4 - Stepping stones walk
Today was one of those days when I just needed to get out and about for some quiet headspace and to blow the cobwebs away. I didn’t have a particular plan in mind when I set out and I found myself parking the van at Hexworthy Bridge before I even got my map out to plan where I was going to walk. It turns out there is a public bridle way loop marked so after my previous adventures this seemed like a wise choice. This walk is was the perfect example of how spontaneity generally pays off; it is stunning, varied and unexpected all rolled in to one.
Hexworthy was quiet today but it can be really busy in the spring and summer. It’s quite a good spot to park and the river is easily accessible at this point so it’s understandable that it’s a popular spot. I’ve paddled and swum here before but I prefer to seek out quieter, more remote spots.
From Hexworthy Bridge I walked towards Huccaby Farm. There is a campsite here which I am really keen to try this summer as this spot by the river would be great for swimming and you are able to turn up without booking and there are fire pits on the ground around the site too. The church is St. Raphael’s Church, which I always thought looked spooky but it’s actually very sweet and the snowdrops were stunning. From here I took the bridle way opposite Huccaby Farm and followed the track back down to the West Dart River, only a few hundred yards downstream from where I started. It was pretty exciting to come across the stepping stones, though Henry was not so keen and looked a little shell-shocked by the experience! It’s worth noting that there is a sign that says that these stepping stones are not passable after rainfall and the river was actually pretty low today.
Just after the main stepping stones here is another opportunity to come a cropper, crossing a small tributary.
The downside of a circular walk around a river basin is that the whole thing is up or downhill so it was a pretty hard going 4 miles or so. The upside is the stunning views and of course the bonus of it not being a there and back walk. The view below is on the way back up again heading towards Coombestone Tor and looking behind you can see Laughter Tor and Bellever Tor in the distance. At the top of this hill you get one of those incredible ‘on top of the world’ experiences which are common but always breath-taking on this part of the moor.
Panoramic from the top of the hill roughly between Coombestone Tor and Dartmeet. Up here within the space of a couple of minutes I saw a huge quantity of frog spawn in a bog, a buzzard and a hare. My second hare spotting ever. The last one I saw was really close up when it jumped out of a hedge in front of me and Henry and literally went haring away!
View from Ash House at Coombestone, towards Dartmeet in the valley, so named because this is where the West Dart River and the East Dart River join and become the River Dart. The tor in front is Yar Tor and the road leads to Ashburton.
At Dartmeet there was yet another set of stepping stones to negotiate, we were pros by this point but clearly didn’t look like it because a group of walkers waited for me to cross after them. I obviously looked a bit unstable hahahaha. Dartmeet is to be fully explored another day as I think that better weather and the trees in leaf would do it justice. There are a few remains of a clapper bridge here and in the 2nd photo above you can just see the joining point of the two rivers. I want to get a good photo of this from that point for the book as it’s pretty important. The actual start of the River Dart!
Heading away from Dartmeet on another bridle way, past Pixie’s Holt and towards Huccaby again, is another steep climb but I found this derelict house or barn to explore half way up the hill so I could get my breath back.
All in all it’s a lush walk which took me about an hour and a half. On a summer’s day (although you probably wouldn’t get a parking space at Hexworthy Bridge) it would have potential for picnics and toe dipping in the river at various points and icecreams at Dartmeet, so it could easily be all day kind of thing.
Driving back home I decided to stop at Coombestone Tor and take a closer look. This is a spot we have visited as a family many times and I have to say it is more impressive than you would first imagine based on the view from the road.
Fondly known by my family as ‘Poo in a ditch Tor’ (there’s a story there from an ill fated day out with a toddler over a decade ago!) Coombestone Tor is the closest tor to Venford Reservoir and is an excellent place to look out across the densely wooded Dart Valley Nature Reserve. It’s pretty much always windy and cold up here but it’s worth it.
That view! I always find it exciting. Some of my favourite places on the moor overlook that valley and I am yet to share them with you. Watch this space!