Rame Head, Kingsand and Cawsand.
Start. Kingsand.
Route. Kingsand - Cawsand - Pier Lane - Penlee Cottages - Penlee Point - Watch House Field - Homebarton Hill - Ramehead Common - Rame Head - Ramehead Common - Queener Point - Polhawe Fort - Wiggle Cliff - Wiggle Cliff car park - Wiggle - Wingford - Wingford Down - Cawsand - Kingsand.
Notes. This stunning coastal walk starts in the twin villages of Kingsand and Cawsand, two delightful colour washed settlements steeped deep in Cornish smuggling history. It was estimated between the 1700s and early 1900s 17,000 casks of brandy were landed in Cawsand Bay, to be sold in Plymouth and most probably consumed by the very men charged to stop this illicit business, Plymouth being a large naval base even then. The South West Coastal Path guided us high above Cawsand Bay to Penlee Point then on to Rame Head. From Rame Head the route heads north above Queener Point and Whitesand Bay before Wiggle Cliff forces the path to ascend to a narrow lane. Our return was made over Wringford Down via Wiggle Farm.
After parking in the Kingsand car park we made slow progress through the streets of this delightful village, along Garret Street we ambled to access Cawsand, on the edge of The Square opposite The Cross Keys Inn a discreet finger post announced we'd reached the coastal path. Up narrow Pier Lane we wandered the original surface of a carriage track under foot, the chocolate box villages behind us, this track guided us through ancient woodland, we escaped the tree cover into stunning views over Plymouth Sound. High level walking continued round Penlee Point and on to Rame Head, home to a single cell chapel. It is believed there was a hill fort on Rame Head as early as the Iron Age, in the 10th century the land passed to Tavistock Abbey, the first written record of a chapel on the head was in 1397 when a license was applied for to hold mass, presumably it was built around that time.
Our walk continued above the cliffs bordering Whitsand Bay, above Queener Point and Polhawn Fort we walked before descending to Whitsand Bay. The path passed along the edge of the bay before being forced to ascend to avoid Wiggle Cliff, we stepped onto tarmac at Wiggle Cliff car park. Behind the car park a narrow lane lead inland, this we followed to Wiggle Farm, next to the farm a foot-path left the lane, this in turn guided us down one of Cornwall's many green lanes, through a corn field to the tiny hamlet of Wingford. Our route continued over Wringford Down with wonderful vistas over Kingsand and Cowsand and Plymouth Sound. A stunning final few hundred yards to what turned out to be a lovely walker friendly ramble.
The scene over Cawsand Bay.
Penlee Point as seen from Kingsand.
Until 1844 the border between Celtic Cornwall and Saxon Devon lay between Kingsand and Cawsand, the house that once was on this boundary, was named Devon Corn, there is a marker on the front of the house to signify this.
En route along Pier Lane the original metalled road under foot.
Clear of the trees with hazy views over Plymouth Sound.
Rame Head seen from Inner Penlee Point.
Wonderful vistas along the south coast, on the far horizon Wembury Point and the Great Mew Stone.
Seen from Ramehead Common the white rocks of Queener Point backed by the vast arch of Whitsand Bay.
Rame Head Chapel has stood on this site since 1397, dedicated to St Michael the Archangel, a license was granted in 1427 for Mass to be said on Mondays and at Michaelmas....
....The location on a high cliff made the chapel a perfect location for watching the western approaches to Plymouth Sound, and it seems likely there was a resident priest/watchman who slept in a small upper chamber and kept watch along the coast for approaching vessels, lighting a bonfire to act as a warning beacon.
Sue strides out above Queener Point.
Whitsand Bay backed by Wiggle Cliff....
....Three miles of wonderful beach backed by sheer cliffs combine to create some gorgeous scenery.
Our route passed through this corn field to access Wingford Down and ....
....stunning views over Plymouth Sound.
Views over Plymouth Sound from Wingford Down. Following a failed Franco-Spanish invasion in 1779 Cawsand Fort was built (the grey building in the middle distance) to defend the entrance to Plymouth Sound and the navel dockyards at Plymouth and Devonport..
St Andrew's Street, Cawsand.
Cawsand Beach.
Strolling along Garrett Street.
Looking to the colour washed cottages of Kingsand from Garrett Street, Cawsand.