South West Coast Path - Avon Estuary to Salcombe

A 17 mile walk along the South West Coast Path between Churchstow and Salcombe.

This walk heads out from Churchstow through country lanes down to the South West Coast Path at Bantham on the Avon estuary. The Coast Path starts with easy walking along the low cliffs past Thurlestone and includes an 80 yard footbridge across South Milton Ley before it arrives at Hope Cove, a picturesque little fishing village. The section from Bolt Tail to Bolt Head is a little more strenuous with the path tracking up and down the cliffs and around a few craggy sections with steps built out of the stone. At Bolt Head the coast bears round to the north passing Sharp Tor which is cut out of the cliff-face, before it heads down into the pretty village of Salcombe.

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South West Coast Path - Dartmouth to Torcross

A 9 mile walk along the South West Coast Path between Dartmouth and Torcross.

This section of the walk starts at the deep water port of Dartmouth which is famed for where the second and third crusades departed in the 12th century. Across the River Dart is Kingswear, and down the estuary is Dartmouth Castle, built in the 15th Century. Passing the castle, the path heads round the coast and up to the village of Stoke Fleming, then meanders across the hills and lanes either side of the main Dartmouth road until it meets Strete. Here it descends down to Slapton Sands, which despite its name, is a shingle beach on one side and Slapton Ley, a natural freshwater lagoon, on the other. A simple walk with a few hills to negotiate and a bus service that links the two ends of the walk.

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South West Coast Path - Yealm Estuary to Avon Estuary

A 19.5 mile walk along the South West Coast Path between the Yealm and Estuaries, using additional footpaths to access transport to link each end of the walk.

There are ferries across both the Avon and the Yealm estuaries but this route takes a trail that enables navigation around them using footpaths and lanes. Even so, there is still the Erme estuary to negotiate midway along the coast. There is no ferry here but it can be waded across one hour either side of low tide. This is quite an experience but requires planning with reference to the tide times published for Devonport. There are few other features apart from the stunning scenery along this section of the coast walk until it gets to Bigbury on Sea where Burgh Island sits just off the coast and hosts the renowned Pilchard Inn. The island can be reached on foot at low tide and at other times the inn makes use of a sea tractor to drive visitors across.

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South West Coast Path - Plymouth to Yealm Estuary

A walk along the South West Coast Path between Plymouth and the Yealm estuary with an extension along the Erme Plym Trail to get around the River Yealm estuary

Plymouth is not a place to find a country walk, in fact the South West coast Path leads you around some of the more industrial areas of the docks and along the busy road across Laira Bridge. From this point there is a more pleasant alternative route using the West Devon Path which traces the trackbed of a former railway to Hooe Lake. An easy walk around Clovelly Bay and Mount Batten Point finally brings the path onto the cliffs along the coast. The going through to Wembury is not too strenuous and it is worth taking time out at Heybrooke Bay to search out the Eddystone Inn from where you can see the lighthouse of the same name on the horizon. From Wembury the Erme Plym Trail leads back to the main road in order to get around the Avon Estuary.

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South West Coast Path - Salcombe to Torcross

A 12.5 mile walk along the South West Coast Path between Salcombe and Torcross

This walk begins with taking the ferry across the estuary from Salcombe to Portlemouth. The going at times is strenuous, navigating along the craggy cliff face through to Prawle Point, the most southerly point in Devon. Beyond there are some low lying pastures that is a real pleasure to wander through. The final stage negotiates the craggy cliff around Start Point before slowly descending the cliffs along Start Bay, passing the hamlets of Hallsands and Beesands and finally arriving at Torcross beach.

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