Here You Ridetherubycountry.Co.Uk Can Experience the Peace and Quiet of This Will Include A4 Maps at 1:25,000 Being Truly Off the Beaten Track
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Ruby Rides 6 attractive waymarked multi-use trails through the heart of the distinctive landscapes and habitats of Ruby Country NTRY R U UB CO Y R Y I B D U E R 1 the place to be naturally active D EV IL ON NC COUNTY COU devon.gov.uk/prow ridetherubycountry.co.uk Discover the Ruby Country by bike, by foot or by horseback This leaflet contains details of 6 fantastic trails through Ruby 3 Country. Route 1 (16.5km) p4 Village and Forest Trail Route 2 (15km) p6 Along the Pegasus Way 1 Route 3 (16.5km) p8 Railways and Woodlands Route 4 (19.5km) p10 2 Village and Lakeside Trail 4 5 Route 5 (13.5km) p12 6 Bratton Clovelly and Boasley Cross Route 6 (16km) p14 Moorland Trail Ruby Country in the heart of Devon SOMERSET Enclosed by the upland expanses of DORSET Bodmin, Exmoor and Dartmoor, and to ON the north by the wild North Devon DEV coast, Ruby Country is very much L “undiscovered Devon”. AL A haven of tranquillity, CORNW with some of the blackest night skies in the UK, Maps can be downloaded from a visit to Ruby Country is a devon.gov.uk/rubyriders or visit to deepest rural Devon, where you ridetherubycountry.co.uk can experience the peace and quiet of This will include A4 maps at 1:25,000 being truly off the beaten track. scale and additional routes in future. Please park responsibly - do not park OS Explorer 112 covers the area. across field or property entrances. Note: “On road” indicates a sealed surface (e.g. tarmac) on a public vehicular highway where the user can expect to meet public vehicular traffic. “Off road” indicates an unsurfaced route (for example, a natural surface or a compacted stone track) or a sealed surface (e.g. tarmac) but where the user can expect to meet only private and agricultural vehicular traffic. 2 Country being one of the few remaining What is strongholds of this challenging habitat. Ruby Country? The culm measures continue to flourish in Ruby Country supporting a healthy range Ruby Country is a rural area in of unique and wonderful plant, animal north west Devon, enclosed and insect species. by the North Devon AONB, The Ruby Country Partnership Ltd works Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor and the to promote all aspects Ruby Country, north Cornwall coast, covering including tourism, public access, wildlife and natural areas, small businesses, the 45 parishes surrounding local produce, crafts and culture. The Holsworthy and Hatherleigh. Ruby Country Partnership is delighted to be working closely with Devon County Ruby Country is renowned for some Council on the Ride the Ruby Country of Devon’s most beautiful and unspoilt project. This has improved access to the countryside. Visitors are always struck natural environment for horse riders, by its diversity, the wonderful views of walkers and cyclists as well as creating Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and Exmoor, the economic and social opportunities for range of wildlife and clarity of its night many people in Ruby Country. skies. Why not visit Ruby Country and sample Named after the Ruby Red cattle typical some of the things that make the of the area, Ruby Country has historically area unique. Join these rides together been reliant upon agriculture to generate and come up with your own trekking income. Agriculture, in particular livestock holiday, staying at one or more of the farming, has shaped the landscape for growing number of establishments generations, creating distinctive field welcoming horses and offering high class patterns, hedges, banks and small accommodation. To find places to stay woodlands. Ruby Country is the result of with your horse and more about Ruby people, their social and economic activities Country in general visit: and nature working together and adapting ridetherubycountry.co.uk to create this awe inspiring, tranquil and special place. We welcome you to Ruby Ruby Country supports one of the world’s Country and hope you most endangered habitats, typical of the local landscape. Culm grassland is now enjoy your visit. globally scarse and threatened, with Ruby Dartmoor view near Ashbury Church 3 Route 1 Follow the permissive bridleway for ¼ mile and then turn right onto the hedged- lane (waymarked as a public bridleway). You pass some prehistoric burial mounds (barrows or tumuli) on this route. Keep a lookout and see how many you can Village and Forest Trail spot! The first one is in the field on your © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019783 2011 copyright. All rights reserved. © Crown 10.2 miles right hand side. It is a bowl barrow that is (3.3 miles on road/6.9 miles off road) listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument considered to be of national importance. Parking is available at Cookworthy Forest Bowl barrows are funerary monuments and at the Cookworthy Forest Centre that dating from the Late Neolithic period is suitable for horse boxes and trailers. Car (2,400 to 1,500 BC). They were parking is also available on road at Halwill constructed as earthen or rubble mounds, and Halwill Junction. with this example believed to be from the Turn right out of the Cookworthy Bronze Age. Forest car park. Follow this lane to the A3079 (the main Continue straight ahead for 50 metres. Okehampton to Holsworthy road). Take the furthest right forest track at the Cross the A3079 and continue along 2 junction. the dismantled railway track for ⁄3 2 Continue on for ⁄3 mile. mile. Go straight over the cross roads. This railway track was part of the North Continue on for 300 metres. Cornwall Railway, a subsidiary of the LSWR, built to link the LSWR’s main Turn right, crossing the dismantled railway system to the Bodmin and Wadebridge track. line. The Halwill to Launceston section The dismantled railway track you have was opened in 1886 and extended to been travelling adjacent to, was the Wadebridge in 1895. Holsworthy Branch of the London and Continue to follow the public South Western Railway (LSWR). The line bridleway at Brendon Farm up and from Meldon Junction was authorised in over the railway bridge to Halwill. 1873 and opened to Holsworthy on 20th January 1879. Holsworthy acted as the Halwill takes its name from a “holy railhead until 1898 when the line to Bude well”. It was known as Halgewilla in the was opened. The whole railway network Domesday book. to the west of Okehampton was closed in Turn right along the road for 50m and 1966 following Lord Beeching’s review. then take the bridleway/lane on the Continue straight on for ¼ mile. left. Keep left at the fork in the track. At Isted House, follow the lane around to the left, continuing straight on past East Continue straight on for 300 metres. and West Croft Farms to the A3079. Go straight on at the cross roads Turn left along the A3079 and then (signposted “...to Halwill”). take the first right (signposted “Beaworthy”). 4 Parking O-road route On-road route Continue straight on for 1¼ miles, passing League of Friends formed a committee in Broadmoor Farm, and then turn left at partnership with Age Concern Torridge to Beaworthy Cross (signed “Whiddon”). secure the ownership and development After 80 metres take the public of the building for the benefit of the bridleway on the left. community. Follow the bridleway to the end, crossing a Turn right at the Junction Inn and stream through a ford. follow the road straight on for 1 mile. Turn left at the road and follow this Immediately before Chilla Chapel, take the past Dreybury Farm and the Winsford public bridleway on the left. Centre to Halwill Junction. At the end of the public bridleway, The Winsford Cottage Hospital, a Grade II pass through the metal bridle gate listed building designed by C.F.A. Voysey, on the left, and follow the permissive was given to the community of Halwill bridleway into Cookworthy Forest. and surrounding district in 1900 by Mrs Continue straight on and return to the Maria Webb-Medley in memory of her Cookworthy Forest car park. husband George. It was the site of a Halwill Junction has a pub “The prisoner of war camp during the second Junction Inn”, general stores, post world war. The former Cottage Hospital is office and fish and chip shop. the only building in the United Kingdom There are public toilets located designed by C.F.A. Voysey (a contemporary opposite “The Junction Inn”. of William Morris and Lutyens) that is still in public ownership. The Winsford Trust Cookworthy Forest is a great place to came into being in 1999 when the local enjoy a picnic, with plenty of places to community led by the Winsford Hospital tie up horses. 5 Route 2 the field gate onto the road and turn right. On a clear day there are some excellent views of Dartmoor on the right hand side along the road. Look out for Dartmoor’s highest point, High Willhays, at 621m Along the Pegasus Way above sea level. © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019783 2011 copyright. All rights reserved. © Crown 9.2 miles At Bogtown Cross turn right (signed (4.3 miles on road/4.9 miles off road) “Ashbury”). From Thorndon Cross, take the public At Ashbury House follow the road bridleway along the dismantled railway around to the right and continue track. downhill, crossing Kennel Bridge to Kennel Bridge Cross, turning right at Look out for the remains of the the junction (signed “Wadland” and “Maddaford Moor Halt for Thorndon “Venn”). Cross” railway platform at Thorndon Cross. At Wadland Barton, take the public bridleway on the left hand side, passing Follow the railway track for 1¾ miles and between barns and then onto a hedged turn right after the chicane at Venndown lane.