The finest coastline of south Devon is to be found in the South Hams, an area of land that extends southwards from Dartmoor. Stretching from the Tamar in the west to the Dart in the east, there are five estuaries which have to be crossed if you’re walking the South West Coast Path, but not all are served by ferries throughout the year. Fortunately, one of the very best day’s walks along this coast from Torcross to East Portlemouth has an all-year-round ferry across the Salcombe estuary. The walk takes in the headlands of Start and Prawle Points (the latter the most southerly point in Devon) and boasts superb scenery all the way.
(A) Torcross is situated at the southern end of Slapton Sands, where American soldiers trained for the D-Day landings. There’s a tank memorial in the car park at the lower end of Slapton Ley, the largest natural freshwater lake in south west England.
[1] The striking peninsula of Start Point and its lighthouse provide an obvious focal point as you head south along the well-marked South West Coast Path from Torcross.
There are good views back along the coastline of Start Bay.
After an initial ascent then descent, you reach the hamlet of Beesands. Continuing south, the South West Coast Path takes you over Tinsey Head then descends again to Hallsands.
(B) You can view the ruins of the former fishing village of Hallsands from here, and there are information panels telling the story of how it was swept away in a terrible storm in 1917.
[2] Continue ahead along the South West Coast Path, gradually climbing to reach the car park for Start Point – an excellent viewpoint itself.
(C) Start Point’s name derives from the Anglo-Saxon steort, meaning a tail; the root also appears in the names of birds with distinctive tails.
[3] Follow the tarmac lighthouse road – also the South West Coast Path – keeping ahead at a fingerpost (where the South West Coast Path (SWCP) turns right) if you want to go right to the lighthouse and Start Point itself. Return to the signpost and turn left to follow the SWCP, which cuts across the neck of the point.
The scenery and views are especially dramatic from here on. The coastline between here and Prawle Point is notable for its raised beaches: level platforms cut by the waves when sea levels were higher than today. This is a relatively lonely stretch of coast, where your mobile phones are unlikely to have reception.
[4] Follow the path past Prawle Point. Despite the ruggedness of the cliff scenery, the path is straightforward to follow.
(D) Prawle Point – Devon’s most southerly point – is a great viewpoint. The admirable NCI voluntary watchkeepers man the lookout here 365 days a year, and there’s a small visitor centre and bottled water for sale.
The scenery gets wonderfully wilder to the west of here until you turn north to enter the calmer waters of the Salcombe estuary.
[5] Having turned the corner into the Salcombe estuary, you join tarmac at Mill Bay, the road leading to the East Portlemouth ferry.
Salcombe is a picturesque resort (especially popular with yachties), worth wandering around if you’ve time.