Village Circular Walks

From the Community Shop in Talaton stroll up the gentle hill to Bittery Cross. Straight over here, with a bit of care of the odd speeding vehicle, and now wander pleasantly down Talewater Hill. Pass Half-Moon Farm on your right and very soon at Talewater Cross move left on the Payhembury road. It looks like a hill but really it’s a very gentle slope up to Crowder’s Cross. Straight over here and very soon arrive at a junction in Colestocks.

Turn right and in a few yards find the Public Footpath off right. Pass through the huge fir! Yes, the footpath involves climbing between the giant trunks of the fir. Easy. Move through the grounds of Colestocks House to a stile and from here move slightly diagonally right to another stile. Keep your eyes open now, obviously, but take a moment to look around at views you just don’t see from the road. Magic. Over this stile and amble across a large open grassland to another stile below a small Oak. At the time of writing this field is a blaze of colour with dandelions. Walk ahead following the hedge on your left to eventually meet a quiet lane.

Left for a few yards to find Sherwood Farm and here take the Public Footpath right beside the farm. This is a dream of a wide well maintained footpath, again with wonderful views, that passes over the Waterloo rail line on an old vegetated brick bridge. Passing beside a cottage and group of farm type buildings find the gate out on to the Feniton – Talaton road. You could cross the road on to a great Public Footpath leading to Escot Estate but maybe for now turn right and staying on the road come back to Half Moon Farm in Talewater. Left here and take your time to wander up Back Road to Beacon Cross and then back to Talaton.

Leave Talaton on the road to Bittery Cross. Here, move left on the Plymtree / Cullompton road and pass Blue Anchor and the turning to Payhembury.
Bear left at Tale Common Head Cross and now take it slowly to soak up the views, the avenued lane, the flowers and just about everything that a rural lane could offer. 

Look for and pass the commemorative plinth on a corner and then soon after passing a barn conversion complex on the left take the Clyst Hydon road off left. You are now on another incredible country lane, in fact, just over a mile of hedgerows, wild flowers (ten different ones at the time of writing) and not a hill in sight.

Eventually, at Marsh Cross and the Clyst Hydon Village sign, turn left and wander slowly back to Talaton. About 5.2 Miles.

Leave Talaton on the Fairmile Road and at Beacon Cross, turn right and amble gently uphill before dropping down to Larkbeare Cross. Bear right and in the season see the fields of yellow Oil Seed Rape –probably only of interest to a beekeeper! Pass Larkbeare Grange where again in the season see the lovely avenue of blossom, before moving uphill to Holly Ball Cross. Maybe take a moment to note the primroses, incredible views and sunlight sneaking through the trees. Onwards uphill – count your steps in 100’s, it really makes the hill easier. Pass the ageing shelter on your left and arrive at Whimple Wood junction beside the letter box.

Right here into Woodhayes Lane and now enjoy the long steady downhill, passing Cotley Farm with its intriguing old corn grinder and cart. Soon you will pass Down House but note the wonderful looking track beside the entrance. It is actually a Public Right of Way and what a dream it is. The drawback is a large muddy puddle in wet weather which is difficult to negotiate. Maybe another dry day walk.

Onwards, passing Lilypond Lane and down to Aller Grove where you turn right into Grove Road. Soon, after Aller Grove Cottages, and on the bend take the Public Footpath right over the stile. Over the open field to another stile and thin wooden bridge. Now, potter over the large open field – wee bit of wet in the middle - to find the gate exiting on to Lilypond Lane. Left down the road to the railway bridge then right on to the Talaton Road and homeward bound.

Start from the Talaton Inn car park and walk out of the car park to the right as far as the Parish Hall. Opposite the Hall move left up beside the Moor (The Village Green) on what was once Rosemary Lane. At the top bear right beside the detached Moor Cottage and, passing through the metal kissing gate move diagonally across the field aiming for the huge oaks in the distance. En route you will pass through another couple of kissing gates (and possibly pass a few inquisitive horses) to arrive at the oaks. Here, yes another kissing gate, move into an open field and follow the hedge on your right. Don’t take the first gateway on your right (Historically this was known as the Orchard) but carry on to the corner of the field and pass through a pair of kissing gates. (Huge opportunities on this walk!) . Move left for a short distance beside the hedge but at the corner branch off diagonally right over the open, possibly cultivated, field aiming for the farm buildings in the distance.

At the road and opposite Lashbrook Farm buildings bear left up the hill to Bittery Cross. Straight across here for some few hundred yards looking for the Public Footpath sign in the dip and off to the left. Through the kissing gate, and downhill keeping the hedge on your right. Passing through two gates you will meet a track and with Harris’s farm on your right follow the track to where it meets a lane. Left, passing the historic old Manor on your left, the equally historic old school house on your right, and so back into the village.

Content coming soon

Take the footpath signposted on the corner of the Moor, moving through the gate on the right of the detached cottage at the top of the lane. Move diagonally across the field via three metal kissing gates – and probably a number of very inquisitive horses. At the large Oak, pass through the final gate and follow the hedge on your right to the far side of the field (Don't take the first open gateway) and here move through a pair of gates into open land. Aim diagonally right over the open field towards the farm buildings. Could be a bit rough but plod across it, exiting on to the road. Here, turn right downhill and over the railway bridge. At the crossroads, left and follow Back Lane all the way down to Half Moon Farm passing beautiful old beech trees and passing over the London Waterloo railway line on an old brick bridge.

Right at the farm, passing over the River Tale – just could be otters around and who knows, maybe a beaver – and on towards Feniton. Again, over the railway and after a couple of hundred yards look for the metal gate on the right, beside the house on the corner of the lane to the right, and on to a footpath. Follow the hedge on your left to a stile and then follow the clearly marked path left, following the hedge on your left, then right and then right again, passing the communications tower, still following the field edge. At a metal gate, left and follow the hedge on your left, ignoring the small wooden gate in the hedge, to a gate and fence. Move right down the field on this side of the fence. Worth looking around at the views over to Hembury Fort or just look at all the views. At the wooden stile, under a couple of firs, straight down to meet the concrete Escot Estate road. Right here to a Y - junction. Move right down to Clapperentale Farm and bearing right take the track over the mighty River Tale. Onwards and uphill on the good wide solid track to arrive close to the entrance to Escot estate. Right, and follow the path all the way to the Talaton Road. Left up the hill and back to the village.

From opposite the Hall, take the Public Footpath up to Moor Cottage, bear right through the metal kissing gate. Diagonally across the field aiming for the big solitary oak in the distance and passing through two more metal gates. At the Oak pass through another metal gate and follow the hedge on your right all along to the field corner. A pair of kissing gates and bear left for a short way to the corner. Diagonally right over the big open field towards the farm buildings and exit via a gate on to the road.

Right, over the railway bridge to the first junction, left and follow the road all the way to the bottom finding a Public Footpath off to the right via a metal gate.

Follow this footpath to the entrance to Escot Estate, having passed alongside open grassland, and here drop diagonally left down to the small gate and bridge over the River Tale. Up the track, through Clapperentale Farm and left along the estate road. Soon, look for the signed entrance to Black Aller Covert. Pure magic! In Bluebell time this will be a picture. Amble along here, bearing right at the corner to come to a small clearing and gates. Through the gate and bear right on to a good wide track. Follow this for some way and take the first well defined track down to the left. Follow this down, through a gate and curve right to exit on to the Estate road via a metal gate.

Left, passing the house on your right, and then take the small road from the right hand side of the Restaurant block. Up the hill, under the old brick bridge and out into open pasture. Follow the good track ahead and eventually meet the Talaton road. Left here up to Beacon Cross and home again