Synopsis: A walk in part inspired by the Teign Valley Line railway (that was), of which only a few remnants remain. Followed a stretch of the old track-bed near Lower Ashton. Includes two interesting churches.
(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)
Short and sweet, I think that’s how I would describe today’s walk. Not that it didn’t include a few steep ascents to get the heart and lungs working. As mentioned in the synopsis for this post, this walk was in part inspired by the Teign Valley Line railway which I came across on my recent walk, 20 January 2014 - Walk: Christow to Dunsford (5.9 Miles). And this walk also came about because I recently discovered my great-grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth Rockett, was born in Doddiscombsleigh, as recorded in various census returns.
The day was overcast upon leaving the Exeter bus station punctually at 8:35am, but the forecast predicted a day of sunshine and showers, so I was hopeful for a good day. Doubt was cast on this as the bus approached Doddiscombsleigh which was shrouded in a thick mist. On reaching the village, as I had plenty of time today, I decided to wander down to the parish church to take another look around. I had spent a little time looking around the church on a previous walk of mine, 17 May 2013 - Walk: Haldon, including Doddiscombsleigh & Ashton (14.5 Miles).
What impresses me about St Michael’s Parish Church, Listed Grade I, at Doddiscombsleigh, and I’ve said this before, is its location. The view from the churchyard is across a valley to the hills of Haldon, and Haldon Belvedere. Whether the incumbents therein appreciate this, I wouldn’t like to say. I took this photo as I was leaving the church, and by this time the mist was beginning to disperse.
I backtracked from the church through the village of Doddiscombsleigh and headed out on my walk route. for a short distance I repeated part of a previous walk, 17 May 2013 - Walk: Haldon, including Doddiscombsleigh & Ashton (14.5 Miles), but it wasn’t long before I diverted from the previous walk. On that occasion I was headed towards Higher Ashton, but today, I was headed for Lower Ashton. Part way along the road I came across this frog, which I believe to be a common frog, but was struck by its bright colour, which I would have thought made it an easy target for predators.
As I walked further along the lane I was able to look down upon the River Teign and beside it, distinctly visible through trees, could be seen the old track bed of the Teign Valley Line railway. It wasn’t possible to drop down to the old line as this is now on private land.
I entered the tiny hamlet of Lower Ashton which has the most picturesque post office. There is also a pub in Lower Ashton, the Manor Inn and Restaurant, but not a lot more than that. At the lower end of Lower Ashton I came across what I should imagine would have been one of the stanchions of the old level crossing tucked almost out of sight in a hedge.
I then picked up a lane to the left. A little way down this lane a glance to my left and, visible through a hedge beside a bungalow, I could see the platform of what must once have been Ashton’s railway station. And a little further down this same lane I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a relic from the time of the railway, which I think might have once been a water pump. There’s a short BBC Archive film of the Teign Valley Line on the BBC web site.
Leaving the lane I entered a path that ran along the banks of the River Teign. I do like walking by rivers. Today there was plenty of colour to be seen along the river banks in the form of primroses, daffodils and anemones.
I then began to ascend the valley side and as I did so the view of the Teign Valley opened up before me in all its splendour. I was treated with a superb view of Canonteign House (Listed Grade II), with the hillside rising steeply behind it. And a little to the left of the house, in a small cleft, I could make out, almost hidden amongst the tree, Canonteign Falls. I’ve never visited the falls but gaining such a good view of them today made me think it is about time I paid them a visit.
Climbing the summit of the hill and beginning to descend on the other side the tiny village of Trusham came into sight. The village has a somewhat unusual setting in that it spans a deep sided valley. The labourers working on the roof of a house on the opposite side of the valley could be heard calling to one another. No longer served by the Teign Valley Line railway, I understand Trusham railway station survives but is now privately owned (photos-station; photos-train; photos-Disused Stations). I descended along a cobbled path beside cottages. A young lady on a horse rode by as I was taking photographs.
I then climbed the opposite hill to that on which I’d entered the village until near the top a sign pointed the way to the church. The parish church of St Michael’s (Listed II*), Trusham, is charming. It’s been recently renovated, and quite significantly so, which took me rather aback at first, as it has new pine pew seating and a marble floor, which was not what I’d expected to see. A man and lady entered the church shortly after me and they explained that money had been left the church by the poet Charles Causley, who once owned a house in the village. The renovation has been undertaken with flair and sympathy for the old fabric of the church which has resulted in a practical and harmonious interior. I instantly felt this was a church with a good spirit.
Two rather unusual aspects of the church that caught my eye were the ceiling in the chancel, which has a rather delicate scrollwork patter painted on it. Apparently this had been difficult to restore, and couldn’t be done fully, as in the 1960s it had been coated with a polymer which can’t now be removed. The other thing in the church which I noted was a painted monument on the north wall of the chancel. I made the comment that this looked rather unusual for an Anglican church, and the gentleman I was speaking with explained that it was pre-reformation and would therefore hark back to a time when the church would have been Catholic. Apparently the church was once the property of the monks at Buckfast Abbey, one of whom had recently visited with a cardinal from the Vatican, as evidence in the visitors book affirmed.
On leaving Trusham parish church of St Michaels I picked up a path, past what appeared to be someone’s caravan home, and out into a steep sided valley. It was quiet, warm and sunny, and so I made this delightful spot my lunch stop. The early morning mist I spoke of had completely burnt off by this time, and the day was gorgeous.
After lunch I made out on the last stretch of my walk. This was very quiet and secluded country with not a soul about. I glanced to the hillside to my right and there in the open was a herd of roe deer, perhaps fifty of them. Very unusual and most delightful to see a herd of deer out in the open like this. Of course they saw me as quickly (if not quicker) than I saw them, and were soon scurrying for the cover of a nearby copse.
Oh dear! one more hill to climb. On reaching the summit of the hill the busy traffic on the A38 could be heard. By now I was within about a mile of my final destination, Chudleigh.
And just for a moment, as I conclude this post for what had been a splendid day, I’ll return to the start of my walk, to quote from one of the stained glass windows from the parish church of Doddiscombsleigh. I instantly liked this text on seeing it, and there and then decided to make it my parting words for this post: “Abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent.” Nicely put, and truly a day well spent.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 8.4 miles
Moving Time: 3hrs 25min
Stopped Time: 1hr 49min
Total Ascent: 386 metres
Maximum Elevation: 136 metres
Buses: 360 (Exeter to Doddiscombsleigh: £2.70) & 39 (Chudleigh to Exeter: £6.00)
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