14/3/2023 Kingswear to Brixham (11.27mls)

Prior to leaving home to do this walk a couple of friends had warned us that it was tough and then again a couple that we met the day before had indicated the same. The SWCP leaflet rates it as strenuous and indeed it was, not in any way dangerous or precipitous, but rather just the effort required for the constant ups and downs. In fact Strava indicated that the elevation gain was 2585ft which is significantly greater than any of the SWCP walks that we had done so far.

David A decided against the walk so Fiona drove Justine and me to Kingswear and dropped us off at a turning point just above the station and ferry slipway.

As ever on all these walks it started immediately up steps by Kingswear Priory where the optimistic sign indicates "Coast Path Brixham 10ml". Still climbing but once on Beacon Lane the path levels for some distance past several attractive and substantial houses. One of them on the right, although looking of relatively recent construction, had a VR Post Office box embedded in the front wall and still in current use - we didn't envy the postman having to do the daily collections and deliveries!

Where there are steps down and up (155 in total) into Warren Woods, the SWCP leaflet indicates that there is a plaque to Colonel H Jones who was awarded a posthumus VC in the Falklands War. Disappointingly we were not able to find it - did he live nearby?

Opposite the ruined mill it is another climb at Warren Cottage but eventually the path levels out to reach Froward Point where there are a number of military installations and a National Coastwatch Institution station.

There are two options here and we chose to take the lower path down steps to the right of the Coastwatch station down to the guns and searchlights emplacements. There is a small railway here to take ammunition from the ammunition store to a gun emplacement. It was here that David L had a confused moment when perched on the gun emplacement as he could not work out how he had got up there!

Climbing back up, the next landmark is Old Mill Bay and Pudcombe Cove. It is here that the path goes past the grounds of the National Trust Coleton Fishacre property. Prior to the NT purchasing the property there was no coast path access through the private estate.

Fiona was visiting the property while we walked past but could not see us. She was very impressed with the way that this Arts and Crafts property has been restored and no doubt we will be back to visit it in the near future.

Down on the coast there is the remains of a tidal swimming pool belonging to the D'Oyly Carte family who previously owned the estate, but we couldn't see if there was now any path access to it.

The coast path continues around Scabbacombe Head and then descends steeply to Scabbacombe Sands. The climb up from here to Long Sands was tough and in our view tougher than the dreaded one to come after Man Sands up to Southdown Cliff, mainly because the terrain was uneven, whereas the Southdown Cliff path is longer and steeper but is even and therefore a 'metronomic' pace is possible. Note though that we met someone who said that it was easier to go up than to go down (i.e. when walking from Brixham direction), particularly when wet.

Descending down to Man Sands we witnessed a puzzling sight. Looking down on to the beach we spotted a bare footed man just wearing shorts and rucksack with a very long staff striding towards the start of the climb up from the beach. On reaching the coast path, to our amazement, he then ran up the Southdown Cliff path and quickly disappeared out of sight.

This spurred us on - if he can do it then so can we!

And so we scampered up Southdown Cliff and then to Sharkham Point and round to St Mary's Bay where re re-entered civilisation walking by a massive lodge and mobile home park to arrive at Berry Head. Here there are a couple of Napoleonic Forts, car park and a very welcome cafe. After deserved drinks we set off on the final leg of 1.4mls back to Brixham but because our property was on the east side of Brixham we were back in no time.

In the evening, it being our last night, we all went to the excellent nearby Prince William for a celebration meal. Another 31mls done and now less than 95mls to go.