If you would like to take part in the walk, the details have been provided below, so please come along and join in. We will be making a prompt 7.30am start from Kingswear. (Please note: other than the starting point from Kingswear, the leaving times from Brixham, Paignton and Babbacombe are estimates). Saturday 7th April 2018 Total Distance: 26.4 miles (divided into four legs) Starting point: Kingswear Depart 7:30am Kingswear – Brixham (11 miles) Depart 12:30pm Brixham – Paignton (6 miles) Depart 3:00pm Paignton – Babbacombe (7.5 miles) Depart 6:00pm Babbacombe – Watcombe Beach (1.9 miles) Finishing point: Watcombe Beach The timings above are approximate and hopefully at each point I will be ahead of schedule. This will allow me to take any necessary breaks, so if you wished to take part in a single leg of the walk please arrive 30 minutes before the time stated above. All maps are included, and have been provided by South West Coastal Paths and include a variety of information. For your own copies of maps they are available for £2 each from www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk How to join If you require any further information please contact: [email protected] Exploring The South West Coast Path Man Sands and Sharkham Point Exmouth Dawlish Walk 54 Teignmouth Dartmouth & Babbacombe Kingswear Paignton to Brixham Brixham Dartmouth Kingswear Torcross Dave Westcott Salcombe Practical Details In this guide, the black boxes are walking instructions in the Kingswear to Brixham direction, and the red boxes are walking instructions in the Brixham to Kingswear direction. Background information is in green boxes. Parts of the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path sometimes need repair and maintenance. Occasionally there is a cliff fall which results in a diversion from the described route. Always follow the diversions, which are well signed. A good tip before you set off is to check the up to date information about the Coast Path with the South West Coast Path Association, using their website given at the end of this leaflet. The South West Coast Path Guide suggests that Walk 54 is from Dartmouth to Brixham. From a practical point of view, Kingswear makes a better starting / finishing point. The parking is easier and there is a regular bus service from Brixham to Kingswear. Refreshments: Kingswear, inland at Coleton Fishacre (NT opening), Berry Head and Brixham. Toilets: Kingswear, inland at Coleton Fishacre (NT opening), Berry Head and Brixham. Parking: Kingswear (large car park by the marina), Berry Head, Brixham, (and Brixham Park and Ride). Bus: Stagecoach No. 18 / 18A bus connects Kingswear and Brixham every half hour, hourly on Sundays. Kingswear to Brixham Park at Kingswear and follow the Coast Path to Brixham. From the harbour, walk up The Strand and then Fore Street. Turn right towards a large car park, toilets, and the bus terminus. Catch the No. 18 / 18A bus to Kingswear. Brixham to Kingswear Park at Kingswear and catch the No. 18 / 18A bus to Brixham. The bus stop is by the large turning circle (called Kingswear Banjo) before the road narrows as it descends to the ferry. Return by walking from Brixham to Kingswear. Alternative Use one of the car parks in the Paignton / Goodrington area as a base. It is then possible to get a bus to and from Brixham (No. 12, every 10 minutes) or Kingswear (No. 120, hourly but not Sundays). Length: Almost 11 miles. About 5 - 6 hours. Difficulty: Strenuous. Exploring Kingswear Kingswear is a small town, often overshadowed by its larger neighbour, Dartmouth. However, there is a delightful creek to have a picnic beside – when the tide is in. The railway came to Kingswear in 1864 and the train station is the terminus of the Paignton to Kingswear steam railway. 1 You can watch the trains arriving from the footbridge and the station itself is worth a visit. Coal was imported here and taken by rail to the ‘gas works’ at Torquay and the power station which was at Newton Abbot during the first half of the 20th century. There are several commemorative plaques on the wall by the ferry slipway giving you a flavour of the history of Kingswear and Dartmouth. (Be careful of the vehicles using the ferry itself). The river was the base for the recovery of secret agents and allied airmen from France during the Second World War. The large building next to the station was the Royal Dart Hotel. The Royal Dart became ‘HMS Cicala’ from where these clandestine operations were organised. ‘Brookhill’ (circa 1820) is a large house you pass along the Coast Path from Kingswear. It was used as a base for the Free French Navy during WW 2. Philippe de Gaulle, the son of General de Gaulle (the Free French Forces leader) was stationed at Kingswear du ring the war. Lieutenant Colonel H Jones of the Parachute Regiment,1 was a resident of Kingswear. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry during the Falkland Conflict in 1982 and is remembered both by a plaque by the slipway and at Warren Woods. Waterhead Creek The Royal Dart Kingswear to Warren Woods (0.9 miles) The path begins from the ferry slipway – just below the railway station. Go through the arch by the toilets and climb Alma Steps by Kingswear Priory. (It says ‘Coast Path Brixham 10ml’). It is unlikely that there was a priory here; however, the church had connections with Totnes Priory in the 12th century and it could have possibly been the home of a monk at one time. It is now a private house. The church, with a typically Norman tower (used as a lookout), is set inland to guard against raids from the sea. You reach Beacon Road and then turn right. Walk along Beacon Road gradually climbing until it joins with Castle Road – a minor road. Follow this road for just over ½ mile, passing ‘Brookhill’ on the right. The road curves left inland with the Coast Path signed ‘Froward Point 1 ¼ m’ down steps on the right at Warren Woods. Notice the commemorative plaque to Lieutenant Colonel H Jones who died in the Falklands War. Go down 65 steps, then across the track that leads to Kingswear Castle (private), followed by 88 more steps to reach Mill Bay Cove with a disused castellated mill. The path turns right at a minor road then left opposite the ruined mill, to climb steps at SX 894503 ‘Warren Cottage’. 2 Coleton Camp refers to the P Scabbacombe Paignton to WW 2 installations which were (NT) Sands Bench Kingswear Steam around here. The radar unit (Pebbles) Railway was dismantled in the 1950s. FP FP & Bus P (NT) Waterhead Creek Bench Stop Brownstone Coleton Camp car park (NT) P FP at SX 921511 Path follows a narrow Kingswear Scabbacombe Head Bench road from Kingswear P Coleton to the start of Warren Woods Fishacre (NT) Priory Post at & WC FP at 894503 SX 918508 Brookhill Warren Cottage Ivy Cove Gommerock Fort Military Daymark Road Pudcombe Cove Kingswear FB & (Bench & Viewpoint) Dartmouth Castle Mill Bay Gate & Bench Cove Bench Post at Kelly’s Cove SX 909499 Old Mill Bay Newfoundland Cove Outer Froward Point Bench & Inner Froward Mew ½ mile Viewpoint Point Stone Kingswear Castle (from Dartmouth) Dartmouth Castle from Beacon Road Daymark inland from Froward Point Mill at Mill Bay Cove and Coast Path 3 Kingswear Castle The castle was built between 1491 and 1502 and together with Dartmouth Castle served to protect the river. Although it was used initially, with advances in military tactics and gunners it fell out of use and was in ruins until it was rescued in 1855 by Charles Seale-Hayne for his summer residence. Seale- Hayne endowed an agricultural college at Newton Abbot which ran until 2005. The castle now belongs to the Landmark Trust as a holiday cottage (sleeping 4). Nearby at Gommerock Fort a chain was anchored and stretched across the estuary to protect the harbour. Warren Woods to Froward Point (1.3 miles) The path through the woods (largely Monterey Pines) is fairly level with one or two glimpses across to Dartmouth. Eventually you emerge from the woods above Newfoundland Cove (no access) with a good bench on the other side of the cove. The path goes down, then along before climbing to reach Inner Froward Point, Higher Brownstone Battery and a National Coastwatch Institution station, as well as an exhibition area in part of the old battery buildings. From here there are two options, but before you set off follow the track inland towards the car park to see the 25 metre high Daymark, a navigation aid built in 1864. 1. The Coast Path goes down steps on the right (west) side of the Coastwatch station and makes its way through the WW 2 battery and eventually curving left to pass searchlight emplacements almost at sea level overlooking the Mew Stone. Just before the second searchlight emplacement (at a post SX 902495) the path turns up to climb steadily to reach the higher path onward towards Pudcombe Cove. 2. The higher path inland climbs away from the coast towards Higher Brownstone car park. A short distance up the track there is a finger post on the right ‘Link to Coast Path Brixham 8 ½ m’. Follow this path to join with the lower path coming up from the search light emplacements. At Froward Point – in front of Coastwatch Lower Coast Path at Froward Point The Daymark Inland from the battery is the Daymark - a hollow stone structure built in 1864 by the Dart Harbour Commissioners as a daytime navigational aid.