Tresco Is a Place of Delightful Archipelago, the Island of FEATURE

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ON PAGE 34 wildlife, including Atlantic grey an eye out for the local else in the British Isles. Keep plants, feels unlike anywhere apartments and Mediterranean manicured gardens, stylish south of the island, with its top. Wandering around the dizzying views from the very Cromwell’s Castle commands the stocky, granite tower of beckon from the horizons and headlands; intriguing ruins ar with in rugged coastline is edged contrasts. To the north, Tresco is a place of delightful archipelago, the island of FEATURE

metres ound wave-washed rocky km 20 0 40 0 60 0 0 0 viting trails that wind in the Scilly in the Scilly The second largest JEN & SIM BENSON CHOSEN BY… 01 u Distance: 7 miles/11.4km u 7 miles/11.4km Distance: 2 TRESCO CORNWALL 4

6 habitat for several rare species. freshwater pools providing plac of the island is a great clear blue seas. The centre sandy crescents edged by here are exquisite: pristine the waves. The beaches catchers flying low over ledges and r seals hauled out on the rocky 1 island, Bryher. to Tresco’s neighbouring To your L are fine views across with rocky sections at times. is winding and undulating, Cromwell’s Castle. The trail north-west coast towards turn L and follow the island’s with the jetty behind you, GR ADIENT PROFILE From New Grimsby Quay, Start e for birdwatching, with The coast path leading to Cromwell’s Castle. Time: 3½ hours u hours 3½ Time:

8 ed-legged oyster 10

12 Grade: Moderate Grade:

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J&S BENSON J&S PHOTO: 14 Landranger 203 Maps OS Explorer 101; the islands 01720 423373 Tresco Boat Services Travel 01736 334220. Public & Tresco Abbey Quay, New Grimsby village Public Café at the Abbey Garden Café in Old Grimsby. quay. The Ruin Beach a short walk from the Boat restaurant/café – Refreshments The Flying Nearest town New Grimsby PLANNING Stiles None footpath and quiet lanes Stretches of paved north of the island. times, particularly in the rocky and undulating at well-maintained trails, Is it for me? Clear, grid ref SV887152 Tresco, Isles of Scilly, Start New Grimsby Quay, ROUTE PLAN YOUR WALK YOUR PLAN toilets New Grimsby Scilly transport Scilly 16

SOUTH WEST ✁ the best times. En route are morning and late evening are spot, despite their size. Early are remarkably difficult to Keep a careful watch – they continue to thrive on Exmoor. draconian laws. Red deer pleasures of the chase with privileged access to the the Norman kings, who backed hunting preserve created by never thickly wooded, but a Royal Forest. This Forest was former heart of Exmoor’s begin in Simonsbath, in the wide moorland views. We level return through fields with Valleyupper Barle with a high a bankside path through the metres km 20 0 40 0 60 0 0 0 circuit combines This beautiful Exmoor ROBERT HESKETH CHOSEN BY… 02 u Distance: 2 6¾ miles/10.8km miles/10.8km 6¾ 4

SIMONSBATH SOMERSET

6 spirits of a mine. pixies at war with the evil to legend, it was built by good a major power base. According Castle was more a refuge than near Yeovil, suggesting Cow near Dorchester and Ham Hill Country, such as Maiden Castle Iron Age hillforts in the West comparison with some other These defences are modest in with ramparts up to 2m high. enclosing some three acres, and single stone rampart, the way. It consists of a ditch hillfort, Cow Castle, is also on most impressive Iron Age 1857 after 11 years. Exmoor’s poor and Wheal Eliza closed in only iron ore. The returns were in search of copper, but found miners drove a 76m deep shaft the ruins of Wheal Eliza, where GR ADIENT PROFILE Barle Valley near the 8

u Time: Time: start of the walk. 10 3¼ hours u hours 12

Grade: Moderate Grade:

ROBERT HESKETH ROBERT PHOTO: 2 1 to Wheal Eliza ruins. beside river, behind Flexbarrow ‘Cow Castle’. Follow path Stones’. After 100m, bear L L onto path signed ‘Picked park. Turn R. Opposite inn, turn 14 Walk back to road from car Start ROUTE Landrangers 180 & 181 Maps OS Explorer OL9; Public Public Rooms: both Simonsbath Forest Inn; Boevy Tea Refreshments Exmoor Nearest PLANNING Stiles None moderate ascents. and footpaths; two Is it for me? Bridlepaths grid ref SS774393 car park, TA24 7SH, Start/parking Simonsbath PLAN YOUR WALK YOUR PLAN Continue on the path 1 mile/1.8km

transport None toilets At start 16 town Lynton

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5 4 5½ miles/9km Finish along the island’s IN ASSOCIATION WITH OS MAPS OS lfto.com/cwroutes GET THIS WALK ON YOUR PHONE: in order to coincide with boats. coincide to in order 6 western coast, back to New New back to coast, western Quay. Grimsby 6

1 START 4½ miles/7.5km Head south along the 2 returning past Abbey Gardens Gardens Abbey past returning Bay. Pentle to Pool and Abbey 5 coast to reach Tresco’s most Tresco’s reach to coast also Near, Carn southerly point, you Here quay. the low-tide a Battery, will find Oliver’s ruined artillery fortification against built in the 17th century on forces opposing Royalist the neighbouring island of St can tide the walk low At Mary’s. this point at be started/finished

Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

CORNWALL TRESCO 2½ miles/4km Blockhouse Point From 1¼ miles/2km is a wide, Gimble Porth ⅔ mile/1km stands Castle Cromwell’s OS Explorer map 101 u follow the coast around Rushy Rushy around the coast follow reach to Point and Lizard Point the glorious pale sandy arc R here, Turn Bay. of Pentle and Road Pool following a make to Road then Abbey Pool of Great circumnavigation to entrances three are – there hideson this loop – before bird 2 3 4 proudly on the coast, just on the coast, proudly A walkway. a narrow across the top leads to staircase spiral here From views. and fantastic King to head inland, ascending on the perched Charles’ Castle, of the island. This point highest built in was ruined artillery fort protect to century the mid-16th French the islands from clear paths Follow invasion. the rocky regain to northwards and continue path coastal shore, the eastern to around of the deep sea cave passing tin a 17th-century Piper’s Hole, a freshwater mine concealing pool. sandy bay where you can often can often you where sandy bay the spot seals. Climbing over Gimble Point headland at – Old Grimsby to brings you is on the the Ruin Beach Café around Continue edge. water’s the Old to and ascend the bay as also known Blockhouse, another 16th- Fort, Dover fortification. century u 01

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3 IN ASSOCIATION WITH OS MAPS OS lfto.com/cwroutes 5¾ miles/9.3km Bear L at Winsitchen Winsitchen Bear L at GET THIS WALK 6 ON YOUR PHONE: Farm, signed ‘Simonsbath’. Farm, the blue waymarkers Follow L th fields. Turn through signed the wood, into Reaching ‘Simonsbath’. finish. turn R to the road, 7

2 7 3 miles/4.9km Stones’. L ‘Picked Turn Follow track uphill. Turn uphill. Turn track Follow 4¾ miles/7.6km Turn L at next path junction path next L at Turn 3¾ miles/5.8km L ‘Simonsbath’ at fingerpost. at L ‘Simonsbath’ up with trees/hedge Continue R ‘Simonsbath’. on R. Turn 4 5 6 and L again at tarmac track. tarmac track. and L again at L of Picked bridleway Follow with hedge Continue Stones. is aerial view R. Below on your to Descend Castle. of Cow and old quarry. brook Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop START 1

SOMERSET SIMONSBATH You can climb You up the top to Cow Castle. Castle. Cow DON’T MISS... DON’T 2¼ miles/3.4km and gate through Continue a path near Point 3, near Point a path is view but the best the upper path from Stones. near Picked OS Explorer map OL9 u u behind Cow Castle. behind Cow 3 over footbridge. Walk ahead on Walk footbridge. over ‘Bridleway’ following track, junction. climbs to signs. Track 02

SOUTH WEST