Synopsis: Inspired to go woodland walking so I chose Grey Park Wood with Ruddycleave Water running through it. Then, via the tiny hamlet of Ponsworthy, proceeded along Dr Blackall’s Drive back to car.
The predicted weather for today had been sunny for quite sometime, and yet I had no plans for today. I’d recently come across the VisitWoods web site and had been impressed with how well authored this site is. It’s possible to quickly and easily find extremely useful information about woods open to public access in your area. Through the use of this site I came across Grey Park Wood on Dartmoor, which I thought would be ideal, as it would be possible to plan a walk that encompassed the wood and also include some open moorland walking. I hastily scrambled together a rather optimistic walk route, loaded this to my GPS device, and set off from home.
I say ‘optimistic’, because my planned walk was nearly nine miles, it was one o’clock before I was parked and ready to walk, and it’s February. I could see from the maps I examined that there were various ‘escape routes’ along lanes that I could follow if the light began to fail me.
River Dart - picnic spot
Initially my walk followed the course of the River Dart at a spot very popular with families and picnickers (see photo right). There were a lot of canoeists about on the river today; this is evidently becoming an increasingly popular sport with old and young alike. After about half a mile the lane swoops left and steeply upwards, in the direction of Buckland-in-the-Moor.
Southern entrance to Grey Park Wood
Part way along this stretch of lane I came to a Woodland Trust Welcome sign (at this location) which pointed my way onto a track into Grey Park Wood. The walking along this track was easy and gently ascending. Eventually the track swooped down to where there was a bench beside the fast flowing Ruddycleave Water, an ideal place at which to eat lunch.
Grey Park Wood - Ruddycleave Water - the perfect spot for lunch
Before eating I decided to follow the course of the stream down the hillside. I walked to a point where the track diverted right from the stream, possibly in the direction of another entrance to the woods that I’d noted on my climb, probably an unofficial access point to Grey Park Wood (at this location). From here I returned to the bench by the stream to eat my lunch.
Grey Park Wood - Ruddycleave Water - clapper bridge
After lunch I continued along the track that follows, against the flow, the course of Ruddycleave Water. A little way short of where this track joins the road there is a clapper bridge (at this location) across the stream. This is a particularly picturesque spot, water rushing by, bright green moss covered boulders, and sun streaming through the branches of trees.
Bridge
Continuing on from the clapper bridge for about one tenth of a mile I came to a road bridge at a place, according to my OS map, named, appropriately enough, Bridge. This is the top entrance to the Grey Park Wood track, there being another Woodland Trust Welcome sign here (at this location). There is a small collection of charming cottages at this very idyllic corner of the woods that makes this look archetypal Devon.
Buckland-in-the-Moor - St Peter's Church
It was now 15:15, and I needed to clock some miles, so I set off up the hill in the direction of Buckland-in-the-moor. I see Wikipedia states this village had a population of 94 in 2001, and I don’t suppose it’s grown much since then. I was about to enter the church when I noticed that a service was taking place, so all I could do was note it’s grand location and walk on. There are said to be granite stones with the 10 (or is that 11) Commandments carved on them nearby, but once again, time did not allow for me seek these out.
I followed the lane in the direction of Ponsworthy. At a point where the lane dropped to a small clutch of houses, a place called Cockingford, I picked up a permissive path to the left, which took me across fields, gradually climbing to where it rejoined the lane to Ponsworthy.
Ponsworthy - old farm houses by ford
There appeared to be a few small cottages for sale in Ponsworthy. Ideal for anyone with a taste for wild and remote locations. There’s a small collection of what look to be very old farm buildings near to a ford. I crossed this ford and headed up the hill which took me onto open moorland. I picked up a track which cut across the boundaries of a medieval field system before I reached the start point of Dr Blackall’s Drive.
Dr Blackall's Drive
By now, 17:00, the sun was beginning to set and I had 2.2 miles still to walk. I knew I would have just enough daylight in which to complete my walk. The views out across the Dart Valley, with Venford Reservoir occasionally in sight, are splendid. The moor takes on a special quality as evening comes on, so being out late in the day has its compensations.
I reached my car at 17:55, and light was fading fast. I enjoyed the last tea from my flask as I contemplated what had been an enjoyable day. How lucky I am to have all this so close to home.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 8.9 miles
Moving Time: 3hrs 22min
Stopped Time: 1hr 05min
Total Ascent: 526 metres
Maximum Elevation: 354 metres
Buses: (none); Travelled by car to start, a distance of 25 miles.
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