STANDING at the top of a cliff, with serene waters lapping onto the rocks below with beaches either side of me, this place feels as if I am on the coast of Italy – not Devon.
The South West Coast Path – also known as The Salt Path – stretches over 630miles in its entirety.
The South West Coast Path – also known as The Salt Path – stretches over 630miles in its entirety[/caption]
Part of that route includes The English Riviera in Devon – with numerous beaches and coves[/caption]
And one ‘small’ (around 13 miles to be precise) section of it, I’ve walked year after year thanks to the fact that I grew up in Devon.
The South West Coast Path has been famous for decades for providing some of the most stunning views of the UK’s coasts.
Yet, with the recent release of The Salt Path film based on Raynor Winn’s 2018 book, the trail has been launched back into the limelight.
Starting at Brixham at around 9am, I would set off to reach my secondary school based in Torquay – several cliff-edge walks, beach crossings and town excursions away.
This section of the path runs along the coasts of the English Riviera – including the historic fishing town of Brixham, the traditional seaside town of Paignton and then finally, the home of Agatha Christie – Torquay.
And along this section of Devon’s coast are several stunning spots and unique places to explore – hence, doing this walk each year was a real treat.
Brixham
Heading across from Torquay on the ferry, I would join the coastal path in Brixham.
Home to a bustling harbour with a long history of fishing, Brixham is a quaint town at one end of the English Riviera.
For those wanting to do the walk more leisurely, it is well worth exploring the town for its myriad of independent shops and the Golden Hind – a full-size replica of Sir Francis Drake’s ship that he used to explore the globe in the 16th century.
Heading around the harbour and past the fish market, you will then pass Brixham Laboratory – which is home to a cutting-edge marine research facility – before heading off into a wood area.
On the headland you will get your first amazing views of the harbour and English Riviera ahead of you – full of colourful bobbing boats and – if you’re lucky – some seals in sight.
The headland itself is also a historic spot – home to Brixham Battery – the little buildings scattered across the headland are actually disused bunkers that used to house guns in World War II.
You’ll then come to the first of many coves on the route – Fishcombe Cove.
It features a little pebble beach and a cafe, in case you want to stop for a bite.
Heading through another small woodland, you then reach Churston Cove – another small pebble beach.
On this part of the path, you ‘ll head past major seaside towns like Paignton and Torquay[/caption]
You’ll head across sandy beaches including Goodrington and Broadsands in Paignton[/caption]
This section of the walk is particularly up-and-down though, with many steep inclines – so not for the faint-hearted.
Just before you start the Paignton section of the path, you will cross Elberry Cove – a stunning pebble beach, often with turquoise waters and a historic bath house ruin.
Paignton
Across another headland with dramatic cliff edges, walkers will then reach the first sandy beach on this part of the path.
Broadsands Beach is a long, family-friendly beach with a range of facilities including cafes, beach huts, toilets, car parking and kayak and paddleboard hire.
Many of my weekends as a child would be spent on this beach rock pooling and building sandcastles.
There are a number of quieter pebble coves on the path too[/caption]
Other sights include a full-size replica of the Golden Hind in Brixham[/caption]
And the beach has lifeguards too, so even when I got too much sand in my eyes there was someone to help.
Following the path, you will then head inland a bit to Broadsands Viaduct, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Over another headland, with a narrow sandy path right at the cliff edge, you then reach Goodrington Beach – another long sandy beach popular with families.
There is also a whole host of venues and activities here to explore, including crazy golf, a boating lake and Splashdown Quaywest – the largest outdoor waterpark in the UK.
Following the path along the beach and over another headland, you then reach Paignton harbour, beach and town.
Take some time here to refresh in one of the many cafes and restaurant and have some fun with the slot machines on the pier before heading off towards Torquay.
And a viaduct designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in Paignton[/caption]
Torquay
For the final part of this section of the South West Coast Path, you will venture onto some roads before reaching Livermead sand, just ahead of Torquay beach and town.
Whilst I used to then venture off to the quaint village of Cockington to then head back to my school, Torquay boasts a number of other family-friendly beaches.
And Torquay town also has so much to explore including a pretty harbour – which is always great for some expensive boat spotting – and a bustling high street.
Make sure to grab some fish and chips, pasties or even a cream tea (with cream first!) as this town really does Devon delicacies well.
And then if you are feeling extra ambitious, you can continue along the path onto Babbacombe and Teignmouth.
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This portion of the 630mile path is well worth exploring as a day trip[/caption]
