Synopsis: Head east, not so young man, was the cry. Well, I have often been drawn to the west and south, and have neglected the countryside to the east of Exeter. It was time I addressed the matter.
A walk I did earlier in the year along the Grand Western Canal took me on bus route through the rustic villages of Bradninch, Willand, Cullompton and Uffculme. It made me realise that this area of Devon, although so close to where I live, was very unfamiliar to me. I had made a mental note at the time to return, and today was the opportunity to do just that.
The Ostler pub, UffculmeMy plan was to catch the bus to Uffculme and walk back to Cullompton from there. Unfortunately quite a number of the buses terminate at Cullompton, the earliest bus to go right through to Uffculme on a Saturday was the 8:40 from Exeter. The best place for me to catch this was from the bus stop near the Whipton shops, a short walk along Sweetbrier Lane of 1.2 miles from home. Despite the bus being a little late, I reached Uffculme in good time as the journey is relatively short and quick., starting my walk by about 9:50.
The River Culme
I take a little time to look around Uffculme. This village has a charming little triangular centre surrounded by pubs and shops. It felt like a pretty sleepy place with very few people about. The church was unfortunately closed, so I only got to see it from the outside. From here I dropped down to the River Culme which was the start off on my cross-country walk. The usual dog walkers that you often meet close to a village were out in droves, although it wasn’t long before I began to cross fields and I was left to my own company.
Distant view of UffculmeThe sun was out and the day warm, although there were some dark brooding skies about. There was every chance I’d catch a shower or two today, but I had my umbrella with me and was prepared for all eventualities. Climbing a hill across the River Culme from Uffculme afforded me fine views across the valley back to the village I’d just left.
I settled on the plan of stopping in Kentisbeare for my lunch. I enter the village at 11:45, passing a little water fountain with a plaque. Apparently the water fountain was put there to commemorate the funeral of George V. A gentleman saw me looking at the fountain and stopped to tell me that he had attended the funeral of the former king of England, as he was living in Windsor at the time. The fountain now serves as a drinking trough for passing thirsty dogs. I was tempted, but decided to stick with my canteen.
Kentisbeare ChurchOn entering Kentisbeare Church I find it to be a hive of activity. Some women were putting in place a newly woven alter cloth, woven in the Heathcote Mills of Tiverton, appropriately enough. One of the ladies explained to me that there were to be celebrations of the 750th anniversary of the church next week, and that they were preparing the church for this event.
The west gallery of Kentisbeare Church
The church has a superb west gallery, something that you don’t see in many of Devon’s churches. It's said that minstrels would at one time have played in these. That's an idea I've always liked. A plaque on the wall commemorates the death of a Scott, a nephew of Sir Walter, who had died of Scarlet Fever. I guess the Scott family had quite a share of tragedies.
Skies darken over Kentisbeare ChurchI eat my lunch on a bench looking out over the church. It’s a lovely peaceful spot and I really appreciate the deeply rural feel of central Devon. I did however notice the skies darkening and saw what seemed like rain on a distant hill, so I decide to be on my way as soon as possible.
Corn begins to turn
I notice that the corn is just beginning to turn from green to yellow. It won’t be long before the countryside is transformed in the the colours of high summer. I was glad of the gentle breeze that blew across the fields, as the day was hot and the humidity high. I notice that the soil in this area is a very light sandy soil, quite a contrast to the deep red heavy clay that is found to the north west of Exeter.
Cullompton Church Golgotha carvingI was presented with a fine view out over Cullompton in the final stages of my walk. I crossed the motorway and the railway and entered Cullompton. I was keen to see the church of St Andrews, as I’d heard that it was unusually grand for a town of this size. I caught sight of it down Church Lane, coming into view between a line of cottages. It appeared quite imposing from the outside, and from the interior even more so. There was this very peculiar ‘Golgotha’ wood carving that is Medieval in origin, that once capped an earlier rood screen. Apparently the only one of its kind in existence. Here I also come across my second west gallery of the day. I hadn’t expected to see two of these in one walk.
But the real crowning glory of this church is the ribbed vaulting of the roof, a glorious example of such grandeur that you’d normally only see in a cathedral. Obviously a place with quite some pretensions.
The bus was waiting at the bus stop. It’s a very regular service that runs between Exeter and Cullompton. Within 5 minutes of my boarding the bus, I’m on my way back home.
It was nice to have sampled a day in what might be considered typical rural Devon, rather away from the usual tourist honey spots.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 13.1 miles
Moving Time: 4hrs 30min
Stopped Time: 46min
Total Ascent: 315 metres
Maximum Elevation: 156 metres
Buses: 1
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