Belstone and the River Taw

This is one of the loveliest circular walks from Belstone – just over 4 miles. It’s only a 12 minute drive from Bowerland via the A30. And beautiful any time of the year!

Belstone

Park up at Belstone, there is an ample public car park, with lots of spaces. Turn left to walk through the village, until you come to the Coronation stone on the green. Take a left fork passing the stocks and old village pound. You will come across the Great Green. Make sure you keep ahead across a small parking area to pick up a path that drops towards the River Taw. Just before the ford, turn right over a railed footbridge

Belstone Cleave

1. Go uphill towards the right and you will see a walled enclosure ahead of you. Make sure you bear right again.
2. At the corner of the wall, you will see two ascending paths; take the one bearing slightly left, uphill, which soon crosses the slopes of Cosdon parallel to Belstone Cleave.
3. This is a rocky wet path which will cross several streams, including the Ivy Tor Water.
4. You will then reach a tall granite boundary stone. Go pass this and you will see a wide grassy path.
5. At this point go slightly left downhill, parallel to a stone wall.

Sticklepath / Finch Foundry

1. You will see a bridleway sign by a gate in the wall and at this point turn left and walk downhill, and later bear to the right.
2. At the bottom turn right through a gate on a really lovely path that zigzags down through Skaigh Wood to a path junction (keep ahead for Sticklepath pubs / Finch Foundry).
3. Turn left to walk along the banks of the Taw, passing a restored pond and later the river gauging station. The path narrows and climbs above the river.
4. Cross the Henry Williamson bridge, making sure you read the inscription on it! The path bears right to a T-junction you then need to turn left.
5. After about 100 yards turn left to recross the river via Ivy Tor Bridge.
6. At the footpath junction turn right along the riverbank path, which you will find is wet and rocky in places.
7. You will then pass the remains of the 19th-century Ivy Tor copper mine. Eventually the path climbs away from the river, then levels, climbing to pass below a walled enclosure.
8. Keep going ahead through gorse to meet a path. Then turn right to descend to the ford and footbridge. Cross over and retrace your steps uphill and across the Great Green.

The Tors Pub

On meeting the lane, bear left to find The Tors pub near the Church of St Mary the Virgin. Stop and sit outside for a bite to eat – the views are incredible. Finally you can go back through the village until you reach the car park.

We hope you enjoy this beautiful walk. Read more of our Wednesday Walks HERE. And see Devon Dog’s Calendar of Events HERE.

 

Photo by Ethan Doyle White | CC BY-SA 4.0 | via Wikimedia Commons