10/10/22 - Torquay to Babbacombe

Distance - 5 Miles

Geocaches - 2 and a 6 Adventure Lab Caches

Pubs - 3

The Torbay area is not blessed with too many 2022 Good Beer Guide Pubs.  Going through the archives since 2017, I've managed to identify two additional pubs of interest that no longer make the grade, along with the sole survivor on route. Opening times are checked in Google. And WhatPub. 

It is Monday. The worst day for pub ticking.

The route combines two walks from Laurence Main's Pub Walks in South Devon. To give you an indication of when this was published, he spends an awful long time dissing Maggie Thatcher.

We can even start from the front door of our digs. Road walking leading to Kent's Cavern - a chargeable attraction of prehistoric caves - with a hidden green corridor called the Lincombe Slopes. This drops us nicely at the coast at Meadfoot Beach.

Meadfoot Beach

This was getting Laurence Angsty - Thatcher's Rock

The South West Coast Path.....

.....And a bit more of it

Into Babbacombe - a Torquay suburb. 

It transpires that the Good Beer Guide Tick - The Buccaneer - is closed on Monday. This, despite my meticulous research. Still, their loss in custom is our gain. There is nothing wrong with the steak baguette and Dartmoor Legend in the Babbacombe Inn next door. Similar architecture and the same views, as well.

Babbacombe in the Sunshine

Legend

We've decided that the walk back along a main road - that's also the bus route - is pointless. 

With time on our hands, we check out two former Good Beer Guide Ticks.

The Crown and Sceptre is to the far north of town. A handful of regulars, who all disappear to smoke in unison and a couple of pensioners who seize their moment of glory and get to explain to lost brummies how the Torbay buses work.  Honest enough boozer.

Crown and Sceptre, Babbacombe

Which leaves the Dolphin. And with hindsight, something I should have done myself.  No punters and the barmaid's child running wild does not make a great atmosphere. Positives -  The Otter Head was better condition than I had any real right to expect. Negatives - Halloween decorations up.  

Far too early for that sort of spooky nonsense.

But a taste of what's to come for the pub tickers, as the night's draw in.

Cobwebs in the Windows.  Must be October.