Crossed Wires and Coastal Paths

Today me and the OH had arranged to go for a four mile walk along the Devon coastal path, on the opposite side of the estuary from the Wembury Walk we did a few weeks ago. I invited a friend to come along as she had the day off, but oh my did we get our wires crossed.

We spoke to each other and arranged to meet at half eleven but at about midday I started wondering where she was. Then from the one and only crackly and apparently expensive public phone box in Noss Mayo she contacted me saying she had absolutely no signal but was in the pub, 'The Swan', where was I?!?!?

Ooooooooooooopppppps, realisation kicks in that we never actually mentioned the plans in our heads. I presumed she would come to our house in Plymouth then we could all drive up in one car. She presumed we would meet there and begin the walk, and obviously neither of us thought to question it. Although I think I need to add that the pub is three quarters of the way through the walk so why we would have met there I dont know.

Anyway so we headed off on the thirty minute drive down some crazy, narrow and very very steep country lanes (good job I wasn't driving.) We pull up outside The Swan to pick her up and head to the start of the walk. I went inside the tiny pub and got some fierce glances from the regulars, but no sign of her!?!?!

No reception on my phone, bugger, and no point using the pay phone as it hardly worked anyway so we decided to try the pub on the other side of the water 'The Ship'. After ten minutes of the OH struggling to drive through the narrow roads, stalling a few times on the very steep hills and starting to stress out we arrived and there she is sitting obliviously enjoying her pint.

So now it was time to find the National Trust Warren Car Park and begin what we came here to do. Errrrrrr, the roads dont look like even our little Ford KA should be on them, the sat nav can't find it and the map is rubbish.

After taking copious amount of wrong turns and following roads that actually turned out to be footpaths we saw a glimmer of hope, never before had I been so happy to see the acorn of the National Trust.

We were finally ready to get going......well actually no we weren't. The Bermuda car park was actually very popular.....tension in the car was mounting and it had been mentioned more than once that we should give up and just go home....but we waited patiently behind some old man who just had to get every little scrap of mud off his shoes before he could drive away.....aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!  

This is how the walk is described: "Noss Mayo and Revelstoke Drive: The many faces of maritime South Devon in one walk: wild open sea and rugged coast, sheltered estuary, wooded riverbanks, and the waterfront village of Noss Mayo with its chocolate box charm."

Sounds idillic doesn't it?, so far the morning had been anything but. Despite the very bad start we finally started along the coastal path.

This island is Great mew stone, 'Mew" is an old name for a gull and the rocky island is apparently a haven for many seabirds.

Here's another wall.....the OH likes his walls. Apparently Warren Cottage was once used for farming rabbits for their meat and skins and this one used to keep them contained, nice!

I'd have the Cottage though, skinned rabbits or not.

The views from the house, not that I went inside and poked about....honestly!

After a long conversation about what jobs people have to have to own houses like this we carried on our way. Further along the path we bumped into some wildlife....

According to the walk information "Dolphins and porpoises can sometimes be seen from the coast path section of this walk, along with grey seals. The seals may be seen hauled out on the rocks below, or in the water with just their heads visible above the waves."

And would you believe it, we saw some dolphins....or maybe they were porpoises.....perhaps they could have been seals.....or maybe just rocks....who knows but something was definitely moving around, any professionals out there, what do these look like?

Anyway, after convincing ourselves we had seen dolphins we continued along through Ferry Woods and along the path of the estuary.

Although my Geography and knowledge of ancient stones isn't amazing, I certainly knew that we weren't actually passing Stonehenge as my friend suggested.......maybe the confusion of the morning had killed a few too many brain cells.

After visiting the mini 3500 year old prehistoric monument I had a bit of a sing song as advised by the local signs.

I'm not sure my friend or OH truly appreciated my outburst of "Heathcliff, It's me, I'm Cathy, I've come home, I'm so cold, let me in in-your-window".

The OH doesn't even know the song and it is a little high even for me so they were wasted efforts I feel.

We finally arrived back at The Ship, where a well deserved drink was in order :-D

My friend departed and drove home and we started the last stretch back to the car. All we had to do was navigate the awful roads and find the car park again.

Now maybe it was the wine but these hills were killers....

But right at the top of the hill was that familiar car park, with the added bonus of an honesty box, didn't fancy any cabbages though. 

So that was our eventful walk along Noss Mayo and Revelstoke Drive, although it turned out as really nice enjoyable walk in the end I think I might leave the coastal path for a couple of weeks.