Time: 2.5 hours Distance: 6.5 miles

Introduction

This is a great walk for springtime. The wild flowers are absolutely beautiful – primroses, violets, anemones, celandines and bluebells – the hedgerows and woods are just brimming with them. And when the weather is not so good higher on the moor, this walk offers a chance for a breath of fresh air in more sheltered hills, woods and valleys on pretty and tranquil tracks and lanes.

Access by car: From Bovey Tracey take the B3387 towards Haytor Vale and Widecombe. After ¼ mile turn left to Haytor at Five Wyches Cross. Continue for 2.5 miles and turn left to Ilsington, going over a cattle grid and straight on. A further 1.5 miles brings us into Ilsington where we park by the church.

We start from St Michael’s church facing the telephone box and turn immediately right down a lane keeping the church on our right and the Junior School to our left. Coming to a junction at the Carpenter’s Arms we walk left out of the village down Old Town Hill and just as it becomes steep we leave the road to the left over a stile.

Following the signs we bear right on a permitted path through a charming bluebell wood and take the small leafy path down the hill exiting the trees at a stile to a road. We carry straight on into a small lane, crossing Liverton Brook and up the hill the other side. Towards the top we turn right at the crossroads along Tipleyhill Lane, a farm track along a ridge with pretty views and lovely wild flowers.

After 10 minutes, as the track curves left, we take a sharp right turn downhill on an old stony and sometimes muddy track alongside woods and fields. We cross Liverton Brook again and soon, coming to a road, turn right. We can see our way to the left ahead but take care crossing the road on the bend over to Lenda Lane.

Now we have another charming section of the route as we stroll uphill, accompanied by gorgeous flowers and handsome views as Haytor appears in the distance to the right. At a cross tracks we head left (S) downhill towards the Lounston settlements and then right at the lane soon facing us. Two minutes further on at Great Lounston Farm the lane swings to the right and we continue straight ahead on a small track past a sign to ‘Halford Cross, Rora, Ramshorn Down’ and the houses of Lower Lounston. The path meanders up and down through the tranquil countryside – the only traffic is rabbits – with yet more flowers and, as it narrows, even orchids can be spotted nestling at the wayside. Over a stile we keep to the boundary hedge on our right down a grassy field into managed woodland with a stile and stream at the bottom. Negotiating the stepping stones we turn left on a small earthy path with the stream on our left heading to Woodgate Cottages.

Our track becomes a garage driveway which bears left at the cottages with two paths to the right heading into woodland. We fork right to Ramshorn Down then over a stile and through a small clearing across a forestry road heading up into conifer woodland. A gentle climb quickly brings us to a junction of several tracks – the main track continues round to the right in the trees – we bear left off the main track on a path leading us SW uphill skirting the conifers to our right. After 200yds the track splits again and we fork left still keeping out of the conifers. Bearing round to the left we come almost immediately to a gate and keep straight on (S) down to a junction on a muddy track well used by horses.

Ignoring the gate ahead we turn right on a public footpath gaining height gradually with open fields and occasional gorse patches on our right. A rounded grassy field opens out in front of us with great views and we continue up towards bracken and trees at the corner of the field. At a signpost we take the path to the left, then through a gate after 20 yds and bear right at a fork to Ramshorn Down. We now have a steady ascent on a broad stony track amidst gorse onto more exposed terrain and the highest point of our walk with good views all round.

As we come down we meet a lane at right angles and turn right, heading directly for Haytor in the distance. We have an easy stroll for 2/3 mile to a crossroads at a redbrick house and bear right on a track (which is in fact the other end ofLenda Lane). More wild flowers take us to an earlier junction and a left turn leads us back to Ilsington. A steep section on slippery stone here can be tricky – the earthy track up on the left may be easier – and soon we come to the village where a quick left and a right round the back of the church takes us to our car.