9.4 km along the coast and 9.6 inland
The remainder of section 58 in the SWCPA handbook
As we were due to return home this evening we were planning to finish the Jurassic Coast section of the South West Coastal Path and so parked at a long-stay carpark at the Maer on the Edge of Exmouth.
After a short walk along suburban roads we found a series of footpaths that took us to the little hamlet of Littleham. Although almost a suburb of Exmouth it is a pretty village with a surprisingly large church. From here we walked along part of the Old Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton railway, which is now a cycle route and part of the Exe estuary trail. Then across the golf course to West Down beacon where we stopped the previous afternoon.
The coastal path leads downhill from here to large holiday village, surprisingly situated right next to Straight Point rifle range, complete with armed guards and soldiers practicing shooting. However, in the middle of the Holiday village is Sandy Bay and it is just what it says on the tin. So, we stopped for a swim having walked along the beach to get a little further from the crowds around the only way down.
From Sandy Bay it was a pleasant walk to the outskirts of Exmouth, we don’t know the town at all and am not sure whether we have been to the centre before, but it is a very pleasant and civilised beach resort with a mixture of traditional architecture in the centre and some interesting new developments as you approach from the East. But the surprise is the extensive sandy beach – gently sloping to the sea and although there are the usual facilities, it was a pleasant walk along the promenade to the harbour.
The Coastal path takes the ferry from here to Dawlish and in the harbour, there was a queue for the ferry to Starcross, with little sign of Social distancing.
We will drive around the Estuary to resume the walk on the other side and so returned to the car park and had a swim from the sandy beach and then an ice cream from a young lad with a traditional bike trolley.
