Cosdon and the River Taw Sue Viccars Explores Around Belstone
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pub walk Cosdon and the River Taw Sue Viccars explores around Belstone Bear right uphill; on Springtime daffodils on WHERE Bmeeting a walled enclosure the banks of the River Taw ahead bear right again. At the TO EAT wall corner look ahead to see Belstone’s only pub stands on two ascending paths; take the the site of the cob-and-thatch one bearing slightly left, uphill, At the footpath junction New Inn, which burned down which soon crosses the slopes Eturn right along the in 1896 and was replaced of Cosdon parallel to Belstone riverbank path, wet and rocky by the present solid granite Cleave. This rocky and often wet in places, soon passing the building soon after. The ghostly apparition of a lady path crosses several streams, Sue Viccars is a freelance remains of the 19th-century Ivy said to have died in the fire including the Ivy Tor Water, before outdoor writer and editor, Tor copper mine. Eventually the still makes her presence specialising in southwest ascending to reach a tall granite path climbs away from the river, felt via the occasional cold England – especially boundary stone. Pass this to meet then levels, climbing to pass draught and flickering lights! Dartmoor and Exmoor a broad grassy path; bear left below a walled enclosure. Keep Owners Tony and Anne downhill, parallel to a stone wall. ahead through gorse to meet a Cooper – the former born and bred in Belstone – have been in charge for 13 years. A down-to-earth, unfussy START place with a homely feel D the pub welcomes walkers A and serves hearty fare, T including a great range of homecooked pies and puds: E T steak and kidney, spinach and feta, banana sticky toffee, T C Bakewell tart, cream and T custard… B THE TORS Belstone Okehampton Devon PL20 6PJ Tel: (018237) 840689 Ordnance Survey mapping © Crown Copyright: AM49/12 Ordnance Survey Copyright: mapping © Crown www.thetors.co.uk Open: Mon–Sat 11am–3pm, Of the many options for Look for a bridleway sign path; turn right to descend to 6–11pm; Sun 12 noon–4pm, short circular walks from by a gate in the wall: turn the ford/footbridge. Cross over 7–10.30pm (all day in Belstone on the northern C summer holidays) left and walk downhill, with a and retrace your steps uphill edge of the moor this has and across the Great Green. On Food: 12–2pm, 6–9pm; meals to be the loveliest in spring: wall and later bank right. At £3.70 (soup)–£16.25 (fillet a run across the lower the bottom turn right through meeting the lane bear left to find steak); Sunday lunches moorland slopes of Cosdon a gate on a lovely path that The Tors near the church of St £7.95 (booking advised); Mary the Virgin for well-earned Hill is followed by a steep zigzags down through Skaigh vegetarian options/half descent through Skaigh refreshment before retracing the portions for children; local Wood to a path junction (keep Wood, then a return along outward route to find your car. n produce used wherever the River Taw. Note: The route ahead for Sticklepath pubs/Finch possible (Martins Butchers, could be reversed, giving great Foundry). Okehampton; Dartmoor FOOT FILE Brewery, Princetown; views of Belstone village, but going Winkleigh Cider); takeaway anticlockwise avoids a very steep Turn left to walk along LENGTH: 4¼ miles (6.8km) meals available; special ascent out of the cleave. the banks of the Taw, TIME: 2 hours evenings, eg curry, quiz; 65– D 70 malt whiskies behind the soon passing a restored pond START/FINISH: Belstone car park bar!; B&B accommodation From the car park turn left to SX 621940 walk through the village, soon and later the river gauging available A station. The path narrows and TERRAIN: Rocky and uneven in reaching the Coronation stone places, especially along sections of on the green. Fork left to pass the climbs above the river. Cross the Henry Williamson bridge, flood-damaged riverbank: boots stocks and old village pound. essential inscribed with a quote from the On meeting the Great Green MAP: OS Explorer North Devon author’s novel keep ahead across a small OL28 Dartmoor parking area to pick up a path Tarka the Otter. The path bears PUBLIC TRANSPORT: None to that drops towards the River right to a T-junction; turn left. village; local buses along old A30 Taw (views over Belstone Cleave Around 100yds later turn left PARKING: Belstone car park left). Just before the ford turn to recross the river via Ivy Tor (free) on way into village right over a railed footbridge. Bridge, rebuilt in 2011. 20 activedartmoor.com.