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The Coast between Sidmouth(Center) and Branscombe (Right), East Devon
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Click on an image to see a larger size in Flickr |
| In a Nutshell:
Date: Most recently hiked on April 16, 2006. Weather: cloudy skies with some sunshine, cool west wind. Perfect hiking conditions. Route: Starting and ending in Salcombe Regis, this is a Figure 8 trail to Branscombe Mouth using both cliff paths and beaches. The cliff paths form part of the South West Coast Way. Total distance about 12 kilometers (7 1/2 miles) with several steep cliff paths. Recommended? Definitely. Rated medium on a scale from easy to difficult (because of the hills) the hiker is rewarded with great views. In summer there will be plenty of opportunities to swim in the clean waters (and skinny dipping is de rigeur at naturist friendly Weston Mouth). |
| We start our hikes at Salcombe Regis Camping and Caravan Park but it is just as easy to park by the church at Salcombe Regis (consider giving a donation, please). The church is a fine example from the area (as is the one at Branscombe) and the churchyard is a blaze of daffodils in the spring.
Salcombe Regis gets its name from a royal assent to make salt down on the seashore. Sal = salt, combe = deep valley, regis = royal. Today it is a small hamlet with no shop or post office any more and no pub - a sleepy place that looks its best on a warm summer's evening - all very bucholic! |
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From the center of Salcombe Regis take the lane that rises steeply east up past several converted farmhouses, barns and an old school. This lane leads to Dunscombe and you pass near by our caravan park on the left. This narrow lane runs several fields inshore from Dunscombe Cliffs. These have been prone to rock falls and land slides in recent years and the cliff path is temporarily closed. We have a separate weblog feature on the February 2006 rock fall as well as a Flickr Set.
The cliffs are typically around 150 meters (500 feet) high and the faces open to the ocean can be very steep or relatively gentle, depending on the rocks and the amount of slumping. Where present, the undercliffs form a unique ecosystem which tends to offer a very mild climate due to the southerly aspect. |
| Take the private road off to the left (it is a public footpath) and follow the trail down to the National Trust owned cliff area at Little Dunscombe Cliff. Once on the National Trust property there are several things to notice. The uppermost rocks form a hard layer of Cretaceous sandstone that was quarried extensively for building Exeter Cathedral. Easy to cut and carve, this sandstone is also easily weathered and today there is an ongoing restoration program using stone from a small quarry to replace the most weathered stones on the cathedral's facade. Most of the quarry pits are now overgrown but they lend a strange appearance to the area. The views from Little Dunscombe Cliff are best seen at several lookout points, one complete with a fine bench! The beach below is Weston Mouth, one of several completely remote beaches along the coastline. There is no car park next to the beach as at Branscombe! |  |
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The South West Coast Path next plunges into a coppice wood (now wildly overgrown) and takes us down to Weston Mouth. The upper part of the trail can be muddy and slippery in wet weather while the lower part (to the stile above the undercliff) is a meadow with bluebells in May and bracken in summertime. Across the combe you will see the easier path to Weston Mouth, starting at the small National Trust car park in Weston. So if you are planning an au naturel day at the beach, this is the best way down and up! |
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At the bottom corner of the meadow a second path leads down from Slade Farm (a.k.a. the Donkey Sanctuary) and another stile beckons toward the undercliff. The path down to the beach is narrow but has well made steps to assist in the steep descent. Since the only way across Weston Combe is by hiking down to the beach, even the main South West Coast Path forces everyone to hike down and up two steep 500 feet elevation paths! We are going to stay on the beach, however, though it would be just as possible to continue along the main trail and climb up to the top of Weston Cliff. |
| The beach at Weston Mouth is typical of the coast. Primarily pebbles and cobbles, there is sand out there in the bay and low tide is the best time to swim if you don't wear some form of foot protection. Rocks and rock pools are to be found at both ends (under the cliffs). Naturists tend to stay away from the center of the beach and you may well pass a few along the eastern end of Weston Mouth. If you plan to spend a day on this beach be warned that there is no natural shade - you must take and make your own - and it can be very warm on a sunny summer's day. Spring water is available at several sites but again, you should go fully prepared as there are no facilities whatsoever (it's part of the attraction!) |  |
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Hiking on the beach is not too difficult and soon enough the small headland between Weston Mouth and Littlecombe Shoot is reached. More rock falls here have brought down large blocks of Cretaceous sandstones and coquina from the upper ledges. Abundant fossils can be seen (without having to climb the cliffs!)
At this point you are remote from roads and car parks, so anyone you see will be keen on the place! Unlike the undercliffs at Weston Mouth, which are owned by the National Trust, Littlecombe Shoot is mostly in private ownership and there are a few cabins nestled in the undercliff. It must be wonderful to wake up in the morning and look out over the sea, or drink a nightcap as the sun goes down. But the downside is that everything has to be carried in (and out) by hand! |
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Once on top of the cliff our chosen route rejoins the South West Coast Path. Turn east and follow this path across an iron age fort marked out by low ridges made of flints from the Cretaceous Chalk. The path then begins to plunge down to Branscombe Mouth. A signpost off to the left points to Branscombe Church and this is well worth the detour as it gives an opportunity to see some of the "longest village in England". |
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Initially you must follow the road down the valley and this is one of the rare occasions when you will be faced with traffic. The road passes some extremely attractive flower bedecked cottages before arriving at two National Trust properties, the Old Forge and the Old Bakery. Both are worth a visit and the Old Bakery offers excellent food (lunch or tea).
At the Old Bakery a path is signposted to Branscombe Mouth and this becomes a well designed trail following the stream down to its mouth on the beach. |
| A large car park and easy access to the beach makes this the most popular beach along the coast and this may come as a bit of a shock after hiking along nearly empty beaches and cliff paths. But the Sea Shanty Café offers excellent food (hint: try the Lamb pasties!), either to eat in or al fresco on the beach. The South West Coast Path carries on along the cliffs to the east and the beach below the underhill is worth a detour or another day's visit, if only to examine the Nothe (steep cliffs of white Chalk). We have two separate travelogue features from this beach, one on Branscombe Beach itself and the other a story of two shelduck chicks making their way from nest to ocean. |  |
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Our route now returns west and this time we choose the beach as far as Littlecombe Shoot. The beach provides access to an ATV, just compact enough to squeeze through gaps in the rocks and the tracks made by this vehicle actually tamp down the cobbles and pebbels into an easier hiking surface. At spring high tides there is the possibility that this route may not be passable (in which case simply take the main South West Coast Way path up the steep climb onto the cliff top).
The geology along this beach is interesting, with large blocks of Triassic red marl literally veined with thin bands of gypsum (selenite). The photo at left was processed used High Dynamic Range software which in this example has created an unnatural but interesting effect. The Triassic Marl is impermeable and slippery, both reasons why the undercliffs along the coast are relatively unstable. |
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At Littlecombe we again climb the same footpath to the top of the cliff. It may not seem so easy the second time around.
Weston Cliff marks the headland between Littlecombe and Weston Mouth. The view west from the top includes Dunscombe Cliff and the Exe Estuary. The National Trust owns much of the land along Weston Mouth and this includes a pasture dedicated to local flora and fauna. Here's a cowlsip, photographed in April |
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| Standing at the top of Weston Cliff (or sitting on the bench so thoughtfully provided) gives us an opportunity to weigh up the alternatives for our return to Salcombe Regis. Our designated route will take the steep path down to Weston Mouth (below) and then a hike along the beach under Dunscombe Cliff. Due to recent rock falls the beach may well be closed in the future. Certainly it would be wise to tackle this beach hike when the tide is out. But there are several alternatives, the easiest being to walk inland to Weston village and then take the footpaths through the Slade Farm donkey sanctuary back towards Salcombe Regis. |
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The view from the top of Weston Cliff, looking west
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| We had the opportunity to visit the site of the recent rock fall on Dunscombe Cliff and it proved to be quite a dramatic incident - proof that you really should obey the warnings about unstable cliffs and so on. Whether sitting on an East Devon beach is more dangerous than crossing a busy street is debatable, however!
The picture at right is one of a series we took and shows the remains of the cliff top after the rock fall. For more pictures, go here. Salcombe Mouth has good access to and from Salcombe village and the footpath back to the church car park is easy to find and follow. |
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Links and FAQs
The following links are recommended for those planning to visit this part of East Devon.
What equipment should you take on a hike along the East Devon Coast?
What about camping?
What about public transport?
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