Saturday, 1 July 2017

Birthday Sun, Sea and Strawberries

Day Thirty Nine - Dartmouth to Brixham 17.3km (10.7 miles).
Time on route 6:20hrs, walking time 5:10hrs.


Sunday 25 June 2017
Screen Shot 2017-07-01 at 09.55.41
It was my birthday last Sunday and what better treat than to walk the coast path with my daughter.  She was more than happy to have a stroll with me but baulked a little at the idea of 17 km.  This is from a girl who has walked 45 miles in 2 days with Ten Tors so I figured it was all bluff and bluster.

We drove to Brixham, parked up and headed down to the bus stop.  Halfway down I double-checked that Riona had the map.  "What map Mum?" she enquired.  "I left a map in the car but I thought that was just to get us here".  Needless to say I achieved a record running rate, for a 48 year old in walking boots, uphill, to retrieve said map.

We caught the bus to Kingswear, had coffee at the station (very retro and quaint) before heading off.
2017-06-25 1 Kingswear 12
First things first, a nicely painted benchmark.
2017-06-25 1 Kingswear 04
We headed south east towards the Inner Froward Point, looking back to enjoy our last views of the Dart Estuary.
2017-06-25 2 River Dart 56
Opposite Dartmouth Castle are similar defensive structures on the Kingswear side. This is the once heavily fortified Brownstone Battery.
2017-06-25 3 Fort Brownstone Battery  0.42
A very vertiginous path down from the Battery.
2017-06-25 3 Fort Brownstone Battery  1.49
We turned east at Froward Cove and the offshore rocks of Shooter, Shag and Mew came into view.
2017-06-25 4 Froward Cove
As soon did Sharkham Point.
2017-06-25 5 Sharkham Point
It was a day full of undulations - 'strenuous' according to the guide book.  We had periods of flat but similar period of steep descents and ascents.  This is looking back to our descent to Scabbacombe Sands.  It looks quite mild on the photo but trust me, I would have struggled if it was wet and slippery.
2017-06-25 6 Scabbacombe Sands
We stopped for strawberries on a bench above Long Sands then descended again to Man Sands (I'm still keeping my eye out for Woman Sands).
2017-06-25 7 Long Sands
Such lovely views.
2017-06-25 8 Torbay
We arrived somewhat hot and bothered at Berry Head as the sun was hotter than we'd anticipated.  We spent a happy 45 minutes in the Guardhouse Cafe then wandered up to Berry Head.  I knew what to look for on the way as I'd bagged this one before in 2012 - TP1334.  And, kerchung, there it was.  A little less purple than previously but still lovable and huggable.
2017-06-25 10 BerryHead trig TP1334 0
2017-06-25 10 BerryHead trig TP1334 trig
Walking east to the Head of the Berry you reach the look out, with it's lovely bench mark.
2017-06-25 10 Berry Head 2.05
2017-06-25 10 Berry Head 1.56
And then the lighthouse. At which point I was photo-bombed.
2017-06-25 10 Berry Head 2
We set off the last km or so around Torbay and down into Brixham.
2017-06-25 Brixham 6.54.12
A beautiful harbour.  Looking forward to setting off here on my next leg.
2017-06-25 Brixham 7.08.00

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