22 June 2009 – Walk: Torbay (11.6 Miles)

Synopsis: A loop around Torbay starting from The Bridge Retail Park, through Cockington onto Oldway Mansion returning to Torquay.

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(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)

This was once again very much a spur of the moment walk. I wanted to check something out at the Staples store, and rather than go to the local store I decided on visiting the store in Torquay as I could then make that the start of a walk. I hurried to get ready to catch the 9.30 bus, not having time to prepare a walk. I did the walk planning whilst I was on the bus to Torquay.

Oldway Mansion, Paignton

The idea that came to me for this walk was to see Oldway Mansion in Paignton, a building I’d often heard mentioned but had never seen. I knew precisely where it was. It is situated not far from one of our old family day trip venues. I discovered that Oldway Mansion is certainly large and grand, and yet rather peculiar with it. Some aspects of the building don’t seem quite in proportion or harmony with the rest of it. It seems to have highly coloured baroque flourishes here and there. And with it’s large white pillared front it brought to mind the White House in Washington, USA. I suppose for me it has a slight air of a building with grand pretensions. It’s not grotesque, just a little weird. Take a look at some of the sculptures on the external walls of the building.

IItalianate Gardens at Oldway Mansion

Oldway Mansion is today used as council offices. It has an interesting history, which you can read about at Wikipedia. The grounds around the building are reasonably tidy but not planted for great interest, probably to hold the upkeep costs down. It’s a bit of a shame, as fine gardens would really set the house off. The best part of the garden I felt was the knot garden. This formed lovely shapes and was well planted, if a little tired looking. There is a strange cave/grotto in the garden, which is fenced off probably because it is unsafe.

 

Electric House, Torquay

As I’m waiting to catch the bus home from Torquay I spy an interesting looking building across the street from the bus stop. The building is called Electric House and is an excellent example of art deco architecture. Luckily most of it has not been tampered with, and such items as doors, windows, and even the clock appear to be authentic art deco. Smashing, and so understated and probably unnoticed.

 

 

Walk Statistics:

Total Distance: 11.6 miles
Elapsed Time: 5hrs 44min
Total Ascent: 592 metres
Maximum Elevation: 152.6 metres

Buses: X64, 32 & 2

20 June 2009 – Trip: Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset

Synopsis: A rather unusual and exotic garden thriving on its microclimate. Informal planting with pleasing vistas work well. Glorious view from high in the garden of Chesil Beach.

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(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)

I had nothing planned come late Friday evening, then I remembered I had some Tesco Deals vouchers about to expire at the end of the month. I stumbled upon the ‘new’ entry for Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, a place I’d not heard of before. This looked appealing so I rang Mum and asked if she fancied a trip out and she said she’d come too. As the gardens allow dogs on leads, Jaffa could also come for the ride.

We set off from home at 9:45am and had arrived by 10:55am. The journey up was most enjoyable as the road passes through some beautiful countryside and villages. The villages take on a completely different look as we entered into Dorset. On the final approach to the gardens the road took us along the tops of hills that provided views along the coast taking in the whole of Chesil Beach. This brought back memories of the time I walked the long hard haul along this stamina sapping stretch of pebble beach during the time I was walking the South West Coast Path. Today promised to be much less of an exertion.

Formal gardens

The weather was mild, with a mix of sun and cloud. The promise was of brighter weather predicted later, and this proved right. The gardens are said to be 20 acres in size and are interlaced with a network of paths. There’s a recommended ‘whiter arrow’ waymarked route around the garden that we picked up and found easy to follow. There was a formal Walled Garden and areas of lawn at the beginning of the walk. The birds were singing loudly and the visitors drifting abstractedly, an altogether peaceful and relaxing air pervading the gardens.

 

View east along Chesil Beach

The path then gradually ascended to the top end of the garden where there is a deer tall fence and gate which leads out onto a clearing of grass which rises steeply to a viewpoint. Mum said she was keen, and Jaffa was too, so off we set at a steady pace, climbing to top where there’s a viewing space (alternatively named Lyme Bay and Jurassic Coast view point) with benches. From here it’s possible to look for miles west along what is known as the Jurassic Coast, and miles east all along Chesil Beach right out to Portland. There were a few families down on the beach, possibly from the car park just along the road from the gardens.

 

Come to join us for lunch

By now it was approaching time for lunch so Mum dropped Jaffa back at the car and I waited by what’s called the Old Colonial Tea-House from where food is served. This is a lovely spot to eat. You can choose between eating in the house, on the veranda that surrounds it, or on the paved courtyard out front. We settled on the veranda which offered some shelter from the sun. Birds came and sat on the railing hopeful of some dropped crumbs and we were more than happy to oblige. There is a lemon tree laden with lemons growing in a pot by the Colonial Tea-House, testimony to the lovely micro-climate of the gardens.

 

Chinese pagoda

After lunch we headed off on a loop around the lower parts of the garden, starting at the Sunken Garden, where there’s an aviary, and then heading for the Lilly Ponds. The Lilly Pond is full of fish that children were enjoying feeding. We then walked out through the Southern Hemisphere Garden to a Chinese Pagoda. Here we saw a bright green lizard basking in the sun. We walked through the Jubilee Sculpture Garden displaying traditional and modern sculptures.

 

Prehistoric swamp

The Coronation Walk led us to the Prehistoric Swamp (or Lower Pond), which looked precisely that, appropriate for the Jurassic Coast location of the gardens. The Summer House barely affords a glimpse through trees of St Catherine’s Chapel. From here we dropped back down to the stream and headed towards the exit via the bog garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For further information, visit Abbotsbury Tourism, which has information about Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens and other attractions nearby.

We finished with a cup of tea on the grass in the car park before heading for home. A thoroughly delightful day.

Walk Statistics:

Total Distance: 3.1 miles (around the garden)
Drive Distance: 46.8 miles (Exeter to Abbotsbury)
Drive Time: 1hrs 17mins

Buses: none

07 June 2009 – Walk: Exminster and Kenn (19.8 Miles)

Synopsis: A walk in the environs of Exeter, directly from my home. Proof if proof were needed that the countryside right on my doorstep is wonderfully scenic. Shame about the M5!

Photo Set – Flickr -:- (Map)

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Tracklog and Photos - Google My Map

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(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)

I decided upon this walk quite spontaneously. The previous day the weather had been atrocious, with nothing but wall-to-wall rain, and today’s forecast hadn’t been too promising. For that reason I hadn’t anything planned, my thinking being I’d check out the weather and make plans accordingly. Being a Sunday, public transport options would be limited, therefore I decided upon a walk from home. I set about planning something, and was ready to walk by 10:30am.

Bird on a wire

The walk I had planned was to include stretches by Exminster Marshes, which after the rain of the day before, I suspected would be very wet, and that’s exactly what I found. The River Exe was in flood, and there was a lot of water lying about the marshes, which I’d have to cross later in the day. That could be interesting. There was this lone bird, quite big, a shag I think, sitting on the electricity wires of the national grid, quite unconcerned about the 10,000 volts running between its feet.

Field of wheat

 

 

The air was crisp and crystal clear having been washed by the rains of the previous day. Visibility was excellent, and the light was strong and full of contrast, good for taking dramatic photos. The corn crops are coming on fast, but still early in growth and green in colour.

 

St Andrew's Church, Kenn

 

 

I stopped briefly to look around Kenn Church, the church of St Andrews. This appears to be a very old sandstone church, with much erosion to the exterior walls visible. Inside there are many very old church pews, and these are no less eroded, this time by woodworm. Still, it’s nice to see them still in place and not having been swapped for plastic seats in someone’s zeal to clean up and modernise. Most of the stained glass appears to be Victorian. There’s an interesting font which I’m unable to place or date.

Exminster Marshes

 

 

Later in the day I am, true to my word, down on the Exminster Marshes, and they are very wet as I’d anticipated. I had to resort to taking my socks and shoes off at one stage, and waded through some water rather than turn back. Well, it did prevent my boots becoming water logged. It really wasn’t the best of choices coming through here, although it was very nice to see the marshes in their natural state i.e. very wet.

 

This proved to be a long walk, and I knew it would be. After I’d completed the planning I calculated the distance and found it quite long, but decided to set about it anyway, as it is June, and I had the whole of a very long day to complete it. I’m glad I did, as it was a lovely walk through wonderful country. I arrived home by 7pm, rather tired, and could only manage to stick a pizza in the oven for my tea.

Walk Statistics:

Total Distance: 19.8 miles
Moving Time: 7hrs 13min
Stopped Time: 41min
Total Ascent: 457 metres
Maximum Elevation: 174 metres

Buses: (None)

30 May 2009 – Walk: Sidmouth to Seaton (11.7 Miles)

Synopsis:  A tough walk along, down, and up the cliffs of East Devon. The wreck of the MSC Napoli stranded on the sand banks was often in view. Everywhere was bustling on this hot summer day.

Photo Set – Flickr -:- (Map)

GPS Tracklog Download (.gpx) Microsoft OneDrive -:- Google Drive

 

Tracklog and Photos - Google My Map

Tracklog overlay - OSM – ViewRanger -:- OS – WheresThePath

 

(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)

Sidmouth, looking east

I stood on the beach at Sidmouth looking east along the coast, asking myself do I really want to do this? It looked arduous, and  I knew that’s exactly how it would be. Still, the British Spirit got the better of me, and off I trudged up my first gruelling climb of the day, making my way along the streets of Sidmouth, then on through fields. At least the air was cool this early in the morning, and there was a little bit of shade from trees on this first climb. It was readily apparent that last winter had wreaked considerable erosion to the cliffs, as huge chunks of red clay lay on the beach, and the footpath has many redirections around bits of the coastal path that no longer exist.

MSC Napoli

 

 

 

 

 

The wreck of the MSC Napoli soon came into sight, and what seemed to be a tug boat tugging a half of the vessel first west, and then doing an about turn and heading east. A small squirt of a boat to be hauling such an mammoth cask, and yet it seemed to have the required muscle to make headway against wind and tide.

 

Salcombe Mouth

 

I dropped down to sea level again at Salcombe Mouth and am straight way heading back up to the cliff tops again. How typical this is of coastal path walking. I check the map and discover that I don’t have to do this too many times, and feel I might survive the day, and possibly even catch my bus home out of Seaton, which would be nice.

 

Branscombe

 

 

The day soon warmed up, there being no respite from the sun from this point on. At least the cliff tops afforded a reasonable cool breeze which was a welcome relief. I arrived at Branscombe by 1pm and decide to eat lunch here on the pebble beach. The only shade was the parasol at the cafe tables, but I didn’t think they’d take kindly to my helping myself to some of this with my packed lunch.

 

From Branscombe along the under cliff

From Branscombe there are two possible routes. The one that I’d taken previously, on my walk of 7th September 2008 (see on Flickr), was to follow the cliff top towards Beer, but this time I wanted to walk the true coastal footpath, which starts off from a small camp site from where it then runs along the under cliff. This proved really worthwhile, as it took me through a strange landscape, with towering white cliffs looming above my head. Thick vegetation all around gave the place the look of the jungle. and listening to children as they passed me by, I could tell the place fired their imaginations. There was talk of treasure, pirate ships, and castles. Yes, I could believe all that. Perhaps my own imagination is running a little wild just now, as I’m currently reading the account of our local adventurer, Percy Fawcett, and his Indiana Jones like quest to discover ‘The Lost City of Z’. Trouble is, he disappeared without trace, along with many others who’ve set out on his trail. But for me today, well, I think there’s a reasonable chance I’ll catch the Stagecoach 52 back to Exeter!

Beer, dazzling in the sunlight

 

 

Beer was as dazzling as ever, a superb little haven, rather struggling to cope with the hordes of people that were there on this day. It was evident that ice cream sales were doing well and jacket potatoes shifting fast. I did at last find some shade and sat with a group of other old timers whilst I eat some nuts and took a long drink.

 

I made Seaton in very good time, as it’s really just around the corner from Beer. I was ready to catch the 4pm bus, one hour earlier to that which I’d planned, and was even able to fit in a brief grocery shop at the Seaton Co-op. Who said we men can’t be efficient?

Note: Sidmouth had a particular significance for Jane Austen, as it is thought that whilst holidaying there with her family she met the one person whom she might have considered a fitting suitor. Little is known with any certainty about this episode in Jane’s life, not even the name of the suitor, but there is a general consensus that some ‘brief encounter’ of note occurred in Sidmouth. This notion is expanded on in ‘Sidmouth: Where Jane Austen found love (?)’. But Jane’s heart is of course to be found not there but in her writing.

Walk Statistics:

Total Distance: 11.7 miles
Moving Time: 4hrs 41min
Stopped Time: 1hr 12min
Total Ascent: 783 metres
Maximum Elevation: 174 metres

Buses: 52