Ivybridge to Wembury

A day with a bit of everything

I left home at around 7:10am, which already felt like a bold life choice. After catching a bus into Plymouth and then another to Ivybridge, I had completed a respectable warm-up before the actual walking had even begun.

I joined the trail at 8:35am, setting off from Ivybridge and initially following the River Erme. The walk began pleasantly enough, but the route soon offered a little of everything: muddy paths, grassy fields, woodland tracks, stony sections and occasional stretches of tarmac—just to keep both me and my walking boots guessing.

The weather remained overcast but dry until around 11am. Then, right on cue, the heavens opened and delivered a proper soaking. This was no gentle spring drizzle—it was full-on, thoroughly drenched rain.

Somewhere in the middle of the downpour, I enjoyed a couple of classic “senior moments” and wandered off course, probably adding another mile to the walk. I prefer to call it bonus distance rather than getting lost.

Passing the Shire Horse Centre near Yealmpton unexpectedly brought back memories of the infamous Tesco Christmas dinner and dance during the 1980s. I am not entirely sure what prompted the memory, but it certainly raised a smile.

By around 1pm, the rain finally eased, the clouds began to break and the sun appeared—as though the earlier monsoon had never happened.

My original plan had been to continue towards Plymouth, but in keeping with the unpredictable nature of the day, I changed direction and headed for Wembury instead. It was roughly the same distance, just with a different finishing line and considerably better coastal scenery.

I cut the timing rather fine and only just caught the bus back into Plymouth. Nothing rounds off an 18-mile walk quite like an unexpected sprint for public transport.