26 September 2009 – Walk: North Tawton to Copplestone (10.5 Miles)

Synopsis: A walk that included some fine views out towards Dartmoor. It was interesting to see the old ruined cotton mill of North Tawton. Did Ted Hughes and Sylvia Platt really live here?

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(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)

This walk started from the old mill town of North Tawton. I noticed the place on setting out to Morchard Bishop for my walk of two weeks previous. It is a very pretty place having a nice little central square (triangle) with town hall and village shop.

The mill, North Tawton

My sister-in-law Christine had mentioned the night previous that her grandfather had once worked in the mill at North Tawton. I looked the place up on the internet and found that it ceased working in 1930. I checked out on the map where it would have been and made a mental note to search out the location. I thought the place would have little left to show of the old mill, but was pleasantly surprised. There it stands, if not in all it’s glory, seemingly pretty much in one piece. It may be derelict today, but it still echoes of a time when it would once have throbbed with industry.

 

The village of North Tawton seems to be coming alive as I walk through it. I noticed a really quaint old pub named the Copper Key that might be worth checking out at some later time. The village isn’t simply a picture book village, as there are obvious signs of industry about the place. It seems to have struck a fine balance between the rustic and the functional. Unfortunately the church was locked up, so I could only gaze upon it, and it’s lovely setting, from it’s surroundings. It is known for having a rather unusual shaped roof to its tower.

Some final thoughts on North Tawton before I tell the story of the rest of my day. Apparently Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath once made this place their home. Such a remote and rural location seems an unlikely place to have once come across such literary giants as these two people. If you’re interested to know more, I recommend you read the Bell Jar. Or if that’s not to your taste, try the film with Daniel Craig (yes, James Bond) playing Ted Hughes; it’s rather good. Oh, and North Tawton is also famous, so I’m told, for Jam and Jerusalem (I think I’ve got that right).

Cobley Farm free range chickens

From here I set out towards the country lanes and fields. This is a very quiet area of Devon, and I know I’m unlikely to meet many people. The land is relatively flat and afforded an excellent view northwards to Dartmoor, reminding me that my ancestor Uncle Tom Cobley once set of in that direction from Spreyton, not far from where I was. Later in the day I was to come across Cobley Farm Free Range eggs written across the side of a van parked in a farmyard, so I guess the bloodline continues to this day.

 

Cottage where Ernest Bevin once lived

As I approached my destination of Copplestone I came across a cottage which had a blue plaque on it. On crossing the road to read this I find it was once the house of Ernest Bevin, minister and statesman. I have subsequently read he was born not far from here, at Winsford, Somerset.

Copplestone stone

 

 

 

 

I was surprised to discover that Copplestone does indeed have a stone, and a rather prominent stone at that. How come I’d never paid more heed to this. Believed to date back to the 10th century, it is quite intricately carved with geometric patterns. But time was up for me, as I saw my bus approaching, and dashed for the bus stop. It was only 2.30pm, so rather a short days walking, but enjoyable all the same.

 

 Walk Statistics:

Total Distance: 10.5 miles
Moving Time: 3hrs 58min
Stopped Time: 34min
Total Ascent: 325 metres
Maximum Elevation: 202 metres

Bus: 315

19 September 2009 – Walk: Landcross to Barnstaple (19 Miles)

Synopsis: The bus journeys to and from North Devon added enjoyment to this walk. The walk started from near the Tarka Trail, swept inland and dropped to the coast between Bideford and Instow.

Photo Set – Flickr -:- (Map)

GPS Tracklog Download (.gpx) Microsoft OneDrive -:- Google Drive

 

Tracklog and Photos - Google My Map

Tracklog overlay - OSM – ViewRanger -:- OS – WheresThePath

 

(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)

I caught the 315 bus at 8:05 from Exeter for this walk, which took me through Crediton, Copplestone, North Tawton, Winkleigh, North Dolton, Great Torrington and finally dropped me at Landcross. On completing the walk at Instow I caught the 21 bus to Barnstaple. From Barnstaple I caught the 155 bus which took me on an alternative return route through South Molton, Witheridge, Tiverton and finally Exeter. The evening bus ride was in glorious sunshine. Both the journey up and back took me through some wonderful scenery and helped make this such a pleasurable day.

I thought it would be easy to drop down onto the Tarka Trail from Landcross but I found myself faced with a steep drop from the bridge over the trail, and had to settle upon a walk down a track leading off in the opposite direction to which I wished to travel to reach a point where there was access onto the trail.

No sunglasses!

A little way along into the trail I came across this sign (see photo) warning of ‘reduced visibility’ in the tunnel ahead. I was amused at the need to warn cyclists to remove their sunglasses. This conjured up a picture for me of a multiple pile-up in the tunnel of cyclists all wearing smart designer sunglasses. The tunnel was certainly dark; the first I knew of two female joggers coming in the other direction was the pitter patter of their running feet.

On leaving the Tarka Trail my walk took me through the little hamlet of Annery Kiln. It’s easy to see why it’s so called, as there are the remains of an enormous lime kiln visible from the road. I suppose this was an ideal location at which to land lime being carried by boats on the River Torridge.

As I crossed the bridge over the River Torridge I stopped to take photographs of Weare Giffard just up river from where I stood. I noticed standing on the bridge a man stood staring in the opposite directions, at what I wasn’t sure. He said to me that I should be taking photographs in the direction he was facing. At first I didn’t know what he was meaning, then he pointed out men in three cradles dangling from the mains cables between electricity pylons. I had earlier noticed something on the wires but couldn’t make out what they were, thinking they might be lights. The man explained that the workmen were carrying out repair work on the cable insulation. Apparently the cable cars are dropped onto the cable by helicopter. I had never heard of such a thing before. It certainly wasn’t a job that held any attractions for me I thought, as I watched these cable cars moving high above the River Torridge towards the next pylon.

A little further along I come across a dip in the lane that has become a large puddle of water with no way round. I had to rollup my trousers and wade through muddy water - a bit yuck! I stopped for lunch, and to put my socks on again, on a hilltop in a field nearby from where I looked out over the River Torridge in the direction of Appledore.

Westleigh

I passed through the little village of Westleigh. People were sat outside eating and drinking on this warm late summer’s day. This village commands an excellent position set just a short distance back from the Torridge Estuary as it is. From here it is just a short drop of about 200 metres to regain the Tarka Trail from where I see the village of Instow gleaming in the sun just ahead of me.

 

 

Instow railway station that was

As I entered the village of Instow along the Tarka Trail I came across a railway station, signal box and some train track still in place, reminders of when this was a working railway line. I thought to myself that if it were working today I think it would be quite busy, as the buses that traverse between Barnstaple and Bideford run frequently and carry many people. In fact that was my next course of action; I caught a bus from Instow into Barnstaple. I could have walked a little further along the Tarka Trail and caught a later bus, but I decided upon devoting some time to looking around Barnstaple which proved to be a good choice.

Fountain and clock tower, Barnstaple

There was some sort of town fete happening when I arrived in Barnstaple, with stalls set up and people dressed in costume. The river front provided a most attractive setting for these events. There was a picturesque fountain that brought back memories of my recent holiday in Italy. It was rather more restrained than those I’d seen in Italy, but then, one would expect that of an English fountain. I wandered in the sun through parks and along the river front and watched the people milling about until the time fell due for me to catch my bus. On my walk to the bus station I came across a rather lovely Art Deco cinema, quite a treasure, although I don’t believe it’s used as a cinema these days.

Walk Statistics:

Total Distance: 19 miles (includes bus journey from Instow to Barnstaple)
Moving Time: 5hrs 09min
Stopped Time: 1hr 13min
Total Ascent: 489 metres
Maximum Elevation: 144 metres

Buses: 315, 21, 155 & H1/H2

12 September 2009 – Walk: Morchard Bishop to Crediton (13.6 Miles)

Synopsis: A glorious sunny day. Peace and solitude can be found in mid Devon, although the farmers were busy preparing the ground for next year's crops capitalising on the excellent autumn weather.

Photo Set – Flickr -:- (Map)

GPS Tracklog Download (.gpx) Microsoft OneDrive -:- Google Drive

 

Tracklog and Photos - Google My Map

Tracklog overlay - OSM – ViewRanger -:- OS – WheresThePath

 

(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)

Morchard Bishop

Morchard Bishop is obviously a very friendly village, as I was greeted with several good mornings as I wended my way towards the village centre.

This is to be quite a long walk, but I have no reason to feel hurried, as I know there are plenty of buses travelling through my destination of Crediton, well into the evening if I should need one.

 

 

Views out towards Dartmoor

Fine views out to Dartmoor. I had a slight feeling of walking in the foothills of Dartmoor, which is always in sight on the horizon.

There were farmers everywhere I went on this walk, busily working on their land, I presume in preparation for the next growing season. The good weather we were having this late in the summer was I suppose too good an opportunity to miss. I think there were more tractors than cars on the roads.

 

Lamb Inn, Sandford

I was rather curious to see Sandford as it does crop up in our family history on my mother’s side of the family. There’s a lovely old village pub with a cobbled path running before it. The church of Sandford is just up from the pub, and as there are benches on the wall outside, I stop here to eat my lunch.

 

 

 

I did walk towards the church with the intention of seeing inside, but a woman approached me and asked if I was from Historic Churches. I was rather baffled by this question, and could only think to answer, “No, I’m just out for a walk and thought I’d look in to the church. She explained rather apologetically that the church had to be kept locked because of restoration work that was taking place. Eventually it dawned on that there was a charity event on today, in which all churches were meant to be open to visitors who were raising money for church preservation. A church I came across later on this walk had a table of drink and biscuits and a visitors card to sign in expectation of sponsored visitors, although it did appear that I was the one and only visitor, and therefore out compassion I signed the card.

Crediton

I knew Crediton church was important, but I’d never been in it before today. The interior is both tasteful and imposing. It feels a bit like a church wanting to be a cathedral. The bright red brick exterior marks it out from so many other churches. I can’t help feeling the proportions are slightly wrong outside, but perhaps that’s just me. 

 

 

 

Walk Statistics:

Total Distance: 13.65 miles
Moving Time: 6hrs 03min
Stopped Time: 1hr 33min
Total Ascent: 625 metres
Maximum Elevation: 183 metres

Buses: 50 & H1/H2