Anne-Marie’s South Hams Adventure
This summer I headed to Devon to walk the coastal section of the South Hams Way, one of our newer walking holidays. I was lucky to be accompanied again this year by my friend Kirsty.
Those of you who have read my previous blogs will know that I like to invite friends and family to join me on my Mickledore research trips. This one was no exception. I do this because I think that walking and talking is good for the soul, even walking in companionable silence is a wonderful thing. Read on to find out who else I persuaded to come along with me this year.
I broke up the eight-hour journey from the far North of the country to the far South of the country with a night stop in Bath, where I had finished the Cotswold Way in 2024. This was great as I got to meet Ling who is our host at The Apple Tree Guest House and I also went to meet another four of our accommodation hosts. Our research trips are very important to us as they give us an opportunity to put faces to names and to get to know our hosts a little better.
Kirsty and I had a lovely evening eating al fresco in the sunshine overlooking the River Avon, reading our route notes and looking at the maps. We were already excited about our adventure ahead on the South Hams Way.
The next morning, we made our way from Bath to Dartmouth, where we left our car so it would be there for us at the end of the walk and then we took an open top bus to the start point for our walk at Yealmpton. It was fun driving past the cliff top pathways and steep stairs that we were going to be navigating over the next four days, we also spotted some great bays that we were looking forward to swimming in.
Day One: Wonwell to Hope Cove
Today we walked from Wonwell Beach at the mouth of the River Erme estuary to Hope Cove. We quickly climbed some steps and were soon enjoying magnificent views on very windy headlands. Almost immediately after leaving the beach I swallowed a fly – this led to us trying to remember the song, ‘There was an old lady who swallowed a fly’. This song dates from the 19th century and has been sung by children across the world for many years. We struggled to remember what she had swallowed and why – can you remember?
For most of this section you get great views of Burgh Island and its hotel which has stood as an art deco masterpiece since 1929 – Burgh Island has long been established as a charming party island with many stories to tell and its famous guests include Agatha Christie, Winston Churchill and The Beatles. It can only be accessed on foot at low tide and at high tide is accessed by its sea tractor, affectionately known as Trundle.
We continued walking and were hoping to catch the ferry across the Avon Estuary at Cockleridge just before lunch but unfortunately, we missed the 12 o’clock cut off. We had just over an hour to spare so we took a dip in the estuary in front of Ham Cottage, otherwise known as the Bantham Boathouse which is a picturesque, historic thatched cottage, right at the mouth of the estuary.
We got the ferry to the other side of the estuary at 14.00, cormorant and egrets flew alongside the ferry boat as we docked into Bantham Ferry point. Both the pub in Bantham and the village shop closed at 14.00 so we started to worry that we were not going to get any food or water until we arrived in Hope Cove but luckily, we came across an incredible food truck parked at the campsite in Bantham.
This campsite was very busy and we enquired as to why – we were told about the Bantham Swoosh, an annual 6km tide-assisted open water swim. As you approach the end of the swim the estuary narrows, creating the ‘swoosh’, an increasingly fast-moving body of water that carries you towards the sea at two to three times your normal swimming speed.
After topping up our water bottles at the very glamorous looking Thurlestone Golf Club we headed straight to Hope Cove, where we were greeted by the sight of a fabulous pub – The Hope and Anchor. Two thirst quenching Aperol’s were downed in quick succession before heading to the lifeboat station to catch our taxi to Salcombe for the night.
Day Two: Hope Cove to Salcombe
Kirsty and I were joined in Salcombe by two of our friends, Charlie and Nina. We all met at University in Leeds many moons ago and although I have seen Chalie and Nina relatively recently, Kirsty hadn’t seen the girls in 30 years. It was a lovely reunion with lots of laughs, stories and chatter. We were all looking forward to a day in the sunshine walking together from Hope Cove back into Salcombe.
Before we left for the walk, it became clear that Charlie had only come along for the social as she had a very unlucky fall just before we set off and needed to be taken to the South Hams Urgent Treatment Centre. We would like to thank our accommodation hosts; Fred, who helped us transport Charlie to the Urgent Treatment Centre and Pauline, who looked after her on her return whilst Kirsty, Nina and I were out walking.
We walked along a flat cliff top plateau called Bolberry Down. Part of the stunning coastline at Bolberry Down is accessible to all, thanks to an initiative by the National Trust and the South West Coast Path. This section of the coast path provides the perfect place for a smooth level trail, with plenty of benches to sit and enjoy the view.
Soon after Bolberry Down we spotted Saw Mill Cove. It seemed like a perfect place to stop for lunch and a very invigorating swim in the choppy waters.
At the geologically stunning Sharp Tor we walked up the interestingly named staircase at Stairhole Bottom and turned North to see Salcombe in the distance. We could see the dazzling array of yachts and super yachts that were bobbing around in the harbour. Shortly after Sharp Tor we started to walk on a tarmac road towards the very glamourous South Sands Bay. We spotted a water tractor on the beach and we learnt that this tractor takes you out onto the water so you can catch a ferry up the estuary to Salcombe.
We decided to get the tractor and the ferry into Salcombe and what a fabulous decision that was. It was wonderful coming into Salcombe on the water, we got a great view of all the hill side houses and we passed all manner of water transport; yachts, super yachts, motor boats and paddleboards.
That evening we met some of Kirsty’s friends, Sian and Alice for dinner and then we watched the World Cup Semi Final with our B&B buddies, Kev and Paul. It was coming home for 84 minutes, then it wasn’t!
Day Three: Salcombe to Torcross
The first 5k of today was my favourite part of the walk so far. We took the ferry from Salcombe to East Portlemouth on the Eastern side of the Salcombe estuary. We walked though shady mature woodland rather than being battered by the wind on the exposed rock faces of the previous two days, the paths were undulating with glimpses of the incredible mansions and hotels of Salcombe and the coves with their crystal-clear blue seas.
The wind had dropped significantly from the previous two days which made it far easier to chat along the way. We may have even had another little singalong.
We stopped at an absolutely beautiful bay called Rickham Sands, just below The Gara Rock Hotel and desperately wanted a swim but we had promised ourselves that we would walk at least half way to Torcross before we swam as we had an end of day taxi.
We continued walking and were rewarded by the sight of fledgling buzzards flying around and frequently stopping for a rest, we also walked through an area flooded with bumble bees. We learnt that this area was a conservation area called ‘Life on the Edge’. This area is an important habitat for some of the most rare and endangered bees in the UK. They really need the flowers in this strip of the South West Coast Path to feed on.
We eventually swam and had our lunch at Lannacombe Beach and it was absolutely lovely.
We had been promised that we would see a seal colony on Great Mattiscombe rocks and we were not disappointed, although they were quite far away from the shore, we could hear them chatting away with each other in the sunshine.
In the afternoon we passed Start Point with its lighthouse and turned the corner to see Hallsands, Beesands and Torcross. Hallsands is a very special place in my family history. My mum and her family used to holiday here and my 92-year-old Auntie Sally had sent me photos of those happy times. I was able to get matching photos for her of the site of the old Hallsands Hotel, The Cricket Inn at Beesands and Slapton Ley at Torcross.
I also recalled that the ferry that we took to cross the Kingsbridge estuary that morning was called Suzie, the name of my late mum which I thought was a very fitting start to a day where she would be very close to my heart.
Sally had also sent me a photograph of my mum, my brothers and me standing beside the signpost for the tiny hamlet of Bowden. This is our family name. On our way from Torcross to Dartmouth, our wonderful taxi driver, Tony, took us to Bowden to try to find the actual spot.
Although the signpost had changed it was fabulous driving past Bowden Cottage and Bowden Farm. I felt quite at home. 😊
Day Four: Torcross to Dartmouth
Today was the first day that we had no cloud cover and it was hot hot hot.
We got a taxi from Dartmouth to Torcross to continue our walk and we were absolutely amazed by the skills of our taxi driver who successfully navigated the tiny country lanes and very irregular passing places with total calmness and professionalism. I am not sure I would have been so patient if I had to reverse 50 meters down a county lane 5 times in as many minutes!
We walked along the side of Slapton Ley, the largest natural freshwater lake in southwest England. The area is home to rare species, including the strapwort plant and the British endemic millipede Anthogona britannica. The reserve also supports over 2,000 species of fungi and provides important habitats for birds and other wildlife.
Shortly afterwards we picked up someone who you may recognise from my walk in the Cotswolds in 2024. We met the delightful Billie at The Slapton Ley memorial. The memorial is adjacent to Slapton Ley and is separated from Start Bay by a shingle beach. The memorial commemorates the 749 American servicemen who died during Exercise Tiger, a World War II D-Day rehearsal in 1944 and gives thanks to the people of the South Hams who generously left their homes and their lands to provide a battle practice area for the servicemen.
We continued our walk in countryside that was so different to our first two days. Today was undulating and there was lots of coastal walking at sea level. It was only towards the end of the day that we were again bombarded with steep ups and vertiginous downs!
We stopped for our daily swim and lunch at Blackpool Sands, which is nothing like the town of Blackpool nor is it sandy but it is an incredible bay and we had a delightful swim. I have been to Blackpool Sands in the past and it did not disappoint. They have award winning toilets, a bar and restaurant, paddle boards and kayaks for hire and inflation and rehydration stations.
Shortly after leaving Blackpool Sands, we arrived in the village of Stoke Flemming and we immediately spotted a lovely looking pub called The Green Dragon. It looked so inviting we decided to stop for a thirst-quenching pint of local Devon cider.
After a few cider infused attempted handstands and jumping shots on the headland, we headed into the Dart Estuary and continued on our way to Dartmouth. We stopped at Dartmouth Castle and we decided that this should be our finish point.
Previously I have walked the West Highland Way, the Cotswold Way and the Jersey Coastal Path. This is the first walk I have done that has not had a start and finish point and I found this a bit strange and I will definitely be back to complete the South Hams circle at some point. If you have the time, then I would definitely recommend completing the full loop from Totnes to Totnes.
As always, I would like to thank my wonderful walking partner, videographer, agony aunt and friend Kirsty for keeping me company. See you next year when I think I might be tempted back up North. Who knows, watch this space …
Ready to discover this beautiful part of Devon?
Created in 2025 by the South Hams Ramblers, the South Hams Way showcases the very best of South Devon. In addition to the full circuit, we offer three shorter holidays – one of which Anne-Marie enjoyed. If you’d like to know more about trail and the various itineraries we have, then email us at [email protected] or call us on 017687 72335 and we’ll begin planning your Devon adventure.
