2. st mary's beach
This walk is basically an extension of the Berry Head Walk - you can just carry on further along the cliff top until you come to the beach however there are many more steeper steps even on the cliff path and the steps down to the beach are near vertical in places! This is a lovely walk and typically less busy than the path up to Berry Head.
From the main Berry Head Fort you leave via the cattle grid and take a left down a path with bushes on both sides. Continue through this path until it opens back up again and you will see the second fort in front of you. It is worth popping into this fort and looking around as the views are lovely and there are some information boards about the fort itself.
If you want to walk further along the cliffs you take a left on leaving the fort through a wooden gate and walk around the outside of the fort to the other side.
It is easy to walk back into town from most points out on the cliff walk all the way to St Mary's Bay but it is much nicer to retrace your steps and come back the way you went otherwise you are walking roads and through residential streets.
You will pass through several rock stiles (mostly with little doggy doors!) and past a caravan park on the RHS. The terrain is pretty flat on this part of the walk and it is easy to walk back into town from several points before you get to the steeper terrain. Eventually you will see St Mary's Beach in front of you.
NB: the first rock stile has no doggy door - with smaller dogs make sure you supervise them leaping over the stile as it is quite a drop on the other side!
You will come to 2 wooden benches on the your RHS with views over the beach and out to sea. If you want to return home at this point you can take a right turn down the path and it will bring you out on Gillard Road from where you can head back to the property via Centry Road, Lower Rea Road, Garlic Rea, North View Road and then down Queens Steps (which run next to Quarterberth). Otherwise just keep on along the cliff path
The path does take a slight dog leg inland for a short while and then you take a left hand turn to head back towards the cliff and through a 'tunnel' of trees and bushes. At this point the steps get steeper and there are quite a lot of larger steps.
If you want to visit then you have to almost walk past it before taking a left at a wood carving and going down a LOT of steep steps (it’s worth it!!)
Keep going until eventually you are walking on the cliffs above St Mary's beach - you almost have to walk past the beach before you reach the stairs down. When you come to this large wooden carving you will see the top of the steps down to the beach. Enjoy the walk down as it is way worse coming back up! It is lovely beach and generally not busy so totally worth it for a swim.
When you are ready to head home either retrace you steps entirely all the way back past the Berry Head Forts (the nicest route) or you can return via the streets. If you partially retrace your route (uphill) until you see these stone pillars you can head home through them and past Riviera Bay Holiday Park and then down Mudstone Lane and around the Rugby Club