Exploring the Vistas Along the Southwest Coast Path: I AM CALGARY’S Summer of 2019
👣 🇬🇧 The Southwest Coast Path, Devon & Cornwall, UK
England’s south west coast path is a registered charity and an exceptional natural heritage resource that numerous sponsors and custodians contribute to and maintain for the general public to enjoy.
Here is a concise and great description of the coast path taken from the official website, and I quote:
“The South West Coast Path was originally created by coastguards, patrolling the south west peninsula looking out for smugglers. They literally had to check in every inlet so their cliff top walk was well used and gives us the amazing Path we use today. The Path has also been used by fishermen looking for shoals of fish and checking the sea conditions.
The South West Coast Path itself is 630 miles long and is the longest National Trail in the country. Starting at Minehead in Somerset it runs along the coastline of Exmoor, continuing along the coast of North Devon into Cornwall. It follows the entire coastline of Cornwall, goes across the mouth of the River Tamar and continues into Devon. After running along the south coast of Devon it then follows the Dorset coastline before finally ending at Poole Harbour.”
Needless to say, we only caught snippets of the walking trails as we skimmed along the cliffs and beaches of north Cornwall and Devon. However, along the Hartland coastline between Shipload Bay and Hartland Lighthouse we did encounter a freshly-retired school teacher and her dog who were doing the entire walk along the Cornwall coastline as a retirement celebration. She was being closely seconded by her husband.
The southwest Coast Path near Shiplap Bay in Hartland 
The coast path gives way to treacherously steep cliffs near Hartland lighthouse 
Stop, sit and soak up the sweeping ocean views along the coast path
We also touched on the coast path when we climbed the hills near Welcombe Mouth Beach, where we had enjoyed a swim in the ocean earlier in the day, to enjoy the spectacular views and heather-carpeted cliff slopes.
The stunning vistas, treacherous cliffs and mystical stories surrounding Tintagel and King Arthur’s birthplace were our final encounters of the coast path where we had to extract ourselves from the beauty of the rugged coastline to the stark sentinel and safe haven standing atop the cliffs of St. Materiana’s Church.
www.iamcalgary.ca IAC I AM CALGARY Europe2019 Tintagel Castle 
www.iamcalgary.ca IAC I AM CALGARY Europe2019 Tintagel King Arthur 
St Materiana’s Church
We were unable to access the legendary ruins of Tintagel Castle and Merlin’s Cave due to construction of a new suspension bridge access to the peninsula.
👣 But wait, there’s more …
Detour with us through the maze of streets and alleyways on the Island of Guernsey’s historic and quaint St. Peter Port.
See what we saw as we sauntered the streets of London.
Wander with us through the woodlands of Windsor Great Park.
Become bewildered by the allure of the Channel Island gem of Herm.
