Synopsis: Ivybridge is very accessible by bus, and hence this walk was chosen as my first sample of the ‘Downloadable Walks’ from the South Devon Area of Outstanding Beauty web site.
(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album) I selected this walk from the web site of South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which I’d discovered a couple of weeks back. I noted then just how well their Downloadable Walks were documented, completed with very detailed mapping. The map for this walk is the OS 1/25,000 scale, which is excellent, the Greenway walk is at an even higher scale than this.
Part of the reason for selecting this walk to trial was the ease with which it could be reached on a bus. The Stagecoach X38 out of Exeter stops at the start/finish point of the walk, which meant getting to it without the car was a cinch.
The weather for the day was always going to be in the balance, and proved to be not the sunniest of days. Most of the walk was done in dull light, with occasional rain that was heavy at times. I did at least catch a sunny picnic lunch on a bench at Ermington which is always so much nicer than trying to eat sandwiches in the rain.
Ermington Church lichgate The church at Ermington is entered through the most grandiose of lichgates, mammoth in size and made of stone instead of the more usual timber construction. Inside the church it is the marble carving at the altar that catches one’s eye. These were apparently done by the Pinwell sisters of this parish, who later went on to produce similar works for many other churches in Devon and Cornwall. This is beautiful work and fine evidence for why their work was in demand.
Fleet House
Just past Ermington village I catch glimpses of Fleet House for the first time. This is a large mansion house, consisting of quite a mix of architectural styles. The house is mostly Victorian reworking in the Tudor style. It is in private ownership and I do not think it is open to the public.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 8.8 m
Moving Time: 3hrs 20min
Stopped Time: 47min
Total Ascent: 310 metres
Maximum Elevation: 93 metres
Buses: X38
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