Torquay to Shaldon – South West Coast Path Walks
December 2, 2020
Torquay to Shaldon on the South West Coast Path sees us moving onto the next map; the OL44. We’ve returned from Italy, gone into lockdown and therefore retreated (well it feels like a battle) to Devon. To be honest we were planning to come back anyway, we’re just a couple of weeks earlier than anticipated.
Torquay to Watcombe
We parked in the marina and the first thing that came to our attention once on the South West Coast Path was the sound of….penguins? We were passing The “Living Coasts” marine centre and the penguins were in fine voice. I’m sad to say it has become a victim of Covid19 and will be closing permanently. Clark and I are having serious discussions about whether it’s OK to adopt a couple of penguins….pop them on a lead for a walk or swim in the sea, create a water slide in the garden, fill the bath tub, no problem right?
Moving on. Once away from Torquay we walked along cliff top paths and past Meadfoot beach before arriving at Thatcher point and Thatcher Rock, which looks like a mini Jurassic Park.
We took a slight detour onto Hope’s Nose, a piece of land that sticks out and it seems is a popular spot for mackerel fishing. Although lovely, when we were walking around the nose it became apparent that the fishermen spend a lot of time there. The amount of thrown away toilet paper (I imagine used. I had no desire to confirm said suspicion) was really quite disgusting. Perhaps this area is something best admired from afar.
Ansteys Cove
One detour that’s definitely worth it (despite the steep hill) is down to Ansteys cove. A quiet cove with a small cafe, calm sea and beautiful views of Long Quarry Point and out to sea. The fact that it involved an ice-cream only added to its loveliness.
The final stretch to Watcombe is via Babbacombe beach and Oddicombe beach. The former a long shingle beach and the latter a red sand beach (how is that possible? They’re right next to each other!). It’s like a little beach village with the Carey Arms hotel and spa, which looks rather good, some beachside cafe’s and a cliff railway going up to Babbacombe village. Of course everything is closed at the moment, meaning we had to climb a steep hill to continue on the SWCP. So many things to return to at a later date.
Watcombe to Shaldon
The second half of this section of the South West Coast Path and a gloriously sunny day. The things I remember the most about this walk were the stunning views and the really steep hill into and out of Shaldon. We did 739 metres of elevation over 10 miles (that’s the equivalent of climbing 3 quarters of Snowdon). Phew!
Shaldon
The walk to Shaldon was glorious and Shaldon itself was picture perfect. It’s at the mouth of the river Teign; a small village with a number of pubs, cafe’s and independent shops. There’s a beach, a mini lighthouse and the bridge that runs to the other side of the Teign to Teignmouth (pronounced Tin-muth).
We ventured along the river for a stretch before returning inland to our starting point. We have returned more recently to take a misty walk along the river. It’s amazing how different it looks in different light. One of the joys of photography.
Don't miss on the Torquay to Shaldon Coast Path
- Selfie / instagram opportunity at Thatcher Point.
- A walk down to Anstey’s Cove for an ice-cream and a swim or paddle
- A stop on Babbacombe beach for a snack or pub lunch (again, a swim is optional…too cold when we went)
- A ride on the Babbacombe cliff railway.
- A visit to Babbacombe model village. About to re-open, it was something I did many years ago and really enjoyed.
- A wander around the streets and along “The Salty” in Shaldon. Poking in shops optional (actually not possible when we were there. A good excuse to go back? Yup).
Looks great!! Please send pics of your new penguin squad! ❤️