sidbury to woodbury castle

June 12, 2023 by Mark Seymour in east devon way

east devon way

sunDAY, 4TH june 2023

Start location: Sidbury (SY139919)

End point: Woodbury Castle (SY032872)

Map: Explorer 115

The weather forecast for the entire week looks fantastic. Today should be sunny and warm all day long.

Although I will only get glimpses of the sea today I’ll include the tide times for Lyme Regis.

Lyme Regis high tide 07:30

Lyme Regis low tide 12:56

I start the day at the car park behind Sidbury Village Hall and I head into the village, passing St Giles Church and the Red Lion pub.

Further on just after a stone wall I turn right along a footpath signed to White Cross.

On my right I first pass Court House with its stone mullioned windows, then the stone pillars and black-and-white gabled gatehouse to Sidbury Manor. I walk straight on, with some thatched white cottages away to my left, and soon reach a field gate. I go through the gate and follow the hedge on my right.

At the far corner of the field I follow the footpath sign to the right, pausing for a moment to look behind me at the pine-covered hill behind Sidbury which I walked through a year ago. I go through a metal gate and turn right on to a lane.

This lane becomes a track after it crosses a babbling brook where I keep to the left. I pass the thatched Goosemoor Farm on my right, continue ahead through a gateway on a track hedged on both sides.

I walk along an overgrown path where I come across a stinky gate blocking the path. It won’t open and is leaning at a terrible angle so I’ve got no choice but to shove my bag underneath and scramble over.

At another gate I continue straight on uphill through the centre of a large field. After the next gate I go diagonally left across a field towards the line of tall pine trees at the brow of the hill. I have lovely views over the rolling countryside.

I walk along a track with a wire fence on the right. At the next gate I go straight on, keeping a small copse on my left, then at the end of the copse I continue straight ahead to go through a gate and reach a lane.

I cross over the lane and go left into the Forestry Commission woodland. This is White Cross, with a small car park area. I follow the track for half a mile walking slowly behind a horse and pass Hollow Head Cross where, shortly afterwards, I bear right at a fork.

I go though a gate on to Fire Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve on Harpford Common.

I take the left fork by the interpretation board and continue on the plateau with distant views of the sea.

fire beacon hill

I start to descend, following the track - which is fairly steep and rocky - down then round to the left.

I continue down the hill and at a Nature Reserve notice board on my left I turn sharp right on a more level path. At the bottom, I turn right on to a lane, and shortly take the footpath on the left down some steep steps through a gate into fields where I come across donkeys.

I walk down a steep field admiring the wildflowers and the views.

I keep the field boundary to my right, aiming towards the gate at the bottom, which leads to the B3176 road.

I cross over into Harpford Wood, owned by Clinton Devon Estates, where I am immediately warned to keep off the log stacks.

Once in the wood I discover the Victorian old railway bridge which I walk underneath, towards a sandstone gulley with a stream, which runs through the woods.

I pass a brick lined drainage and access tunnel as I follow the path through the woods. I have no idea whet the tunnel is accessing and have no interest in finding out!

At the end of the woodland track I exit the woodland and reach a kissing gate and a nettle ridden path which leads me on to Knapps Lane.

I walk slightly downhill and after a few yards turn left towards St Gregory’s Norman Church in Harpford Village and after a few yards turn right keeping the Church on my right. There’s no church service today.

I pass Court Place, a grand white house and turn right, then go through a gate on to the footpath towards the River Otter. There are sand martins flying all around me and I can see them entering their nests on the banks of the river.

I go over the bridge and straight on, away from the river, across a field.

I pass through a gate at the trees and turn right and then, almost immediately, left up 24 steps and by orchards along a woodland track, up some steps and then take a left then immediately a right turn at a hedgerow.

I walk through the orchards where I’m warned to keep children and pets under control as the trees have been sprayed.

I eventually walk downhill at a field edge to reach a lane at the bottom. I turn left then immediately right along the lane signposted to Southerton.

At the end of this lane I turn left along the footpath opposite a house named Badgers Hill. I continue up steps and turn right over a stile where the path now has a wire fence on either side. When I reach a wider track, I turn right through woodland and go though a gate to enter Hunger Hill which has conservation grazing.

The landscape has changed dramatically as I am now going over heathland and wide open spaces.

As I approach a close-boarded fence I follow it left to reach a gate and exit the heathland. I go left on to a lane past a cottage called Benchams Cottage.

After 100 yards I turn left along a footpath through a gate on to the Pebblebed Heaths of Clinton Devon Estates, with conservation grazing. I follow the pebbled track with fields on my right leading down to a stream which I cross by a footbridge.

I then continue uphill on the pebble track, though a gate and cattle grid until the track becomes a surfaced roadway and I come across common spotted orchids.

I continue on this roadway through Aylesbeare Common RSPB Nature Reserve where, just before reaching the main A3052 road, there is an information board.

I’ve now reached the end of stage 4 of the East Devon Way if you are walking it from east to west.

I cross this busy road with fast- moving traffic to reach the car park known as Joney’s Cross diagonally left opposite.

From the car park I head towards the far right corner and take the path leading to a lane. I cross over the lane and follow the ‘To Public Footpath’ sign and head west, down the track. After 120 yards I turn left down the track south, away from the main road. I follow this wide ‘coach and horses’ track to near Morish Cotley, with farmland in the distance in front of me. There are common spotted orchids on either side of the track.

The path emerges from the woodland on to a lane. I turn right, with a large white thatched house on my left surrounded by flowers, heading downhill.

A woman at the house shouts out to me ‘good morning’ and then changes her mind and shouts ‘or maybe good afternoon’. I’ve no idea which one it is either. It turns out that it is a quarter to one in the afternoon.

At the bottom, at a small red brick barn, I turn left for about 100 yards, past a converted chapel.

I reach Hawkerland cross roads. At the bridge over the stream, I turn right up a public bridleway, then take the right fork along a pebbly track wide enough for a vehicle, with high banks on either side.

At the next fork I take the left track uphill to enjoy the wide-open space of the common. I follow the wide track for nearly 2 miles with gorse bushes (not in flower for a change) on either side.

There are numerous forks and junctions, but I keep straight ahead, looking out for frequent waymark posts to guide me. Ahead in the distance I eventually see the main road and a wooded hill which is Woodbury Castle. On my left are open vistas of the heathland.

I keep on the track when it eventually veers left, keeping Woodbury Castle ahead of me. As I near the castle, I walk alongside it on my right and look out for a waymarker to turn right into the woodlands. Here I can clearly see the ramparts of the castle, a prehistoric hilltop fort dating back to 500-300BC.

I go immediately left then right into the castle and follow the waymarks which lead me in a horseshoe-shaped curve around the ramparts until a final left turn brings me to the car park.

I pass an information board and then enter the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

roses
forget-me-not
green alkanet
nigella
red valerian
hogweed
herb robert
red campion
herb bennett
clover
cow parsley
rape
common sorrel
foxgloves
greater stitchwort
heather
bluebells
goat’s-beard
rooks
chaffinch
pheasants
chiffchaffs
song thrush
wrens
buzzard
donkeys
poppies
wisteria
mexican fleabane
speckled wood butterfly
great spotted woodpecker
stonechat
common spotted orchids
common bird’s-foot trefoil

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 11.2 miles which amounts to 25907 steps. It has taken me four and three quarter hours. The weather has been magnificent and the walking has been lovely. Ten out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

colyton to sidbury

May 30, 2022 by Mark Seymour in east devon way

east devon way

monday, 2nd may 2022

The weather forecast isn’t much good today and doesn’t look particularly warm but I shouldn’t have much in the way of wind. It’s not likely to be a very good day for photographs again.

Lyme Regis high tide 08:24

Lyme Regis low tide 13:52

Start location: Dolphin Street Car Park, Colyton EX24 6JT, SY246940

End point: The car park behind the village hall, Sidbury, EX10 0SN, SY138917

Map: Explorer 115 & 116

I start the day back in Colyton at the Dolphin Street car park. I cross over the road and walk behind The Colcombe Castle with the market square on my left and then along Vicarage Street behind St Andrew’s Church, with its distinctive lantern tower.

On my left I pass the grand wrought iron gates of Colyton House where, opposite, the East Devon Way rejoins me from the right.

I cross over the stone Chantry Bridge and turn immediately left into a field next to the River Coly.

I pass a large industrial building which is the last remaining oak tannery in Britain.

The next two or so miles is an uneventful walk next to the river, crossing several fields, passing through several gates and crossing small footbridges. Along the way I take photographs of some of the rather bedraggled flowers.

Eventually I exit the riverside fields and join Northleigh Lane. I follow this road towards Northleigh for a mile and a half and come across some early purple orchids.

I pass Road Pitt Farm and then, at Farwood Cross, I go straight over the crossroads past some stone cottages on my left.

I now have Northleigh in my sights and can make out the church with its distinctive white tower.

I go over a small stone bridge and continue up the lane past more cottages on my right.

At a junction I turn left where the signpost points towards ‘Farway, Southleigh and Honiton’ and walk towards Northleigh Church, passing a colourful garden on my left filled with tulips.

I enter the churchyard and then follow a footpath keeping the church on my right. I follow the path round to the left where it becomes a track before reaching a lane.

I turn right onto the lane, which goes uphill slightly. I turn left, go though a gate and continue across the field to pass through another gate.

In this next field I follow the hedge on my right and, before reaching the bottom corner, cross over a stile in the hedge to reach a lane, where you I turn left.

I cross over the lane and turn right into a field almost immediately opposite. I walk diagonally though this field aiming for a bridge in the centre.

I leave the field over the stiles at the bottom and turn right on to the road. I pass Netherton Cottage and in front of me is Netherton Hall with its large flint and brick wall. I follow the road as it curves to the right.

Just past Netherton Hall I turn left down a lane towards a ford, signposted Farway. I cross over the ford on the footbridge, and then walk through Farway village, with its thatched cottages.

I turn right at the cross roads, signposted Farway Church & Honiton. In front of me are two old fashioned petrol pumps.

I follow a lane to the right and pass a farm where a large marquee has been erected although I don’t see any sign of what it’s going to be used for.

Where the road bends to the right, there is dead end road sign to my left at Valley View Road. I take the footpath into the field in front of me.

At the bottom of the field I go over a stile and a wooden bridge, and fork left towards a thatched house, marked Tedbridge on my map. I pass Tedbridge Cottage and cross over a footbridge over a stream and then turn left in through a field and right to follow the side of the stream.

I turn right on to a lane, go through the gate at the end of the field and cross the stream. I follow a lane up to Church Green where I can see St Michael’s Church with its fine yew trees.

I leave the church behind and follow the road out of Church Green uphill, steeply at times, for three quarters of a mile to reach a t-junction. On the climb up I come across some more early purple orchids.

I cross over the t-junction and enter Farway Forestry Commission woodland where I follow a bridleway until I come across a large vehicle turning circle, where I take a track to the right and then a wide track on my left.

I turn left to reach the Ottery St Mary to Beer road, which I cross with care and walk to the right of a cottage and then through a farmyard.

Past the farmyard I turn left down a public bridleway, and enter Knapp Copse Local Nature Reserve. I’m now next to the babbling Roncombe Stream and the lane surface becomes a stony path where I come across a group of people out walking their dogs. The dogs are very friendly and surround me wagging their tails and jumping up on me.

I pass through a newly- planted orchard and pass signs for permissive paths on my right and left and the bridleway eventually swings right to reach a gate into Lower Knapp Farm holiday complex.

I go through a gate and then follow a gravel path between the holiday buildings and then follow an access drive with Roncombe Stream first on my left and then on my right, to reach Roncombe Lane where I turn right.

I turn left through Lower Mincombe Farm where I come across more friendly dogs, cross over the stream and turn right through a gate and up a track, which then swings left steeply uphill.

At the top I go right, still climbing, to reach a field with a threatening sign telling me that there is a bull in the field. Great!

I go diagonally across the field but don’t see any cows. I keep a copse on my right and suddenly, as I head towards the gate masses of cows suddenly appear and there is indeed a bull with them.

I calmly move towards the gate as the cows converge on me and make it to the gate just in time. As I go through the gate I am completely surrounded by cows although they seem to be pretty friendly.

I turn onto a lane and then turn right again over a stile, immediately after Oaklands Farmhouse, where I come across a public footpath sign to Sidbury.

I walk along a woodland track leading downhill, then along the top edge of an open field. This leads to a conservation woodland, which is quite boggy but has a boardwalk through the muddiest parts.

Once out of the woodland I go straight across a field and go though the metal gate into another wooded area. I should now see the Old Dairy House with its Victorian decorative bargeboards but it is completely obscured by trees. I reach a lane with Hatway Cottage opposite and turn left.

I follow a lane steeply uphill for a quarter of a mile and near the top follow a public bridleway on my right and eventually enter a pine plantation. I come to a wider vehicle turning area and follow a signpost on my left directing me to a public footpath on my right.

I follow the signs through the woods. The path now descends steeply through Buckley Plantation. The loose earth down this steep slope proves to be very slippery so I pack everything away in my bag and head gingerly downhill where I can now see glimpses of Sidbury with its church below.

I reach a field on the outskirts of Sidbury and walk straight ahead towards the church, cross a stile, and go through a gate and then turn left keeping to the left of farm buildings.

I go though a kissing gate and turn right on to the lane past Long Barn House. I turn immediately left down a lane to the village, cross the River Sid by the red brick bridge where we stayed in a holiday cottage in 2016. It is now a short hop and a step to enter the village of Sidbury.

At the main road I pass the Red Lion pub, the church and the butcher/convenience store, and turn left behind the village hall to reach the car park where my lift awaits.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

garlic mustard
green alkanet
greater stictchwort
wild garlic
bluebells
red campion
cow parsley
chiffchaffs
wrens
pheasants
early purple orchids
cuckooflower
ribwort plantain
tulips
primroses
robins
song thrushes
fig
blackcaps

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 12.7 miles which amounts to 29566 steps. It has taken me five and a quarter hours. The weather has been a bit dull and misty but at least my notes aren’t falling to pieces today. Despite that it has been a thoroughly pleasant walk and I’ll have to come back and complete the entire East Devon Way when the weather is better. Nine out of ten!

WALK DETAILS

MAP

dawn chorus in sidbury

May 23, 2016 by Mark Seymour

We stayed in Sidbury for the week a couple of weeks back when I was walking the coast path in Devon and Dorset. Every morning I would get woken by birdsong so I popped my recorder outside one morning to record the dawn chorus. Blimey! What a racket!!

exmouth to sidbury via sidmouth

May 15, 2016 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

south west coast path

saturday, 7th may 2016

2016 has been a miserable year so far. It has been wet, windy and cold. But hang on a sec, I seem to have a pretty decent forecast for today. It looks like it will be warm and sunny for much of the day.

Exmouth high tide: 07:48

Exmouth low tide: 14:02

Today's walk starts at Exmouth Marina where the Exmouth to Starcross ferry is moored. I'll use this ferry later on in the year to get across the River Exe.

From here it's a short walk to the nice, sandy beach. It's high tide so the waves are lapping against the sea wall. I pass the Jubilee Clock Tower on The Esplanade, erected to commemorate the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria, before continuing along the beach.

I pass by The Grove (@thegroveexmouth), several hotels and the Bath House. I drop down on to the beach and wander along it. Just behind the beach can be found The Maer, a local nature reserve, which seems to be full of dog walkers.

Towards the end of the beach I pass Exmouth Lifeboat Station (@exmouthrnli) before going through Foxholes Car Park. The path rises out of Exmouth and along the top of cliffs heading towards Orcombe Point.

Orcombe Point marks the start of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site stretching 95 miles from here right the way around to Dorset. The rocks here are 250 million years old and a deep red colour. A sign here gives details of the Jurassic Coast.

“You are standing at a remarkable point in the geological story of our planet. About 250 million years ago, most of life on Earth was wiped out. The distant headland to your right holds fossils that record some of the strange creatures that died out. The red rocks in the cliffs to your left were formed when the survivors started to recover.”

today's geology lesson

Orcombe Point marks the start of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site stretching 95 miles from here right the way around to Dorset. The mudstone and sandstone rocks here are a deep red colour and were laid down in a desert 250 million years ago in the Triassic period. There are no fossils in these rocks indicating that in the early Triassic period almost all life had been wiped out.

The beach at Budleigh Salterton is made up of pebbles derived from the Budleigh Salterton Pebble Beds and are made largely of Quartzite.

At Ladram Bay, there is a series of red sandstone stacks out at sea, all that remain of what were once natural rock arches that were once joined to the cliff.

I enter the High Land of Orcombe and pass information stones containing information on blackthorn, solitary bees, stonechats, bloody nosed beetles, green winged orchids, gorse, kestrels and kittiwakes.

I pass the Geoneedle which marks the start of the Jurassic Coast which was unveiled by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on the 3rd of October 2002. The Geoneedle is constructed from a variety of different stones, representing both the major building stones to be found on the Jurassic Coast and the sequence of rocks that form this part of the coastline. There are blocks of stone set into the ground but they are starting to be a bit worn after 14 years.

I come across a fine patch of green winged orchids - my first orchids of the season - near to the geoneedle.

The wild flowers are starting to look lovely. I come across a herd of very friendly cows who, as soon as they see me, stop munching on the grass and crowd the barbed wire fence instead, wanting me to scratch their heads which I dutifully oblige.

I stay up on the cliffs passing through the Devon Cliffs Holiday Park, before dropping down onto the beach just before Straight Point.

The Royal Marine Straight Point Rifle Range is found on Straight Point and they were practising intermittently today.

After wasting some time on the red, sandy beach I climb back onto the cliffs, passing inland of the rifle range, to reach Littleham Cove where there are fine views of the lovely crumbling red sandstone cliffs. The sea here is red with sand.

I keep well away from the edge of the crumbling cliffs and climb onto Beacon Hill.

I'm now walking below the East Devon Golf Club and the path continues through some woodland before a tarmac path leads in to Budleigh Salterton and its pebbly beach where I come across some colourful beach huts as well as an ice cream hut. I have lovely views along the beach and across the bay.

I head along the sea front passing below the shops, pubs and restaurants that make up the town. I pass some fossil roots showing in the sandstone dating back 235 million years ago. Towards the end of the town I pass a shelter which I used three years ago while a thunderstorm raged around me.

As I leave Budleigh Salterton I pass the lovely ground of the Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club where sparrows are making an awful racket.

I'm now walking along the River Otter where the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve can be found. It is a pleasant walk inland along the river listening to the bird song before I cross the River Otter over White Bridge. I pass a sign for Pyne's Farm Shop and then head back to the coast over the other side of the river. Somewhere around here is a colony of beavers but I don't see any. I don't see any otters either but there are plenty of noisy geese here.

I now have some fine views back over to Budleigh Salterton and there are some fine clumps of scots pine. I come across someone flying their DJI Phantom drone which makes an awful noise as it comes in to land.

More red sandstone cliffs are climbed and the sea thrift is looking lovely - probably two weeks in advance of the clumps at home.

Skylarks are singing their hearts out. The going from here to past Sidmouth is going to get pretty rough. I pass Danger Point, Coal Beach, Black Head, Poolness Beach and Brandy Head, named after the smuggling activities which were once rife along this coast. I come across the Brandy Head Observation Hut, used in World War II to test aircraft mounted cannon and gun sights.

I pass Twopenny Loaf Rock, Crab Ledge and Smallstones Point before coming across another holiday park at Ladram Bay.

The beach here is pebbly and there is a series of red sandstone stacks out at sea, all that remain of what were once natural rock arches that were once joined to the cliff.

I pass the Three Rocks Inn before continuing along the grassy slopes which give way to a steep climb through the woods of High Peak where I sheltered from filthy rain three years ago. I pass inland of Little Picket Rock, Big Picket Rock, Green Point, Wheel Rock and Tortoiseshell Rocks. I come across a National Trust sign at Peak Hill, where ponies are munching on the grass. There are beautiful wild flowers all over the place.

The path eventually reaches a road which drops in to Sidmouth. I walk down a path to the side of the road where I have lovely views over Sidmouth.

I make my way down to the beach at the western end of Sidmouth which is sandy, in stark contrast to the main beach at Sidmouth, which largely consists of pebbles except at low tide. It's rather busy on this fine, sunny Saturday.

I make my way past the wooden steps called Jacob's Ladder at Connaught Gardens and then wander through Sidmouth along the esplanade, passing the various shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants.

We're staying in a cottage in Sidbury for the week which is about three miles inland of Sidmouth so it's now time to leave the coast path and head for our home from home.

The eastern side of Sidmouth is where the original fishing village was based but by the end of the 19th century the fishing trade had declined. Rich people discovered Sidmouth during the Napoleonic Wars and began to visit and settle in the town which explains the large and ornate buildings which now make up the town.

I reach the River Sid and have no idea where I'm going now but figure that if I roughly follow the River Sid I should be OK. I start to head inland and come to a road fording the river but fortunately there's a footbridge over the river so I don't have to get my feet wet.

I pass a toll house which was built in the early 19th century and once controlled the eastern approach to the town. The original toll gate now hangs next to the toll house.

I enter Byers Riverside Park and pass several weirs walking along the river valley floor and criss cross the river over bridges on the approach to the village of Sidford, which seems to now be an extension of Sidmouth.

I pass the red bricked St Peter's Church, built in the Victorian era.

I continue through Sidford and cross the river using a footbridge which was the original packhorse bridge and said to date from around 1100. I then pass the Blue Ball Inn. I now gently ascend towards Sidbury, passing fields of yellow rape.

I turn into Deepway and pass Sidbury's cemetery on the outskirts of the village.

Visible over to my left is a wooded hill now known as Sidbury Castle but earthworks here date from the early Iron Age. I cross another bridge over the River Sid where our cottage for the week sits. I then pass the lovely 18th century cob cottages which line Bridge Street.

I've now reached my destination for the day, Sidbury, so there is just time to visit the rather attractive Church of St Giles, which dates from Saxon times but looks mostly to be Norman and later. There still exists a 7th century saxon crypt under the chancel.

That's my walking done for the day and there's plenty of time to visit the Red Lion pub opposite the church. Hang on a sec! It closes at 3 even on a Saturday!! Good job our fridge is loaded with cool, refreshing bottles of Doombar.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

swifts
chaffinches
green winged orchids
housemartins
goldfinches
chiff chaffs
clover
cows
bluebells
red campion
beetles
germander speedwell
lords and ladies
sparrows
peacock butterflies
orange tip butterflies
skylarks
scots pine
green alkanet
cow parsley
cuckooflower
red admirals

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below..

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 17.94 miles today which amounts to 39275 steps. It has been a beautiful first day's walking on the South West Coast Path this year and the weather has been glorious. Well, as glorious as it has been this manky year. Nine out of ten!

My total ascent today has been 693.30 metres or 2274 feet.

video

exmouth to sidbury via sidmouth from Mark Seymour on Vimeo.