A sensible plan meets the call of Salcombe
We began with sunshine, sea views and a perfectly reasonable circular route. Naturally, that was never going to last.
With my old mate Age, we set off from South Milton Sands car park just after 10am, ready to tackle the South Devon coast in glorious sunshine. It didn't take long for the warm weather to remind us that we weren't quite as young as we used to be, so by the time we reached Hope Cove, a strategic stop for a generous coating of suncream was already essential.
With beautiful views across Hope Cove, we continued on towards Bolt Tail, home to the remains of an Iron Age fort. Whether the ancient inhabitants had to contend with temperatures like this is anyone's guess, but they certainly picked a spectacular spot.
The heat was relentless, with barely a whisper of a sea breeze, so plenty of short hydration breaks became the order of the day. Fortunately, every pause came with another breathtaking coastal view to admire.
The original plan had been to head inland towards Bantham Beach and complete a sensible circular route. However, my old friend Age had other ideas and suggested we carry on to Salcombe instead. It sounded like a brilliant idea at the time... although neither of us had actually discussed how we were going to get back!
The coastline between Bolt Tail and Salcombe is simply stunning, with dramatic cliffs, jagged rock formations and endless sea views making every step worthwhile.
On reaching Salcombe, our priorities quickly changed. The nearest bar was calling, and a cold beer overlooking the estuary tasted every bit as good as we'd imagined. It was only then that I casually asked, “So... how exactly are we getting back to the car?”
The answer wasn't ideal. The bus only ran every two hours and the journey would take around 90 minutes. After some questionable mathematical calculations—helped by the beer—we decided the quickest option was to walk back via Malborough and Galmpton.
After a 20-minute rest, we swapped spectacular coastal paths for around four miles of sun-baked country lanes before finally arriving back at South Milton Sands at around 5:30pm.
A fantastic 13-mile adventure with glorious weather, unforgettable scenery, plenty of laughs... and yet another reminder that spontaneous plans are always more enjoyable when you've actually worked out how you're getting home!
