LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

I parked in the long stay car park on the north side of Salcombe, £3.25 for 3 hours. Sylvia was reading a book in the car. The tide was in at the start of the walk. I rounded the fishing harbour to Island Street where there was estate agent type advertising for boats and yachts. I passed many pontoons full of moored boats. Views were excellent up the estuary, with hundreds of bobbing vessels. I passed the lifeboat station before entering Fore Street and joined lots of holidaymakers. When I reached the Ferry Station to cross the harbour there was no ferry visible. I started to worry about completing the walk but after twenty minutes a ferry arrived. The crossing only took about five minutes in total. I walked along the lane and passed private beaches behind high fences. Mill Bay was very sandy with National Trust parking. It was a steady undulating walk along the South West Coastal Path from Mill Bay to Gara Rock. The path was well signed, with many paths to isolated sandy bays. There were excellent views across the estuary to cliffs, despite heavy mist. The cliffs to Gara Rock were covered with flowering gorse. The look-out hut on top of Gara Rock was very conspicuous when entering Rickham Sands Bay. Along the coast were more fantastic views. I passed Gara Hotel, currently with demolition and asbestos works. At point '9' care was necessary, where the footpath route changed to a straight walled track onto a bridle way to Mill Bay. I returned to the Ferry Station to find a ferry boat was just arriving at the Salcombe side of the harbour. There were no worries this time as the ferry soon returned. Three young walkers alighted from the ferry, with only me to return to Salcombe. It was an easy and busy walk back to the car park. Beautiful walk with excellent scenery.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk
Off Gould Road, Salcombe

Directions easy to follow.