Great South West Walk

Monday August 6

Section 11. SIDMOUTH TO LYME REGIS. Miles: 17. Grading: Hard. Four valleys have to be crossed

Start time and location
Could you please report for registration at Sidmouth Esplanade at 9am.
The walk will commence at 9.30am.

Parking
Plenty of parking avaialble at start points.

Bus Services

Trains

Maps

General Information

The Route
This is a superb section of the South West Way, as you walk eastwards the complete succession of cretaceous rocks become visible in the cliffs, producing some of the most dramatic scenery. However, do not be misled into thinking this might be an easy walk. Four very steep valleys have to be crossed, and after Axmouth the Dowlands landslip has to be negotiated, and all this requires several hours of hard walking. Sidmouth is the starting point of this path description.

The town is dominated by Mutter's Moor and High Peak to the west, Salcombe Hill to the east. Sidmouth has a unique charm, with its relatively unspoilt sea front, free from gaudy amusements and garish shops, which spoil many of our coastal towns.

Most of the large houses were built during the 19th Century when, the then small village by the River Sid started to be developed. The Grand Duchess Helene of Russia, sister-in-law to the Czar, came to stay in the town. The house in Fortfield Terrace has an Eagle mounted on the pediment, to commemorate this event. Princess Victoria in her infancy stayed with her parents, the Duke and Duchess of York, at Woolbrook Glen, now the Royal Glen Hotel. In the parish church there is a spectacular stained glass window given by Queen Victoria in her gratitude for her childhood memories.

In 1900, twenty-three fishing drifters worked from the beach. Now only a few inshore boats remain. Sidmouth has become a very popular holiday resort. It plays host to the annual International Folk Festival every August, attracting performers from all over the world.

Western Beach has a long stretch of sand at low tide, but the town beach is shingle.

The coast path leaves the sea front by a small bridge over the River Sid. A steady climb brings you to the top of Salcombe Hill, with a fine back view over Sidmouth. Just inland is the Norman Lockyer Observatory, built by Professor Lockyer, F.R.S. who first discovered Helium in the sun. He lived for many years in Sidmouth.

On the summit of Salcombe Hill is a fire box erected for the 400 year anniversary of the sighting of the Armada. On the left of the footpath is the Frog Stone, so called because of its shape. It was air lifted here as an army exercise. It has been marked with two waymark arrows. Also near this spot on the right of the path near the cliff edge is a large flint conglomerate boulder, once very common in the fields hereabouts, but many were removed to construct rookeries in the gardens of Sidmouth.

Pass through the gate and you enter the National Trust property of South Combe Farm.

Down the valley is Salcombe mouth, this entails descending down some 194 steps to the valley bottom; if you wish to visit the beach this means more steps. Needless to say few people visit this beach. Cross the footbridge a little way inland, and you
Start to ascend Dunscombe Cliff.

Since leaving Ladram Bay two miles west of Sidmouth the geology of the area has been slowly changing. West of Sidmouth red triassic marls and sandstones predominate. East of the town bands of greensand start to appear on the top of the cliffs getting thicker the further east you go. This is the start of cretaceous sequence. 100 million years ago a vast chalk sea covered this area, the greensand seen here on top of Dunscombe Cliff is so called because in its unweathered state it is green due to the mineral glauconite. The rock quickly oxidises to a pale creamy grey colour. The greensand produces poor soil conditions hence many of the tops of the hills seen about are covered with trees or scrub. After Dunscombe Cliff the path swings inland to negotiate Little Weston Combe. Here we join a wide grass trackway which was probably used to haul flint from the many small quarries up to the main road.

A little further on at both sides of the path are overgrown heaps of flint nodules, these are thought to be the waste heaps of Neolithic man's flint knapping floors. Knapping is the shaping and trimming of the raw flint nodules. High quality flint tools and weapons were made here and exported to many parts of the west country. These flint nodules mixed with a yellowish clay are the remnants of the chalk which covered this area, now completely eroded away.

The path now descends into Weston Mouth dropping down to sea level, and passing through a small nature reserve administered by the Devon Wildlife Trust. At Weston Mouth there is a shingle beach and the remains of a few sheds used by fishermen. A beautiful peaceful spot for a quiet sit down and a bite to eat. As very few people find their way down to this remote beach. The whole valley is owned by the National Trust and further up the valley a small quarry was opened up in 1979 to serve the Exeter Cathedral restoration programme.

Once more we are faced with a steep climb of 78 more steps before reaching the top of Coxes Cliff. Here for once we have a stretch of level cliff top walking. Passing the trig point look on the left for a way marker with yellow arrows pointing in all directions.

Ahead is a fine iron-age cliff top hill fort, with the seaward bank gone, due to a cliff fall.

The official path now swings inland for a short look at Littlecombe Hollow, but turns very soon back towards the cliff top. Our Association played no small part in 1987 to bring about a route improvement nearer to the sea. Our thanks go to Devon
County Council for adopting our suggestions. At a fairly deep gully look out for waymarks directing you inland for a short distance. You will turn right through woodland and down the hill to Branscombe Mouth. A well-trod path shows the route down the National Trust property. The path finally emerges from the trees above Branscombe Mouth with the Lookout Hotel on your right. Branscombe Mouth has little to offer aesthetically; a car park, cafe, and some wooden chalets.

Branscombe village however is a little gem, with its roots back before the Norman Conquest. The Anglo Saxon kings, Alfred and Athelston, owned the Manor here. It is well worth a diversion to look at the village and the Masons Arms!

You climb out of Branscombe Mouth to Hooken Cliff, on reaching a cattle grid, there is a choice of routes to Beer. A high level walk climbs to the top, passing an old coastguard station, to reach Beer Head. An alternative route and I think undoubtedly the best, turns right down a private road, and after passing some bungalows enters the Hooken landslip. During the winter of 1789 a deep fissure appeared on the cliff top, and in March a huge landslip occurred. Chalk and greensand are porous, and water seeping through forms small springs at the junction with the marls and clays. If these are blocked the junction becomes saturated forming a gigantic slide. The chalk and greensands at the top of the cliff collapsed and slid seaward over the water saturated clays, resulting in a tumbled undercliff with pinnacles of chalk separated from the main cliff by a chasm. Now overgrown with a wide range of lime loving plants, the Wayfaring Tree, Spindle, Milkwort and Scabious, to mention a few. A haven for the naturalist and geologist.

About a quarter of a mile into the undercliff a narrow track to the right leads down to the beach, a good spot for lunch. These cliffs are frequented by fossil hunters, and a word of caution look for specimens on the beach, DO NOT TRY TO HAMMER ANY OUT OF THE CLIFF FACE, which might result in a cliff fall.

Back on the main path a little further on an adit can be seen high up in the cliff face. This is part of the Beer stone quarries about a mile inland. A gritty textured free stone was quarried here as far back as Roman times. The stone being soft it can be cut with saws, when exposed to the air it becomes hard. Many local churches, including Exeter Cathedral, are constructed of this stone. There is a guided tour round the old working. Access can be made by road from Beer.

The path climbs steeply out of the undercliff to rejoin the high level route at Beer Head which is the most westerly chalk headland on the south coast. The way now drops down across field tracks, past a large caravan site into the village of Beer. Once a quiet fishing village with a small lace making industry, now a popular holiday resort, it still retains some of its old charm. It is a short climb up East Ebb passing the RNLI hut and a rock bluff called Annis Knob, which is a classical exposure of upper chalk. The path drops down into Seaton Hole.

A choice here of a road walk into Seaton or a walk along the top of the beach providing the tide is out, but exercise caution, as WALKERS HAVE BEEN CUT OFF BY THE TIDE HERE AND NEEDED RESCUING.

Seaton is a popular holiday town in summer, being more modern than its neighbours and lacks some of their elegance. There is plenty of accommodation in the town. One attraction is the Seaton to Colyton tramway along the west bank of the river. Along the sea front an unusual way marker is placed in the centre of a flower bed with a row of flat stones crossing the bed, almost inviting the walker to take this route. The beach is pebble and shelves steeply. Non swimmers take care.

Leaving the sea front the path crosses the River Axe by the old road bridge, built in 1877. It was a toll bridge much to the annoyance of the local people. Tolls were discontinued in 1907 and there was unrestrained jubilation and the offending barriers burnt on the beach. A new road bridge has been built just upstream. The mouth of the River Axe is known as Axe Haven, once the termination of the Roman Fosse Way. It was a fairly busy harbour, but even in 1538 Leland reported the River Axe becoming silted and difficult for navigation. Now just a few small boats can be seen in the sheltered mouth of the river.

Leaving the harbour the path climbs up the road to the golf house and across the golf course. It is hoped one day it will be rerouted to the seaward side of the club house. After crossing the golf course the path turns inland to follow a farm track. Soon a waymark indicates a right turn. At this point there is a notice which should be carefully read. "Please note it takes approximately A to 4 hours to Lyme Regis. The terrain can be difficult and the walking arduous. There is no permitted access to the sea or inland along this stretch of the path. You have been warned - so leave plenty of time.

After crossing some fields you again reach the cliff. Passing over a stile there is an information board erected by the Nature Conservancy, the path drops down steeply into the Dowlands undercliff. A long legal battle in 1843 established a Right of Way through the landslip. You enter a strange world where nature has run riot without human interference or influence since 1839. It was on Christmas Day of that year, after a period of heavy rain when the slip occurred. Nearly 15 acres of land slipped from the cliff to form a chasm 60 metres deep and 800 metres long. On the seaward side of the chasm an island was formed, now known as Goat Island. Further smaller slips have occurred all the way to Lyme Regis. Down through the landslip the path rises and falls, swings to the right, then to the left. This type of walking can be tedious to some people. It is difficult to know just what progress one is making. When you reach the track up to Allhallows School you still have 3 miles to Lyme. Allhallows School was once the home of the Mallock family. Sir Henry Peek, of biscuit fame, lived there at the turn of the 20th Century. The landslip became a National Nature Reserve in 1955. It contains a wealth of lime loving plants and some very fine Ash trees. Over 85 species of birds have been recorded here and some of the more rare butterflies can be seen in the summer months.

Emerging out of the reserve the tree canopy opens out and you reach a tarmac road. The path turns right by a wooden bungalow. Soon the whole of Lyme Bay becomes visible. On a clear day Portland Bill, Thorncombe Beacon, Golden Cap, Stonebarrow and Charmouth can be seen. A wonderful sight indeed.

Passing through the National Trust property of Ware Cliffs, the famous Cob at Lyme Regis comes into view. At the end of the next field there is a choice, go right at the gate to follow the coast path down to the Cob and along the sea front; or turn left, then through a car park and into the main street at Lyme.

Lyme Regis is a very popular resort with plenty of accommodation. As you enter the town, you cross the county border between Devon and Dorset.

Famous for the landing on the Cob of the Duke of Monmouth in 1685, whose ill-fated rebellion, ending in defeat at Sedge Moor in Somerset, the bloody assize courts of Judge Jeffreys, and Monmouth losing his head at Tower Hill.

Jane Austen's novel "Persuasion" was based on Lyme. The town is built on black ven marls which frequently slip. The last one occurred on the 12th February 1962, resulting in a great mud flow over Marine Parade.

Fossils abound in the cliffs here. Mary Anning, a local poor girl, became famous by finding fossils and in particular the complete fossils of Ichthyosaurus - a large jurassic reptile.

Lyme Regis is a place to linger for a while on your coastal path walking. I have walked this section completely twice, and sections of it several times, and find new things of interest every time one is on the path. It offers a wide range of natural history and geology and some of the finest views on the South Devon coast.

If you have any question on any of the above please do not hesitate to contact one the event organisers found on the Contact us page click here

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