Rod Out West

The Sundance Kid Takes to the Road

January 2008

In March 2007, Rod Heeley took to the road in his newly acquired Swift Sundance motorhome. He made a counter-clockwise circuit, following the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, revisiting places he knew well from days as a diver.

Later in the year, we met Rod in Greece, in Messinia in the southern Peloponnese, where we shared the same otherwise empty campsite for several weeks. We also shared walks, books, DVD's, bike rides, shopping trips and hours of good conversation!

Bude: A town with 2 large carparks. Rod stayed in one at the back of the beach which has many rock pools
Caln Carver Mine: This was a welcome shelter from the storm, heading for St Ives whose only car park leaned at 30 degrees
Land's End: This was the day after the Caln Carver Mine and then Rod went on to Mullion Cove. There is paid parking at Lands End and no overnighting.
Mousehole: A lovely village with a small paid car park but no overnighting.
Seal Sanctuary: After a night at Mullion Cove, Rod went on due east to the Seal Sanctuary in Gweek.
Mevagissy: This is Rod's favourite. It's 4 pounds to park overnight in a large car park within 5 minutes of pubs, fish and chips and pasties.
Polperro: There is a huge car park within 5 minutes of the harbour, but with no overnighting. The picture was taken from jetty.
Looe: At the mouth of the river. This is a popular town. No overnighting but with huge car park for day use. Picture taken at the end of the breakwater.
Plymouth: The picture was taken from Cremyll, across the Sound from Plymouth Hoe. Rod took the ferry across to Plymouth from Tor Point
Sidmouth: This is beyond Torquay and on the Jurassic coast with many fossils.
Branscombe Beach: Just east of Sidmouth, Rod walked over the beach from Seaton where a night was spent on the industrial estate. This is a great cliff top walk.
Abbotsbury: The raven was in the village which has a free car park. Later, Rod took a walk to the beach.
Chesil Beach: The beach is viewed from Castletown, looking to the north west
Portland Bill: This is the lighthouse at the southern tip of the Bill. There is paid parking nearby, with no overnight parking.
Weymouth: Rod is in the railway car park on waste ground, also used by trucks and 5 minutes from the town. Two other empty motorhomes parked there overnight. Rob spent one night and found no-one to pay!
Kimmeridge Bay: Reached after passing through tank ranges. This is a shallow bay, great for diving. There is a private car park, free in winter but no overnighting.
Kimmeridge: Rod found a layby on the cliffs overlooking the bay, good for a free night.
Corfe Castle: This is the name of a village as well as the castle. Ample parking in nearby March. Restaurant across the road from the castle with campers on the park, just north of the village.