Over to Starcross

After my hot chocolate and going to get some more supplies and cash, I headed over to the queuing point for the Starcross ferry. I don’t know why but I wasn’t optimistic that it’d be available to me but I needn’t have worried. After a while a couple stood in the queue so I asked them if they were getting the ferry. They weren’t, I think the man was just using the sign to put something down while he sorted out his bag. They had however used it the day before, twice in fact, and he assured me it was reliable. They were actually walking the coast path as well but just in the other direction. We talked for a while with the lady saying she hadn’t enjoyed Dawlish and bits before as much as the rest of the route. I told her the next bits for them were amazing. She then gave some really great advice about wild camping. She said, once you’re in your tent, you’re more scary to people outside it than they are to you. I’ve remembered that.

The ferry arrived at about 10:30, well in time for its promised 10:40 departure. But not before I’d managed to accost another couple who actually were waiting for the ferry. They’d never used it before and told me that them being there shouldn’t give me confidence it’d turn up. They were called Steve and Donna and they were gradually running the coastal path. I was amazed. We chatted for most of the crossing.

The crossing was great fun. It took about 20 minutes and I stood at the front of the boat for most of the journey. It really lifted my mood.

Starcross to Dawlish to Teignmouth

Initially this route was on roads or next to them. It’s quite fast going but not very interesting. Dawlish is a proper holiday camp type place and you’re basically just walking on streets. I’ve been so spoiled by the path I was quite keen to just get this bit behind me.

Between Dawlish and Teignmouth though things got more interesting. There are unfortunately a few diversions to the path due to work on the railway line which the route runs along. I think it’s related to a few years ago when bad weather wiped out large parts of the break water and left the rails just hanging in thin air. That’s all been fixed but there seems to be ongoing work to improve things further.  When the diversions stop you end up walking next to the track all the way to Teignmouth along the breakwater. It’s interesting the work that’s ongoing and how that track was made in the first place. It’s a proper engineering marvel.

Teignmouth and onwards towards Torquay

Teignmouth is exciting because you get to go on another ferry. This one only saves about 30 minutes so time wise not really worth it but for me, even if it took longer, I’d probably still opt for the ferry. Because they’re brilliant.

I walked though the town pretty quickly as I wanted to make progress due to my late start in Exmouth and made my way to the quay. I noticed the tide was quite far out so I figured the ferry wouldn’t run. I started to work out how to head round the long way when I saw a sign with “Queue Here” written on it. It was standing on the sand quite far away from the quay. I still wasn’t sure if it was running so I sort of loitered nearby until I noticed a lady just walk down to stand and wait at the sign. I decided to follow and chat to her and she told me she’d been getting this ferry since she was a child and it used to be about 30p. She said she could walk round but liked the ferry and got it to and from work at Tesco. Her husband was the manager at the main Tesco and she worked at the Tesco Express. We discussed meal deals.

The ferry turned up and they just push a plank over its bow for you to climb onto the boat. It’s was so friendly and a great way to get over the river. The lady I was chatting to was lovely as well and on the other side she pointed me toward the coastal path and ultimately Torquay.

I haven’t made it to Torquay. That’s partly deliberate and partly because it’s a long way and the paths are quite tough again. They’re great paths and I’m loving walking on them but we’re back to the climbs and falls as you follow the cliff line. I also didn’t want to get to Torquay because it’s started to get built up and I wanted somewhere fairly remote to camp.  Lots of the walk was in forest which was fortunate as it’s been raining for most of the day. I’m not complaining though as it’s nice and refreshing following the previous heat and it hasn’t diminished the views.

Through Babbacombe and making camp

The path leads you down to Babbacombe beach but to get there you go under the tracks of some kind of lift to and from the beach. The tracks seem to be supported by wooden struts so I’m not sure how much maintenance it needs. I’m not an expert on these things. The beach was small and secluded and I’d have liked to have spent some more time there. I decided though to head on because I had an idea of where it might be nice to camp.

I’m still not very confident with this wild camping thing but I really thought I had it under control when I found a brilliant place called Withy Point. It’s at the top of a cliff and the views would have been amazing. Multiple pitches to pick from as well. The issue I had was that it was about 6:30pm and not really getting dark yet. Loads of dog walkers, and then me just hanging around under my umbrella. It just didn’t feel right. I pondered, checked my map, and eventually decided to push on for another mile because I thought I could see another good place to pitch.

I was wrong. It was rubbish. It was a forest with just a metre wide path. I then ended up walking to where the path went into a small housing area. I decided the only thing to do was to head back the way I came but it was getting dark now. I started slipping on rocks that I couldn’t see and realised I’d really messed up.

I rummaged around my bag and managed to find my head torch and then headed down a path that I figured would lead to the beach. I was just about to pitch up on the actual path when I noticed a small opening in the woods that could just about fit my tent so decided to risk it. It’d really started raining hard now so it was the best solution.

So that’s it. I’m in the middle of some woods and can hear the sea and rain. It’s actually quite comforting to be warm and dry while all those sounds are being played out. From disaster to relief but definitely with some lessons to learn.