 |
| LIGHTHOUSE AT START POINT |
 |
| LEAVING HALLSANDS |
 |
| THE RIVER DART FROM JAWBONES HILL |
 |
| DARTMOUTH CASTLE |
 |
| HAPPY BUNCH AFTER A LOVELY DAY OUT |
This weekend Rubi and I invited friends Lee and Mary to join us for a weekend of walking in and around Dartmouth. We arrived almost exactly at 8 o'clock on Friday evening and, after eating, paid a visit to The Cherub pub, Dartmouth's oldest alehouse (built in 1380).
Next morning we donned our hiking gear and I drove us to Torcross and the far end of Slapton Sands, leaving the car at the Start Bay Inn, where we would be eating later. Our walk initially involved a good trudge, as near direct as I could get, to East Prawle. I made a couple of minor errors on this complicated route, but after about two and a half hours we arrived at the village's wonderfully named and rather quirky Pigs Nose Inn. It rained briefly as we took refreshments, but by the time we were ready to continue our walk the weather had cleared and became brighter and sunnier throughout the afternoon.
Our return route was via the South West Coast Path. It was a wonderful walk that took us initially to Start Point, where we saw the lighthouse, onward past the ruined village of Hallsands, then to Beesands. A final climb up-and-down brought us back into Torcross. We had walked 14.5 miles; it was 6.00pm and we were hungry. The Start Bay Inn is famed for the quality of its fish and chips, and we were not disapointed.
Sunday's walk started a little later due to at least two of us having a lie in. This time we stayed local as I led us all up to the viewpoint on Jawbones Hill, then on through the wood on Dyer's Hill and up Gallants Bower where Cromwell's forces defeated the Royalists. The walk continued on to the old Coastguard Houses and down to Compass Cove for lunch. The return was once again via the South West Coast Path, stopping for Ice Cream at the Dartmouth Castle Tea Room. Back at the house, we enjoyed a late lunch on the garage roof-garden - vegetarian stir fry washed down with white wine - brilliant.
The weather forecast for Sunday had not been encouraging, but turned out to be just as good as Saturday's. Lee and Mary were excellent company. We all enjoyed some good exercise and had a lot of fun. It was just a shame that we had to drive back home on Sunday evening.
