Synopsis: Close to home, but no less of a walk for that. The Teign Valley is extremely beautiful. Even the bus journey to Christow this frosty morning was a delight. Frosted hills and fog in the valleys.
(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)
Not quite to plan, but a great walk all the same. So, before I get into my description of this walk, I’ll outline my impromptu deviation from plan. I had arrived at what is shown on the OS map as the Mill. From here, it had been my intention to to pick up the bridleway along the track which continues to follow the River Teign in a north-westerly direction. I could not however see the route on the ground and wound up following bridleway signs directing me up a valley in a north-easterly direction. I had little choice then but to pick up another footpath near Winscombe Farm which would take me down to Green Bridge. All this was made worse by the fact that I forgot to pack an OS map which, even when using my handheld GPS to navigate, I generally carry with me. But all was not lost, as I was able to make a successful walk out of my improvised route. Just rather frustrating that I’d forgotten my map.
As mentioned above, the bus journey from Exeter to Christow was beautiful. The hills were dusted white with frost and banks of fog lined the valley bottoms. It was a very scenic route taken through the back lanes of Devon. I was a little concerned about the bus’s ability to climb the steep hills as there was obviously ice about, but we came to no harm. I was quite thankful that it wasn’t me doing the driving. Here the bus is to be seen departing up the hill in Christow.
Just across the road from the bus stop in Christow stands the Church of Saint James the Apostle (Listed Grade I). Shafts of sunlight pierced the branches of the yew trees standing tall in the graveyard and warding off any evil lurking thereabouts. An ethereal start to my walk today.
The Church of Saint James has some interesting features, as one might expect in a Grade I listed building. The font, 12th century, has a square scalloped bowl. There are a number of 16th century carved wood bench ends. Also some fragments of 15th century stained glass. This quiet and contemplative church visit set me up well for the day’s walk.
The public footpath I was to follow passed through the churchyard. I picked up a muddy track that began to ascend the valley passing signs of native life on my way. The track on which I walked eventually joined with a lane from which my way was right. The way from here was to prove treacherous along a lane cloaked in black ice. As I started out along this lane there were fine views of the fog banks to be seen in the valleys.
Eventually this lane took me down to a main road, the Teign Valley Inn visible on the junction. I picked up the footpath beside the inn that led me down the the banks of the River Teign. A footbridge saw me safely over the river and approaching what appeared to be a railway yard. Old rolling stock and other railway paraphernalia littered the site. A gentleman (Colin Burges?) approached as I stood near what was evidently the main site office. We had a good long chat on how this country’s railways had been wasted in the 1960s and how we still lament so much of what was lost at that time.
A footpath out the back of the railway yard took me up onto open fields. There were lovely views across the oh so green hills. A little rain does wonders for the lushness of our countryside, and we had had more than a little rain.
Another little mistake in my navigation occurred here near the Sheldon Centre. Tempted by the sight of an easy path clearly visible to me I failed to pick up the track that I should have followed at this point. Stupid, I know. At is happened following ‘private’ paths as I did took me down to the same point where the track connects with the lane, so not overly irksome.
I passed some really old historic looking farm buildings near a place named Burnwell. I would imagine these hadn’t changed much during the passing of many a year. I was then confronted by a dip in lane that had flooded, there being no way forward but through the flood, meant I had to take my socks and boots off and wade across. And yes, the water was icy.
The next stretch of the path is particularly lovely in that it follows the valley of the River Teign. I could imagine this would be a lovely place to linger of a summer’s evening. Today I was happy to indulge in the view but kept up a good pace along the path.
I approached the Mill that is to be found on Ordnance Survey maps. This was the place that I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the site of my failed navigation. Suffice to add that not finding my route I trekked up through a woods to a lane before circling around and down to Green Bridge. I followed the B3212 along a path that runs beside the road until I reached a footpath that was signposted Dunsford. I opted for this route since I could no longer pick up my intended route to Steps Bridge.
On reaching Dunsford it was nearly 1pm and I was feeling hungry. I sought out a wooden bench in the grounds of the Church of Saint Mary (Listed Grade I). The sun was shining strongly and it was perhaps, considering the icy start to the day, surprisingly warm sat there eating my lunch. This was to be the end of my walk, so now was a time to relax and enjoy a sandwich and a cup of tea.
After my lunch I still had an hour to spare before the arrival of my bus, so I popped into the Church of Saint Mary. Once again, as one might expect of a Grade I listed church, there were many noteworthy things to be found inside. I had to peep behind a large red curtain to find a fine early 17th century Bishop’s chair, said to have originated at Culver House (Grade II* Listed), Holcombe Burnell parish. There’s a fine timber eagle lectern of 1846. There is also the Fulford family pew which contains the tomb of Thomas Fulford died 1610 and his wife Ursula died 1639, daughter of Sir Richard Bampfield of Poltimore. Seven Fulford children are to be seen on a ledge attached to the wall at the back of the tomb.
Now here’s a curiosity, a cheese room. What do you suppose that might be? A cheese store. The sign is to be found on the house adjacent to the post office in Dunsford.
I almost lost track of the time whilst perusing the interior of the Church of Saint Mary. But checking my watch I realised that there were now only ten minutes till my bus was due to arrive, so I closed the church door behind me and walked to the church gate, outside of which the bus stop was to be found.
It had not been a long walk, but there had been some hills to be climbed today, so I was glad to rest on the bus as I journeyed back to Exeter. As the sun still shone I got off in Cowick Street and walked by the River Exe on my way home. It had been a nice day in the hills that surround the city in which I live.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 5.9 miles
Moving Time: 2hrs 32min
Stopped Time: 1hr 13min
Total Ascent: 413 metres
Maximum Elevation: 133 metres
Buses: 360 (Dartline: £3.00) & 359 (Country Bus: £3.20)
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