Shaldon to Torquay - 11 miles

I've got a long way to go.

Today was one of the hardest walks we have done on the SWCP.  11 miles of walking up and down very steep cliffs.  It took us 6 hours of non stop walking to complete this walk and now we are both very tired.  Ann is lying on the sofa and I have just gone straight to bed!

We got the 8.45am No. 11 bus from Torquay to Shaldon.  It cost £3.80 for Ann and 50p for my 'pet explorer' ticket.  The bus driver was very helpful and told us which stop to get off at and also told us how tired he'd been when he'd done the walk.  Stupidly, we just thought he was exgagerating when he said it was a very tiring walk.  Ann had told me that the first section out of Shaldon would be hard but for some reason she thought the rest of it would be easy.  Why she thought that, I don't know?  It was all hard - very hard.

Lovely sunny day, we can see for miles

We started our walk at 9.15am.  Shaldon is a very pretty place - lovely little cottages, a lot with thatched roofs.  It was a beautiful day and we got a good view of Teignmouth which is more than could be said for our walk on Wednesday.  Also once we'd climbed the first hill out of Shaldon we could see right the way up the coast to Exmouth.  Infact we could see for miles in every direction.  We could see all the way down the coast to the headland before Torquay and we could see all the way over to Dorset and the Chesil Beach.  It was lovely to have some sun for a change. 

Dartmoor Ponies

I really enjoyed this walk because I was off my lead for pretty much all of the walk until I got back to Torquay.  There were a few places when I had to go back on my lead because the walk went alongside the road for a couple of mins, and once I had to go back on my lead because Ann spotted sheep.  Normally I'm quite observant and would have seen them first, but I was having such fun running about sniffing all the new smells and generally just having a good time, that I'd failed to notice that there was a whole flock of sheep in the field we were walking though.  I was really confused when I got put back on my lead 'cos I knew I hadn't done anything naughty.  However Ann told me I was a good girl and I only had to stay on my lead for a couple of mins.  We also saw some Dartmoor ponies.  There were signs saying that we weren't to approach them because they might bite.  I'm normally quite good with horses (unless they're running in which case I chase them) so Ann said she was going to trust me to walk sensibly through their field.  I managed to do that perfectly.  



Fun in the woods

This walk went through a lot of woody areas and through a lot of fields.  But, whether it was wood or field the path was all very, very up and down.  Ann was really slow at walking up the hills so I raced to the top and then had to come back down again to check she was following me.  This meant that I probably walked double what she did.  No wonder I'm a tired collie.  Also there wasn't a great deal of streams on this walk for me to drink out of, nor did the path go right down to the sea on many occasions so I had to rely on Ann giving me drinks at regular intervals.  The trouble is Ann didn't really want to stop too often.  We stopped for a few mins a couple of times and sat on benches admiring the view but Ann complained that her feet and knees hurt after a stop.



Oddicombe Beach

 Ann said that when we got to Babbacombe we'd find a nice pub or cafe and stop for some lunch.  But she hadn't really thought about the fact that we were walking the coast path and not walking through the centre of Babbacombe.  After about 3 hours of walking we got to Oddicombe Beach in Babbacombe where we had to walk up & down the side of the Babbacombe Cliff  Railway.  I didn't like that.  The train wasn't running but I still didn't like the railway track.  However I did get to have a swim in the sea and then Ann spotted a pub at the end of the beach where she thought we could maybe go for lunch.  It had a dog bowl full of water outside so we thought it was probably dog friendly but the menu outside seemed very 'restaurant orienated' (and all Ann wanted was soup or a sandwich) so we thought it was probably too posh for us.  Ann wasn't really very hungry anyway but we both could have done with a sit down. 

Relaxing

For some reason Ann thought that Babbacombe was only a couple of miles from Torquay.  Well it probably was if we'd gone the direct route.  But of course we were walking the coastal path so it was probably another 5 miles or so.  Another 5 miles of walking up and down. 

When we got to the headland at 'Long Quarry Point' we thought we'd just have to go around the corner to get to Torquay.  When we got to the headland at 'Black Head we thought we'd just have to go around the corner to get to Torquay.  When we got to the headland at 'Hope's Nose' we thought we'd just have to go around the corner to get to Torquay.  When we got to the headland at 'Thatcher Point' we thought we'd just have to go around the corner to get to Torquay.  When we got to 'Meadfoot Beach' we thought we'd just have to go around the corner to get to Torquay.  When we got to 'Daddyhole Cove' we thought we'd just have to go around the corner to get to Torquay.  When we got to 'London Bridge' we thought we'd just have to go around the corner to get to Torquay.  When we got to 'Saddle Rock' we thought we'd just have to go around the corner to get to Torquay.  Finally, when we got to the 'Millstones' we went around the corner and we could see Torquay.

Torquay Harbour

The harbour in Torquay was such a welcome sight at the end of this walk because we knew then we only had a mile or so to walk back to our apartment.

Today's walk has been lovely but I'm so glad the weather has been good.  Ann said we were going to do this walk whatever the weather, but if it had been as wet as it's been for the last 3 days I think we would have had to abandon it and get a bus or a taxi back to our apartment.

I've really enjoyed my walking holiday in Torquay but I'm absolutely shattered now.  I know I'm a collie and am supposed to be able to keep going forever but as I said before, I've walked double what Ann has, and 22 miles in 6 hours is hard going - even for a speedy, full of energy, collie like me!

Brixham to Torquay - 9 miles

Brixham Harbour

Yesterday we didn't do a walk because it poured with rain all day.  However today we decided to walk from Brixham to Torquay.  It was rainning quite hard when I had a little walk first thing this morning but by the time I'd finished breakfast it was looking brighter so we felt a bit more optimistic that we wouldn't get soaked.

We got the number 12 bus at 9.45am which took us all the way to Brixham in about 35 mins.  It cost £3.30 for Ann & 50p for me.

Fun in the woods

Our walk today took us exactly 3 hours and was an easy walk, at least it would have been if it hadn't been so wet.  As soon as we got past Brixham harbour I was allowed off my lead and I didn't have to go back on it until we got to Paignton.  The first part of the walk was lovely.  We were walking through woods and I had ever such a good time running about and sniffing all the new smells.  The only trouble was the path was really muddy so I got ever so dirty.  However there were lots of little coves and beaches on this walk so I was able to go swimming every so often to get clean. 

Even though it wasn't raining on the first part of our walk the views weren't that great.  It was quite misty so we couldn't really see Torquay that well.  The views would have been stunning if the sun had been shining.  This section of the SWCP is quite heavily populated and we met lots of other people who were walking their dogs - but I bet none of them were going as far as me.

Soggy doggie - on the way to Paignton

We were just thinking how lucky we were that it wasn't raining when guess what?  It started to absolutely pour down with rain.  Ann was quite cross because she knew there were lots of little cafes & pubs on Paignton sea front and she'd thought we could maybe stop at one for some lunch.  By the time we got to Paignton though we were both soaked through and no way did Ann want to take off all her wet clothes just to put them back on again.  So we decided we'd just keep walking as Paignton is only about 2 - 3 miles from Torquay and we knew it wouldn't take us very long.  Also when we got to Paignton I had to go back on my lead because the SWCP goes along the main road into Torquay.  I was a very good girl today, I walked sensibly on my lead and only barked at two buses even though we saw loads.

Soggy Doggie in Paignton

Todays walk was lovely and I really enjoyed it.  Ann was very pleased with my behaviour today so I'm a happy hound.

Starcross to Teignmouth - 8 miles

It was raining today when we got up today but Ann said we were on a walking holiday, so walk we would do!

We drove to Teignmouth and managed to park in a car park where it only cost us £1.10 for the whole day.  Then we had to have a wander around to find our bus stop.  We got the No. 2 bus to Starcross at 9.33am.  It cost us £4.30 - £3.80 for Ann and 50p for me.  It was a big double decker bus but there was hardly any one on it.  It took us about 30 mins to get to Starcross.

I have to say this was not one of my most favourite walks.  Firstly, it was raining for the whole walk so I ended up soaking wet.  Secondly, I had to stay on my lead for the whole walk.  A lot of the time I was walking along roads and when I wasn't walking along roads I was walking along the path by the railway and there were signs saying that doggies had to be kept on their leads.

If the weather had been better we're sure we would have had lovely views over to Exmouth and also down the coast towards Teignmouth.  But it rained constantly, it was quite misty at times, the sea was very choppy and no-one else was stupid enough to be walking about.  Also because it was so wet Ann couldn't get her camera out and take photos so we've only got one.

It took us 2 hours & 40 mins to do this walk.  If it had been a nice day we could have stopped for a coffee in Dawlish or had a wander around Teignmouth at the end of our walk.  It was an easy walk (or would have been if it hadn't been raining the whole time), the whole walk was pretty much on the flat.  I think we only walked up and down one hill in the whole of the walk.

Anyway, that's another 8 miles of the SWCP walked.  Let's hope my next two days of walking are better?!

Dartmouth to Brixham - 11 miles

Dartmouth/Kingswear

This title is misleading.  We didn't actually walk from Dartmouth - we walked from Kingswear.  We thought it was a bit silly to take the ferry across to Darmouth just so that we could get the ferry back to Kingswear and say we started our walk in Dartmouth.   However the official SWCP website states that Dartmouth to Brixham is 11 miles.  We're not sure if that includes the ferry crossing.  Anyway we walked from Kingswear to Brixham and are sure that it was more than 11 miles.  This was a very hard walk.  It is one of the most up & down walks we have done, it was very muddy & it took us about five & a half hours of walking non stop.

We're staying in a very nice apartment in Torquay - 'Chelston Dene Apartments'.  We've booked for a week but we'll probably go home after we've done all our walks. The owners have said we can stay for £165 for the week which is great.  What is even better - I can stay for free.  We have a one bed apartment with views over Torquay.  The owners like me.  Ann had already warned me that I had to be on my best behaviour when I met them so I offered them a paw.  They thought I was lovely so I rolled over onto my back like a right old tart so they could tickle my tummy.  We would highly recommend these apartments for any other dog loving visitors to Torquay.

Firstly we had to go in the car to Brixham.  We were going to park in the 'harbour long stay car park' but it cost £7 for 5 hours or more.  What a rip off?!  The machine only took coins and Ann didn't have £7 in coins.  We thought about buying a ticket for 3-4 hours (even though we didn't know how long our walk would take) but then we saw a parking enforcement officer prowling around so we decided just to park in the higher part of Brixham for free and walk into town to get our bus.

We had to get on the number 22 bus to Kingswear at 10.05am.  I was a good girl when I got on the bus but I was not very well behaved while waiting for the bus.  I woofed at other buses that passed us and when the postie dared to walk past our bus stop I went absolutely ballistic.  It cost £2.70 for Ann & 50p for me to go from Brixham to Kingswear.  We got there about 10.30am.

For the first 20mins of our walk I had to stay on my lead because we were walking along a lane where cars might have come.  The houses were lovely - huge, but we think some might have been apartments. 

And then we hit the coastal path and I was allowed off my lead all the way back to Brixham.  Well, apart from one very small section, when we had to walk down a very steep hill, through a field full of sheep.  Ann was a bit cross with me.  I wanted to go chasing & was pulling on my lead - until she went really mad at me.  She said  if I didn't walk properly there was no way we would do any more walks.  She said she would go shopping instead.  I knew she meant it, so for the rest of the walk down the hill I walked properly by her side.  I have to say it was quite hard because there were loads of sheep and all I wanted to do was herd them into a corner.  Even though I was on my lead I was giving them 'the evils'.  They knew I was a collie that could keep them in order if I was allowed to?!! 

The other thing that was a bit tricky on this walk was that Ann had forgotten to bring us any water.  She got so excited packing her new rucksack, with unnecessary things that we didn't need, that she forgot to pack the one thing that we did need - water.  For the first 1 & a half hours there was no water for me but after that there were streams & troughs so I was happy.  Ann had packed an extra fleece in her rucksack because she couldn't believe that the 'thin, with all the warmth' top that she had bought last week at 'Mountain Warehouse' actually was thin & warm?!!  In fact today Ann was like a proper walker for the first time - new walking top, new walking trousers, new rucksack.  The ice warning came on in the car when we were driving to Brixham but Ann was toasty warm in all her new clothes.

This walk was lovely.  However it was a bit isolated.  We only saw four people in 3 and a half hours.  And then when we reached the 'Berry Head Country Park' there were loads of people walking their dogs.  At that point we thought we were almost back at Brixham.  We weren't, we still had at least a couple of miles to go to Berry Head, which is about a mile from Brixham.  So we kept walking and walking and walking!

Once we'd reached the 'Berry Head Hotel' Ann knew we were back in civilisation.  But we still had a couple of miles to walk back to the car.  We think we've walked between 12 - 14 miles today.

We're both very tired & sleepy!