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LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOODDerek Harwood's Walking Records If you have any queries about the pictures or discriptions please e-mail me at: derek@harwoodonline.com | |||||
SOUTH WEST COASTAL PATH SIDMOUTH to BRANSCOMBE Wednesday 10th October 2012 ...............Walk No. 981 | |||||
South West Coastal Path No. 66 Total: 543.5 miles Time Taken: Cycle: Distance: Enjoyment: Weather: 5.5 hours n/a 7 miles 80% Drizzle & Nature: Pheasants & Squirrels Chilly Wind Temp: Cloud: Rain: Visibility: Ground Conditions: 12oC 100% 60% Good Muddy Underfoot General: Drove to B3179 at Littleham and caught no.157 bus to Sidmouth. Started walking from Sidmouth triangle bus station to promenade. Good to see the sea again, although it looked rough and cold. Crossed the river Sid at Alma bridge, under reconstruction. Up the zig zags to the residential area. Care required negotiating the streets, wooden sign explaining the street names to be used very old and broken. Steep ascent across fields to wood where wooden zig zag steps climb to the summit. Direction finder at viewpoint supplied by the national trust. Crossed the plateau on the summit of Salcombe Hill Cliff to the descent into Salcombe mouth. Steep descent using more wooden steps, then grassy fields to a new wooden bridge crossing the gully. Climbed out of the valley across another grassy field to another wood with yet more wooden steps to the summit, this time Higher Dunscombe Cliff. Hug the edge of the cliff and the fields, to the Lincombe Valley, a wild and over overgrown hollow. Walked around this hollow keeping more or less on the same level. The path meandered through some old lime pits before the edge of lower Dunscombe Cliffs and the zig zag path through Dunscombe Coppice down to western combe. Long steady descent to beach, passing gate to Weston plats, a thriving market garden until 50 years ago. A short distance along the shingle beach, over the stream before ascending again past the gully to the low cliff top and eventually to the top of Weston Cliff for welcome refreshments out of the rucksack. Discussed the coastal path with a couple from Cornwall half way up to the clifftop. The easy walking path was made difficult by the huge amounts of mud. Crossed the low electric fence to walk in the field for a short period, had to double back for a short distance, almost missed the diagonal path across the field passing herds of cows & flocks of sheep Path returns to cliff top bu Berry Camp Fort (pre roman) and Berry Cliff. More drizzle and chilly wind on cliff top. Path turns inland by discussed quarries to good tractor track which runs parallel with cliffs. Passed three parked vehicles at start of tractor track, very strange. As recommended by Cornish couple earlier, I took small alternative path on right instead of trying to negotiate the deep mud and water of the track. Past footpath to Branscombe church pheasants, and clearing with Branscombe village below to kissing gate for national trust entrance to west cliff. Faded memories of my previous visit to Branscombe, where the 'AA' circular walk coincided with the walk over west cliff, My memories of West Cliff was a very open steep grassy bank, but there are now lots of trees & bushes obscuring the wonderful views. Descended to Branscombe mouth tea rooms for welcome refreshments over a cup of tea I decided to curtail the walk due to lack of time in the very muddy conditions. Turned in and towards Branscombe up an excellent path by a swollen stream. Waited for bus no. 899 by village hall and village forge. Bus arrived right on time and i'm pleased to say reached Sidmouth only one minute late. This was achieved because the bus only met one vehicle head on along the single track roads. I just caught bus no 157 to Littleham because the timetable of the buses only gave me two minutes to make the connection otherwise I would have a 1 1/4 hour wait. An excellent walk tainted by the mud, drizzle and very misty visibility. Strenuous walk. Click Here to Go to Previous 'SWCP - Walk 978' Click Here to Go to Next 'SWCP - Walk 1003' Click Here to Return to 'Lifetime of Walks' Homepage | |||||
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