Walk 1: Milfordleigh woods - "Round the block" (1.5 miles)

1.5 miles, 40 minutes, Elevation gain 40m

This is a short walk round Murchington. It is our go-to walk if we’ve been cooped up all day on Zoom (or in the times BC - Before Covid - at work all day). Starting from the bench in the middle of Murchington head west (towards Gidleigh) till you come to a bridlepath on the left, at the top of the hill. Follow this down to the river where you will see the ancient stepping stones over the North Teign River (usually only traversible in summer).

The stepping stones look more like a weir when the river is high.

Is this one of the largest Douglas Firs in England - opposite Leigh Bridge?

Just up from the stones there is a gap in the wall which gives easy access to Milfordleigh Plantation (NT) downstream of the stepping stones. Follow the path along the river bank till you come to the confluence of the North and South Teigns. Opposite is Leigh Bridge and the sweeping lawn of Puggiestone House to the left. Note the giant Douglas Fir at this point, which Murchington folk think may be one of the largest trees in England. Keep to the bank and you will next come to what is believed to be an old fishing hut from the time when the whole of Milfordleigh was part of the St Olaves estate.

The large specimen trees dotted about the wood also date from this period (1867-1900). Continuing on the main path you may catch a glimpse of the Puggiestone itself - a granite outcrop below Puggiestone House. In spring there are large swathes of bluebells on the slopes of Milfordleigh and also some dense clumps of delicate white wood anenomes close to the river. Sadly, there is also a good deal of invasive Rhodedendrum ponticum and Laurel in this area which the National Trust is trying to manage. In Autumn there are also great swathes of mushrooms - not generally edible.

Lungwort - a sign of clean air

More elusively, if you are very lucky you may spot patches of the lungwort lichen growing on hazel and old oak trees in the wood. This is rare in southern England, partly because it can only survive in very pure air. Breathe deeply. Continue the walk along the river bank, till you come to the end of the wood (near where the river plunges over clusters of large boulders and a precariously sited small island). The path now bends back on itself, running parallel to the original path but deeper into the wood. If you are staying at St Olaves it is possible to gain access to the garden here - through the laurel patch by a low fence. This section of the path can become very wet in winter, but it is always passable. It is these wet, low-lying parts of the wood that are best for seeing the Lungwort. As you return through the wood, also look out for the overgrown remains of the old sawmill (usually filled with water except in summer). Also look out for Blacksmith’s Pool, a large open area of the river that is popular for wild swimming - there is easy access to the river. When you get back to the fishing hut keep straight on till you come to a gate and stile. This is the end of the wood. Cross and head right, follow the bridlepath back to Murchington. The walk can be extended to make a two mile circuit - good for runners - by taking the track opposite the bridlepath and heading up to the road (at Fairview), turn right and walk back along the road, past Higher Murchington Farm till you come back to the Murchington. Turn left.

Mild Peril: the bridlepath can be very muddy in winter. There may also be cattle roaming about making it more so. Please make sure you shut the gate that leads to the road - though the cattle have been known to escape anyway.

Milfordleigh Woods - entering from the bridlepath gate - bats love this spot in summer.

Walk 2: Blackaton Copse (2.1 miles)

2.1 Miles, 55 minutes, Elevation gain 64m

Directions

Head west out of Murchington on the Gidleigh road. Pass the road to Higher Murchington but as you get to the top of the short hill take the track on your right (opposite the footpath down to the river). Follow the track past Hackfield Cottage to Fairview and head straight (slightly left) onto the road.

The view of Meldon from near Fairview

Follow this narrow lane for about a mile, joining a slightly larger road from the right as you descend. Note the fine view across the Blackaton Brook valley to Providence with its Bible Chapel and former School House. When you reach the bottom of the hill follow the road round to the left rather than crossing the brook and ascending the hill to Providence. The beautiful garden to your right belongs to the picture-postcard Blackaton House and is occassinally open as part of the National Garden scheme. Follow the road for about 200 metres, but before you get to Blackaton Bridge take the footpath into Blackaton Copse (WT) - crossing the stile - and follow the woodland path alongside Blackaton Brook. This is a lovely ancient wood with a couple of seats overlooking the brook and a series of paths, any of which will take you back to the Gidleigh Road. At the road, turn left and walk back to Murhcington - approximately a mile along a beutiful country lane.

Note: this is a lovely walk to do in reverse, especially at dusk when you may see Meldon lit by the evening sun as you appraoch Fairview on the edge of Murchington.

Mild Peril: not much - the roads are quiet, but do listen out for traffic on the narrow lanes.

Walk 3: Frog Mill & Throwleigh (5.5 miles)

In the spring you may see lambs in the fields of Thorn farm - March 2020

Frog Mill and Throwleigh

5.5 miles, 2 hours 15 mins, Elevation gain 425 ft

Footpath to Thorn and Frog Mill - easily missed

Directions

From Murchington take the narrow lane up the hill past St Johns to Way Down. Take the foot path across the field and cross the style onto the lane that heads north to Waye farm. A few hundred metres past Waye farm, at the bottom of the hill, take the footpath on the left across the fields to Thorn.

At the farm follow the footpath signs which lead you right down the track for about 100 metres. Then follow the path as it bears left across the fields again across a small footbridge and up to Frog Mill. Just past the mill, at the road turn left over the small bridge and then right up the lane past Throwleigh Manor and into Throwleigh. In Throwleigh keep the church on your right and walk a short distance up Shilstone Lane before taking the Bridlepath on your left. This is Deave Lane an ancient track with some good views through the trees across the valley. Follow Deave lane for about a mile. When you reach the road at Forder turn left and follow the road for a few hundred metres to the chapel at Providence Place.

Just past the chapel take the foot path to the right through a gate. In the summer there are often eggs and vegetables for sale in a small kiosk here. Follow the footpath down hill through the trees for a few hundred meters, and when you reach the road turn left.

Follow this very narrow lane to cross a small bridge, and then take the footpath through Blackaton Copse. The path follows Blackaton Brook through the wood and at the far end of the wood turn left onto the road again. Follow the road for about three quarters of a mile back up the hill to Murchington.

Frog Mill

Frog mill (SX 67933 90546) is now completely ruined and overgrown, but the remains of the building are easy to see. It was also known as Froggy mill and apparently dates back to Saxon times as a site for milling. It was a corn mill that was abandoned in 1900. A local history of Throwleigh records that William Madders lived there with his wife Mary before moving to Forder and then to Shilstone.

Shilstone Lane

Shilstone lane is about half a mile long, and runs from the centre of Throwleigh to Higher Shilstone farm, just below Shilstone Tor. It was developed by Father Gambier Lowe in around 1900 with the aim of providing houses for high church anglicans who would attend Throwleigh church. It was apparently known as Petticoat Lane in the 1930s because many of the inhabitants were single older women.

Providence Place

The Methodist Chapel at Providence Place is a fine building on the side of the hill with a granite boundary wall (and note the lamp holder in the gate). It was built in 1839 by the Bible Christians.

Mild Peril

This is a very pleasant easy walk with no steep hills or difficult footpaths. The path across the field at Way Down can get very muddy and it is easy to miss the footpath across the fields to Thorn and Frog Mill.

Walk 4: Meldon Hill (5.25 miles)

5.25 miles, 2 hours 45 minutes, 310 m Elevation gain

Map of walk from Murchington up Meldon Hill

Directions

From Murchington head towards Chagford passing the chapel on your left and heading straight on (right) at the fork. As the Chagford road begins to drop steeply downhill take the footpath on your right into the field and follow the path downhill to Warcleave Wood. Follow the very clear footpath through the wood - we once saw an owl sitting on a branch over the path in broad daylight. When you come to the road turn right and cross the ancient Chagford bridge. Follow the road past the kennels of the Mid Devon Hunt to the cross roads.

View of Cosdon from Meldon Hill - December 2020

Go straight ahead at the crossroads following the narrow road up the hill, and passing Beechlands on your left. At the next cross roads keep straight ahead with the turning to Waye Barton on your right. After about half a mile the road forks right down to Tunnaford. At this point ther are several paths on your left which will take you up to Meldon Hill. This is all access land and there are several different routes so you can’t go wrong.

A friendly cow at the top of Meldon Hill

From the trig point at the top there are great views in all directions and you can look north over the small town of Chagford. Sometimes you may well meet cows or Dartmoor ponies up there. You can also look across to neighbouring Nattadon Common. Take one of the paths down towards Chagford, and aim to pick up the short footpath that takes you past the cricket pitch and turn right onto Manor Road.

At the top of Manor Road turn left to walk down Mill street this will bring you back down the hill to Chagford bridge and you can retrace your steps back over the bridge and through the wood towards Murchington.

Mild Peril

The paths down from the summit of Meldon are quite steep and can be slippery. The route up via the road and the Western side of Meldon is relatively gentle.

Walk 5: Frenchbeer circuit (6.8 miles)

6.8 miles, 2 hours 40 mins, Elevation gain 287 m

From Murchington head towards Chagford passing the chapel on your left and heading straight on (right) at the fork. As the Chagford road begins to drop steeply downhill take the footpath on your right into the field and follow the path downhill to Warcleave Wood. Walk through the wood - in May there are massed bluebells on both sides for much of its length. When you come to the road turn right and cross the ancient Chagford bridge. Follow the road past the kennels of the Mid Devon Hunt to the cross roads. Turn right and follow the road for about a mile towards Gidleigh Park. At first you walk alongside the leat for the old Chagford Wollen mills, later you will pass the magnificent Holystreet Manor and the sweeping gardens of Puggiestone (named after a large granite outcrop close by the river once thought to have Druid connections). Just after you have crossed Leigh Bridge, at the confluence of the south and north Teign rivers, leave the road and take the rough bridleway to the left which runs steeply up hill toTeigncombe.

Alternative - when the river is low this first section of the walk can be varied (and shortened) by leaving Murchington in the opposite (Gidleigh) direction and taking the bridleway on the left as you leave the hamlet. This drops down to a ford and a set of ancient stepping stones across the Teign. These can be slippy even in summer, but if you are feeling brave they give you quick access to the brideway to Teigncombe. After crossing the river follow the path up to the road. Turn left and walk along the road towards Chagford until you see the bridleway on your right at a sharp bend.

The ancient bridleway from Leigh Bridge to Teigncombe

The footpath at Teigncombe which takes you cross country to Frenchbeer.

The path to Teigncombe rises almost continuously for about a mile, offering attractive views back towards Gidleigh at various points. The track becomes metalled when you come to the entrance to North Hill. When you come to the road proper turn right and follow the road up to the attractive settlement of Teigncombe. When the road turns sharply right keep straight on for a about twenty metres past Teigncombe Manor. Here there is a narrow path to the right, besides a house, which heads up to the open moor and Kestor Rock, but ignore this and instead take the Two Moors Way to your left through two small gates. This is an unprepossessing start to a wonderful section of the walk heading towards Frenchbeer.

Follow the path through a field, keeping to the hedge line. In the far corner the path crosses a small water course and heads into a dense wood of conifers and young birch. When you emerge at the top, cross the track and head into a large pasture field. This can be very muddy, especially as you exit into another wooded area. Sections of the path now follow a boardwalk across boggy ground. At Boldventure you need to look out for footpath signs which take you to the left of a newly fenced paddock. As you pass close by Ford, a Duchy property, you will see large banks of bamboo and in summer other invasive species including Himalayan Balsam. As you get closer to Frencbeer the views open up to the east across rich farmland to the hills of Meldon and Easdon. At Frencbeer, with its locally famous Turkey farm, you rejoin the road and turn left heading down to Yeo Farm. (At Frenchbeer the walk can be extended by instead crossing the road and continuing on the Two Moors Way to Teignworthy and Yardworthy and returning via Cullaton and Thorn). Pass Yeo Farm and follow the road right, crossing the South Teign river and rising uphill past the impressive Outer Down till you come to the settlement of Thorn. Here ignore the road to your right (to Cullaton) and head gently up hill to Waye Barton. At the main road turn left and then almost immediately keep left rather than heading down into Chagford on Manor Road (unless you fancy a pint in town). The road now offers magnificent views across Chagford to Drogo looking North-East, while if you look west you see the wooded Teign valley at Holystreet and Milfordleigh. You also get clear views back to St Olaves, with the granite walls standing out clearly on the hillside. Follow this road back down to Chagford Bridge and retrace your route through Warcleave Wood to Murhcington.

Walk 6: Along the Teign & up to Higher Withecombe (4 miles)

4 miles, 2 hours, Elevation gain 370 ft

Route of the walk courtesy of Garmin and Google Earth

Directions

The River Teign below Chagford Bridge

From Murchington head past the former chapel towards Chagford (keep straight ahead rather than following the road left). At the top of an incline, before the road begins a steep drop, take the footpath to the right across the field to Warcleave Wood. After crossing a small stream, walk through the wood, past Warcleave Cottage (NT) hidden in the trees to the right, until you come out on to the road again. Turn right, but as you come to the ancient Chagford Bridge take the footpath on the left that follows the river downstream. Follow the river for about a mile. After a few hundred metres the building to your right is the historic Chagford Woollen Mill, note the mill leat flowing back into the Teign just beyond the factory block. The building has been skillfully reconstructed into six residential properties.

When you come to a weir the footpath leaves the river, following instead the course of Rushford Mill leat (which now supplies the water for Chagford’s outdoor swimming pool (May to September)). Follow this leat for a few hundred metres through a large field with a red-roofed farm on the horizon (Chagfood Community farm). Before you come to a footbridge which crosses the leat take the footpath to the left which follows the hedge line of the big field. At the top you will cross the track which leads to the red-roofed buildings. Keep ahead to skirt around the edge of a small wooded area. If you are lucky you will meet the inquisitive Chagfarm pigs in their large wooded enclosure.

Rare breed pigs eating nettles in their enclosure at the southern end of Rushford Wood.

Keeping the pigs to your right, the path rises quite steeply, bending first to the right. The goat enclosure should now be on your right, with high fencing and spacious housing. As you leave the goats behind and bend left the going can get quite boggy as you head north-west across a rough field. At the end of this field look out for a dilapidated footpath sign and stile into a field to the left. Follow the path up hill, with the hedge to your right. Cross the sunken track which connects Lower Withecombe (left) to Rushford Wood, climbing the stile on the other side. The path now crosses two fields heading north-west. The views back towards Chagford are spectacular from here - so do turn round. Higher Withecombe farm is straight ahead when you cross into the third field. Instead of continuing towards it, the footpath turns left (west). Follow it, keeping to the hedge, till you come to the road (it can be very muddy here). Turn right and head towards Monks Withecombe gallery (on the corner). At the gallery, turn left and follow the road up to Way Down - keeping straight at the crossroads (Waye Cross). At the top, by the Way Down transmitter, take the left and follow the road south, past St John’s till you are back in Murchington. The views to the west - towards Gidleigh Park - are impressive.

Points of Interest: compared with its upland stretches above Chagford Bridge, the River Teign flows gently at this point. This is a prime trout fishing river, managed by the Upper Teign Fishing Assocation since the 1860s. Salmon and sea trout also come up the river to spawn (now Dartmoor’s heavy metal mining no longer renders the river inhospitable for these magnificent creatures). This is also a good place to spot river-loving bird species such as dippers, grey wagtails and if you are fortunate, the iridescent kingfisher. Also look out for the stately goosander - a large diver-like duck that has recently expanded into the area.

Mild peril: not much - the river and the fields around Lower and Higher Withecombe can get very muddy in winter/spring. Some signposts are easy to miss.

Old gate and granite post at Lower Withecombe

Walk 7: Along the Teign to see Randall-Page Sculptures (7.8 miles)

7.8 miles, 3 hours 5 minutes, Elevation gain 202 m

Directions

From Murchington head past the former chapel towards Chagford (keep straight ahead rather than following the road left). At the top of an incline, before the road begins a steep drop, take the footpath to the right across the field to Warcleave Wood. After crossing a small stream, walk through the wood, past Warcleave Cottage (NT) hidden in the trees to the right, until you come out on to the road again. Turn right, but as you come to the ancient Chagford Bridge take the footpath on the left that follows the river downstream. Follow the river for about a mile. After a few hundred metres the building to your right is the historic Chagford Woollen Mill, note the mill leat flowing back into the Teign just beyond the factory block. The building has been skillfully reconstructed into six residential properties.

When you come to a weir the footpath leaves the river, following instead the course of Rushford Mill leat (which now supplies the water for Chagford’s outdoor swimming pool (May to September)). Follow this leat for a few hundred metres through two large fields with a red-roofed farm on the horizon (Chagfood Community farm). At the end of the second field pass through the gate and cross the footbridge over the leat.

The footbridge over Rushford Mill leat

Officially, the footpath crosses the next field south-east, back towards the river (through a gap in the far hedge) and onto the road near Rushford Bridge, but recently it has been made possible to follow the course of the leat directly to the road - crossing the fence where the barbed wire has been cut and a gate has been placed to aid crossing. You are now opposite Chagford swimming pool. Head left along the road for about 100 metres. Note the semi-detached cottages opposite the pool complete with their small granite houses for fattening a pig (apparently). At Rushford Mill Farm head right, passing through the farmyard to leave by the large gate that opens into the big field beyond (in the farmyard note the stepping stones across the Teign to the right which would take you up to the B3206).

Follow the well-worn path across the middle of this big field till it rejoins the river bank. The impressive farm on the hill to your left is Rushford Barton. Keep close by the river till you come to a gate into a wood. The small island in the river is home to ‘Granite Song’ (1991), the first of the Randall-Page sculptures (see below).

Peter Randall-Pages’s ‘Granite Song’ on its island in the Teign. The tree trunk is the result of a recent storm.

Return to the footpath, which continues to stick close by the river. On the opposite bank of the river you will see Mill End Hotel, with its attractive gardens. After you cross a footbridge over a small stream walk through the next field and cross the A382 at Dogmarsh Bridge. The hamlet to your left is Sandy Bridge, with its popular local pub. The field you have now entered is the site of the Chagford Show which is held every August (except in 2020 of course). Keep close by the river for a kilometre. You are now entering the Castle Drogo estate (NT), although Lutyens’ impressive early 20th-century house, perched high on the hilltop, is hard to see even in winter. As you come into the wooded gorge cut by the river, take the raised footbridge to your right to cross the Teign (if you want to visit Drogo follow the track to your left or clamber up the very steep paths that offer more direct access to the house and garden).

Once you have crossed the river head left for a about twenty metres and then take the path on the right that heads back on itself as it tracks uphill. You are now in the historic Whiddon Deer Park. Follow the path steeply uphill though a mix of bracken and upland woodland for about ten minutes. Eventually you will come to a grand beech avenue including some badly storm-damaged trees that must be 250 years old or more. At the far end of this avenue you will see ‘Passage’, the second Randall-Page scuplture, nestled either side of an old granite gateway. This beautiful and peaceful spot is a great place to stop for a picnic. It also offers great views back to Castle Drogo from the end of the wall to the left of ‘Passage’.

Peter Randall-Page’s ‘Passage’, 1992 in Whiddon Deer Park near Drewsteignton

You could now return the way you came, but we would recommend heading right from ‘Passage’, broadly following the direction of the granite wall, past amazing old oaks, till you come out into a large pasture field. This is all access land so head across the field to join the major path that heads south towards the road at Forder. At the road, turn right, walking past Forder on your left (with its microwave postbox) and a few metres later take the footpath on the right into the large field below Whiddon Farm. Head across this field towards the attractive, mullioned house straight ahead (Whiddon Park House). Cross the drive to this house to take the footpath opposite. Note the well maintained hedges on either side of the footpath at this point- a rare example of traditional hedge-laying. After about 300 metres you come to a set of steep steps on your right that drop down towards the river. At the bottom head left back upstream till you return to Dogmarsh Bridge and the Mill End Hotel. From here trace your route back to Murhcington, first along the river and then back through Warcleave Wood. Alternatively, at Rushford Mill Farm, you can follow the road past the swimming pool and up hill to Chagford if you want to shop or grab a drink/meal in town.

Peter Randall-Page

This walk includes two sculptures by Peter Randall-Page: Granite Song, and Passage. The first is on a small island on the River Teign next to a weir, on land owned by Jane Hayter-Hames. The second is either side of an opening in a wall in Whiddon Deer Park. Both sculptures are created from a large granite boulder which has been split in half. The resulting symmetrical faces have then been inscribed with a meandering, almost aboriginal, line in mirror image - the grooves have then been filled with melted lead. It is as though the granite has simply been split to reveal what was always there, timeless but obscured. Although this is reminiscent of splitting limestone to reveal an ammonite, granite is a much older rock that pre-dates fossils. As Marina Warner writes, the granite is "revivified, becoming part of the narrative, occurring in the present time, of the visitor who breaks a path in the bracken to see it" (p24 Randall-Page and Chapman, Granite Song 1999).