SW Coast Path

Some days are just perfect and this was one of them. For a start off the sky was cloudless the sun warm but not stifling, the breeze minimal and visibility excellent. We met friends and family early at Al Fresco's and had magnificent cooked breakfasts with turmeric lattes. Then we took the ferry over sparkling water to Kingswear and wound our way up steep staircases between houses with gardens still blooming until we could see all of Dartmouth and the Castle lying below us. 
The coast path dipped up and down into folds of the landscape, sometimes running through deciduous woods, sometimes into shingly coves and sometimes lined with stands of Monteray Pines.
At one point we came upon the old Brownstone Battery, now housing the National Coastwatch Charity. The Volunteer keeping an eye out for boats in difficulty turned out to have been employed by Lake District National Park and so knew mutual friends. Small world. Through the telescopes we could see Mew Stone and on it 6 or 7 white blobs - seals basking on the seaweed covered rocks.
By mid afternoon we reached the small path leading up a gully lined with tree ferns and pink lilies and found ourselves at Coleton Fishacre, where the non-walkers of our party were enjoying National Trust tea and cake. We lost no time in joining them.
It was a short car ride back to the ferry and a parting of ways but with enduring good memories.