Day 40 Beeson to Stoke Fleming

 After I updated the blog last night, I had a few pints in the Cricketers pub in Beesands and then got some Fish & Chips from  Brittania on the beach cafe. I then walked another 3/4 mile to the Beryl’s campsite at Beeson. 

I’d emailed the proprietor from the pub because I had no phone signal ( it turned out my phone had stopped searching for a signal and I had to switch it off and back on again!) and was given directions as to where to pitch. I left my money in an honesty box. Talk about not fitting in. It was full of young families from London, who looked alarmed at seeing a half-drunk scruffy backpacker turn up. As I began erecting my tent, one 6 year old called ‘ Hector’ shouted out “What does he think he is doing?” in a condescending tone! I didn’t bother trying to engage any of them in conversation, but climbed into my tent and stayed there! 

I had a rubbish sleep last night, even though I went out like a light. I awoke to a rain shower at 01:00 and struggled to go back to sleep. My pitch seemed level when I put the tent up, but turned out to be on a slope, so much that I kept sliding off my sleeping pad! 

There were quite a few early morning rain  showers, so I didn’t get up until 7:00, by which time they had dissipated.

I packed up and left the site by 8:30.I’d forgotten how steep the climb was out of the site and back down to Beesands. 

By the time I’d reached the beach, I was already a sweaty mess! 

There was then a steep climb to negotiate to get to Torcross. I was hoping to see Slapton Sands layed out in all its glory, but that view was not for the likes of me, only for those that had the millions to buy their house overlooking the beach! 

I briefly stopped at the Sherman Tank, rescued from the sea after all these years, having sunk during the disastrous Operation Tiger rehearsal for the D Day landings.  

The walk along Slapton Sands was quite boring and hard going. The official path is on Slapton Ley side of the road, below road level. Due to vegetation there isn’t much to see. On the sea side of the road, the path is a bit sketchy and disappears from time to time. Both paths have a lot of very small gravel pebbles, making it hard to walk on at times and also filling your boots with stones! I was glad to get to Strete Gate, where the path left the beach. There was a conveniently placed snack cabin where I had a coffee and bacon butty! The wild flowers on the beach looked quite pretty! 

I needed the refreshments because there was then a steep climb into Strete village, followed not long after by another steep descent/ascent!

That took me on to Blackpool, where not a single amusement arcade, donkey or stick of rock, was to be found (thank goodness) but a stunning beach was all that was on offer!

I stopped off at a cafe on the beach and made a few phone calls to sort out where I was going to stay. I had hoped to walk to Dartmouth, but there was no accommodation free being a Saturday. The only campsite was at Stoke Fleming or Brixham. As I’d had a long day yesterday I didn’t fancy an even longer one today, so opted to take a half day off and stop at Stoke Fleming. 

I’ve therefore only walked 9 miles today, but I have managed to get a lot of washing done and other admin!