Matt Warren
Day 46 – Dartmouth (Day Off)
As has become tradition, our rest day was spent recovering, doing some much-needed laundry, and—unfortunately for me—spending a tedious three hours on a Speed Awareness Course… joy! Still, once it was done, it was done.
Tracey whipped up some lovely food, and we spent a relaxed afternoon catching up on work and recharging at the apartment. Later on, we headed out into Dartmouth to meet our wonderful friends Jock and Michelle, who had come down from Warwickshire especially to see us—along with the newest (and furriest) member of their family, Callie the dog.
We made our way to the Dartmouth Arms for a bite to eat, some proper catch-up chat, and a few laughs. It was brilliant to see them, and we were genuinely touched they’d made the effort to join us. Even better, Jock was going to walk the next leg with us! Meanwhile, Michelle had the more challenging role of puppy-sitting Callie. 😊
Day 47 – Dartmouth to Brixham (13.1 miles)
The day began with the usual chaos that follows staying in an Airbnb rather than a B&B—we always seem to unpack way more and spread ourselves out! After a bit of a packing frenzy and a quick breakfast, we caught the ferry across to Kingswear to meet up with Jock, Michelle and Callie once more. After a goodbye coffee and hugs with Michelle and Callie, the three of us hit the trail.
The walk kicked off gently through wooded paths with a light mist in the air, which made for a calm start. But it wasn’t long before the sun burned through and we were faced with what turned out to be one of the stickiest, most humid days of the journey so far. The sweat was relentless!
Still, the miles ticked by—and somewhere along this leg, we passed a huge milestone: we’ve now climbed three times the height of Mount Everest over the course of this walk! It’s a slightly bonkers stat, but one we’re properly proud of.
Thankfully, a perfectly timed break at a National Trust café (we may have snuck in unannounced…) offered some shade and cold drinks before we faced two big climbs. The first was challenging but doable. The second—near Man Sands, we think—was a proper slog. The humidity made it even tougher, and to top it off, horseflies were out in full force. We were all getting mauled—even Tracey, who had smugly declared moments earlier, “I never get bitten,” was soon covered in bites!
Still, we pushed on, and things began to cool slightly as we approached Berry Head. We were thrilled to stumble upon the Guardhouse Café, where we refuelled with Coke and cake—essentials at this point! It was here that we said our goodbyes to Jock, who realised (to his dismay) he’d overshot his intended return point and had to walk an extra mile back to his campsite. Legend—thank you again, Jock and Chelle!
Back to just the two of us, we made our way into Brixham, past the pretty harbour and on to our accommodation at Sea Tang. We were warmly welcomed by the lovely hosts, Chris and Claire, who had thoughtfully stocked our room with oat milk sachets—small things that mean a lot. Thank you both!
Now, it’s time for a shower, some Huel… and then we get ready to do it all again tomorrow. 😊
Day 48 – Brixham to Babbacombe (14.5 miles)
Today was a real slog. Not because of the terrain—most of the path itself was fairly straightforward—but because we were just done in. Despite a good night’s sleep, a cracking breakfast at Sea Tang, and even managing to track down a tasty vegan chicken burger, some coffee and a flapjack along the way… we were both running on empty.
The heat was back again—humid, though not quite as brutal as yesterday—but even so, we were flagging. The route took us through the bustling towns of Paignton and Torquay, and while the views across the bay were beautiful, it was all a bit hectic for us. After weeks of peace and quiet along coastal trails, the sheer number of people came as a bit of a shock to the system!
That said, there were still some real highlights along the way—secluded spots like Elberry Cove, Broadsands, and Meadfoot Beach offered moments of calm and stunning views of the turquoise water. The coastline remains as breathtaking as ever, even if our legs weren’t quite as enthusiastic today.
And… somewhere along the way, we hit another amazing milestone—we’ve now climbed the equivalent of three times the height of Mount Everest. No wonder we’re shattered!
The final few miles felt never-ending, and by the time we reached our accommodation in Babbacombe, we were utterly wiped out. It took a serious effort just to peel ourselves off the bed and get in the shower.
Tomorrow’s another big one—16 miles—and we’re feeling the weight of it already. But there’s a silver lining we’re both really looking forward to: my mum and dad are coming to visit us for a couple of days! Can’t wait to see them and share some of this madness.
Day 49 – Babbacombe to Exmouth (17.4 miles)
We kicked off today in mist and light drizzle—honestly, a bit of a blessing after the sticky heat of the past few days. The trail started with a stretch through woodland that felt like something out of a fairytale: towering trees, thick greenery, and that earthy, fresh smell that only comes after a summer shower. Stunning.
Despite the magical surroundings, the climbs soon kicked back in—and so did the humidity. We were definitely feeling it. Thankfully, we stumbled upon Café Rio, a gem of a place serving up an amazing vegan porridge bowl loaded with banana, blueberries, flaxseed and more. It gave us a much-needed boost to push on.
As the clouds cleared and the sun took over, the temperature crept back up—still warm, but not quite the sauna we’ve had recently. With no breeze, though, it was still a slog.
We reached our first ferry crossing of the day at Teignmouth and chatted with a brilliant couple, Chris and Mark, who’ve been walking the Coast Path in sections over the last year. They were full of useful advice and enthusiasm—it was great to meet fellow walkers with the same shared madness!
Once in Teignmouth, the hunger hit again, so we made a pit stop at the Venus Café for more fuel before pressing on. Just when we thought we were cruising, disaster (almost) struck: I managed to rip the toe of my Altras wide open on a rogue rusty bolt sticking out of a step. Luckily no foot damage, but the shoes might be a write-off… gutted! A quick patch-up with a blister plaster got me moving again, and we powered through the last few miles.
We made it to the final ferry crossing at Starcross, hopped across to Exmouth, and—just a short walk later—we were met outside our hotel by none other than… my Mum and Dad! So lovely to see them, and we were both buzzing (and very grateful) that they’d travelled to come spend a couple of days with us.
We checked in, dropped our bags, and headed straight to the pub for a couple of drinks and a proper catch-up. Later, we had a gorgeous meal—thanks to the folks!—and spent the evening chatting, laughing, and soaking it all in. After weeks on the move, it felt surreal to sit down with family again.
Knackered, full, and happy, we said our goodnights and collapsed into bed. Another one done.
Day 50 – Exmouth (Day Off)
A well-earned rest day! No alarms, no dawn darts—just a slow, gentle start. We met up with the folks at a perfectly reasonable hour and found a cracking little spot for breakfast in Exmouth called Sundowners. Great coffee, top-notch food, and a wallet-friendly price to boot—win-win!
We had a quick wander around the town to check out potential trainer replacements (thanks to the bolt incident yesterday…), but sadly, came up empty. With a small mountain of laundry to tackle—and not wanting to subject the folks to the joys of the laundrette—we sent them off for a stroll along the prom while we got everything washed and sorted.
Back at base, we caught up on a bit of work and admin. It’s amazing how much builds up while you’re focused on the trail—emails, messages, route checks, random to-dos. The folks had kindly brought us a few essentials (top-up of Huel, new socks, shampoo, etc.) and we returned the favour by offloading a bag of overpacked gear. Why is it always more than we need? At least our cases will be a touch lighter for those B&B staircases from here on in.
Later, we crossed over to a lovely café in the park and finally had our first cream tea of the trip—vegan, of course—and absolutely delicious. Once again, on the folks (thank you!). We had one last amble around town and then down to the harbour to check out any bits we might’ve missed. Sure enough, we stumbled on a nice little pub and booked in for dinner.
Before that, we grabbed a quick dram at a beachside bar and soaked up a bit of the sun (a bit too much, if we’re honest—it was hot today!). Then, after a shower and a freshen-up… Oh, and I may have fixed my trainers thanks to the power of SuperGlue – more tomorrow… we headed out for a much-anticipated meal. I had my first burger in ages—and it totally hit the spot. We had a brilliant evening, just chatting about everything and nothing.
It’s been such a joy having this time with Mum and Dad. We’re so grateful for the visit, the treats, the support, and most of all, the company. Love you both loads ❤️
Now, just a quick pack and we’ll be (almost) ready for tomorrow. As ready as we ever are, anyway…
