The route today sticks rigidly to the coast for the first part of the day, primarily walking on the clifftop before turning in to the mouth of the River Dart. After a ferry crossing from Kingswear to lower Dartmouth, we head out of the town and back on to the cliff and mid-cliff for a walk to the village of Strete passing through Stoke Fleming and Blackpool (no, not that one!).
Like yesterday's walk, the challenge is not in the miles but in the profile of the walk with a considerable number of ascents and descents to the day, the highest above Long Sands south of Brixham and then the final lift up to our campsite at Strete.
We had a stiff challenge first thing with a long (one kilometre), steep climb up out of Brixham to get back to where we stopped yesterday. Once there, we were rewarded with lovely views across St Mary's Bay to the headland at Berry Head. There was a lovely, steely blue haze over the water that with a clear blue sky made the sea seem immense. As we walked down the path here we were passed by an elegant lady on a horse that resembled a garron (a small, sturdy Scottish pony) and who had a pair of secateurs in her hands to trim any stray brambles that got in her way. On the day, with her large white straw hat, clipping brambles from the back of a horse, she seemed somewhat eccentric.
Sun worshippers would have loved the day, but for a Scot of Irish descent, red haired (before it was grey) and fair skin, it is not ideal conditions. So, not for the first time that day, we stopped at the top of the hill and lathered on the sunscreen. No matter how much time I spend in the sun, I am one of two colours, white or lobster red. However, the lack of colour on my face and legs apart, there was lots of nice colour to be seen in the banks of wild flowers that were out including Primroses, Violets, Celadon and Blue Bells, sometime clothing whole hillsides. Since the sun has come out we have seen more butterflies flitting among the wild flower and the blossom, with the bright and elegant Peacock particularly numerous. I endlessly chased after them tryng to take a decent photograph and failing miserably.
Other walkers looked on jealously as we whipped out the gear and brewed up a cup of coffee. It was a 'no-brainer' to stop here for a coffee break and to seek a little respite from the sun. The Jetboil we carry boils water in just a couple of minutes. With a cup of coffee in hand and a wee bit shade, it was a little bit of heaven. The view over the bay was lovely, with the strange little pudding-like rock just below us. There was broom in flower just to the left of the rock bench giving off sweet aromas and on the hill behind us and on the cliff running down to the bay, yellow primrose and bluebell thronged.
At the Battery there is a steep little section that follows the line of the miniature railway that was used to take ammunition and supplies up and down the hill. Built in 1940, the battery was designed to protect the Dartmouth Estuary and Slapton and Blackpool Sands, just round the coast, from invasion. The main locations of the position consisted of two gun emplacements (each with a six-inch gun), two searchlight positions and an ammunition store, as well as sundry support buildings. At its height, it was manned by three hundred men. Much of the area is overgrown now and it is home to a variety of shrubs, flowers and insects.
At Dartmouth, we moved back one street from the harbour area and went to the Sloping Deck restaurant where we enjoyed a very nice lunch and spent some time talking to the waitresses about our trip round the UK. This is a great wee restaurant with lovely food and friendly staff, but it is busy and we were lucky to get a table, particularly with large packs which always seem to fill a room.
Keen to finish the day we did not linger in Stoke but continued through the village to drop down to Blackpool Sands and then back inland to go cross-country again. Just above Mathew's Point there is another route choice with the SWCP dropping back down to Forest Cove. Our camping spot for the night, however, was at the top end of the village of Strete and it suited us better to take the alternative path, which was part of the E9 European Long Distance Route. This section led us on to the last, long climb of the day up to our campsite at Strete.
It had been a hard day's walking, particularly the steep climbs and descents from Brixham as far as Dartmouth and after five day's walking we were beginning to feel the accumulative tiredness that seems to inevitably set in. Our reward had been wonderful views and exceptional colours in sea, sky and wild flower. My first ever view of the English Riviera will live with me for a long time.