Wednesday: 24th May: Weather: 12°C to 21°C: Blue skies, hazy, no wind, no rain, warm to hot
Salcombe to Beesands: 21.0k walk: 7hrs 30 mins: 8.15am to 3.45pm: 3 x 30min stops: Ascent: 700 metres
Accommodation: Cricket Inn Beesands
Jan waiting for 9am Salcombe ferry
Ian on Ferry from Salcombe
In Shorts on a warm 21°C day
33 shipwrecks around Prawle Point
Spanish Armada sails past Prawle Pt
Wonderfil views all round today
Lunch with views to Peartree Point
Seals basking in sun off Peartree Pt
Sheep balancing on the cliff edge
Not far to go now to Poole
View to Beesands, Torcross, Torquay
Highlights of our day 11 were the ferry from Salcombe, an easy walk to Prawle Point Visitors centre which descvribed the historic encounter with the Spanish Armada in 1588, a lowland walk for 10k just 20 metres higher than the sea, the seals at Peartree Point and the magnificent views from Start Point north to Torquay with miles of sandy beaches along the way.
We awake at 6am to another glorious day with the sun beaming through the window of our little apartment in Shadycombe Lane Salcombe. First up a cup of tea, then we shower, pack and have breakfast before leaving at 8.15am. It’s about 300 metres down the road to the Co-Op, where we stop for a minute to buy dried prosciutto and ham plus Mayonnaise to go with our salad for dinner tonight, then another 1k down through the narrow streets of Salcombe to wait half an hour for the ferry. There’s four of us on the little ferry which cost £2.30 each. When we caught the same ferry 43 years ago with our bikes it cost 25p! That's inflation for you.
It’s a two minute ferry ride across to Portlemouth where we start our walk through a shady wooded path around the Salcombe Estuary onto a very rocky path towards Prawle Point. After two hours, we reach Gammon Head and perch on a small rock for a coffee and biscuit. Another 10 minutes and we’re at the very interesting visitors centre at Prawle Point with information about the 33 shipwrecks along the coast which is vulnerable to howling south westers pushing ships onto the rocks. There was also an interesting historical article when the locals rushed to Prawle Pont, Start Point and Bolt Head on 31st July 1588 to witness in fading light the arrival of the Spannish Armada - 125 Galleons spread in a crescent fashion. Also visible, two miles away, was the English fleet of 105 vessels commanded by Admiral Lord Howard with Sir Francis Drake in the leading ship, the Revenge. Luck was with the British when the wind changed and blew the Armada north, resulting in the fire ships sent by the British infiltrating the Armada and causing havoc.
Past Prawle Point, the coast path runs below the cliffs, not on top, along a grassy lowland about 20 metres above the calm sea. It’s easy walking as we stride out for almost 10k to Lannacombe Beach. We’re getting hungry by now and at 1.30pm decide tp stop at the first bench seat we see, just before Peartree Point. It’s a very warm day, and there’s no shade, but there is a nice cool sea breeze now. Lunch is bread, tomato and cheese for Ian and I have bread, jam and cheese.
There’s an alternate route up the creek to the carpark but we choose to go around Peartree Point and Start Point, a slightly steeper climb. But an are rewarded with the sight of a colony/herd of seals sunbathing on the rocks off Peartree Point. There’s about 20 just lazing about, one flipper in the air to cool down on this warm day. Further on towards Start Point there’s a few sheep which have escaped the fence and are teetering precariously on the edge of the cliff looking for greener grass. Around Start Point in vew of the lighthouse, there’s a wonderfgil view of Start Bay to the North and we can see the village of Beesands not far ahead. But importantly, there’s a Coast Path sign indicating we have 168 Miles to go to Poole where we finish in about 12 days time.
The SWCP winds up and down through patchwork pastures and at 3.45pm we arrive in Beesands to find the Cricket Inn right on the beach front. We check into our room and immediately do our dusty washing and hang it out the window in the sun. Five years ago on the SWCP it was muddy washing. A beer would be nice, but we opt for a cup of tea and a bicsuit to stay a bit sober while sorting photos and tidying up.
At 5.30pm, it’s time or a beer downstairs in te pub - Ian has a pimt of Salcome ale, and I have the usual half pint of Guiness on tap, with a few nuts. Back to our room to have a picnic dinner of ham/ Prosciutto, lettuce, tomato, capsicum and mayonnaise, with a red wine carried from Salcombe - and ice that we requested from the bar.
It’s so warm our washing is almost dry by 8pm, ready for another day of dust. The weather forecast is for sunny days for the next week with temperatures still 5°C above average at 21°C There’s no mud, but it’s almsot too warm. Temperatures less than 15°C would be better for walking.
Start Point Lighthouse in background