Synopsis: The land that time forgot, otherwise known as Mid Devon. Few people seem to visit Mid Devon, and yet in many respects it feels most like Devon to me. Mud aplenty! And the occasional bull.
Walk! Devon
This walk is route 6 from the book Walk! Devon. All the walks are ‘GPS Enabled’, by which is meant that each has a table of waypoint grid references that can be loaded to a GPS unit to facilitate easy navigation. It’s pretty rare to find a book which caters for the GPS navigator. I actually enhanced the route navigation from that given by the book by dropping to Bing Maps and including additional waypoints to give a more detailed route. Since the book’s waypoints have to be manually entered, the authors tend to only give about 20-30 waypoints. To see other walks from this book that I have completed, use the link under Tags to the right.
Having examined the route I could see that it was feasible to do the walk from Eggesford railway station and decided that I’d like to do it the green way. This would involve a minor supplement to the length, since I’d have to walk the two miles between Eggesford (population 80) and Chawleigh twice, but that would be quite manageable. Since I’d be walking some distance I checked the train timetable for a suitable early start, and chose the 8:10 from my local Digby & Sowton rail station. This would also be a good plan from the weather perspective as the day was predicted to start well but rain was expected later in the day.
Eggesford railway station
I was walking from Eggesford by 9:05. Unfortunately a stretch along the busy main road between Exeter and Barnstaple had to be negotiated for the first five minutes into the walk, so care was needed. It wasn’t long however before I picked up a track into the woods, and it felt like I was leaving civilization behind.
Next hurdle was a herd of cows lolloping home from milking along my intended path forcing me to halt and watch their casual absence of urgency. They evidently didn’t have a train to catch later in the day. I chatted with a gentleman taking his Great Dane out for a walk. The dog seemed almost as large as the cows; both were eyeing each other up with equal suspicion.
I need to mention at this point a couple of navigation matters regarding my connecting stretch between Eggesford and Chawleigh. Firstly, I’d mapped my route following a bridleway across a field at this point, but there was no visible way across the field of oats. The dog walker I mentioned above said he’d been told the recognized route was a dog-leg to the corner of the field and then up to the farm (once clear of cows). And secondly I’d mapped my route following a public footpath at this point only to be shouted at by people in the bungalow opposite that I shouldn’t go down there as there was a silage pit. This begged the question where was the public footpath sign and what is a silage pit doing on it. Anyway, I had a walk to do so I thought better of it and followed the lane around to Chawleigh, which wasn’t out of my way.
I was quickly through Chawleigh and headed out on a track into open country. It made me smile, that my guide book describes a point about half a mile out of Chawleigh where I would be ‘passing a house guarded by yappy dogs’, and do you know what, the yappy dog is still there.
From the meadow into a field of oats guided by a narrow path through the crops
After crossing a lovely meadow and dropping down to a gate with ‘fancy iron work’, I was presented with a beautiful image of Devon countryside. And just for this short moment it did indeed feel like summer, a rare moment in this no-summer year.
Baffled for a moment but eventually find my way across this stream
I then entered a wood following, just as described, a track that was ‘quite wet underfoot’, but I was making reasonable progress till I came across this stream that I had to cross. For a moment I stood and stared at the volume of water coming off the hillside, and was beginning to think I’d be taking my boots and socks off, when luckily I noticed a point just upstream about 25 metres where I’d be able to hop across without the need to take a paddle.
Ancient settlement of West Burridge - Iron Age hill fort
Shortly after this I found myself close to West Burridge, an ancient hill fort, so, as recommended, I decided to take the short detour to it. It’s not as large as the Woodbury hill fort that I’d seen on my previous walk, but it was impressive all the same, and nice to see that it remains distinct after all these years. You’ll see my little walk around the ramparts if you examine my walk tracklog (links above).
Cheldon Bridge
Resuming my walk route, I then dropped down to Cheldon Bridge. This is a rather picturesque spot, so I was tempted to take a little time out and grab a few photos. The sun graciously shone briefly through the mantle of trees and the water sparkled. These are the little treats that make walking so worthwhile.
Leigh Bridge
By now I was feeling ready for a lunch break, and walking across meadows in Little Dart Valley I was on the look out for a suitable spot. In the end I found a quiet refuge by Leigh bridge, and took a break there.
Chulmleigh visible on the far hill
From here to Chulmleigh there are a couple of, as described, ‘steady ascents’, where the route takes you first up a hillside, only to take you right back down again. This made for a significant contribution to my fitness programme for today. There is a lovely spot on the hill across the the valley from Chulmleigh where the village, and in particular the parish church, make a picturesque protrusion on the hillside opposite.
Chulmleigh
Chulmleigh seemed sleepy as I entered the village, my entrance greeted purely by the hum of the occasional Flymo hidden somewhere behind garden hedges. The parish church of St Mary Magdalene is of some distinction (Listed Grade I), so I walked in that direction. As I approached the church I noticed how fine the railings are, and I now find that these are Listed Grade II. Sorry, not photo.
Chulmleigh - parish church of St Mary Magdalene - angels look down from the wagon roof
The church itself has a fine west door. The rood screen is 16th c. and although heavily restored there are original carvings to be seen. The pulpit is Victorian. I rather liked the angle figures that adorn the wagon roof. As with most churches, there were charming and interesting things to be found within.
Chulmleigh - blue water pump
On the way out of the village I stopped momentarily to look at this rather quaint blue water pump stuck in the middle of the road. Old and redundant, but not forgotten; I felt a certain sympathy with it.
Nice bull! - ok, where do I exit this field, quickly?
In a meadow down in the Little Dart Valley I’m distracted for a moment by what appeared to be a herd of frolicsome heifers that came charging over towards me, seemingly wishing to play. Although I know they’re no trouble really, it can be a bit unnerving. Anyway, I was so distracted that for a good while I failed to notice the bull in the field. Thankfully, despite it’s impressive haunches, it appeared more timid than me, and the heifers too for that matter, so we were content to leave each other to our own amusements.
On having reached Chulmleigh I’d resigned myself to being too late to make the 16:10 train from Eggesford, and hence devoted time to enjoying its parish church. As I rejoined the lane out of the Little Dart Valley I thought there was the slimmest of possibilities that I could make it, but I was wrong, just. I arrived at Eggesford station to see the train I hoped to catch pull out. Nothing for it but to plug in my MP3 player and wait out the hour and a half till the next train arrived. Nevertheless, a positive view on this was the fact that it had started to rain by now, and at least I was dry and cosy in the station shelter.
My guide book’s ten mile walk was obviously extended through my having used the train, although it was very manageable, and I’d probably have caught the 16:10 if I hadn’t encountered the herd of cows early into this walk. A really enjoyable day’s walking in the darkest depths of Devon.
Note: For a slightly shorter walk route if travelling by train, consider returning from Chulmleigh via Chawleigh Week Cross, a potential saving of 1.7 miles on the distance I have walked today. The guidebook route, if travelling by car, suggests a start point of Chawleigh.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 14.5 miles
Moving Time: 5hrs 29min
Stopped Time: 1hr 28min
Total Ascent: 708 metres
Maximum Elevation: 180 metres
Buses: (none)
Train: Digby & Sowton to Eggesford (Off-peak day return: £8.40)
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