SALCOMBE TO SOAR MILL COVE VIA REW & COAST PATH BACK ( 7 miles)
START POINT : NORTH SANDS CAR PARK AT SALCOMBE GRID REF: SX 730383

Sunday 15th February started with ice on the cars and the promise of a nice day. By the time we had reached the car park at the start point of the walk it was as if we had advanced a complete season. It was a warm, sunny day with light winds and the promise of a great walk ahead. By 10.30 AM we had over 20 walkers ready for the off and by 10.30 we another 4, as the ladies cross country navigation team had arrived at Salcombe from Plymouth via Totnes and all villages in between. With the promise of a good sunny day, Julie Partridge had once again had her prayer beads out and the gods had been kind to her, as he usually is on Julies coastal walks, I'm delighted to say.

The outline of the 7 mile route we followed is shown on the map above. As usual, to fully appreciate the route you should relate this outline to a 1:25000 map of the area such as the OS leisure map no 20 of South Devon.

Some of the pictures have a small border around them to indicate that a full screen version can be seen. Click the picture to see the larger version. To return to the text press the 'back' button.

After a very quick change by the navigation team we were ready for the off by about 10.35 AM.

Julie led us out of the car park and along by North Sands Beach and we followed the coastal road away from Salcombe for the first steep climb of the day up the road towards South Beach.

It was a steep little climb out but we were soon at the top and we left the South Beach road, turned right up a road which would have led us directly back to Malborough.

After a few metres along that road we turned left off the country road, along a narrow residential road shown as Moult Road.

We walked along this road as it turned, climbed and gradually led us away from the coast below. We soon were heading towards a small wooded area and we came to a narrow public footpath which led us along through this lovely wooded area.

After a few hundred metres we emerged out down onto a road once again for a section of road walking. As we made our way up the valley, which ended up at Malborough, we passed some beautiful thatched houses below us to our left. They looked superb and the grounds and lawns stretching away down the valley were absolutely superb.

This little ( and very expensive ) hamlet is Coombe.

Just beyond the houses the main country lane swung off to the left for the second steep ascent of the day. In preparation for the significant uphill which was to follow we stopped at the bottom for morning coffee.

After the break we were off again, after discarding several layers of outer garments on this warm February day. We passed Lower Rew Farm and then continued on uphill until we reached a second farm, this one called Higher Rew Farm.

We turned left at this point, made our way through the renovated buildings and through a caravan park, one operated in conjunction with the caravan park of Great Britain, so it was quite well appointed.

We followed the public footpath signs along the top of the caravan field and then swung right to continue our climb up to the highest point of the walk. It was just over 420 feet, as we emerged out onto a road again at a road junction.

 

We made our way straight across and headed off in the direction of Soar along relatively level ground initially and then for a good descent back to almost sea level again.

We headed off heading west towards Soar, passing several lovely old buildings, a modern static caravan park and then down by a single storey hotel which had lovely views down across the valley to the coast below.

Our route then led us through a gate and onto National Trust owned land.

The NT own almost the whole section of the coast we were approaching.

We descended steeply down towards Soar Mill Cove and a lovely little sandy bay at the bottom, nestling between steep cliffs either side.

The sea looked very inviting indeed and there were quite a few visitors down on the beach, none swimming though, it might have been warm in the sun, but the sea temperature is still a low winter one.

It will take quite a few months of good sunshine and warmth to make it inviting enough to leap into, come here in five months time the sea might even tempt me in!!

Once we were down overlooking the cove, we turned left to follow the coastal path around to Bolt Head. The coastline in this area of South Devon is quite dramatic with magnificent rocky outcrops and high steep cliffs.

Did I say high and steep?

 

Sure enough they were steep and the next section of the walk was to lead us up and up until we were at the top once again.

At the start of the walk, Julie had indicated that this walk had it's up and downs, with a twinkle in her eye.

I knew exactly what she meant, those who hadn't walked this area were now finding out.

We started at about 30 ft above the cove and started the climb, following the coast path around a headland with towering rocks above us and then the path snaked up and up along a steep grassy area until we reached to top again, guess what, yes back at 400 feet again.

 

The walk certainly does have its ups and downs.

At the top the views were tremendous and we enjoyed a nice lunch break to recover.

The breeze kept the temperature quite a few degrees below that which we had experienced in the sheltered Coombe area of the walk.

After lunch we made our way south east along the top of these magnificent cliffs dropping steeply down to the sea.

The going was easy along the level and we made good progress, stopping from time to time, not to catch our breath but to savour the magnificent coastal views.

 

We made our way by Steeple Point, across by Goat Rock and beyond looking down to Off Cove.

With the low sun the sea glistened below us, so much beauty all around us, what a lovely way to spend a Sunday.

We came to field boundaries and followed the coastline around so that we wouldn't miss the majestic and imposing Bolt Head marking the entrance to Salcombe.

It really is a quite majestic and imposing headland from both out to sea looking in and from our vantage point.

 

 

We could see there was a derelict building atop the high rocks at Bolt Head and the steep transit out to Bolt Head was impressive in itself, leading us down for a 140 ft descent down to just below the rocks of Bolt Head.

When we got there we saw that the derelict buildings were once military defences during the second world war back in the 1940's.

From Bolt Head there are amazing views out to sea, across to Start Point to the east in towards the beautiful Sharp Tor guarding the entrance to Salcombe and back along to headlands west towards Bolt Tail.

As we looked down we saw a small sailing boat out for a winter days sail ( or should I say an early Spring sail) from the sheltered yachtsman's paradise of Salcombe.

Having enjoyed the views out to sea from Bolt Head we followed the coast path as it swung round to the North to lead us back along above Starehole Bay towards the guardian entrance rock of Salcombe, the majestic Sharp Tor.

We descended a further 200 ft down to a grassy sward just above Starehole Bay and low tide beach, and we enjoyed a final tea break above the bay, enjoying this wonderful, but admittedly unseasonal weather.

We were certainly making the most of it!!

 

 

From Starehole Bay the coast path swings round to the east to run immediately below Sharp Tor.

The coastal path is right on the edge of steep drops to the sea and it is comforting at this point to find an enclosing safety fence on the seaward side and this rocky section of the coastal path.

I can remember other walks around here when the wind has been so strong it has been difficult to stand.

How different it was on this walk but in bad conditions this section of the walk can feel quite dangerous at this exposed point.

 

We then rounded the corner to get our first panoramic views of Salcombe and Salcombe Harbour, really a magnificent vista from this viewpoint.

It looked incredible, the sea was so blue, almost azure in colour. It is no wonder the area is so popular with visitors.

We continued to head north along the coast path, passing by the treacherous Salcombe Sand Bar, only noticeable by the swell which formed above it. Many a boat has touched bottom on their way into Salcombe harbour at this point.

The coast path led through a wooded area and above us, although not visible, was Overbeck Gardens, full of plants, shrubs and trees from all over the world brought there by a sea captain who bought Overbeck House long, long ago. the house is now a national trust museum and gardens open to the public in season.

The views remained captivating the whole time, we left the wooded area, came to a road which we followed down and down to South Sands, a very popular spot in the Summer as is evident from the masses of static holiday caravans in the valley immediately behind the South Sands Beach.

In the summer there is a passenger ferry which links this spot to Salcombe itself, with everything the small town has to offer the visitor.

Not far to go now, just a steep climb up the road over the high ground between South and North Beach and then the descent down the same road we had walked up at the start of the walk.

 

At the far side of North Beach we could see the remains of the old fort which guarded the entrance to Salcombe, much more obvious at this time of year when it is not hidden by foliage.

We arrived back at around 2.30 PM.

It had been a superb walk, one with a little bit of everything, but with sunshine and fine weather in abundance, what a bonus at any time but at this time of the year, quite superb.

Thanks to Julie we had enjoyed another wonderful section of the South West Coastal path mixed in with great walking along the undulating countryside of the South Hams.

Julie ... we hope you can work your weather magic again when you lead us out from Charleston in Cornwall on your next coastal outing.