Tuesday 2 June 2026

Day 38 of walking
Bigbury-on-Sea to Salcombe
Distance: 20.46km
Total distance: 757.50km
Climbing: 726m
Total climb: 25,300m

Today was another taxi transfer day. The same guy who picked us up yesterday in Bigbury-on-Sea and brought us to Salcombe did the reverse trip this morning. He didn’t quite take us to Bigbury, he took us to Bantham. About a kilometre out of Bigbury we were to take a ferry across the River Avon. Not that River Avon, there are about 4 in England. This is a seasonal ferry that runs from Cockleridge Ham about 200 metres across to Bantham. It only operates between 10 and 11am, and 3 and 4 pm. The guy lives on the Bantham side and when you turn up at Cockleridge Ham you just shout and wave until you attract his attention. It was a windy morning and rain was forecast so we thought the ferry might not even run today. We would have been at the ferry by 9.20 and didn’t fancy waiting around in the wind until 10 for a ferry that might never arrive. The taxi driver offered to drop us off on the Bantham side, we accepted, so no ferry for us today.

It was windy all day but not cold and we had a few showers mid-morning but it cleared up to be mainly sunny. The early walking was straight forward, past a golf course with Burgh Island out to sea. It was a high tide and so the sand spit was underwater and their tall tractors were operating between the island and the mainland. Also out at sea was the holed Thurlestone Rock, battered by the sea, but standing proud. This part of the day was not remote, civilisation was always evident. The first villages were Outer Hope and Inner Hope, Siamese twin villages as although they are in different coves they are close enough to join up.

From here the walk became more remote with two major headlands, Bolt Tail at the Inner Hope end and Bolt Head at the Salcombe end. There were no villages or refreshments along this stretch. There were a few vigorous climbs but nothing like some of the ones we have done. Bolt Tail had great views up and down the coast and Bolt Head had dramatic rocky pinnacles. After Bolt Head came the most spectacular part of the day. At Starehole Bay the path seem to climb a cliff face to Sharp Tor. There doesn’t seem to be a way through but as you get closer a narrow path has been cut into the rock face with a tube and mesh fence stopping you from falling over the edge. Around the corner Salcombe can be seen at the mouth of the Kingsbridge estuary.

Although it seems so close it takes an age to get to Salcombe. The path meanders around several pretty little coves and beaches, including the two ‘millionaire’ hamlets of South Sands and North Sands. South Sands has a ferry service operating from the beach to Salcombe. The ferry is moored out in the bay, and to get to it there is a sea tractor that drives out into the water. Salcombe is a sophisticated little town with a 150 year old yacht club, upmarket housing and high end fashion shops.

We arrived at 3pm and although we had eaten some food up on Bolt Head, we were looking for an early dinner as we had no appetite for walking all the way down the hill from the B & B and all the way back up again after we had showered etc. Most pubs serve meals from noon until 2 or 3pm and again from 6 to 8pm. The first pub Barbara tried had just stopped meals at 3, but the next, the Victoria Inn, was serving meals right through. Barbara had a Mediterranean Bowl: cherry tomatoes, chick peas, avocado, cucumber, spinach, red onion, seeds, olives and a secret ingredient. I had Malaysian Laksa: red peppers, mangetout, spinach, cauliflower, rice noodles, coriander, spicy coconut curry broth and pan seared chicken breast. Both hit the spot.

Except for the weather Barbara thought this was one of the best walks of the trip. The path surface was good, signage was good, lots of variety and interesting, not too strenuous, not too long a day and finished off with a delicious meal.