The Walks
Looking Out From
Haytor
The Coast Path
Near Budleigh Salterton
Dartmouth Waterfront
A Reminder of Wartime
Torcross
Bowerman's Nose
A Waterfall
Near Burrator
Branscombe Beach
Hound Tor
The Ancient Bridge
Postbridge
Bellstone Telegraph
Office
Closed
Looking Up To
Yes Tor
Buckfast Abbey
Church House
Widecombe
Dartmoor Prison
Princetown
South Devon Railway
Buckfastleigh
Bellever Youth Hostel
Near Postbridge
The Countess Weir Hotel
South of Exeter
Premier Inns
Travelodge
A386 Near Okehampton
This collection of Devon walks concentrates on the south of the
county; craggy coastal and estuary routes, glorious inland countryside and
rivers plus, of course, a great selection on Dartmoor. Some of the walks
here are demanding high moorland, whilst others offer a gentler
introduction to the stunning moor.
To provide a comprehensive selection of routes, our separate
Somerset and North Devon edition incorporates a good selection of superb
coastal and inland walks in the north of the county.
Our
walk along the coastline overlooking Babbacombe Bay includes some very
dramatic cliffs, with sometimes steep paths. Your exertion will be
rewarded by stupendous views – weather permitting! The walk actually
starts in Maidencombe, just north of Torquay. It was to this peaceful spot
that the author Rudyard Kipling came to live in 1896. Seeking tranquillity
for his writing, he and his wife never really settled here and moved on
the following year.
Still
on the coast, the Budleigh Salterton to Danger Point walk, despite its
name, is actually an easier pasture and fairly level coastal route.
Initially taking the banks of the lazy River Otter, the route then comes
out to the coast on the western margin of Lyme Bay. You’ll also have an
opportunity to take in the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve.
One
of the sea’s biggest incursions on the south Devon coast is the Exe
estuary, which you can explore on our walk from the village of Kenton, by
Powderham Park. It is hard to believe, but the village was a thriving port
in the sixteenth century. It is known to have been a centre for the import
of wine and brandy from France. What isn’t recorded is how much of these
prized goods made their way ashore without the knowledge of the Excise
Men. Powderham Castle has commanding views of the River Exe, which is
navigable up to Exeter.
Going
down the coast, beyond Torquay and Brixham, you come to one of our most
dramatic and occasionally strenuous walks - out to Froward Point and above
the precipitous cliffs to Kingswear on the beautiful Dart Estuary. You
could cross by ferry to Dartmouth itself, or wait for another day to take
the separate walk out to Warren Point.
Further
south is the long expanse of golden beach known as Slapton Sands, with the
delightful seaside hamlet of Torcross at its southern extremity. As
delightful and peaceful as this scene now appears, the locality played a
macabre and secret part in our final victory in the Second World War. For
it was here that American forces practised the invasion of Normandy. One
terrible day the German Navy managed to infiltrate the mock-invasion fleet
of landing craft. The resulting carnage was kept secret for many years,
but is now commemorated by a proud memorial overlooking the beach.
Now
moving inland to Dartmoor, we have carefully devised two separate routes
ascending the highest summit on the moor; High Willhays. One is fairly
short, though still with sections of steep ascent, whilst the second route
is much longer, more demanding – but even more rewarding!
But
there are several routes which provide a superb insight and exploration of
this huge and sometimes forbidding moor without being too demanding.
One
of the most famous and visually distinctive summits on Dartmoor is Hound
Tor – capped by its unmistakable rock formation. We take in this feature
on the moderately challenging walk from Manaton. On this same route
you’ll see the iconic rocks making up ‘Bowerman’s Nose’. We also
have a perhaps easier walk starting near Haytor and affording superb views
over Widecombe to the west. On a clear day you can see the infamous gaol
even further westward.
Dartmoor
Prison is a name guaranteed to send a shiver down the spine of any old lag
– at least in times gone by. You can now sample a bit of ‘porridge’
at the prison’s museum in Princetown at the heart of Dartmoor. On a
brighter note, our walk from nearby Postbridge up to Laughter Tor could be
misleading. It is, in fact, a serious yomp for experienced moorland
walkers with navigational expertise.
Also
near the centre of Dartmoor, our walk from Burrator Reservoir ascends to
Sheepstor and beyond. This route also provides an opportunity to visit the
graves of the exotically named White Rajahs of Sarawak.
Away
from the moor rural Devon has some of the most charming villages and
countryside to be found anywhere in England. Walks here often end by a
welcoming inn or tea-shop with real Devon cream teas!
For example, the gentle ramble from Parke Estate, near Bovey
Tracey, follows the banks of the River Bovey for part of its course.
Elsewhere this route takes woodland paths and quiet country lanes.
The
lanes from the tiny and ancient market town of Chagford give way to
riverside and woodlands. Our walk here incorporates part of the path
designated ‘The Two Moors Way’ and the infant River Teign.
Just
up the road, a walk from Moretonhampstead to the Iron-Age hill fort of
Cranbrook Castle is quite a lengthy route through some of central
Devon’s loveliest countryside. En route you can get sight of a goodly
number of pre-historic settlement sites.
Also
setting forth from Moretonhampstead the walk out to Kennick Reservoir
mainly takes in gentle tracks and open farmland. But it also ascends
Blackingstone Rock, from which promontory you’ll get panoramic views of
some of Dartmoor’s most iconic stone features. On a clear day you can
see by looking around; the
peak of Yes Tor on Okehampton Common in the far distance, the great ridge
of Hameldown, Hound Tor and Haytor Rocks far away, and Hel Tor Rock closer
by
Not
long ago, even the small community of Moretonhampstead had its own railway
station. Built in the mid-nineteenth century, the line from Newton Abbot
once carried as many as eleven trains every day. For the station not only
took in the early tourist visitors to Devon, but also sent forth large
quantities of the local granite to feed the Victorian construction boom.
Perhaps misguidedly closed in 1959, it’s a fair bet the line would again
today be bringing in train-loads of tourists.
In a much earlier era, Sir Walter Rayleigh hailed from the Hayes Barton
Manor, which is passed on our walk on Woodbury Common. This easier route
threads through the gentle countryside east of the River Exe.
You’ll
enjoy walking south Devon, whatever sections of its extraordinarily varied
terrain you choose.
CONTRIBUTORS
Devon & Dartmoor walks, pictures and
background info have been compiled by:
Liz Jones, Richard Westlake, Ruth Luckhurst and Joanna Heathorn
DEVON & DARTMOOR
- THE WALKS
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your walk report by clicking on its icon 
Walks
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SIR
WALTER RALEIGH’S HAYES BARTON
An
easier walk on Woodbury Common, to Raleigh’s birth-place
8.4 miles (13.5 km)
Toughness
Rating: 1
BABBACOMBE BAY FROM MAIDENCOMBE
A moderate walk, with some steep bits - and dramatic cliffs
8.9 miles (14.2 km)
Toughness Rating: 2
BRANSCOMBE
– BEACH & CLIFFS
Ascend
from delightful Branscombe Beach to the cliff path above
7.8
miles (12.5 km)
Toughness
Rating: 2
BRAT
TOR
Strike
out from the iconic Dartmoor Inn for the tough ascent of Brat Tor
7.3
miles (11.7 km)
Toughness
Rating : 4
BUDLEIGH
SALTERTON TO DANGER POINT
Despite
the name this is quite a moderate coastal and riverside walk
Toughness
Rating : 2
BURRATOR
RESERVOIR TO DITSWORTHY WARREN
A
long, mainly moorland route, with some quite lanes
12.5
miles (20.0 km)
Toughness
Rating: 4
CHAGFORD & THE TWO MOORS WAY
An
extremely varied moderate walk along a riverside and through woodland
8.8
miles or 6.4 miles (14.0 km or 10.2 km)
Toughness
Rating: 2
COMBEINTEIGNHEAD
CIRCUIT
This
varied walk takes in woodland paths and a section of the River Teign
8.4 miles or 9.7 miles (13.5 km or 15.5 km)
Toughness
Level: 2
COSDON
HILL & LITTLE HOUND TOR
A
demanding route, ascending Little Hound Tor and a pre-historic bridge
7.2
miles or 8.2 miles (11.5 km or 13.0 km)
Toughness
Rating: 4
COSDON
BEACON & CRANMERE POOL
A
longer and very demanding ascent of Cosdon Beacon, across moors and tors, with breathtaking views
13.1 miles (21.0 km)
Toughness
Rating: 4
DARTMOOR'S
NEW
BRIDGE TO CHALK FORD
A
moderate walk in the heart of Dartmoor National Park
8.5 miles (13.5 km)
Toughness Ratin
DARTMOUTH
& WARREN POINT
A
short but sometimes rugged route, with vantage points over the Channel
4.7 miles (7.5 km)
Toughness
Rating : 2
DREWSTEIGNTON
TO FINGLE BRIDGE
A
shorter and fairly easy riverside ramble
5.6
miles (9.0 km)
Toughness
Rating: 2
FROWARD
POINT AND KINGSWEAR
Sometimes
steep and demanding, part of this walk is close to cliff edges
9.1
miles or 5.9 miles (14.5 km or 9.5 km)
Toughness
Rating: 4
THE
GRANITE WAY TO GREAT LINKS TOR
A
tougher route, taking in some of the highest points on Dartmoor
9.6
miles or 10.9 miles (15.3 km or 17.3 km)
Toughness
Rating: 4
HAYTOR
Take
in fantastic views from Haytor and other nearby summits
8.2 miles (13.1 km)
Toughness
Rating : 3
KENNICK
RESERVOIR FROM MORETONHAMPSTEAD A
moderately demanding country ramble, with an optional extension to Fingle
Bridge
11.4
miles (18.2 km)
Toughness
Rating : 2
A
moderately strenuous walk in the hilly Dorset - Devon borders
8.8
miles or 6.3 miles (14.0 km or 10.0 km)
Toughness Rating : 3
A
moderately demanding walk on Dartmoor, via the ruins of a medieval village
7.0
miles (11.2 km)
Toughness
Rating : 3
MORETONHAMPSTEAD
TO CRANBROOK CASTLE
A
long and moderately demanding country ramble to an Iron-Age hill fort
12.8
miles or 9.4 miles (20.5 km or 15.0 km)
Toughness
Rating : 3
PARKE
ESTATE & THE RIVER BOVEY
A
fairly easy walk on country lanes and woodland paths
8.4 miles (13.5 km)
Toughness Rating: 1
POSTBRIDGE
TO LAUGHTER TOR & DARTMEET
A
tough high moor route – one for experienced yompers !
12.2
miles (19.5 km)
Toughness
Rating : 4
POWDERHAM
PARK AND THE RIVER EXE
A
lengthy but relatively easy walk with stunning views of the Exe Estuary
11.1 miles or 8.4 miles (17.8 km or 13.5 km)
Toughness Rating: 2
THE
COAST PATH NEAR SIDMOUTH
A
moderate walk along cliff tops and inland – from the other Salcombe
Toughness
Rating : 2
A
sometimes demanding cliff-top and country ramble
7.8
miles (12.5 km)
Toughness
Rating : 3
SLAPTON
SANDS & TORCROSS
An
easier coastal route, with a fascinating history
7.8 miles (12.5 km)
Toughness
Rating : 1
WIDECOMBE-IN-THE-MOOR
AND HAMELDOWN BEACON
A moorland walk with some stiff ascent and a Bronze-Age settlement
Toughness
Rating: 4
BELSTONE
TO HIGH
WILLHAYS
A
tough moorland route up to the highest point on Dartmoor
10.8 miles (17.3 km)
Toughness Rating: 4
YES
TOR & HIGH WILLHAYS
A
shorter but demanding route to Dartmoor’s highest summit
5.3
miles (8.5 km)
Toughness
Rating: 4
*
The Lyme Regis walk also appears in our Dorset Edition
|
Most
of our Devon & Dartmoor routes can be undertaken by reasonably
fit walkers able to utilise the map segments and our recommended
Ordnance Survey maps, together with the route guidance notes.
|
Directory
of Local Information Sources
WHAT
TO SEE
or visit on or near the walks
Blackpool
Gardens
Garden
Display
Blackpool
Sands, Dartmouth
01803 770606
Restored 19th Century plantsman;s gardens
www.blackpoolsands.co.uk
Buckfastleigh
01364 645500
Visit a magnificent Abbey with tranquil gardens and exhibition
www.buckfast.org.uk
Waterfall
and Visitor Facilities
Teign
Valley
01647 252434
Waterfall,
nature trail and café
www.canonteignfalls.com
Castle
Drogo
National
Trust property
Drewsteignton
01647-433306
20th
century granite ‘castle’; formal gardens and walks on the estate.
www.NationalTrust.org.uk
Church
House
National
Trust Property
Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor
01364 621321
Visit the historic house, grounds and cafe
www.NationalTrust.org.uk
Dartmoor
Prison Museum
Prison
Experience !
Tavistock
Road, Princetown
01822 890261
Can
you do porridge in England’s most notorious jail ?
Castle
and Exhibition
Castle
Lane, Okehampton
01837
52844
Visit
this Mid-Devon castle
Totnes Road, Paignton
01803 697500
www.paigntonzoo.org.uk
South
Devon Railway
Steam
Railway
Buckfastleigh, Staverton or Totnes Stations
0845
345 1427
Take
a steam train trip through fantastic scenery
www.
Southdevonrailway.org
GETTING HELP
Free
local guide brochures available by post.
Information
and an accommodation booking service
is
available at the centres listed below, or online at:
South
Devon Touism
Brochure
Line: 01262 215671
www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk
Bovey
Tracey Tourist Information Centre
Lower
Car Park, Station Road, Bovey Tracey
Tel: 01626 832047
Brixham Tourist Information Centre
Quayside,
Brixham
Tel:
01803 211211
Buckfastleigh Tourist Information Centre
80
Fore Street, Buckfastleigh
Tel: 01364 644522
Dartmoor
Visitor Centre
B
3387, Haytor
Tel:
01364 661520
www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
Dartmoor
Visitor Centre
Postbridge
Tel:
01822 880272
Dartmoor
National Park Authority
Parke,
Bovey Tracey
Tel: 01626 832093
www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
High
Moorland Visitor Centre
Tavistock
Road, Princetown
Tel:
01822 890567
www.discoverdartmoor.com
Ivybridge
Tourist Information Centre
Leonard’s
Road, Ivybridge
Tel:
01752 897035
www.ivybridge.gov.uk
Newton
Abbot Tourist Information Centre
Bridge
House, Courtenay Street, Newton Abbot
Tel:
01626 215667
Okehampton
Tourist Information Centre
White
Hart Courtyard, by the Museum
Tel:
01837 53020
www.okehamptondevon.co.uk
Tavistock
Tourist Information Centre
The
Town Hall, Bedford Square
Tel:
01822 612938
www.tavistock-devon.co.uk
Torquay
Tourist Information Centre
Vaughan Parade, Torquay Harbourside
Tel: 01803 211211
What’s
On …Dartmoor
For
A Free Guide
Tel:
01822 890414
www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
National
Organisations
Representing walkers throughout Britain
Tel: 020 7339 8500
www.Ramblers.org.uk
English Heritage
Preserving
and maintaining our heritage in England
www.English-Heritage.org.uk
Properties described on
their web
site
Tel: 0870 458 4000
www.NationalTrust.org.uk
WHERE TO STAY
The Tourist Information Centres listed in Getting
Help offer accommodation advice and booking services, as well as the
web sites listed below:
Other Organisations
Youth Hostels Association
the U.K. are described on their web site.
Directory available free to members
Tel: 0870 770 8868
www.yha.org.uk
Camping & Caravanning Club
Details of 1400 camp sites on the web site
Tel: 0845 130 7632
Town
& Country Hotels
FREE directories and web sites for regional and national hotel groups or franchises:
Best Western Hotels
Tel: 0845 33 00 415
www.BestWestern.co.uk
Corus Hotels
Country & town centre hotels throughout Britain
Tel: 0845 300 2000
The Independents
Consortium of 2 & 3 star hotels throughout Britain
Tel: 0800 88 55 44
www.TheIndependents.co.uk
Marston Hotels
Independent four star hotels throughout England
Tel: 0845 1300 700
Old English Inns
Classic Inns across England
Tel: 0800 917 3085
Premier Travel Inn
470 budget hotels across the U.K.
Tel: 0870 242 8000
Travelodge
Budget accommodation across the U.K.
Tel: 08700 850 950
Welcome Break
Budget accommodation at motorway services
Essential
Contributors
Safe & Courteous
Walking Our Routes
Toughness
Ratings
Local Info
Getting
Help
What To See
Where To Stay
Best Links
Weather
To Walk
Ramblers Association
English Heritage
The National Trust
Camping
and
Caravanning Club
Youth
Hostels
Great Walks text and pictures are the copyright of Synchra Communication Ltd 2009
Mapping is the copyright of
Synchra Communication Ltd 2009
Developed under License from The Ordnance Survey