So this was our last walk of 2024, which meant we’d walked 3 times between Christmas and New Year, which was a good walking end to the year. We decided to head to the coast and Bolt Head as the weather showed promise of maybe a bit of sunshine, rather than the low cloud misty rain which had beset home and the moors across the Christmas week, giving us two rather gloomy walks. I had been here once before in 2019 and as we pulled up in the car park the rain started pouring, we laughed at one rather enthusiastic dad who whilst running back to his car yelled for his family to get back in to “save themselves from a drowning”! We sat it out and headed off as it eased, passing the old RAF runways from WW2, walking the good path towards the edge of Salcombe. On reaching the woodland we started down the path initially to get a view of Overbecks garden, the National Trust place, before we climbed back up and followed the path to Sharp Tor. The coastal path is replicated below the tor and nearer to the water, but the better views are up on top, with fine vistas back into Salcombe estuary, across to Prawle Point and out to sea over Bolt Head. After a brew at Sharp Tor we headed off to Bolt Head, and despite only stopping 30 minutes earlier for a brew, we stopped again at Bolt Head to have lunch and enjoy the sunshine. Next was the fine high cliff path along to Soar Mill Cove, which is a lovely spot and had it been sunny still we probably would have stopped there as well, however the dull clouds threatened rain so we dragged ourselves up the, longer than expected, hill to Higher Soar. A short road walk had us back in the car and enjoying a coffee before heading home, a superb little walk and one of the best parts of the coastal path for me.

Start – East Soar car park NT

Route – Tor Woods – South West Coastal Path – Sharp Tor – Starehole Bottom – Bolt Head – The Goat – Soar Mill Cove – Soar Mill Cove Hotel – Higher Soar – Car park

Distance – 6 miles  Start time – Midday  Time taken – 3hrs 15mins  Highest Point – Sharp Tor 132 metres

Weather – Rain as we parked, then sunshine then cloudy