25. Torquay to Kingswear

This was  quite along days walk and a tough one especially in the latter stages which had  numerous ups and downs. I left my car parked in the Grand Hotel’s car park. I had stayed at the hotel the night before at an amazing price of £30!

It was still, warm and overcast as I set off from the hotel down the A379 towards Paignton. The pavements where wide and empty of tourists as I make good time along the promenade. Council workers were out in force above Preston Sands removing sand washed up off the beach in recent storms. I round Roundham Head and pass above Goodringham Sands. I am now walking alongside the railway line which is still closed after the tumultuous storms seen earlier in the year and led to the closure of the line at Dawlish.

I soon left the houses of Paignton behind and within a few miles entered the fishing town of Brixham. This is a busy little town particularly around the landing of fish. The harbour has a replica of The Golden Hind, a tourist attraction and restaurant. As I pass through Brixham I notice a beautifully painted mural on a house in the town. There are two harbours with a beautiful backdrop of differently coloured houses seen on many jigsaw puzzles and biscuit tins!

The Grand Hotel Torquay

Paignton

Looking back at Goodrington Sands

Brixham harbour

Golden Hind replica

Brixham mural

Brixham

I pass around Berry Head and head south-west along flat grassy paths. the walking is easy and I am soon at St Marys Bay, Brixham’s south-facing side. I have a short diversion inland to bypass a collapsed section of the path and walk out to Sharkham Point. The next three miles is where the tougher walking begins. There is more pronounced cliff line and the path bizarrely makes a number of unnecessary diversions down the steep slope and back up again. This is very tiring work and rather annoying and frustrating when the path could have easily been maintained at a more constant level. These up and down’s detract from the walk and is  poorly planned. After passing around Inner Forward Point I enter a wooded section which would continue all the way to Kingswear, where the walk ended.

Tough walking along the cliffs

Looking across the River Dart to Dartmouth

Dartmouth Stem Railway Kingswear

Brittannia Royal Naval College – Dartmouth

Distance today = 19.5 miles
Total distance =   394.5 miles

 

24. Exmouth to Torquay

It had been 4 months since I had last walked along the SWCP, primary due to the stormy weather battering the South West over the Winter months. I had not been idle though and continued walking along the Icknield Way through Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire.

Today was going to be a tough days walk, with a hot sun and terrain that rose and fell over almost 20 miles. I had parked in Torquay and then caught a National Express coach to Starcross, on the banks of the River Exe, opposite Exmouth. The Exe Valley Way ends where the SWCP continues at the Starcross Ferry jetty. I continue down the A379 for a short distance before turning off at a much quieter road at the village of Cockwood. The minor road runs along the main South West railway line. However, no trains have run along this section for months following the devastating effect of recent storms. I pass through Dawlish Warren and there I could have normally walked along the top of the breakwater, however, because of the construction work  the Path stays on the road and away from the railway line right to the other side of Dawlish.

As I enter Dawlish I can see an extraordinary amount of construction activity  repairing the railway line. I can see that the work is not far completion and is quite amazing the progress that has been made since the devastation seen in the news footage which showed part of the line washed away. I walked under cliffs of Permian red sandstone and Breccia and onwards to Teignmouth. Looking back long the Devon coast I can see an extraordinary distance back towards Budleigh Salteron and Sidmouth.

At Starcross looking towards the mouth of The Exe

Looking towards Dawlish and the reconstruction of the railway line

Work extends to the main road

A more peaceful part of Dawlish

Red sandstone at Dawlish

Looking back at Dawlish

I enter Teignmouth and use a short ferry service across the River Teign. I land at Shaldon Beach and follow the path around to The Ness. The next 3.5 miles is along a demanding switch back section of the path, hugging the steep cliff edge into Babbacombe Bay. At St Marychurch, the path cuts inland a short distance before returning to the cliff edge. I have now entered into the outskirts of Torquay. At Oddicombe I pass under the cliff railway, which is doing a brisk trade as passengers are whisked up and down to the beach. Soon after I ascend the steep hill above the Cary Arms. I lose the path as from this point into the centre of Torquay the signage becomes almost non-existent and I am frustrated by many ‘blind-alleyways’ that result in numerous back tracking. It’s the last thing I need after such a strenuous walk. Eventually I emerge into Torbay and can now see Brixham across the Bay. Torquay on this bright sunny spring day is very busy and I continue across the marina bridge and along the sea front to my hotel.

Arriving at Shaldon Beach after crossing the River Teign

The switchback route ahead

Cliff railway at Oddicombe

Major rockfall above Oddicombe Beach

Looking towards Thatcher Point from Meadfoot Beach Torquay

Unusual route for SWCP

Crossing the marina bridge in Torquay

Distance today = 19 miles
Total distance =   375 miles