Shaldon

We followed the instructions for this walk from the Jarrold Short Walks South Devon book.  This walk started at the car park in Shaldon but we went to Teignmouth by train and walked down to the sea front and then along to catch the ferry to Shaldon.  The flower beds in Teignmouth were looking very bright and attrative.

The walk started by going through the village of Shaldon along the estuary of the River Teign.  It was unfortunate that the tide was out - it would have been prettier at high tide.  Having passed the road bridge to Teignmouth we walked on to Gravel Point then turned up towards Ringmore.  This was a very pretty village with lots of thatched cottages.  The road steadily went uphill but we were rewarded by some wonderful views up the river Teign and towards Dartmoor.  When we turned into Butterfly Lane we hoped to see butterflies but it was a cloudy cool day so none were around.  However, there were more spectacular views including this one back to Teignmouth.

We had just commented what a lovely walk this was when we came to a very large puddle that completely engulfed the path.  We had to edge past it almost in the hedge, holding on to vegetation to stop up slipping in. Just at the end Andy's foot slip and went up to his ankle in red muddy water!  We continued on hoping there were no further 'puddles' but soon came to an even larger one.  We realised there was not way we could walk through this one, but fortunately spotted that someone had made steps up the side of the hedge and there was a very narrow path along the top of the hedge.  We carefully, slowly walked along here and managed to get past the pool of water.

When we got to the end of Butterfly Lane we could see down the coast to Labrador Bay.

We could have cut across to the South West Coast Path at this point but it would have meant walking along the A379 which is a busy road with no verges so we kept to the instructions in the book and walked inland for a while before going along the A379 for 200 yards before joining the SW Coast Path.  We were glad it was only this short a portion as it was a dangerous section.

When we got on to the SW Coast Path we started walking down a very steep  slope.  This gave us another viewpoint of Teignmouth.

The path continued making its way downward until we reached Shaldon.  We could have returned to Teignmouth and the railway station via the ferry, but instead decided to continue walking to the road bridge and walk across this back to Teignmouth.  It was a pleasant walk through Shaldon but on the other side of the river we had to go up a hill to get past buildings before we dropped down into Teignmouth Town Centre and on to the railway station.

Teignmouth to Dawlish Warren

On Saturday 21  May we took the train to Teignmouth and it was only a stone's throw from the station to the sea front.  The South West Coastal path runs along the sea wall.  It was nearly high tide and the waves were hitting the sea wall at times but we were able to walk along in the dry.  On the other side of the path was the railway line, and at times trains rushed past us.

Looking back to Teignmouth, with train coming along

View in the opposite direction with another train

At the end of Teignmouth beach we had to turn inland and go along roads and a footpath between hedges before coming out above Dawlish and wind our way down to the town.

View over Dawlish

Heading towards Dawlish

Looking back around the coast which we had skirted by going inland

We wandered through Dawlish town and found an excellent bakery, Gays Creamery where we bought pasty's and ate them by the river in a very pleasant park. 

Dawlish is famous for their black swans

From Dawlish we continued to walk along the path above the beach to Dawlish Warren.  We continued on from the South West Path into the nature reserve at the end of Dawlish Warren, but at the visitor centre turned back and made our way back to Dawlish Warren railway station from where we caught the train back to Plymouth.