Editor's Blog
My walking year continued… June to September 2016
I’ve been stuck inside most of the time recently working on the spring issue of Dartmoor Magazine, so it’s a welcome relief to get back to looking at some of last year’s walk photos. Picking up where I left off at the end of the last blog post: this is Watern Tor on the north moor, looking north towards Cawsand, and visited on our Dartmoor Perambulation with Spirit of Adventure in June. It has to be one of the most photogenic tors on the whole moor! I love it.
In late June/July I had some more revision work for Crimson, publishers of the Pathfinder guides. A lovely bit of rewalking routes on the moor north of Ivybridge and here, around Burrator – photo taken from the slopes of Sheepstor, overlooking Burrator, with Leather Tor and Sharpitor beyond in the distance.
This was one of those ‘magic moments’: coming off Sheepstor en route to the lane that leads to Sheepstor village. Just beautiful (we’ve had some Dartmoor Magazine notelets made, using eight different photos – this is one of them).
July: I’m a member of the Dartmoor Access Forum, and we have an annual day out looking at various access issues and proposals around the moor. Last year we were based at Postbridge, looking into plans for a range of walking and multi-access routes under the ‘Moor than meets the eye’ landscape partnership scheme. I should have taken this from a different angle to ‘separate’ the bridges!
July: two or three walking commissions in North Devon were a good excuse for a weekend away, staying at Countisbury, high above Lynmouth. The Valley of Rocks came into a route I did for Exmoor Magazine back in January last year (for their winter 2016 issue), but which I had to go and do again because I didn’t understand my own notes!
July: Morte Point, seen from Mortehoe on the north Devon coast. Working out a walk for the summer 2017 issue of Exmoor Magazine (as you will have realised that magazine has a pretty broad geographical remit).
During July and August I did a lot of walking in the Chagford area, working on a walks leaflet for the Three Crowns Hotel. I found new footpaths and rights of way, and linked up lots of places I already knew with new (to me) routes. A really enjoyable commission (and some wonderful weather too).
August: and the rowans already laden with berries. This was taken on a lovely circular walk from South Brent, which I will write up for the summer 2017 Walk & Eat feature in Dartmoor Magazine. View from Brent Fore Hill towards Brent Hill.
In September I decided I should walk the Two Moors Way/Devon’s Coast to Coast again, but this time from north to south (for my Cicerone Press book I walked it south to north). So far I’ve got as far as Widecombe, so not much further to go – but this photo was taken on our first day, when we walked for 18 miles from Lynmouth to Withypool. This is the beautiful Barle valley south of Simonsbath, one of the loveliest places on the whole route.
And here’s the Barle valley again, looking downstream towards Birchcleave Wood and Simonsbath. This was the day the route was officially relaunched to National Park officials, press and guests with a presentation and cream tea at Simonsbath House Hotel, then a walk along the route to Wheal Eliza. If you want to know more about the route take a look at www.twomoorsway.org
And just to prove that I do other things too – this was taken on an evening visit to RHS Rosemoor at Torrington in September, for a private view. I love these colours!
So an update on progress: the spring issue of the magazine is nearly all at page proof stage, and I have today sent all the News items over to Emily to layout. The Diary is also ready to go. So now it’s proofreading, then Emily and I will spend two days making corrections and changes before we go to print in mid February. I also need to firm up what’s going to go in the summer issue, and start the flat plans for 2018’s magazines too. So that’s why I am having to trawl through ‘old’ photos for the occasional blog post – no time to get out and do much else at the moment!
My walking year – Dartmoor, Exmoor and a spot of R(h)um – Part One
Over Christmas someone asked me (thank you Leslie!) how many miles I’d walked this year. I’ve never counted, but during 2016 I have got through yet another pair of expensive walking boots, so it must be quite a few! So I thought for my final blog of the year I’d look back through my walks photos and remind myself what I’ve been getting up to. So here’s Part One – January to May 2016. The header photo shows Eastern Whitebarrow on the south moor, visited on the Dartmoor Perambulation with Spirit of Adventure in early June. (I was going to include June, but there are too many photos!)
January – The Valley of Rocks, Lynton, Exmoor. A walk for the spring 2017 issue of Exmoor the country magazine (I’ve been writing walks for the magazine since around 2008).
January – a gorgeous day in the Quantocks, remeasuring and reworking a route for the spring 2016 issue of Exmoor the country magazine. It’s always quite nice to have the excuse to do them again!
January – a distant view of Haytor from the River Teign meadows near Teigngrace. I was revising some walks for Crimson’s Pathfinder Guide South Devon & Dartmoor.
February – Trenchford Reservoir, photographed while working out the Walk & Eat route for the winter 2016 issue of Dartmoor Magazine.
February – a non-work walk! A beautiful bright, sunny, cold day, perfect for a wander along the old railway line from Princetown to Ingra Tor with a couple of friends.
February – the Postbridge Challenge, in aid of Dartmoor Search & Rescue. It’s happening again this year, on Sunday 19 February. Well worth supporting, and a lovely day out.
March – a bunch of us walked from a friend’s house by the Teign in Chagford back to Moretonhampstead, via the Teign Gorge, Fingle Bridge and Butterdon.
March – a change of scene and signs of spring! This was taken near Parracombe on Exmoor, while revising a route from the Exmoor & Quantocks Pathfinder Guide.
April – a wander alongside the West Webburn and East Dart rivers near Babeny, and a cream at Badger’s Holt at Dartmeet. Just for fun.
April – five days on Lundy, during which I celebrated my birthday (this is the graveyard and Old Light). It’s amazing how many miles you can clock up on a lump of granite measuring 3 miles by half a mile!
April – another walk in aid of Dartmoor Search & Rescue – this time the Templer Way, 18 miles from Haytor to Shaldon. Here’s the granite tramroad running through Yarner Wood.
May – just a gorgeous walk in Exe Valley meadows and woodlands with a friend… spring flowers everywhere.
May – this was a Friday evening ‘let’s go somewhere different’ trip to Kingston and Wonnell Beach (photo is the view up the River Erme) in the South Hams, and fish and chips at a pub in Modbury.
May – Halstock Wood near Okehampton, walked when writing a route for the magazine’s spring 2017 Walk & Eat feature. This is one I had to do twice since I went too early and there weren’t enough bluebells! OK on the second visit, however…
May – the River Parrett in north Somerset, and Brent Knoll in the distance. I was asked to write a route based on the new section of the West Somerset Coast Path… I didn’t know that the sea wall further up this path had recently been breached to create the Steart Marshes Reserve, and so I had to backtrack and work it all out again on another day. What a beautiful day to be out walking, though.
May – and to finish a photo taken on the Isle of Rum (it started as Rum, was changed to Rhum, and is now Rum again!) with views towards the Cuillin on Skye. A long weekend with a group of hillwalking friends from the Glasgow area, with whom I am lucky enough to be able to go exploring north of the border.
I hope there’s been enough Dartmoor content in this – this is supposed to the Dartmoor Magazine editor’s blog, after all – but it’s been fun for me to look back over the year and see where I’ve been walking. More to come in Part Two – sometime!
Happy Christmas from Dartmoor Magazine!
A very happy (dull and blustery) Christmas and a happy New Year to all our contributors, writers, photographers, subscribers, advertisers, sales outlets, magazine purchasers and supporters… and everyone else who I might have forgotten (but hopefully haven’t!). Thank you all for your valued support throughout 2016 – and we’re looking forward to bringing you more news and stories about ‘all things Dartmoor’ throughout 2017.
PS If I was cleverer I would have added some words to this snowy photo of the Belstone Tors – I’ve tried but failed – something to put on my ‘must learn how to’ list for the new year!
A spot of Dartmoor netwalking
A couple of weeks ago I indulged in a very pleasant day of what can only be described as ‘netwalking’. Some may look on it as a day off (surely not!) but actually it was a day walk with three friends, all of whom work in the outdoors on Dartmoor, nearly always with groups, and who felt like spending a day walking from Scorriton to Powdermills without that added responsibility. And for me it was the chance to go for a good walk across the South Moor without having to think about where to turn right, or left, or how to get the route directions down on paper!
We parked near the Tradesmans Arms and set off from Scorriton at about 10.15am, then dropped downhill to the pretty little hamlet of Michelcombe.
From there we passed one of the lovely old signposts giving directions to the moor – there are so few of these left these days (hopefully someone will think about restoring them before they fall apart completely).
We ascended towards the moor via the pretty little combe that lies between Great Combe and Michel Combe, emerging into the open and crossing Wheal Emma Leat, with stunning views to the southeast.
We sheltered in some old tin workings on Holne Moor and grabbed a bite to eat before picking up the Sandy Way and heading east. Simon found a piece of brilliant yellow ‘brain fungus’…
We trudged on into the middle of nowhere. Michael wanted to find a small building marked on the OS OL28 map, which turned out to be the ruins of a tinner’s hut near Aune Head… and where we found a lump of the curious substance known as star jelly!
From there we headed north across Ter Hill, then descended steadily towards the River Swincombe with far-reaching views towards Great Mis Tor and Longaford Tor (more familiar ground for me).
We crossed the Swincombe via the Fairy Bridge (complete with fairy – if you know where to look!).
On we went to cross the West Dart below Moorlands Farm. The time was getting on now, and the late afternoon light getting stronger, giving us some fabulous views of Bellever Tor and of the stone-walled fields near Prince Hall.
The final leg saw us crossing the rough ground of Muddilake in the dimpsey (I always lose the path when going from south to north) for our finish at Powdermills.
A lovely route – a little over 11 miles – and a great day ‘off’ (for me at least – there – I said it!) in the company of three valued colleagues: John Diplock from Spirit of Adventure, Simon Dell of Moorland Guides, and DoE instructor Michael Owen. Thank you for letting me tag along!
A Dartmoor walk with a difference… on the Delicious Drake's Trail
I’ve been doing a lot of walking this month. A three-day then a two-day stint (Lynmouth to Widecombe completed so far) on the Two Moors Way/Devon Coast to Coast route; and last Sunday 12 miles on the South Moor from Powdermills to Duck’s Pool to our finish near Nun’s Cross. It’s a bit addictive – but what better way to explore this beautiful area during this stunning autumn?
And at the start of the month I took part in the Delicious Drake’s Trail event, when more than 250 people ran (a few, including me, walked!) from Tavistock to the Moorland Garden Hotel, enjoying samples of delicious local food and drink en route – and raising more than £3000 for the CHICKS charity, based at Brentor. We published a feature about this wonderfully organised initiative in our autumn (current) issue, and I wanted to experience it for myself. The day surpassed all my expectations.
Pre-race treats were enjoyed at Tavistock Sports Centre, courtesy of Riverford Home Delivery, Midfields Granola, Trewithen Dairy and Plymouth Tea. A lovely run/walk along the canal took us to the Bedford Hotel and Buck’s Fizz and lemon drizzle cake: not bad for 9.45am!
From there we trotted along to Whitchurch Down for more refreshment courtesy of the Royal Oak Meavy’s mobile ‘Moor Bars’. Next came the Whitchurch Inn, after which we picked up the Drake’s Trail multi-use route, from which we diverted for a mini cream tea at Drake’s Cafe at Grenofen. I should add (for those who are wondering) that the dressing-up theme for this year’s event was ‘Your favourite Olympic sporting hero’… (hence Scottish caber tossers below).
On along the Drake’s Trail and over Gem Bridge, then up onto Roborough Down (beautiful in the autumn sunshine) for a pop-up cafe provided by Moor T @ Long Ash Garden Centre.
From there we took a lovely route to the Garden House where we enjoyed both lavender biscuits and the wonderful herbaceous borders… then on to the Drake Manor Inn at Buckland Monachorum. The penultimate stop was for apple cake at Buckland Abbey, before we dropped down into Milton Coombe to find The Who’d Have Thought It (where several participants ‘cracked’ and downed a swift pint or two – see header photo!).
The final pull was the toughest: uphill via fields and some pretty muddy ground to the Moorland Garden Hotel, where a food festival was in full swing.
Kate Treleaven is the inspiration behind DDT ‘where trail running and food festivals collide’. It’s a fantastic way for people to get out into a beautiful part of Devon, explore new paths, enjoy samples of excellent local food and drink and have fun – and raise money for a very worthy cause. Congratulations to everyone involved in putting on this year’s event, and to all venues and producers who took part. I walked 11 miles in the company of a very nice couple from West Somerset (he dressed as a member of the England women’s hockey team, naturally) and found some new linking paths which will help in future route planning.
I’m already looking forward to next year and planning what to wear… and in terms of Dartmoor Magazine blog posts about walking, normal service will be resumed next time!
Dartmoor and Exmoor celebrate the Two Moors Way!
On a beautiful sunny day last week representatives from Exmoor and Dartmoor National Parks, Devon County Council, the Two Moors Way Association, the press and invited guests gathered at Simonsbath House Hotel on Exmoor to mark the 40th anniversary of the Two Moors Way, inaugurated on 29 May 1976 and linking Ivybridge on Dartmoor with Lynmouth on the north Exmoor coast, a distance of 102 miles. In 2005 a further 15 miles was added to the southern end to the coast at Wembury, giving a Devon coast to coast route of around 117 miles.
Over the last 18 months the Two Moors Way Association has been revived and has worked in partnership with both National Parks and Devon CC to reinvigorate the route. There have been path improvements, a new pocket guide, and a new website with accommodation listing has been launched (parts still under development). It should now be much easier for anyone wanting to tackle the whole walk to get all the information they need regarding how to do it (in one go? in sections? can my luggage be carried? where can I stay? what about public transport?) and so on. There are plans for business engagement workshops along the route in 2017 to encourage local businesses to ‘come on board’ too.
Presentations were given by John Howell (chair Two Moors Way Association) on the history of the route, Sue Viccars (TMWA and author of the Cicerone guidebook to the route, who gave an illustrated whistle-stop tour across Devon) and Dan James, Sustainable Economy Manager for Exmoor National Park. Afterwards all enjoyed a delicious cream tea and slice of cake, which was cut by the two National Park chairs: Andrea Davis (Exmoor) and Bill Hitchins) Dartmoor (photo courtesy Steve Guscott).
A number of guests then accompanied Dan Barnett, Access & Recreation Manager ENPA, on a short walk along an improved section of the TMW along the beautiful Barle Valley to remains of Wheal Eliza, a mid-19th century copper mine.
The return to Simonsbath along the Barle Valley is one of the loveliest stretches on the whole coast-to-coast walk.
There is still work to be done: a video is being made for the website, a newsletter is proposed, there are plans to revive the stamp and passport system which used to exist at certain places along the route, and produce a certificate for ‘completers’. For more information visit www.twomoorsway.org (still under development).
The photo below shows Bill Hitchins and Andrea Davis and the walkers on the Two Moors Way on the edge of Birchcleave Wood, Simonsbath (photo Steve Guscott).
Dartmoor late summer ramblings
I’ve had some good excuses to go walking over the last couple of weeks, and I’ve been making the most of some glorious late summer sunshine. It’s always good to get out on the moor when the latest issue has gone to print and there is a small ‘lull’ in magazine demands before the stock arrives and has to be distributed to our 65+ outlets across the moor (happening as I write).
I’m writing a walks leaflet for the Three Crowns Hotel (said to be haunted by the ghost of Royalist Sidney Godolphin, who died here of musket wounds in 1643 during the Civil War) in Chagford: five circular walks from the door of this historic building . I’ve been doing this in the late afternoon when the light is good for photos (Hamel Down from Nattadon Common above).
I’ve been working out routes that take in the River Teign (easy and level), Nattadon (seen above from Padley Common) and Meldon (a little hillier and more taxing), and there’ll be a longer one that follow the Two Moors Way from Chagford Bridge to Teigncombe, then south to Yardworthy, and back over Meldon Hill.
I’ve also been working on next summer’s Walk & Eat route for the magazine. I try to spread these out across the moor, i.e. make sure that I give each corner of the moor fair coverage. So next summer the walk will be from South Brent: a circuit of Aish Ridge, Corringdon Ball, along the edge of Brent Fore Hill to Shipley Bridge, and back through the pretty woodlands of the Avon valley. The photos below shows Brent Hill, seen from Corringdon Ball, and a hut circle on top of the latter (the triangular stone a handy point of reference when trying to give clear directions!).
It’s a beautiful walk. I did it earlier in the summer too, and it’s interesting to see how the colours of the landscape have changed over just a few weeks. It is very obviously ‘late’ summer here on the moor: the heather and gorse are in full bloom (see later photos), and on the South Brent walk the rowan trees were heavily laden with brilliant red-orange berries.
The outward and return route both encounter pretty Lydia Bridge across the River Avon (Aune), and pass close to St Petroc’s church, dating back to Norman times but heavily ‘restored’ in 1870. The church has recently received nearly £200,000 of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for repairs and lighting (more details in the winter issue of Dartmoor Magazine).
Finally I went out earlier in the week to check up on the Highland cattle that can regularly be seen in the Shapley Common/Warren House/Challacombe area of the moor: looking particularly photogenic at the moment against a background of golden gorse and purple ling and bell heather!
While talking about landscape colour I’m pleased to say that the autumn issue of Dartmoor Magazine is on its way to subscribers and is starting to appear in the shops. We are really pleased with this striking cover image by Guy Richardson (www.guyrichardson.com): the view towards Gutter and Hen tors, from Sheeps Tor on a brilliant November day. I hope you think so too!
The Man Engine 'wakes up' in Tavistock's Bedford Square
On Monday 25 July I was lucky enough to be in Tavistock to witness an incredible and moving spectacle: the UK’s largest ever-mechanical puppet, an epic 12-metre-high Cornish Mining Man Engine (PHOTO MIKE THOMAS), ‘waking up’ in historic Bedford Square and setting off on a 130-mile historic journey the entire length of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site.
Part of the ‘Tinth’ (10th) anniversary of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape being added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Partnership provided the initial funding for the two-week awe-inspiring journey of the Man Engine, ending at Geevor in West Penwith.
The huge crowds gathered in Tavistock (I was allowed to scale some ‘official’ scaffolding to get a bird’s eye view!) were treated to a remarkable 50-minute ceremony with smoke, lights and sounds creating a high level of ‘industrial drama’, during which the Man Engine ‘transformed’ to the height of almost three double decker buses, aided by the singing of local choirs.
The brainchild of Will Coleman of Cornwall’s Golden Tree Productions, the Man Engine was designed and overseen by Hal Sylvester, a big puppet specialist, using a talented team of engineers, fabricators, welders, smoke and lighting experts and artists, from right across Cornwall and the South West.
The Man Engine was hauled to his full height by a team of ‘Lilliputian’ modern-day ‘miners’ and ‘bal maidens’ against the backdrop of this significant stannary town, largely developed from the investment of miners and the Duke of Bedford, a mine owner. And all this to a ‘Cornish Mining Chant’, shouted out enthusiastically by the huge crowd: I found it all incredibly moving.
Will Coleman said, ‘Kernow… is a tiny 0.002 percent of the planet’s surface, yet beneath our rocky shores can be found samples of more than 90 percent of all mineral species ever identified… This unbelievable geological treasure [copper, tin, arsenic, lead, zinc, silver, etc] has powered the Cornish people’s endeavour through 4000 years of mining history: innovation, triumph and heartbreak… The landscape is deeply rooted in the impacts of that industry and in the successes and the struggles of the real people whose lives shaped our Cornwall and West Devon mining stories.
‘With the birth of our ultimate mining machine, we have toiled long and hard to embed into this single huge object the meaning and feeling of the stories of the real people, and the real lives of those people, their sorrows, their achievements and their journeys, over thousands of years… Now he’s alive and off on the timely pilgrimage, with our team of miners and bal maidens, of more than 100 miles throughout our homeland. I can’t explain how extraordinary the feeling is to see the people on the streets meet him, and be so in awe of him.’
Go and see the Man Engine if you can: he is a phenomenal sight. He’s on his way across Cornwall now: Lostwithiel tomorrow, St Austell and Wheal Martyn on 28 July, Trewithen 29 July, Truro and Wheal Jane 30 July, Wheal Coates 1 August, Redruth, East Pool Mine and Heartlands 2 August, Camborne, King Edward Mine and Godolphin House 3 August, Hayle 4 August, Penzance 5 August and St Just, Botallack and Geevor on 6 August. Note that you won’t see ‘the transformation’ at every venue, so check out www.themanengine.org.uk for more details.
I would imagine that Cornwall will be in a state of euphoric frenzy by the time he reaches Geevor – fantastic!
The Dartmoor Perambulation 2016
Over the last weekend in June we teamed up with Spirit of Adventure at Powdermills to run the Dartmoor Perambulation: a tough walk of more than fifty miles following the boundary of the historic Royal Forest boundary, said to have been defined by 12 knights sent to ride its length by King Henry III in 1240. Although several variations to the route have been recorded over succeeding generations – and even if you don’t visit every point recorded on that first Perambulation – walking that distance through the wilds of the moor is a real treat (especially when you are dropped off each morning/picked up each evening and taken back to the Powdermills bunkhouse for food, drink and a good night’s sleep!).
The following photos record some of the route (the afternoon of Day Two saw low visibility, high winds and driving rain on the long trudge north from Erme Pits to Princetown via Plym Ford and Nun’s Cross, so no photos there).
We were dropped off on the military road near Cullever Steps before 8am, from where we crossed the Taw and started the ascent of Cosdon Beacon (Hogam be Cossdonne) from where the knights are said to have started their clockwise ride.
We headed towards Watern Tor (opening photo), one of my favourites, and originally recorded as the Thirlstane.
The Long Stone (Langestone) on Shovel Down marks the Forest’s boundary with Chagford and Gidleigh (near Thornworthy Tor, where we stopped for lunch).
By Fernworthy Forest (the 1240 route passes through what is now Fernworthy reservoir) we paused to look at the Heath Stone (uncertain as a boundary marker).
The route crosses Chagford Common and then the B3212 at King’s Oven (Furnum Regis). We trudged on through Soussons, then along the old track leading to the stepping stones crossing the brook at the ancient tenement of Pizwell.
The sun came out and we ended our day near Bellever Forest in beautiful conditions. Day One: just under 17 miles and I can’t remember how many hours of walking but all 13 (plus one leader) survived unscathed!
Day Two dawned grey and damp with the promise of rain late morning and for the rest of the day. First stop after Bellever and Riddon Ridge was Dartmeet.
Beyond Hexworthy we followed the boundary up the O Brook for a while then headed for the top of Ryder’s Hill (Battyshull) under increasingly lowering skies.
We crossed the Avon (Aune) via the Huntingdon clapper bridge then headed off for Eastern White Barrow (Ester Whyteburghe), the most southerly point on the Perambulation where you are allowed to turn round and head for Redlake (Redelake), Eylesbarrow (Elysburghe), Nun’s/Siward’s Cross (Crucem Sywardi) and home! Day Two: 21 miles, 13 walkers and 1 leader, all unscathed.
Next day started off dull (I can always remember the name of Mis Tor/Mystor since I have never been there in anything other then MISerable conditions). By the time we reached White Barrow (Mewyburghe) and headed towards Lynch Tor things were really picking up.
We crossed the Amicombe Brook and Amicombe Hill – rough ground, much of it thick with cotton grass – and finally reached Stenga Tor (la Westolle) above the West Okement river which we crossed at Sandy Ford, before the long climb up to Fordsland Ledge, then High Willhays.
And finally – Yes Tor (Ernestorre)!
Day Three: 15.25 miles, 7 walkers, 1 guide (the other walkers dropped out of doing the whole route due to work commitments).
A fantastic three days and congratulations to all those who took part, and especially the ‘completers’ – and thanks to John Diplock of Spirit of Adventure www.spirit-of-adventure.co.uk and our guide Peter Challis. We’ll be running the Perambulation again in 2018 and will be producing a checklist of all known points around the boundary that we can tick off as we go. Nearer the time keep an eye out for more information in Dartmoor Magazine!
PS Thanks to Deborah Martin for her article on the Perambulation in DM105, from where I gleaned the original names of the places mentioned. There’s also a new book out about the Perambulation which will be reviewed in DM124, autumn 2016.
Along the Two Moors Way – a 40th anniversary celebration
This year marks the 40th anniversary (29 May) of the Two Moors Way, a wonderful 100+ mile mainly off-road walking route linking Ivybridge on Dartmoor’s southern edge with Lynton on the north Devon coast, crossing Dartmoor and the western end of Exmoor. In 2005 the route was officially linked with part of the Erme–Plym Trail from Ivybridge to Wembury on the south coast, to form a Devon coast-to-coast walk of around 116 miles.
In June last year Cicerone Press published a new book on the route (written by yours truly), so it seemed fitting that I should join members of Exeter Ramblers last Sunday for a celebratory walk in the Chagford area. Starting from the town car park we crossed Padley Common en route to scaling the heights of Meldon Hill (390m) – a baptism of fire!
It’s amazing how the vegetation has come on in the last week or two: the bracken is well on its way. I was pleased to reach the trig point on the top of Meldon Hill (trig pillars are also celebrating an anniversary this year: it is 80 years since the system was set up across the country, and although now redundant they are still loved by many – there is even a trig-pillar-baggers’ website!).
We dropped off Meldon and picked up one of the lane to Fernworthy via Tunnaford. At the entrance to Yardworthy we finally met the official route of the Two Moors Way where it comes off Chagford Common (at this point the alternative low-level route from Widecombe via the Natsworthy valley rejoins the main route too).
The route passes through Yardworthy’s (the farmhouse dates from the 1700s) fields then drops to cross the South Teign River before climbing past Teignworthy and on to Teigncombe through fields and woodland and across marshy sections via boardwalks. The route to Teigncombe is shared with that of the Mariners’ Way, linking Dartmouth on the south coast with Bideford on the north, and utilised by sailors in the 18th century looking for work.
Parts of the route gave us beautiful views to Meldon Hill, too. We continued downhill past Northill to cross Leigh Bridge, where the North and South Teign rivers meet.
The Two Moors Way runs along the lane to pass Holystreet Manor (dating from the 16th century) to reach the ruined woollen mill at Factory Cross, then turns left to cross the Teign via Chagford (‘gorse ford’) bridge. We followed the route alongside the Teign, and then the leat (leading to Rushford Mill and the swimming pool), before crossing the fields to 17th-century Rushford Bridge. Here the 2MW turns left, but we turned right uphill to finish our walk with a celebratory drink at The Globe Inn!
It’s an exciting year for the Two Moors Way/Devon Coast-to-Coast: the Two Moors Way Association is being re-formed, with the full support of Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks and Devon County Council. There has been a complete path audit, and we are holding regular meetings with all interested parties. The route will be officially relaunched with an event in September, by which time we should have a new website (www.twomoorsway.org), leaflets, accommodation list and more. Watch this space!
Writing Dartmoor walk routes… and getting the timing right
As those who read Dartmoor Magazine may know, I write the Walk & Eat feature for each issue. I have also written a number of walks books on Dartmoor and Exmoor, in Devon and Cornwall (and a couple further afield) for a variety of publishers (the most recent being The Two Moors Way for Cicerone Press).
Apart from getting the directions correct and easy to follow, getting the right photos can also be tricky. I am forever doing repeat trips to Exmoor (I write the walks for Exmoor the Country Magazine) because the weather didn’t come up to scratch on the day I had allotted to work out the route on foot!
And the same has just applied here: I did my spring 2017 issue walk about 10 days too early (see photo below)…
My plan had been to work out a circular ‘bluebell’ walk from Fatherford near Okehampton, starting near the 70ft high railway viaduct, dating from the 1870s.
It was the most beautiful spring day, as can be seen. The woodland path alongside the East Okement is, I think, one of the loveliest in the area.
But my plan to make this a bluebell walk failed… plenty of wood anenome, and wood sorrel, and celandine, and oaks in early leaf, but very few bluebells (the contrast between my first and second visits can be seen in the photos above). So around 10 days later I walked the route again – and what a difference!
The path leads from Halstock Wood into the valley of the Moor Brook, then meets the drive to Lower Halstock Farm, with lovely views towards the Belstone ridge. The return stretch descends bluebell-covered slopes overlooking Okehampton, passing the station (and the Old Station Tearooms – great for a cuppa and piece of cake!) en route to Simmons Park and a return under Ball Hill to the start.
Every issue of Dartmoor Magazine gives the reader two good walk routes: a long (and largely open moorland) one from Deborah Martin, and a shorter Walk & Eat route which sticks to footpaths and bridlepaths. Both are supported by OS mapping and useful information: and both are planned in the layout so that the route direction pages can be cut out without spoiling the rest of the magazine.
The summer issue of Dartmoor Magazine– with two great walks – will be out at the end of this week!
Joining up the dots... along the Templer Way
Last Sunday I joined around 150 others to walk the Templer Way from Haytor to Shaldon, raising funds in support of the Ashburton Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team. The sun shone, red-jacketed DSRT members were in abundance at checkpoints and all the along the route, and the event fantastically well organised. I went along to support the cause but also because it was a good excuse to tick off the 18 miles (almost all of which were level or gently downhill!).
The history of the Haytor tramway (which the Templer Way follows wherever possible) is well documented (and I know I’ve mentioned it in an earlier blog post too). To recap: it was built in 1820 by George Templer to link his quarries at Haytor with the Stover Canal. Horse-drawn road wagons transported granite along granite rails for 8 miles, descending 1300ft to the canal at Ventiford.
Once the open moor is left behind the tramway runs along the contours through Yarner Wood – a particularly beautiful section, where we passed a milestone (indicating 5 miles to the canal) – before passing through fields behind Lowerdown on the edge of Bovey Tracey. The next point of interest came at Chapple, site of the only remaining bridge on the tramway, where it crosses the Bovey Pottery leat (there are useful information boards at regular intervals along the way: excellent for those of us who need such detail!).
A footpath followed the line of the tramway at Brimley, soon passing Pottery Pond (which I had never seen before: dug in the 18th century to provide power – via five waterwheels – for the Bovey Pottery, in operation 1775–1956). Leaving the tramway behind we eventually cut through Great Plantation (once part of the Stover estate), crossing the A38 via the new pedestrian bridge, for a lunch break at Stover Country Park.
I’m not one for walking with crowds of people, but it was never a problem on this route – and after lunch the group really thinned out and for much of the time we were walking on our own. It felt like an ongoing open-air history lesson… next stop Locksbridge at Teigngrace, and alongside the Stover Canal. James Templer built the canal (1790–2) to transport ball clay to Jetty Marsh in Newton Abbot; Locksbridge is the fifth and last lock when travelling up the canal. We walked on to pass Graving Dock Lock, where restoration is under way and where I learned that ‘graving dock’ is another name for ‘dry dock’: here barges were taken out of the water for repair.
More discoveries were to come in the shape of Newton Abbot’s Town Quay: I worked at David & Charles on the Brunel Trading estate for 20 years, within a stone’s throw of the quay, and never even knew it was there!
A surprisingly pretty stretch alongside the River Teign followed, soon passing under the A38 road.
And from there to Ringmore we walked along the sandy, stony, seaweedy foreshore (only possible at low tide), enjoying the smell of the sea and enjoying views back upriver to Haytor (which did look a very long way away).
The final checkpoint was at Coombe Cellars… and the finish on the green at Shaldon, where we downed a very welcome and refreshing pint of cider (thanks Jason!) and picked up our certificates. Thank you to fellow walkers Lucy and Sharon, and to all at DSRT Ashburton for organising what turned out to be a fabulous (and very educational) day out.
