and the downhill - otherwise I'd end up walking on my own all the time!

At Sidmouth, I had enough time for a quick mooch around, to get some postcards and an ice cream and to find the bus stop.  I was a bit concerned about the bus' ability to get up the hill as it was very steep.   I was  convinced at one point that we'd all have to get out and push.  However, I got back to Seaton without incident and bought some cards from the lifeboat stall on the front before heading back to the B and B.

As soon as I got to Beach End, Andy made me a very much needed pot of tea - what a lovely welcome back!  I had a quick bath and change before dashing back to the tram station in Seaton for a ride up to Colyton and dinner.  The tram was very exciting - it goes alongside the River Axe and we saw herons, curlews, redshanks, bunnies and cows!  At Colyton, I had a brisk walk into the village to find the Kingfisher pub for dinner.  The pub was very busy so I shared my table with two old ex navy reprobates who had me in stitches all evening.  Apparently, they'd been on the beer since noon so were nervous of going home and getting a telling off from their respective wives.

Speaking to these two made my evening.  Too many walking days are spoiled somewhat by lonely evenings.  I go for dinner and sit in a pub on my own and, because I look like a billy no mates, that's what people think I am.  The evenings are definitely lonely experiences when I'm on my own for a weekend.

As I headed back for the tram, I got a couple of text messages:  Sheila telling me to avert my eyes because Budleigh Salterton has a nudist beach and Alan telling me I could get my "bits" out at Budleigh, but not in any of the tea rooms.  Stupid boy!

Day 86 - Saturday 23 August 2003 - Lyme Regis to Seaton

 7.5 miles walked today

912.5 miles walked in total (10.61 average)

I left Colnbrook at 7.15 am today but didn't get to Lyme Regis until 11.45 am.  The railways are all being dug up this weekend so everyone's taken to the roads instead.  Nightmare journey.  I'm not sure whether coming down for just a weekend is now a viable option any more - will need to make a decision soon.

It didn't take long to get parked, booted up and ready for action so I was off immediately - uphill of course - from the Cobb, through the bowling green and up the steps to the Landslip National Nature Reserve.  Today's walk was described in my guide book as "a fair imitation of a corkscrew, very rewarding to some, but extremely frustrating to others".  It was all undercover for  a start - more a woodland walk than a coastal path.  And extremely muggy with no air or hint of a sea breeze.

Fifteen acres of land - eight million tonnes of waterlogged chalk - was dislodged in the great landslide of Christmas Day 1839.  This area had been left to regenerate and the trees are now enormous, letting no light in at all.  The trees have thrown out very inconvenient roots - huge great things to step over or crawl under.  Shannon rang me at quite a crucial moment to ask me questions about her homework - typical student doing her homework in the last week of the summer holidays instead of at the beginning.   Because of this, I followed a couple of walkers who were also heading to Seaton, but, unbeknown to me at the time, were lost.  Marvellous!   So we did a bit of scrambling up hill and down dale through the undergrowth until we found the path again.

I soon lost them though as there was an uphill climb and I was struggling in the heavy air.  There weren't too many places to sit down so I climbed a steep bank underneath some trees and perched there crosslegged to check the maps, eat some banana cake and gulp lots of water down.  A party of eight walked past and their spokesman told me that I looked like I was meditating!

After a while, I carried on and eventually the path opened up and I had superb views of the sea again.  Over to Beer and Beer Head - I couldn't see Seaton as it was tucked into the bay, but the signpost told me it was only a mile to go - hurrah!  I walked the last bit with another couple who were walking from Lyme Regis to Seaton in sandals - imagine!   She was suffering from blister problems though which serves her right!  (I'd had a bit of a stumble earlier and had twisted my right ankle, but, luckily, it righted itself almost immediately.  Good boots, these Brashers!)

The last stretch into Seaton went through a golf course and there were signs up warning walkers to watch out for balls "from the front and the right".  Blimey - dangerous work this!  I strode through completely unscathed and had another knee crunching descent on road to the River Axe where I did a sharp left into Seaton.

I found the bus stop quickly and only had five minutes before the bus came to take me back to Lyme Regis.  I got talking to another couple of walkers from Swindon at the bus stop who'd also walked from Lyme and I counted seven of us on the bus - all looking highly disreputable and sweaty!

I didn't stop long in Lyme (only long enough to buy some arty farty ear rings!) but drove to my B&B in Seaton, where I was greeted by the proprietors, Tom and Andy, and five of their friends/ guests sitting in the garden.  Tom immediately leapt up to make me a pot of tea and one of the "inmates" (as Andy referred to them) produced some lardy cake.  We sat there for half an hour before I said I ought to have a shower as I was probably quite antisocial.  "We didn't like to mention it" was the reply!

My room was fab with unrestricted views of Beer and Beer Head.  So, tea was taken at the Eyre Court pub followed by a walk around the town and an ice cream on the prom.  I'm really impressed by Seaton and could see myself living somewhere like this one day.

(Tom and Andy moved down here from Longford, about two miles from Colnbrook, and one of their visitors came down from Sutton for the weekend - small world.)

Day 85 - Saturday 26 July 2003 - Charmouth to Lyme Regis

 

3 miles walked today

905 miles walked in total (10.64 average)

I was working in Portsmouth for the day yesterday and stayed in Fareham last night.  I'd formed a cunning plan to persuade my friend Ed to walk with me, but this had been scuppered when he informed me he was going to Italy to see Ruth for the weekend.   Being the gentleman he is though, he let me have the keys to his house anyway, so I left at seven fifteen this morning and got to Charmouth two hours later.

It had rained for most of the drive down to Dorset and I'd had a mini flu bug which had knocked me out in the week, so I knew it would be hard going today.

I thought I could take shelter in the cafe at Charmouth, but it was closed, so I had a quick look around the Fossil Centre and was debating whether to hire a hammer (£10 deposit) to go fossil hunting, when the rain stopped.  Inspired by this dry spell and taking it as a sign, I started to walk.  It didn't last long of course and I was soon drenched.  On top of all this, the coast path had been washed away and it was all road walking.  So, as well as the rain falling vertically on me, I was getting it horizontally as well, whenever a car drove by!

I decided to call it a day in Lyme Regis, despite only having walked three miles, and visited the museum.  Lyme has quite a literary history to go with its geological and shipping background and the museum was fascinating, not only for the exhibits but for the building itself.  Resident writers include John Fowles, Jane Austen and G K Chesterton and the art world was represented by Whistler, who didn't paint his mother here, but did paint "The Blacksmith of Lyme" and "Little Rose of Lyme".

The main exhibit of course dealt with the geology and changing landscapes, mainly due to some quite spectacular landscapes, one of which in 1840 was described as an earthquake.  Lyme came into its own following the discovery, in 1811, of a complete skeleton of an ichthyosaurus, by eleven year old Mary Anning.  She acquired the hobby of fossil hunting from her father who was a carpenter, but who supplemented his income by polishing up ammonites he'd found in the cliffs and selling them to tourists.   Mary found a number of skeletons and sold them to museums around the world.

The thinking is that she was "in the right place at the right time".  If she'd been born a bit earlier or a bit later, she would never have been an expert in her chosen field of science.  Fossil hunting was just becoming fashionable and she got lucky!  I'm sure there's a bit more to it than that, but it's nice to think that fate played its part too.  (I didn't like to stay in any part of the museum for too long as little puddles were forming under wherever I stopped!)

I got outside and it was still raining so I mooched about a bit, went to the fossil shops, etc, but decided to call it a day at one o'clock and headed back to Charmouth by bus to get my car.

The beach at Charmouth was over run with people, despite the stinging rain, and I'm fairly sure the fossil centre had rented out all its hammers.  I decided to go home for the weekend and save my fossil hunting for the next time I'm down.

I really liked Lyme Regis and the museum was fab.  I don't usually bother with them, but carry on walking.  I'm glad it rained today because it meant I had a proper chance to explore the surroundings.

Three miles is rubbish though!