Walking

Exmoor and the north Somerset and Devon coast area a walkers paradise. We leave several walk books and a 1:25000 OS map in the house. 

See http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/ 0019/331318/Butterfly-Pocket-Guide.pdf for pictures of the butterflies you will see on the moor and in the garden. The Somerset ornithological society does some walks in Exmoor but it covers the whole county. http://www.somersetbirds.net/page8.htm

You can download more from http://www.walkinginsomerset.co.uk/

Dunkery Beacon, just behind the house, is the highest point on the moor and worth exploring. On a clear day the views are wonderful over the Bristol Channel to Wales. It does get misty though so choose your day. Often it is misty on Dunkery but fine the Porlock side of the hill. It is always a degree or two warmer by the coast and you can explore Doone Valley and the North Devon Coastal Path. Other long distance trails in the region include the Tarka Trail, The Two Moors Way and the Macmillan Way.

There are also lovely drives and whether on foot or in the car the Valley of the Rocks is worth seeing. This stretches from Lynton to Wringcliff Bay. It runs parallel to the coast with wonderful views, the striking Lee Abbey and sculptural rock formations. There is a good tea room where you can have homemade cakes in the garden.

Selworthy church is worth a visit – you will see it from many of the local walks. Also Stoke Pero church and if you like bats they are hanging from the ceiling of the church at Trentishoe!

Walks We Have Enjoyed

1. Short stroll from Greenslades – about 3 miles. Farmland, pleasant views, a meander along a stream and a quick look at wild moorland.

Turn left from the front door towards Exford, then take the signposted footpath on the left just past Edgcott House. Follow the steep, slightly slippery path up to a gate. Following blue or yellow way marks all the way and using gates marked “please shut the gate” take a sharp left and then sharp right uphill to a gate. Turn left through the gate ahead and in a few yards to to the right through a small gate behind Combe Farm Follow the path and yellow markers on the side of the hill parallel to a farm track then turn left to follow the stream with the stream on your right.

Turn right at the sign post over a bridge across the stream at the second crossing and continue up to a hedge Turn right and walk with the hedge on your left until you cross the hedge on the left using the steps. Continue with a hedge on your right now until you see a gate where you take the sign posted turn to the left, then right keeping another hedge on your right. You will see gates and a style in front of you. Cross the style and walk up the hill to a finger post. There, turn left along a wide track and keep on for about 3/4 mile. Then left at a sign post “Bridleway to Exford”. Continue down the path to Combe Farm before rejoining the same lane that you started up. Turn right back to the house – or left to the Crown!

2. A slightly longer walk from Exford, about 3 or 4 miles, starts from the car park on the far side of the road behind the Crown. This is the first walk in the small leaflet in the large folder and goes past Court Farm, Stone Lane and Prescott.
3. Slightly longer still, but with the same starting point of the Exford car park, c 5.5 miles, see page 19 of the yellow and green Jarrold book of walks or the variation walk 2 in the leaflet..
4. Longest walk we have done from the house is number 31 in the blue, Hitts book. This is 15 miles but you can make it feel a lot shorter by driving the first section which is up the lane and is a steep hill. You can park at the top. The first part of the walk is much easier walking than the part after Warren Farm when you leave the marked path at high ground. This part is pock marked and uneven as it can get very boggy. Keep to the recommended route rather than cutting across as that makes for easier walking.
5. One of our favourite walks is number 4, Cow Castle, p25 in the small red Adrian Tierney-Jones book. It doesn’t feel as long as the 8.75 miles recorded it as but haven’t checked this☺ . It starts from Simonsbath which is a 10 minute drive away (Cross the Exe at the bridge in Exford andturn right parking in the village car park on your right before you reach the Exmoor Forest Hotel) Wonderful views along the Barle valley, the route passes an iron age fort and an abandoned mine.
6. 3 walks in Doone country. In the Adrian Tierney-Jones book, number 8, 7.5 miles of moorland and spectacular coast, Starts at Malmsmead behind the Lorna Doone gift shop. .
   A shorter walk, about 3.5 miles, from the same starting point meanders in the opposite direction, going up the Badgworthy river, crosses it over a small bridge to go over fields to Oare Church (where legend has Carver Doone shooting Lorna through the church window before she marries John Ridd)
   The legend is loosely based on fact and there was a John Ridd who attended this church and whose picture is in the porch. The walk then follows the Oare river back to the starting point. A longer variation goes right down Badgeworthy water to the ruins of a medieval village in the Hoccombe valley. You can make this a round walk by going west to Lankcombe Ford and back over Malmsmead Hill (6 or 7 miles)
7. Bury and Wimbleball – 15 in the yellow and green book. Can be very muddy but wonderful views in all directions from the top of Haddon Hill and the dam at Wimbleball is worth seeing. Bury is a pretty village but the ford there may be too deep in wet weather for your car.
8. From Tarr steps there is a short, probably just over a mile, clearly marked circular walk crossing the river via the steps and then along the bank to a bridge and back on the other side. Watch out for the unusual tree with coins stuck into it! .

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Long Distance Paths

There are a number of well signed long distance paths in reach of Greenslades.

The Coleridge Way

This is a beautiful 36 mile walk through the Quantock Hills, the Brendon Hills and Exmoor. This is the landscape that inspired Coleridge. http://www.coleridgeway.co.uk

The South West Coast path

This is a 630 mile path starting at Minehead. It follows the coast through Exmoor, Devon and Cornwall to end at Poole Harbour in Dorset. http://www.southwestcoastpath.com

Two Moors Way

This links Exmoor and Dartmoor national parks. http://www.devon.gov.uk

Tarka Trail

180 miles in a figure of eight in North devon. Part of the route uses the Tarka Line Railway. http://www.devon.gov.uk/tarkatrail

The Mineral Line

A lovely 11 mile footpath following the route of the old West Somerset Mineral Railway. The railway was constructed in the mid 19th century to take iron ore from the Brendon Hills to Watchet for shipment to South Wales.

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View from the top looking over towards Dunkery and the open moor.

View from just above the house looking away from Dunkery over open

farmland.