An Easy Stroll from Paignton Harbour to Goodrington
Lying at the southern end of Paignton Seafront is Paignton Harbour: It used to be known as Paignton’s best kept secret, and that’s because, until an archway was cut through an old fish cellar, many people didn’t even realise it was here. Today, the harbour is much more accessible and a lovely corner from where to start an easy stroll via Roundham Head to Goodrington.
In my post about Old Paignton, I mentioned that there was a settlement here before the Normans arrived: That settlement grew up just inland, around where Palace Avenue is today, but there was also a small fishing community under Roundham Head, which is more or less where Paignton Harbour is now. It looks a bit different today of course: Wikipedia says that it was rebuilt in 1847, but Historic England have the harbour walls Grade II listed as of 1838, which is further substantiated by Torbay Council’s Conservation Document (2008) which says that “the first vessels after the harbour’s opening in 1839 embarked cider, cabbages and disembarked fish, coal, timber and stone”.
These days, it’s not goods that embark and disembark in the harbour, but passengers – mainly for the Paignton Pleasure Cruises boat that offers trips to Dartmouth and around the bay, but there are also several kiosks advertising fishing trips if that’s what you prefer. In general though, it still has a low quay (sorry) vibe to it and quite different from the harbours at Torquay and Brixham.
From the harbour, walk up past Molly’s café to Roundham Road and turn left into Cliff Road. Just past the car park is a brown sign that leads through the Holocaust Memorial Garden to Fairy Cove. This little cove is not very well known, which makes it a haven of peace and tranquility under the shelter of Roundham Head. If you don’t fancy going down to the beach continue along through the Holocaust Memorial and Burma Star Gardens and back up to Cliff Road.
The Harbour and Roundham conservation area has many fine buildings dotted around, but Cliff House, just up the road on the headland, is definitely not one of them. This oblong block of flats wouldn’t look out of place on a sink estate somewhere, but sitting here incongruously on this prime spot overlooking the bay at Roundham Head is nothing short of criminal if I’m being honest – and for all I know, it could be.
I’ve tried to find out when this monstrosity was built, but to no avail, (it’s probably around the 1950s or 60s I would think) and how it ever got planning permission I’ll never know – but I can guess. What makes it worse, is that you can see this carbuncle from all over the Bay and of course, the grounds are out of bounds to the general public. I know I should be showing you one of my own photos of Cliff House here, but I couldn’t bring myself to take one, but just to prove my point I’ve borrowed one from TheHouseShop.com. Rant over!
Now that I’ve got that off my chest, we can carry on with the walk. Just past Cliff House is an all-abilities footpath that beckons us up onto a wide-open space that overlooks the sea. This really is a quite lovely spot; although we’re in an urbanised area, it doesn’t really feel like it.
As you continue around the headland your eyes will naturally be drawn to the views, but don’t miss the memorial tucked in against the wall to a local man, Lieutenant Commander Arthur Leyland VC RN. They don’t dish VCs out for nothing, so his contribution during the Zeebrugge Raid must have been something quite special.
The views from here encompass the southern half of Torbay and go round in an arc from Goodrington, Broadsands, Churston and Brixham to the protective arm of Berry Head in the distance.
As you turn the corner of the headland there are some gardens that lead down to Goodrington, and there are any number of footpaths that can take you there – even with a wheelchair or pushchair. Before you take any of these footpaths though, you may want to consider walking across the top, which not only offers good views, it will also give you a chance to look at an unusual flower bed in the shape of a Spitfire.
This small garden remembers Flight Lieutenant Frederick Ernest Denston who flew spitfires throughout the war: According to the plaque, he first saw the Torbay coastline from the air just before D-Day and vowed that if he survived the war he would retire to Torbay. His chance came, and he and his wife Peggy spent many a happy hour admiring these views and gardens, and it was Peggy who planned the Spitfire Garden after he died in 1989.
Cliff Gardens zig-zag their way down to the waterside promenade below. They were constructed in the 1930s, partly to help with stabilisation, but the range of exotic plants can give an almost Mediterranean feel to them on hot summer days.
Goodrington is another part of Paignton that caters mainly for families, with a couple of good beaches, boating lake and a popular outdoor water park, and if you’re feeling energetic, you can continue to follow the coast path on towards Broadsands and beyond, or if that’s not on the itinerary, then there are frequent buses from Goodrington to Brixham, Paignton, and Torquay – or you can walk back in the opposite direction to the harbour if you prefer. There, I told you it was an easy stroll, didn’t I?
ORIGINAL POST – JUNE 2018
LATEST UPDATE – JULY 2025
Originally posted 2020-08-19 16:36:09.
I do not blame you for the rant. I did a wee scroll to start with looking at the pics cos I usually remember at that point if I have seen a post or not…… Nuff said to tell me I hadn’t.
Good!
Yes indeed – Cliff house is a blooming eyesore! What a fab walk though – you’re lucky to live in such a nice area.
As for Arthur Leyland HarrisonVC – he has his own wikipedia page –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Leyland_Harrison#:~:text=Lieutenant%2DCommander%20Arthur%20Leyland%20Harrison,to%20British%20and%20Commonwealth%20forces.
Quite a man…
I see that his medal is in the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth which I’ve had the fortune to visit. I remember seeing a Victoria Cross there but I didn’t remember it was Arthur Leyland. Thanks Stuart
What a lovely walk, Cliff House notwithstanding! I like the prettily painted beach huts and the views from the cliffs 🙂
Welcome to the club Sarah 🙂
At last, I’m back from a busy time to enjoy another great Malc-binge. And what a lovely walk this looks, along such a beautiful stretch of coastline (apart from Clliff House, of course!) with some great little nuggets of history along the way. I’m quite envious – we don’t have anything so scenic where we are. Your shots are, as always, exemplary. The pictures of Fairy Cove and the path round the headland look so idyllic they could almost be on the French Riviera, and that view down to Goodrington looks amazing with it’s low-lying mist. We saw a lot of those on the way down to Dorset the weekend before last. They do rather make everything look a little bit magical. And I love the story about the Spitfire pilot and his memorial garden. It’s little gems of history like that that make a place really come to life. Thanks for walking us around your local area. 🙂
It’s a good idea to have a binge after a busy time, but I could think of a better binge to be honest 🙂 It was good to have your company on this short walk Alli and I’m glad you liked the sound of it. There’s no doubt that we are lucky in this part of the world even though I always find something to moan about 🙂
Ah, a Malc-binge is always a tonic for me. 🙂
You’re far too kind Alli, but thank you all the same. You’ve lifted my spirits this morning
Glad to hear it. It’s true. But sorry to hear your spirits need lifting in the first place. 🙂
Life’s a bit like that for everyone at the moment isn’t? I didn’t mean it to come across like that, but thanks for reading between the lines 🙂
It certainly is like that at the moment, and has been all year, so I know where you’re coming from. Feel free to email if it’d help. I’ve got some photos to send you too as soon as I can get down to some emails. I think you’d like them. 🙂
I’d love to see those photos. Are they the ones from Dorset?
Thanks for the offer of emailing you, but you’ve no doubt got enough to contend with as it is. Maybe we can catch up when you can get round to sending those photos 🙂
No worries, and I am there, so be assured of that. The photos are indeed of Dorset, and you’ll see Maddie smile in a way I haven’t seen her smile all year. 🙂
I’m smiling now. I look forward to seeing them. Take care, and don’t forget I’ve got a sympathetic ear too. A problem shared and all that 🙂
Thanks Malc. ‘Til soon, then. 🙂
I really enjoyed that, Malc. Had a holiday in Paignton when I was about 10 – fond memories don’t include the scenes you have shown (though they’re exactly where we might have walked) but I do remember seeing Dickie Henderson in Torquay!
Thanks Mike. I always like to hear that a post brings back memories. Did you have to ‘Tiptoe through the tulips’ to see Dickie Henderson?
Looks like a wonderful walk, Malc, notwithstanding the carbuncle..
We’ve got our fair share of carbuncles in Torbay Albert, but we’ve also got some decent scenery too. Now if only those in power could think more about how most people want to live instead of just making money for themselves then it would be a start. Thanks for putting your head above the parapet again 🙂
Hi Malc, nice to see another Paignton post here. This looks like a pleasant and scenic walk.
Thanks Don. Even though most of us haven’t been going far lately, I always think that there’s something local that we can write about
So true. I have even started updating and posting my old Frankfurt Skyline Countdown from VT.
I noticed that Don.