Hope Cove to Salcombe

Hope Cove to Salcombe - Tuesday 2nd September 2014

Path Facts - Length: 8 miles, Ascent: 1381 feet

Awakened by squawking seagulls at about 6.30am! Today was one of those days where logistics necessitate an easy one so that the next few days have reasonable starting and stopping points and a do-able distance.

Breakfast 8.30am. Didn't get going until 9.45am. Weather much improved and Hope Cove looked very nice in the sun.

Heading up to Bolt Tail there are some good views back to Hope Cove

The path levels off for a bit. Lots of dog walkers. Views inland to the high points of Dartmoor.

 A rare route finding problem near Bolt Head. I think we went along a bit of an inland detour before arriving at Sharp Tor which is quite impressive. There is a mixture of Dartmoor and coast together which makes for a rugged and attractive landscape. Similar to Valley of Rocks near Lynmouth many moons ago.

Also good views back and on to Salcombe from near this point.

Stopped at a great little "tea caravan" at 12.30 with a very friendly and chatty lady running it. If you're in Salcombe go here!

This was a mere tea prequel for lunch at the Winking Prawns which must have been a gruelling 15 mins walk further. Reasonable enough food but overpriced for what it was. There's definitely some money in the vicinity of Salcombe so it seems to be one of those places where everything's a bit more up market.

Finding the B&B in Salcombe entailed probably as much height gain as the rest of today's walk. Much of the town is back up the hill from the river side. And given that we ended up then wandering round Salcombe, then back to the B&B, then out and back again in the evening I think we added another good few hundred feet onto the day's climb.

Salcombe: A Local Interesting Fact!

YES! Back by (un)popular demand, the local interesting fact!! At Salcombe the "estuary" is actually a ria or drowned valley caused by rising sea levels rather than a true estuary: its size is out of proportion to the few streams which discharge into it. [Wikipedia].

Facts. Awesome eh?

Salcombe is nice but seems to have the same kind of St Ives vibe. Loads of posh restaurants and fancy clothes shops.

Ate at the Victoria Inn in the evening. Another St Austell pub. I think we should get a t-shirt or sponsorship or something. 


Info

Accommodation - Waverley

Location *** a bit of a climb! But nearer to town than many other options.

Room ****

Facilities ****

Noise *****

Food ****

Ambience ****

Price *** £80 for the room.


Food – The Victoria Inn

Quality ***

Price ***

Beer - Proper Job

Erme Estuary to Hope Cove

Erme Estuary to Hope Cove - Monday 1st September 2014

Path Facts - Length: 10.6 miles, Ascent: 883 feet

Stayed in Plymouth yesterday near the sea front. Then ended up with a marathon travel escapade to get to our start point. The plan was to get a bus from Plymouth to Ivybridge train station then pick up a cab to our start point. Trouble is Ivybridge train station is in the middle of nowhere and probably has a train turn up about once a fortnight hence it's not the kind of place you just leap into a cab. So, eventually after calling a cab company and waiting, then being driven to our start point on the East side of the Erme, it was about 11.30am by the time we started walking.

Weather: drizzle & fog. Visibility: low!

Nonetheless we caught a glimpse of Burgh Island off Bigbury-on-Sea once we descended to lower altitude.

Views through the mist:

Stopped at Challaborough for lunch in a slightly chavvy café in a camp site. Food exceeded expectations though. Clothing: damp on the inside and the outside.

 
Not too much at Bigbury so we didn't stop.

Then came the next ferry crossing across the other and lesser known River Avon. This is about a mile out of Bigbury. The crossing point isn't that clear. It's pretty low key. Had to stand and wait for the ferry start time and to spot it. £2.50 each. The ferry is in the foreground below!

After negotiating the wild beasts of the wilderness...

We were in need of civilisation...

The second half of today was pretty easy. There were a few climbs in the morning.

Arrived at Hope Cove approx. 5pm.

 

 
Stayed at a nice B&B at the back of the village. Just started up in May. Dinner in the local Hope & Anchor Inn with an optimum view of the sunset.

 

Info

Accommodation - Paxhaven

Location ****

Room ****

Facilities ****

Noise *****

Food ****

Ambience ****

Price *** £70 for the room.


Food – Hope & Anchor Inn

Quality **

Price ***