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.
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.
WestleighI 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, BarnstapleThere 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
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