We had a family room booked in the cottage Hotel (Snakes absolute new favourite place on earth) this meant we all had our own bed- except me as I had to share with Eric who insisted we must be touching at all times and so although we had a double bed we pretty much ended up sharing the equivalent of a child’s cot.
We woke to a sunny sea view out of our massive bay window and drank tea and ate biscuits while Groany put her face on.
By 8 we were at our breakfast table, gorging on all manner of deliciousness. Snakes has firmly lodged this hotel in her mind for the next ‘proper holiday’ and completely ran out of superlatives for the place.
We set off into the morning sun and climbed Bolt Tail, and Iron Age promontory fort, or, lumps in the ground. The trail wasn’t busy, but was noticeably more populated than days previous, which was nice because I like smelling everyone’s perfume.
The scenery felt completely different- yesterday’s rolling grass covered mounds had given way to mountainous feeling jagged peaks and rocky outcrops. This was by far my favourite section of the coastal path I’ve walked to date.
We traversed a very narrow headland which from afar looked like there was no path, the going was good and as usual, by day 4 we’re all happy with our life decisions.
Snakes remarked that “I like it when you start seeing little children on the trail as it means you’re getting close to some amenities”
She’s not wrong, we swung down a windy lane to South Sands where all of a sudden everyone drove a Porsche and wore delectable perfume and a hefty amount of bling.
We stopped for coffee at Bo’s Beach Cafe and Groany queued for at least three hours before joining us on the benches overlooking the beach, delivering coffee and cake.
Eric’s favourite place is the beach, she could not settle in the cafe. It’d be like putting a child in the cafe at soft play and making them watch. We let her loose onto the beach and she went and made some friends/aggressively invaded everyone’s private ball games, sweet girl.
Eventually, reluctantly, Eric followed us off and away up the hill to Salcombe where all the extra money is kept. It was a constant stream of people walking to and from the beach, and made for great people watching / outfit inspiration.
We popped into a deli for an extremely expensive takeaway sandwich, where cress in your egg and cress sandwich is extra. Then we slipped off the main road down some steep steps and before long hopped on a little power boat ferry and for £3 each we were motored to the other side of the estuary.
The other side was almost as beautiful as the beginning of the day, here the coastal path really is quite impressive. But it was bloody hot and bloody sunny which makes everything more amazing, so we take this with a pinch of lucky salt.
A few quick miles of joy and wonder, undulating up and down the impressive, wild and remote feeling coastline we paused in a grassy knoll for a big bap with expensive cress.
Eric was flat and long on the floor with slitty tired eyes, undoubtedly she was regretting having had such a wild time on the beach earlier. Naturally I felt sorry for her and stowed her bag in mine, leaving her slimline and naked for the remaining few miles.
Devon has proven itself to be wild and varied and very beautiful – better than Somerset and Cornwall combined I’d say. The Easter Monday people now dissipated as we became further and further from a car park.
We were walking at pace with our new trail-fit legs and climbed the last mile from the sea, straight up (honestly, it was vertical) to the village of East Prawle.
I liked East Prawle immediately, a little tea room, a village green full of benches, a little shop and a brilliant pub full of lovely locals, I got the feeling many a raucous night had taken place here.
We ate excellent food and managed to get a lift the three (off-trail miles) from our accommodation. Here there was a washing machine, which everyone we meet on trail tomorrow should be grateful for. We snuggled up with some wine and blankets and watched a nice film about a serial killer.
A lovely end to a lovely day.
14.6 miles on the day – 950 metres up
SONDER 