Salcombe to Falmouth

View back to Salcombe

6/10-6/12 - Our 2 nights in Salcombe were very fun - we were moored in the river, with many other boats riding out the windy weather for a day, and took a water taxi into town. My 2 favorite things about Salcombe: the fancy and friendly yacht club and our amazing hike. We went on a fantastic walk around the headlands we’d come in past. Very craggy and intimidatingly steep. The South Coast Trail would be fun to do if you were on land, and we’ve joined it for little walks at different ports. This was our favorite part yet. Salcombe is built on steep hills that drop precipitously to hidden beaches between rocky crags. We walked up and down through town to Overbecks, a National Trust Garden and from there up to the top of the cliffs.

From the top, we walked along the top until the next valley, and descended into it where it’s possible to take a lower trail back to the town. Natalie and I weren’t satisfied and so continued on walking, cutting across sheep fields to meet up with the South Coast Trail again, and then we following it back along the bluffs to the Y. Murray and Sam headed directly back from the Y to one of the beaches we’d passed in order to catch a little ferry back to town. The tides here are Alaskan large so at that point of the tide, the ferry couldn’t get in close to the beach and their solution is to bring passengers out to the ferry on a specially outfitted tractor!

Anyhow, both parties got to enjoy the impressive walk along the precipitous cliffs. The trail zigs and zags through the sharp rocks cascading down to the jade green water below - beautiful and fun to negotiate.  

Pretty little Salcombe

The next morning, Wednesday, June 12 we set sail for Falmouth/Helford River area. On our way we passed the isolated Eddystone Rocks Lighthouse - a solitary sentinel rising from the sea like magic. The lighthouse we passed was the 4th lighthouse on the rocks and was built in 1882. 

We ultimately deciding on Helford River for our first stop and arrived just as the sun was setting. Helford River is a popular yachting area and lots of boats were moored among the tiny clusters of stone houses, green fields, and rocky headlands. We rested overnight then motored for Falmouth on Thursday where we were expecting a navigation chip for our charting system and Murray wanted to get some other things worked on.