This walk can be done as two smaller circular routes or joined up to make a longer figure of eight. The walk offers great coastal views, green lanes, glorious beaches and plenty of history and wildlife along the way!
You can also start the walk at Blackpool Sands and do a shorter loop – For Strete follow point 3-12 or for Stoke Fleming follow 13-15 then 1- 3. Please note that this walk includes a short (250m) section of busy main road without pavement.
(D/A) From parking area turn right, then right again at the junction. Follow Old Road until you hit the main coast road
(1) Cross the main road with care and turn right on the pavement. After 80m take the Coast Path on your left. Follow this down to Blackpool Sands.
(2) If you wish to visit the beach or the facilities, walk down into the car park. Coming back up the driveway take the path on the left signed ‘Coast Path Strete 1 1/3m’.
(3) At road, cross with care, and follow ‘Coast Path’ fingerpost through gate to left. After 100m path crosses lane to continue up steps. Follow yellow waymarker arrows, bearing right up steep field to stile.
(4) Turn left up green lane. After 100m turn left following ‘Coast Path’ fingerpost, then immediately right over stile. Cross field to bottom corner, then follow waymarker arrow right over stile. Follow path to main road.
(5) Cross at the road. Drop steeply down into valley to right, cross stream, and climb up the far side, to follow waymarkers through clifftop fields. Just after path veers a little inland to cross footbridge, follow concrete track up to right. Turn left at top along path. At road, bear left into Strete village.
(6) Turn right by post office up Totnes Road. After 300m turn right along green lane signed ‘Public Bridleway’. Follow this green lane right around, across 2 streets residential streets and past two right hand bends, until you finally drop down tarmac drive to left to meet road. Cross road and turn left. Walk with care and in single file along the side of this often busy stretch of road, following the long right hand bend. After 250m cross with care and turn left, signed for Southwood.
(7) On left hand bend after 200m bear right signed ‘Widewell Lane’. Where lane sweeps right onto a concrete driveway, go straight on down green lane (from here down to Blackpool, you are retracing your steps from earlier in the walk). Follow ‘Coast Path’ fingerpost over stile to right, to drop back down steep field, and follow waymarkers. Beyond the bridge over the stream, where the path meets the road, turn right back towards Blackpool Sands. (If you want to go back to Blackpool Sands take the path back down to the beach)
(3) Turn left to follow the narrow lane past front of thatched cottages.
(8) After 500m, just before width restriction sign on road turn right and follow public bridleway up and along green lane. At the end of the lane turn right. Car parking is immediately on right.(D/A)
Waypoints :
D/A : mi 0 - alt. 312ft - Church Road parking area
1 : mi 0.32 - alt. 180ft - New Road
2 : mi 0.64 - alt. 52ft - Access to the beach
3 : mi 0.77 - alt. 33ft - Blackpool Hill
4 : mi 0.97 - alt. 197ft - Green lane
5 : mi 1.31 - alt. 217ft - A379
6 : mi 2.07 - alt. 381ft - Post office
7 : mi 2.9 - alt. 318ft - Left bend
8 : mi 3.84 - alt. 82ft - Width restriction sign
D/A : mi 4.53 - alt. 312ft - Church Road parking area
Start : Church Road parking area, Stoke Fleming. You can also start the walk at Blackpool Sands and do a shorter loop - For Strete follow point 3-12 or for Stoke Fleming follow 13-14 then 1- 3.
Terrain : Country lanes, Coast Path and green lanes. Fairly even underfoot, can be slippery in wet weather.
Parking : Blackpool Sands - Blackpool and Start Estate.
Public transport : See www.travelinesw.com
Refreshments : Blackpool Sands, Strete and Stoke Fleming.
Toilets : Public toilets at Blackpool Sands and Stoke Fleming.
To see a complete list of walks and access up to date walk information and difficulty please go to South Devon AONB here.
This walk can be accessed via www.southdevonaonb.org.uk/portfolio_page/blackpool-sands-strete-and-stoke-fleming-circulars/
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.