Ruth's Coastal Walk (UK)

I leave Blackpool Sands and walk along the coast road.

The road is busy with traffic and I am pleased, after a short distance, to see a signpost for the South West Coast Path – but less pleased when I realise that, annoyingly, the ‘coast’ path heads inland. I puff and pant as I climb up a steep hill.  But at the top there is a great view back down to the beach.

The path follows an old bridle way and then takes me through open fields and over the top of the hill.

I meet a couple walking from the opposite direction. They look at my walking poles Continue reading →

I am trying to return to the Petit Tor Point area of Torquay, where I plan to find the footpath that goes down to Oddicombe Beach. A friendly local man advises me to catch the bus to Petitor Road and shows me where the bus will stop. I suddenly realise that ‘Petitor Road’ is so-named because it leads to ‘Petit Tor Point’.

From the end of Petitor Road, I find the footpath and begin making my way down to the shore. I stroll across meadows and find myself in woods again, on a path winding around the coast.

For some reason, I anticipated today’s walk would be along the promenade of a busy seaside resort and, expecting concrete and paving, I left my walking poles behind. I didn’t expect to find myself in such a natural landscape.

Then I come across a wire fence. What is this? A railway track? No, it’s a cliff lift. Or Babbacombe Cliff Railway, as it’s called officially. Continue reading →

What a difference a day makes. Today, when I arrive at Dawlish station, the sun is shining!

Ahead I can see green fields, gentle waves, red cliffs and strange rock formations. In the far, blue distance is a low headland and beyond this an island. (Later, I realise this is  Hope’s Ness, marking the beginning of the bay of Torbay. The island is Ore Stone) Continue reading →

I have just arrived at my hotel in Torquay. It is late afternoon and it is raining.  I check the latest BBC weather forecast on my iPad. There is a promise of a few bright spells this evening.

From Torquay station I catch a train up to Dawlish Warren. I deliberately choose a seat on the right hand side of the train, nearest the sea. After an inland deviation via Newton Abbot, there is an amazing view through the rain streaks on the train window. The track follows Brunel’s original route and runs alongside the coast between Teignmouth and Dawlish Warren. The tide is high and fierce. Grey waves crash up against the sea wall as the train trundles by, just a few feet from the lashing spray. Continue reading →

We drive down the narrow winding lanes to Branscombe Mouth. It is the Sunday of the Queen’s Jubilee weekend. The sky is overcast but better than yesterday (when I arrived in the gloom of late afternoon and only got as far as putting on my boots before the rain started and I abandoned the walk).

Today I am hoping to make good progress and have lunch in Sidmouth with a final destination of Budleigh Salterton. Continue reading →