INTRODUCTION About the Dorset & South Devon Coast Path History of the South-West Coast Path 9 – How difficult is the Coast Path? 11 – How long do you need? 12 – When to go 13 PART 1: PLANNING YOUR WALK Practical information for the walker Route finding 17 – Accommodation 18 – Food and drink 21 Money 26 – Information for foreign visitors 26 – Other services 28 Walking companies 28 Budgeting 31 Itineraries Which direction? 32 – Suggested itineraries 33 – The best day and weekend walks 35 – Side trips 36 – Village and town facilities 38 What to take Keep your luggage light 40 – How to carry it 40 – Footwear 41 Clothes 41 – Toiletries 42 – First-aid kit 42 – General items 43 Camping gear 43 – Money 44 – Documents 44 – Maps 44 Recommended reading 45 – Sources of further information 46 Taking dogs along the path 48 Getting to and from the path National transport 52 – Getting to Britain 53 – Local transport 55 Public transport map 59 PART 2: MINIMUM IMPACT WALKING & OUTDOOR SAFETY Minimum impact walking Economic impact 61 – Environmental impact 62 – Access 63 Outdoor safety Avoidance of hazards 66 – Weather and weather forecasts 68 Blisters 68 – Hypothermia 68 – Hyperthermia 69 – Sunburn 69 PART 3: THE ENVIRONMENT & NATURE Conserving the Dorset & South Devon Coast Path 70 Geology 72 Flora and fauna Trees 77 – Flowers 78 – Mammals 80 – Reptiles 83 – Birds 83 Butterflies and moths 88 PART 4: ROUTE GUIDE AND MAPS Using this guide 89 Plymouth 91 Plymouth to Wembury 100 Wembury 106 Tackling the Yealm 106 Wembury to Bigbury-on-Sea 111 – Tackling the Erme 115 – Challaborough & Bigbury- on-Sea 119 Bigbury-on-Sea to Salcombe 120 – Tackling the Avon 120 Outer & Inner Hope 122 Salcombe 126 Salcombe to Slapton Cross 131 – East Prawle 134 Beesands 136 – Torcross 138 Slapton 140 Slapton Cross to Dartmouth 142 – Strete 143 – Stoke Fleming 144 – Dartmouth 148 Dartmouth to Brixham 153 Kingswear 154 Brixham 160 Brixham to Torquay 163 Paignton 167 – Torquay 170 Torquay to Teignmouth 178 St Marychurch 180 Maidencombe 180 – Shaldon 184 – Teignmouth 186 Teignmouth to Exmouth 190 Dawlish 192 – Dawlish Warren 196 – Cockwood 198 Starcross 198 Tackling the Exe 200 Exmouth 203 Exmouth to Sidmouth 207 Budleigh Salterton 210 Sidmouth 216 Sidmouth to Seaton 221 Branscombe Mouth 224 Beer 226 – Seaton 228 Seaton to Lyme Regis 231 Lyme Regis 236 Lyme Regis to Seatown 243 Charmouth 244 – Seatown 248 Chideock 248 Seatown to Abbotsbury 250 Eype Mouth 251 – West Bay 252 – Burton Bradstock 256 South Dorset Ridgeway (aka Inland Coastal Route) West Bexington 260 Abbotsbury 266 Abbotsbury to Fortuneswell 268 – Fortuneswell 274 Fortuneswell to Weymouth (via Isle of Portland Circuit) 276 – Weymouth 282 Weymouth to Lulworth Cove 287 – Osmington Mills 288 Lulworth Cove & West Lulworth 294 Lulworth Cove to Kimmeridge Bay 298 When ranges are closed 302 Kimmeridge 304 Kimmeridge Bay to Swanage 306 – Worth Matravers 308 Swanage 312 Swanage to South Haven Point 316 – New Swanage 3 APPENDICES A: Poole 322 B: South Dorset Ridgeway Prehistoric Sites 323 C: Map key 324 D: GPS waypoints 325 INDEX 329 .