Synopsis: First walk of the new year. Plan B, but what a Plan B. Plenty of sun on this warm January day. Countryside wet, but not as deluged as it might have been. A great escape into Devon’s heartland.
(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)
More Tarka Line Walks
This walk is walk ‘Copplestone’ (p.16) in the book More Tarka Line Walks by Peter Craske. This book followed upon an earlier publication, not surprisingly titled Tarka Line Walks. I believe that both of these books are now superseded by one bumper book called Tarka Line Walks. I don’t have a copy of this new book, but it’s likely that my walk today will be found in this new edition. The walks from this book are intended to be accessed from the Tarka Line that connects Barnstaple and Exeter. To see other walks from this book that I have completed, use the link under Tags to the right.
The walks described in More Tarka Line Walks are well written up, with an interesting narrative describing what will be seen during the walk, and adequate walking directions to navigate the route. An Ordnance Survey 1/25k map showing the walk route is printed for each of the walks, making it possible to navigate the route without a separate map, although having one’s own map is always advisable.
So what happened to Plan A (as mentioned above)? Well, there were no trains is what happened to Plan A. Plan A was another walk from the book More Tarka Line Walks. My first choice of walk was that from Newton Saint Cyres, which I mapped out for my GPS only to discover trains rarely stop at that station. This walk just wasn’t practical, so I hastily came up with this Plan B, today’s walk, and the day was saved. I think I shall attempt a walk from Newton Saint Cyres at sometime, but just how I do this needs a little more careful forethought than was possible on this occasion.
I caught the 9:10am train from Digby & Sowton railway station, taking the 39 minute journey to Copplestone, a request stop, therefore important for me to make sure the conductor had noted my wish to disembark at that station. A child was playing games on his tablet PC sat opposite me on the carriage, which I imagined was a Christmas present. It’s not fair! I want one too. The sun was shining and the day already warm as I got off the train, even if the sun’s rays were very oblique on this supposed winter’s day.
I stopped briefly to admire the stone of Copplestone’s fame. This ancient Saxon stone (Grade I Listed) is charming, despite its rather incongruous setting in the centre of what’s now a busy traffic junction. The original stone masons could never have imagined their devotional sculpture would one day find such a profane siting as this. Despite its precarious location, I feel its more in keeping with its original intent to be seen here at the centre of Copplestone village than as a museum exhibit. It’s marvellous that such an ancient monument has been bequeathed to us, a treasure passed down from the ancients, admired on this day by this ancient.
I walked up the main road that runs through Copplestone as far as the old school, whereupon I branched left onto a lane, and my walk became dramatically more peaceful. I thought this a most typical mid-Devon view of gently rolling hills and red-tinged soils. I crossed what my guidebook explains was once, before 1831, the main road between Crediton and Bow.
A little further down the lane I came upon the Punchbowl Recycling Centre; a refuse point with a view. Apparently in America there is a competition for such a thing, and Moab, Utah, is the frequent winner. Somehow I can’t see the idea catching on in this country.
Not far along the lane I then branched right onto a farm track descending quite rapidly towards a farm. This is a lovely spot, with the luscious greens striated with tree shadows. The farmyard collie came to greet me and placidly accompanied me on my walk. A shout of ‘good morning’ came from somewhere in the barn. A cat lay dozing on the hay in the sun.
A bale of hay had been put out for the cattle to graze on next to an ‘ancient sandstone barn’ and it created an idyllic picture in the sun. I was struggling to capture a photo through the trees of this Arcadian scene when I happened to note that one of the cattle was indeed a formidable bull. Time I was on my way I rapidly concluded.
Next came a ford to be crossed with no mention in my guidebook just how muddy this section would be. This was the muddiest part of my entire walk today. A little careful footwork was required to pick a sludge avoidance path least likely to result in a sllip until eventually I rose up onto a solid track on the far side of the ford.
I entered a grassy field with a little brook babbling in the valley just below my path. This seemed an ideal place to pitch up for my picnic lunch. It may have been only cheese and cucumber sandwiches and tea, but I was in seventh heaven.
On setting out after lunch I could make out just ahead of me the little pond mentioned in my guidebook. I passed this and then wended my way to a lane which took me down to the railway line. A path follows the railway track and this was to be my course to Yeoford railway station. My guidebook warned the nearby River Cole regularly floods, but today all was within check and my way unobstructed.
Yeoford station is little more than a platform with a hut. The hut however I discovered to be well stocked with second-hand books. There’s no notice of what this collection is about; no suggestion they’re for purchase. Perhaps they’re simply for passengers to wile away some time before catching their train.
My train was a few minutes late, but not unduly so. I disembarked at Central Station, Exeter, as I arrived at 2pm, and the sun still shone. I searched out Northernhay Gardens and ate some chocolate and drank tea before walking on along the banks of the River Exe on my way back home. A delightful way to spend the day.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 5.6 miles
Moving Time: 2hrs 14min
Stopped Time: 22min
Total Ascent: 162 metres
Maximum Elevation: 161 metres
Buses: (none)
Train: Digby & Sowton off-peak day return (£6.70)
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