Date: 20180627
Time: 9:20 – 15:50
Distance: 28.8 km
Stay: Worswell Barton Farmhouse, Noss Mayo
Walk
A long walk today, not only today’s part, but also a detour and a part of tomorrow’s trail. It is also the first walk back in Devon. When I came to Plymouth by ferry, I crossed the border between Cornwall and Devon. I’ve done the entire Cornwall Coast Path!
After breakfast I first go to the Tesco around the corner to replenish my water supply. Then it goes through Hoe Park and past the Smeaton’s Tower towards the Barbican.
Here I pass the Blues Bar where I was last night for a live performance by Vince Lee & Al Wallis, very good blues music (but late in bed …).
Then it goes all around all the water that they have in Plymouth to Mount Batten. That looks like a short walk, but is almost 10 kilometers. I could have done this with a ferry, it is not the most fun part of the Coast Path. But I do not want that. It is part of the Coast Path and so I walk it.
It is in any case something completely different, first through the entertainment district (because of a detour, the footbridge is closed because it is damaged), then through industrial sites (old and new, fishing / boats related and all kinds of other companies), the suburbs from Plymouth and finally a marina. On the way I come across several half or almost completely rotten boats.
Eventually I arrive at Mount Batten, a few hundred meters from where I walked this morning (on the other side of the water). I also visit Mount Batten Tower, but unfortunately it is not open.
Now I come back on a part of the Coast Path that I am used to, through nature and close to the sea. At the Jennycliff Café I take a short break for a smoothie and after I have passed the Bovisand holiday park, I leave behind the last remnants of civilization, until to Wembury Beach.
From Wembury Beach it is a few kilometers to Warren Point, where I have to take the ferry over the Yealm. I am well on time, the ferry goes until 4 pm and I am there before 3 pm already. After I have given the signal (making a white sign visible), I sit down on the steps of the berth for a short break. That is indeed only a small break because about 5 minutes later the ferry is already arriving. I get a private crossing for myself. I chat with the skipper and then I am already on the Noss Mayo side.
Now I can choose, I can walk to Noss Mayo and from there to the farm where I stay for the night or I walk another 2.5 miles on the Coast Path and walk from there to the farm. The latter makes the route of tomorrow a lot shorter and since that is a difficult day (with two crossings, one of which without a ferry) I choose this option.
The first piece goes up through a forest. That is nice with this warm weather, shade. Then it goes over a wide walking path further along the top of the cliff. That part is a bit heavy, in the full sun and after I have already walked that far. I keep going and finally I come to the place where I leave the Coast Path and head towards farm. I arrive there just before 4 o’clock, time for a shower.
After I have showered, I walk for half an hour to the pub for a pint and something to eat. It goes downhill, so that is not so bad. I will not be walking that part up again, I will call Jackie (the owner of the B & B) to come and get me.
Weather
It was very hot today, full sun all day. Fortunately, there was a strong breeze from the sea that made life a lot more pleasant.
Lyric of the day
Last night I went back to the Blues Bar for good music and a few pints of Guinness. The lyrics of today are about what I saw when I walked back to the hotel. Here is Fairies Wear Boots by Black Sabbath:
Goin’ home, late last night
Suddenly I got a fright
Yeah I looked through a window and surprised what I saw
Fairy wear boots and dancin’ with a dwarf, all right now!
Yeah, fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me
Yeah I saw it, I saw it, I tell you no lies
Yeah, fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me
I saw it, I saw it with my own two eyes, all right now!
Yeah, fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me
Yeah I saw it, I saw it, I tell you no lies
Yeah, fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me
I saw it, I saw it with my own two eyes, all right now!
So I went to the doctor, see what he could give me
He said “Son, son, you’ve gone too far.
`cause smokin’ and trippin’ is all that you do.”
Yeah……
