WOODLAND WALK botanical value. and are of exceptional testify to the clean, moist air festoon the trees and rocks lichens and liverworts which grazing animals. The mosses, which defend them from grew among granite boulders, survive here because they Gnarled and stunted oaks Neolithic and Bronze Ages. tors before clearances in the but the highest oak woods that covered all three small remnants of the Wistman’s Wood is one of panoramic moorland views. encompasses seven tors and this memorable walk, which metres km 20 0 40 0 60 0 0 0

is the highlight of is the highlight of Wistman’s Wood ROBERT HESKETH CHOSEN BY... 01 u Distance: 8½ miles/13.5km u miles/13.5km 8½ Distance: 2

WISTMAN’S WOOD 4

6 when there is firing. There are red flags flown dartmoor-firing-programme. uk/government/publications/ 0800 4584868 or www.gov. Always check in advance on the Army’s Merrivale range. note: part of the walk is within called Devonport). *Please growing Dock (later miles long, it supplied fast Completed in 1801 and 27 follow the Devonport Leat. where enclosed. Later, we when large tracts of the moor century newtake farm, built In fact, it was an early 19th sight of lecherous neighbours. attractive wife away from the farmer who wanted to hide his built by a curmudgeonly of Brown’s House – reputedly En route are the lonely ruins GR A D 8 I Dramatic views high E Time: 5 hours u 5 hours Time: N T up on Dartmoor.

P R O 1 0 F I L E

1 Grade: Challenging 2

ROBERT HESKETH ROBERT PHOTO: 1 on to outlying group of trees. path to Wistman’s Wood and L. As track rises, fork L. Follow past cottage. Keep wall on your 1 4 Facing north, follow track Start Public Public Two Bridges Hotel Refreshments Nearest town PLANNING Stiles 12 or after heavy rain. Do not attempt in mist Navigation skills needed. boggy and pathless. moorland; parts rough, Is it for me? Mainly open grid ref SX609751 8 miles east of Tavistock, Two Bridges car park, Start/parking ROUTE Landranger 191 Maps OS Explorer OL28; None suitable PLAN YOUR WALK YOUR PLAN

transport toilets None 1 6 A

B

1

8

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2 0 ➥

SOUTH WEST ✁ 1 2 gates. Aim for barn, through field-edge, go R through 2nd of to stile. Part-way down R steps, below unicorn, up bank alongside tennis court, down through solid painted gate, Pilsdon. Reach house R. Go Outstanding Natural Beauty. outing in the Dorset Area of Hill, and you have an excellent an Iron Age fort on Pilsdon Stoke Abbott and the finale of manors, the pretty village of views. Add to this superb walk is awash in wonderful in Dorset, it isn’t surprising this

metres highest point in Dorset. Lonsdon Hill; the Walk down lane toward Start km 20 0 40 0 60 0 0 0

Hill, the highest point Climbing Lonsdon LEN BANISTER CHOSEN BY… 02 u Distance: 11¼ miles/18km u miles/18km 11¼ Distance: 2 4

PILSDON DORSET 6 immediately L on narrow direction with hedge R. Go At top, go L through gate; keep then L to gate for fenced path. diagonally R to field corner and field. In next field, go After gate, cross footbridge diagonally L at fingerpost. path. Soon after gate, go 3 through farm, join drive to road. 2 field-edge to lane. through 2 gates. Follow R Continue on R field-edges diagonally R to field-corner. wide track, through 7-bar gate, Go L at fingerpost; soon leave gap, emerge on lane. Go R. GR A Cross, along tree-lines 1½ miles/2.4km Go R. At hut, go R, 2¾ miles/4.5km D 8 I Time: 5 hours u 5 hours Time: E N T

P R O 1 0 F I L

E Grade: Challenging 1

2

LEN BANISTER LEN PHOTO: Keep forward to lane. diagonally L across field. L on drive, R through gate, track, go R through gate, trees L. Ignore R fork. Reach past another NT sign, line of top descend L. Keep forward National Trust (NT) sign. From near top, take L fork. Go R at sunken path. At fingerpost 1 4 ROUTE Landranger 193 Maps OS Explorer 116; Public Public and Broadwindsor in StokePubs Abbott Refreshments Nearest PLANNING Stiles 12 with gentle climbs tracks and quiet lanes Is it for me? Field-edges, grid ref ST414009 below Pilsdon Hill, free car park at junction Start/parking Roadside, PLAN YOUR WALK YOUR PLAN transport None toilets None 1 6 town A Bridport B

1 8

➥ 2 0

SOUTH WEST DATE WALKED TIME TAKEN YOUR RATING

© Country Walking April 2018 APRIL 2018 2 3 START IN ASSOCIATION WITH OS MAPS OS lfto.com/cwroutes OS MAPS ONLINE: 1 VIEW ON THE WALK Turn L. Follow riverbank path riverbank L. Follow Turn start. L to Turn road. to 6 5

4 7½ miles/12km through leat Follow

main path south) along rough south) along rough main path on the Continue gate. to path to descending same course, R. leat Follow Leat. Devonport leat Follow footbridge. Cross plantation. into 6 plantation and on to fingerpost. and on to plantation signs around path L. Follow Turn bridge. Cross river. to farm ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 007/18 MEDIA SURVEY. ORDNANCE 2018 COPYRIGHT ©CROWN Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

DEVON WOOD WISTMAN’S Beardown Beardown Man, a menhir The enigmatic The DON’T MISS... DON’T 4¾ miles/7.7km Head south-south-east 6½ miles/10.3km (avoid Head south-east 3½ miles/5.7km West to on path west Turn 2¼ miles/3.4km follow of tor foot From a mystery. over 11 feet (3.5m) 11 feet over it high. Unusually, from isolated stands other prehistoric monuments. Its purpose remains OS Explorer map OL28 u to just east Lydford Tor. Cross Cross Tor. Lydford east just to on same Continue stile. by wall flagpole on top steel to course Tor. Beardown farthest summit Longaford Tor. summit Longaford Bear east north-east to to north-east Bear east 2 3 4 5 path north-east to Higher to north-east path in wall. stile Cross Tor. White Tor. White Lower to Continue (avoid Bear north-north west heap Aim for north-east). path bank – in square of stones House. Brown’s Dart. Cross by stepping stones. stones. stepping by Dart. Cross Tor Rough Head uphill to Head post. observation rough, over west-south-west and Tor Devil’s to ground wet Man. Beardown u 01

SOUTH WEST ✁ DATE WALKED TIME TAKEN YOUR RATING

© Country Walking April 2018 APRIL 2018

5 IN ASSOCIATION WITH OS MAPS OS lfto.com/cwroutes OS MAPS ONLINE: VIEW ON THE WALK wooden fence then R & L fence wooden go uphill buildings to between climb, Cross; lane. to on track join to markers R. Follow fence NT hill. Go L at below track walls hillfort sign. Go through find Below trig point. on to car park to bench; path here. starts

4

7½ miles/12km to track Follow Cross. gate go L to 2 more then curve then curve 2 more go L to gate final field uphill to gently and road. corner 5 T-junction, turn L. Reach road, road, turn L. Reach T-junction, Cross junction. go L, R at Lion. Go with White junction Where L signed ‘Marshwood’. L, keep curves main road Turn signed ‘Burstock’. forward R (barn immediately farm, into field, across Go straight L). then diagonally L gap, through to waymarkers Follow gate. to of next corner L-hand bottom gate L through field. Veer Go L along farm. toward 2 3

Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

DORSET PILSDON 1 START 4⅔ miles/7.4km Turn L, straight across across L, straight Turn OS Explorer map 116 u

to Stoke Knapp. Follow Follow Knapp. Stoke to join eventually waymarkers, to L downhill swinging track go R signed gate, After farm. with ‘Broadwindsor’. Continue field. After hedge R in next junction. At corner, go R corner, At junction. alongside house then with brow, over hedge R. Once & walkway. gate to continue go Climb L of house up steps; lane. R of houses, L to forward visit (R to Abbott Stoke Enter L Inn. Turn New pass church), Leave Chart Knolle. sign for at L. Just bridleway for drive house go L on footpath past u 4 02 007/18 MEDIA SURVEY. ORDNANCE 2018 COPYRIGHT ©CROWN

SOUTH WEST