Country Walking magazine June 2015

WILD RUINS: Discover Britain’s secret castles, forts & follies June 2015

Britain’s best-selling walking magazine

One summit, eight incredible routes

SNOWDON THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO BRITAIN’S FAVOURITE MOUNT AIN

GORGEOUS RIGHT NOW: Early summer in the Chilterns

Yorkshire’s finest

Explore wild moors and beautiful seascapes on the Cleveland Way

PLUS: Trek across the roof of Bavaria ◆ Top 5 walks in Glen Orchy ◆ The best lightweight shoes for summer

27 ROUTE CARDS all with Ordnance Survey maps

WILD FOLLY Racton Monument was abandoned over 100 years ago, and is now said to be a hub for o tthe e pa paranormal. a o a

DISCOVER Wild ruins

Wild Ruins In his new book Dave Hamilton discovers Britain’s lost castles, follies, relics and remains. Here are Åve of the best for those who like to explore on foot…

SPOOKY TOWERS

RELIGIOUS LIFE The ruins of Egglestone Abbey stand in a quiet spot above the Tees.

Racton Folly, West Sussex

FIND IT: Park just south of junction of B2147 and B2146 between Westbourne and Walderton, and follow lane up to the ruined folly at grid reference SU776094.

WALK IT: For a five-mile circular route, park in Walderton and pick up a path heading south-ish past Lordington House and then west on a lane past Racton Folly. Curve north past Stansted House to join the Monarch’s Way at the Orange Grove and follow it east back into the village.

PHOTO: © MARK WHEATLEY

“Despite its spooky y credentials and obvious neglect, it is an intriguing place to walk.”

PHOTO: © INCAMERASTOC / ALAMY

Racton Ruin isn’t on any tourist map but it is well known among ghost hunters, urban explorers, folly enthusiasts and even devil worshippers. It is over 80 feet tall, completely gutted and roofless, giving a spectacular view of the night sky from the central tower (that is if you dare to go at night). Despite its spooky credentials and obvious neglect it is an intriguing place to walk. It was George Montagu-Dunk, the second Earl of Halifax who commissioned Racton Folly. There is no conclusive account to say why it was built; some say it was as a summerhouse, others a viewing point to watch ships come in from the Solent. It was constructed between 1766 and 1775 and designed by Theodosius Keene, the son of Henry Keene, the architect responsible for the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford.

CHURCH AND STATE

Barnard Castle & Egglestone Abbey, County Durham Set on a rock high above the River Tees, with spectacular views across the Tees Gorge and open countryside, Barnard Castle was built in the 12th century. It was once owned by Richard III, and his boar emblem is carved above a window in the castle’s inner ward. There is still much of the castle left to explore, along with a wide open space that is perfect for children to run around in. A pleasant two-mile walk from Barnard Castle leads to the 12th-century Premonstratensian Abbey of Egglestone, a substantial ruin on the banks of the River Tees. Despite its size and location, near the Bowes Museum and Barnard Castle, it retains an air of tranquility. Egglestone was always notoriously poor; it struggled to keep the required number of 12 canons and it often couldn’t pay its taxes.

FIND IT: Take the A67 (off the A66 at Bowes) to Barnard Castle.

Free parking on Horse Market (A67) or at Queen Street car park, DL12 8GB. WALK IT: Download your 8½ mile walk at Barnard Castle and Egglestone Abbey from www.lfto.com/cwroutes

JUNE 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 21

u

Naturaly

beautiful

The Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty turns 50 this year and you can celebrate by walking its chalk downlands and beech woods as they bloom into summer.

W O R D S : J E N N Y WA LT E R S

32 COUNTRY WALKING JUNE 2015

PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY

DISCOVER Chiltern Hills

DISCOVER Snowdon

EVERY PATH WALKED Eight trails lead to the summit of Wales: all incredible, all very different. We walk them all so you can ďŹ nd the perfect one to enjoy this summer...

PHOTO: TOM BAILEY

JUNE 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 39

NORTH o

M

el

lio Ei

nt

dM ea y) h e ly s Ho ngle (A

ou

ain

i

El

ho

o

M

el

ng Cy

n rio

ar

ad nP

The summit

1,085 metres up on the roof of Wales and this is the panorama you’ll have at your feet.

H

ERE IT IS: the view from the highest ground in Wales. You may have forgotten in the fun of climbing the mountain that your goal was to stand on the summit of a nation and survey the world, and there can be few vistas that range as far and wide as this one. It spreads across the lakes and peaks of Snowdonia, and rolls across the chequered green hills and glinting waves beyond to bounce of

d ed rn Ga gain U

n

360¡ VIEW From Garnedd Ugain in the north right around the compass, the panorama sails over a melee of mountains both large and small.

England, Ireland, and Scotland – ticking of a staggering 24 counties. In fact, the longest theoretical line of sight in Britain is from Snowdon to the Merrick in the Galloway Hills: theoretical because nobody yet has had the crystalline atmospheric conditions that would make it a reality. Maybe you’ll be the lucky one...

And on sparkling summer days you’re unlikely to be the only one up here, particularly if your arrival coincides with the train up from Llanberis. In fact, you’ll likely need to queue before triumphantly circling up the last few steps to the topograph that shows you what’s what in the great wheel of view.

The merry crowds put some people of Snowdon – they think it’s too busy and too commercial – but there’s something hard to resist in the carnival atmosphere as everyone grins out at the panorama, having the time of their life on the top of a nation.

SOUTH

n

ir

da

Ca

wy

r aw

wy

dd aw F n

h

ac gF

i en

r aw gF

Ar

ni re

A

Y

wr Fa

y

Ll

YOUR REWARD

r Be

r di

d ed iw Ll

a Ar

M

M yn lw e o

is

air

d Ca

r Id

s) og

r(

Y

eth Ll

in Rh

dd afy D d ed rn Ca Y

rn Ga

r

Ca

h ac rF e yd Gl

n ely

lew dL

y Gl

r aw rF

And there are ways to find quieter moments.

Most people start climbing after breakfast and arrive up top around lunchtime, so if you get up early or leave a little later on a long midsummer day you’ll find it a bit more tranquil. Experienced and well-equipped walkers may even try climbing it at night, when a full moon casts a spectral twilight across dark peaks and silver llyns, and the headtorches of other adventurers twinkle on the peaks of Mynydd Mawr and Moel Hebog across the valley.

By day and by night, the top of this magical mountain is a place of myth and mystery. It’s Welsh name, Yr Wyddfa, means ‘the tumulus’, for this is where the great giant Rhitta Gawr is said to be buried. He wore a cloak of mens’ beards – well, it can get chilly up here – and was killed by King Arthur. Arthur too is said to have died here, just beneath the summit at Bwlch y Saethau.

l oe YF

c Go

yn

Ll

The café of Hafod Eryri sits atop that tumulus and it’s a good spot to raise a toast to your summit achievement. Opened in 2009, the granite building hunkers into the mountain and it’s a vast improvement on its predecessor, which was described by Prince Charles as ‘the highest slum in Europe’. It can also be a handy refuge should you arrive on the top of Wales when conditions aren’t quite as perfect as in this glorious panoramic photo.

ch Go d ed rn Ga

Y

M

oe

lH

e

iab

lS oe

M

l nL

aw yd

y

Ll

“It’s hard to resist the carnival atmosphere as everyone grins out at the panorama, having the time of their life on the top of a nation.”

n

g bo

yr

b

ym M u na

h

ra rA

M

od

d ne

de

du lD oe

EAST ch Go b i Cr

lan ) Ci sula d yd nin yn Pe M lyn (L

Now plan your trip Find your perfect route and all you need to plan your walk

WEST

la) su fl enin i E P Yr lyn e (L dg Ri e ll nt Na

r aw

M dd

y

yn

M

PHOTOS: CARL SWINDLEHURST

JUNE 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 59

Highland fling ✘

Treasure

MAPS GREAT WALKS EVERYWHERE

Join us for the second in our series about finding great walks on maps chosen at random, and discover wild glens, lochs and peaks on OS Explorer 377: Loch Etive & Glen Orchy

WORDS & PHOTOS: RALPH STORER

W

HEN THE RANDOM number generator flashed up 377 and we unfolded the map for Loch Etive & Glen Orchy, it was clear the walking was going to be good. This double-sided sheet covers 860 sq km of the Central Highlands close to the west coast, where contour lines stack into rugged peaks etched with rock symbols, the green shading of woodland cloaks deep glens, and pools of blue show lochs both large and small.

This is Scotland so you won’t see the green dashes of rights of way because here you can walk wherever you like.

The only route marked is the West 66 COUNTRY WALKING JUNE 2015

Highland Way, Scotland’s most popular long-distance trail, as it journeys north beside the black-and-white stripes of the West Highland Railway and below the towering peaks of the Black Mount.

Most visitors arrive on the map, either by rail or A-road, through the villages of Crianlarich and Tyndrum in the south-east corner. Both are small, but they’re the largest settlements on Explorer 377. At Tyndrum the pink lines of the A82 and A85 split to encircle the sheet – not a single through-road crosses it – which leaves a tempting wilderness of remote glens and high mountains, including 21 Munros, for walkers to explore.

This east side of the sheet is more accessible than its wild west and four of the five walks we found for you are on it – from a lochan in the dark corries of the Black Mount to a taster of the West Highland Way, from a Munro above Rannoch to rivers deep in the glen.

Turn over and you’ll see that Loch Etive stretches 30 km from the coast to Glen Etive, almost bisecting the sheet.

The A85 rumbles along the south edge, squeezing between Loch Awe, Scotland’s longest loch at 40 km, and the pointy peaks of the Cruachan Range, where the Dalmally Horseshoe completes your line-up of five walks in the spectacular landscapes of Map 377.

u

DISCOVER Great walks everywhere

MUNRO MAGIC Looking across to the Black Mount, home to four of the 21 Munros on Explorer map 377.

JUNE 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 67

From

e

PHOTO: © MIKE KIPLING PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY

moors to e sea

TR AIL HIGHLIGHT Up high on Hasty Bank, the trail manager’s favourite pa t o part of tthe e Cleveland C eve a d Way Way.

For its gorgeous line-up of flower-rich moorland, shapely hills and wild seascapes, the Cleveland Way is an unbeatable trail.

W O R D S : J O N AT H A N M A N N I N G

NATIONAL TRAIL Cleveland Way

L

IKE A BLOCKBUSTER film, the Cleveland Way starts with a bang, enthralls throughout and ends with a flourish. This long-distance walk traces a 110-mile (177 km) horseshoe through the North York Moors and along the Yorkshire coastline. It explores spectacular landscapes punctuated by handsome historical buildings and extraordinary geographical features; in brief, it’s a trail with hugely appealing variety.

It also changes with the seasons, looking its best in early summer. In June, spring flowers are still in bloom, the heather and bilberry are greening and broods of ground-nesting birds are fledging; look out for lapwing, curlew, plover and grouse.

With the good paths and regular waymarking that befit a national trail, it’s largely gravity that provides the challenge to walking the Cleveland Way, particularly along the undulating coast.

The trail begins in the shadows of Helmsley Castle and heads west, before reaching a dizzying panorama over the Vale of York from Sutton Bank.

From here it turns north to follow the edge of the moors, passing rocky outcrops like the Wain Stones, and climbing to the summit of hero hills like Roseberry Topping.

Trail manager Malcolm Hodgson identifies the northern escarpment of the Cleveland Hills as his highlight, for the vistas north from Carlton Bank and Hasty Bank over Teesside and Middlesbrough, and south over the moors back to Bilsdale.

Reaching the coast at Saltburn, the trail tumbles and twists between achingly pretty fishing villages like Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay, as well as more developed towns such as Whitby and Scarborough.

Striated clifs reveal the geology of the rock, sand and soil, while a spot of beachcombing often turns up fossils and jet. The rolling coastline can make this section challenging, particularly if an easterly wind gusts of the North Sea, but it’s also a mesmerising seascape that teems with seabirds.

You know a walk has achieved a special status when it inspires its very own ale, and the first brew to celebrate the Cleveland Way was launched in April. Striding the Riding by Helmsley Brewing Company is a pale ale whose pump clips pay tribute to the variety of the national trail, with moorland, coast, dales, a ruined abbey and a gull.

“It’s always nice to reward yourself after a good walk and what better way than with a glass of beer inspired by the very route you’ve been rambling?” says Malcolm.

The way can be walked in one glorious week, ending with a triumphant paddle in the sea on the six-mile sandy beach at Filey, or you can sample the very best of it in a single day or weekend. Either way, this varied trail through Cleveland is the perfect u leg-stretcher for summer.

“It explores spectacular landscapes and extraordinary geographical features; it’s a trail with hugely appealing variety.”

JUNE 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 73

Germany’s

Hidden kingdom Discover a corner of Bavaria that is way off the British tourist trail, where you can walk from a King’s Lake to the heights of the Eagle’s Nest…

WORDS AND PHOTOS: NICK HALLISSEY ADDITIONAL PHOTOS: SEPPI RINNER

CAN IT REALLY BE GERMANY? The Königssee in Berchtesgadener Land. It all looks ab bitt Norwegian. o weg a

DISCOVER Bavaria

I

T WAS THE picture of the ford that sent me to Bavaria. I know what you’re thinking: fords are a Norway thing.

Bavaria is in Germany; Germans don’t do fords. Except they do.

The guidebook photo was tiny but it conveyed just enough magic: a sheer-sided mountain valley cradling a long and pristineblue lake. “The Königssee from the Jenner,” it said. And with the vigour of a Victorian inspired by an Alpine poster, I began my research. I had to find that ford.

A month later, standing atop the Jenner and looking down with widening eyes, I realised that as good as it was, the photo could not do justice to the Königssee. Fair enough, it’s not actually a ford; it just looks a lot like one.

But it is still one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

The beauty of Bavaria is well understood

by British walkers. You might know that it sits in the south-west corner of Germany, with its southern end being spectacularly Alpine. You might know that it’s easy to get to, thanks to regular flights to its state capital of Munich.

And you’ll almost certainly associate Bavaria with truly exceptional beer.

But the area of Königssee is way of the usual British tourist track. It’s the Berchtesgadener Land National Park, centred on the small town of Berchtesgaden. It has never really set itself up as a destination for British visitors, and there is one possible reason for that which we’ll get to later. English isn’t widely spoken here, and you aren’t likely to find that many fellow Brits to talk to as you wander the meadows of Ettenberg or the gorge of the Almbach. But if you you want to walk somewhere genuinely stunning, and perhaps revise your view of Germany entirely, this is where you should come.

Berchtesgaden lies in the deepest southeast corner of Bavaria, surrounded on three sides by Austria. Like the rest of Bavaria, u

JUNE 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 81

No-nonsense reviews for real walkers YOUR COMPLETE BUYING GUIDE

Country Walking always tests products for both men and women.

Our reviewers Nick Hallissey and Sarah Ryan have notched up thousands of miles on foot, so they know the value of good kit at the right price.

This test took them to the Somerset Levels, the Yorkshire Dales, Glen Coe and the Wrekin.

SHOES

N

OT EVERY DAY needs a walking boot. If you aren’t heading up a mountain or across a lot of boggy moorland, a good shoe will often do just as well, and make you lighter, quicker and more agile at the same time. It’s about liberation, really: the feeling of freedom that comes with not being laced into the rigidness of a boot. They’re lighter, softer and less likely to make your feet overheat. Plus, assuming your car’s footwell doesn’t mind a bit of mud, you can drive home in them afterwards. In recent years, trail-running technology has percolated through into this market, so even if you don’t want to be an athlete, you can find walking shoes that achieve that magic mix of comfort, speed, grip and sturdiness, while still weighing half as much as the average boot. A shoe can never offer the same security and protection as a boot, of course (especially around the ankle), so you’ll want to be sure your ankles are strong enough if you want to wear shoes on rockier terrain. But with summer days ahead, a good pair of shoes can turn a woodland walk into a bimble, and a hillwalk into a breeze. This guide features a whole range of options from superlightweight moccasins to fortified stompers. Somewhere in there, you should find an option that you’ll love.

About our reviews We’ve chosen five pairs for men and five for women across a broad price range. Rather than a comparative test, we focus on what you get for your money at each price-point. We don’t pick an overall winner, as this can be like comparing apples and oranges, and no single option will suit every walker.

Instead we aim to help you match the shoe to the kind of walks you like to do.

qLIBER ATED Walking shoes give much greater freedom of movement than a boot when you don’t need the toughest level of protection.

PHOTOS: TOM BAILEY

OUR TESTERS

Walking

NB: WE ALWAY SPECIFY THE RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE (RRP) FOR CONSISTENCY. YOU MAY SEE THESE ITEMS SOLD FOR CONSIDERABLY LESS IN STORES AND ONLINE.

88 COUNTRY WALKING JUNE 2015

Buying Guide Walking shoes OUTSOLE A thicker outsole lifts your foot away from the terrain for comfort; a thinner one puts you into closer contact with the ground. Also look at the tread pattern, or ‘lugs’: denser lugs are best for rock; a more spaced-out pattern copes better with muddy fields.

FIT As always, this is the clincher. As fit is so subjective, we look at the general shape and spacing of each shoe, rather than how it fits our reviewer. Always start by getting measured by skilled staff who can then give an informed appraisal of the brands or styles that will suit your foot best.

LACING In theory, the further down the shoe the lacing goes, the better the fit will be. You may also find some shoes with drawcord lacing; this reduces the control you have over the lacing, but saves weight and is quicker and easier.

MEMBRANE Most of the shoes in this guide have a waterproof/ breathable membrane to keep water out while also venting heat and moisture from your feet. But you won’t always need one: on a warm, dry day, a membrane-less shoe will run cooler and lighter.

A compromise option is the new Gore-Tex Surround technology; you can see two examples of it in this test, one from Meindl and one from Zamberlan.

TOE-BOX

FLEX

This is the reinforced section which protects your toes. A hard, rubberised toe-box is great for mountain walks where you will be bumping up against uneven stone; a smaller bumper saves weight and is better for low-level walking.

Some of these shoes are robustly rigid; others can almost be bent in half. Even if you usually like tougher footwear, it’s worth trying a softer, suppler shoe once in a while: they may not offer the same level of protection, but they can be a lot easier on the feet on a summer’s day.

INSOLE A cushioned insole feels lovely, but can add weight and heat to the package. A firmer insole lacks luxury but gives you a truer feel for the terrain; this can be important for faster hill-walkers.

JUNE 2015 COUNTRY WALKING 89

27 ROUTES with Ordnance Survey Maps

Britain’s best

JUNE 2015

WALKS s T heree’a r one nu! yo

SOUTH WEST

SOUTH EAST

MIDLANDS

PHOTO: © KEITH MORRIS / ALAMY

EAST

NORTH WEST

WELSH WATERS The picturesque Teifi estuary – for a route along this beautiful stretch of coastline, tu to Walk turn Wa 20.

0

Summer days

A poet’s hideaway in Hampshire l Off the beaten track in the Forest of Dean l A roundabout route in the Lakes... and more great walks for long sunny days

NORTH EAST

WALES

SCOTLAND

IRELAND

Britain’s est

WALKS

Find a great walk near you...

SOUTH WEST SOUTH EAST

01 Devon Soar Mill Cove

MIDLANDS

02 Somerset Tudball’s Splats 03 Bath & NE Somerset Two Tunnels Greenway

EAST

04 Hampshire Hawkley

NORTH WEST

05 Kent Medway Valley

NORTH EAST

06 Buckinghamshire Chiltern Hills

WALES

26

07 Shropshire Brown Clee Hill

SCOTLAND

08 Northamptonshire Braunston 09 Staffordshire Rudyard Reservoir

FAMILY WALK

10 Derbyshire Rushup Edge

IRELAND 25

24

11 Derbyshire Chapel-en-le-Frith

19

12 Norfolk Clenchwarton

17

13 Lincolnshire Grimsthorpe 14 Cheshire Marbury Mere

27

16

15 Merseyside Croxteth Country Park

15

16 Lancashire Ribble Valley

22 23

17 Cumbria Red Screes 18 West Yorkshire Black Hameldon

14

18 10 11

09

13

12

07

19 Northumberland Lambley & Burnstones 20 Ceredigion Teifi Estuary

08 20

21

21 Monmouthshire/Gloucs Lady Park Wood

06 03

22 Gwynedd Snowdon Watkin/Llanberis Paths

02

04

05

23 Gwynedd Snowdon Horseshoe 24 Isle of Arran Clauchlan Hills

01

25 Borders Broad Law

How to use your routes WALK INFORMATION An estimate of how long the route will take, based on a pace of about two miles per hour, with allowances made for slower, hilly routes.

A B

NAVIGATION: Good map-reading and compass skills required in places.

DISTANCE: Route is between 8-12 miles from start to finish.

TERRAIN: 3,000ft+ with sustained steep ascent/descent; possible scrambling.

W

N

S

E

100 COUNTRY WALKING JUNE 2015

E

TRAILZILLA ID (on reverse of card) We upload all our walks to Trailzilla.com so subscribers can use the unique code displayed on the back of each route card to download and print the route.

S

GRADIENT PROFILE Check the ascent and descent (hilliness) of the route with a quick glance at this profile.

TERRAIN: Min 2,000ft ascent, sustained steepness and rocky or boggy ground.

W

ABBREVIATIONS We have abbreviated left to L and right to R.

GRADE Our routes are graded easy, moderate, challenging or occasionally extreme, depending on distance, terrain, elevation and ease of navigation. Easy and moderate walks are usually less than 8 miles with relatively gentle gradients. The table below shows how we grade our more challenging walks:

N

OUR EXPERTS All our routes are written by experienced and knowledgeable walkers who are experts at finding the best walks in their area and describing them clearly.

If you spot a route which needs updating, email cwroutes@bauermedia.co.uk

CHALLENGING

27 North Yorkshire Thixendale

CHALLENGE WALK CLASSIC ROUTE

EXTREME

26 Argyll & Bute Dalmally Horseshoe

A B

NAVIGATION: Sound navigation skills required; route may be trackless.

DISTANCE: Route is more than 12 miles from start to finish.

MAPS (on reverse of route card) Follow the red route marked clearly on the map.

It’s essential to take the relevant Ordnance Survey map with you in case you get lost and inadvertently leave the area covered by our map.

600 400 200 0 km 0

DEVON COVE 01 HOPE

4

6

Wildflowers in bloom on the coast path.

countryside of the South Hams district, fittingly part of South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

1

Start From the car park take the road bearing L past pub & restaurant, then past toilets and information point to join coastal path. At sign follow loop out to Bolt Tail and back, then continue for 3.5km/2.2m

2

12

5.4km/3½ miles Just before Soar Mill Cove, path winds down inland to junction. Take the short diversion R to the cove itself for a great photo opportunity and a nice setting for a drink or lunch break. Retrace steps and proceed on lower path signed

10

GRADIENT PROFILE

8

A B

PLAN YOUR WALK h nt Kingsbridge

Buckfastleigh Torquay Paign Totnes Brix Dartmout

Plymouth Plympton Salcombe

ROUTE Start/parking Outer Hope, grid ref SX676401 Is it for me? Coastal path, rocky, with gradients in parts, quiet lanes/paths Stiles 3

PLANNING Nearest town Kingsbridge Refreshments Hope & Anchor Inn, Tel 01548 561294 (also provides accommodation), Harbour Lights Restaurant, Tel. 01548 897579, and harbour front cafŽ at Outer Hope Public toilets At Outer Hope Public transport None Maps OS Explorer OL20; Landranger 202

16

18

20

for Bolberry with fields on R. At fork go through gate towards Southdown Farm, then go R at next junction and follow path signed for Malborough. Join driveway and pass houses leading to Southdown Farm.

14

➥

SOMERSET SPLATS 02 TUDBALL’S

4

6

2

10

GRADIENT PROFILE

8

12

2.5km/1½ miles Through the gate, stick with the track downill. About 100m beyond the far boundary

1

Start From White Post, take the Molland Estate track NNE down to Upper Willingford; through the gate, follow the track uphill to Porchester’s Post.

typical of Exmoor, and surrounded by rough moorland, and presumably sheep or other animals were brought here for shelter. Wear warm clothing and bring your waterproofs, because although this is on the edge of the moor, for a kilometre or so you are exposed to anything the wind drives through here!

3

14

Lynmouth

16

Tiverton

upe

Burnham Minehead Watchet Bridgw

Taunt Wellington

18

20

3km/1¾ miles Follow the track E to road, turn R onto the road, cross the cattle grid. Follow the road steeply down, then steeply up.

of Tudball’s Splats, turn R onto the track.

Nearest town Dulverton Refreshments In Dulverton, Withypool Public toilets In Dulverton & Withypool Public transport None Maps OS Explorer OL9; Landranger 180

PLANNING

Start/parking Park at White Post, grid ref SS812318 Is it for me? Terrain is rough moorland paths, some open moor, lanes, tracks. Suitable for reasonably fit walkers Stiles None

ROUTE

Torrington

South Molton

Barnstaple

Lynton

PLAN YOUR WALK

uDistance: 10.8 km/6¾ miles uTime: 3 hours uGrade: Moderate

This landscape can be wild and wonderful.

600 400 200 0 km 0

2

CHOSEN BY… RUTH LUCKHURST Who can resist an area on a map with ‘Tudball’s Splats’ and ‘Porchester’s Post’ within a couple of hundred yards of each other? Porchester’s Post was first erected in 1796 to mark the boundary of the Carnarvon estate, and was subsequently replaced by the current memorial to Lord Porchester, Earl of Carnarvon, Chairman of the 1977 enquiry into the protection of moorland on Exmoor. A splat was a small field or enclosure, generally with a specific purpose. Tudball’s Splats are four old fields of soggy but rich grassland, enclosed by the moss-clad beech hedges

metres

SOUTH WEST

✁

uDistance: 11km/7 miles uTime: 3½ hours uGrade: Moderate

2

CHOSEN BY… RICHARD JONES The delightful Hope Cove, which takes in the two villages of Outer and Inner Hope, was once a natural smugglers’ haven and home to a thriving fishing industry.

It also has a fascinating naval history, and some local buildings incorporate old beams salvaged from the wreckage of the Spanish Armada. Nowadays Hope Cove boasts a fine pub-hotel and restaurant and provides a perfect starting or stopping point for a stage of the South West Coast Path. The views on this stretch are spectacular, and the inland paths provide contrasting examples of the green lanes and lush

metres

➥

SOUTH WEST

PHOTO: MAUREEN JONES

PHOTO: RUTH LUCKHURST