This beautiful circular walk in Exmoor National Park visits Cow Castle using paths to Picked Stones. The return way follows Two Moors Way along River Barle and goes across gorgeous hills and valleys.
Calculated time: 4h15[?] 
Distance : 8mi
Vertical gain : 620ft
Vertical drop : 627ft
Highest point : 1299ft
Lowest point : 928ft 
Difficulty : Moderate
Back to starting point : Yes
Walking
Area : Exmoor 
Location : Exmoor (Somerset)
Starting point : N 51.141316° / W 3.753953° 
Park your car at Ashcombe car park in Simonsbath.
(D/A) Head to the main road, turn right and cross over the road to the path in front of Exmoor Forest Inn.
(1) Follow "Public Bridleway, Picked Stones 2 1/2" until you join junction signposts where you bear left "Picked Stones 2". Ascend this path which leads to a gate. Go through this gate and enter the open field still following "Picked Stone".
(2) The bridleway goes across several fields, then goes past an old rusty building. Next to Winstitchen Farm, still follow the bridleway along hedges for one kilometre before you reach a descending track.
(3) Follow this track overlooking the valley, cross the bridge over White Water until the view opens to The Calf and Cow Castle! Continue on the track which leads to a large gate. Go through it, go past Pickedstones Farm following the blue arrow signpost "Bridleway, Withypool". Go up the small road for 250 metres before you bear right towards the metallic gate (Withypool 2 1/2 blue sign). Go straight ahead for 300m along the hedge, go through a gate and enter the moor. Go straight across the moor (can be very wet!) until you join Two Moors Way.
(4) Turn sharply right "Simonsbath via Cow Castle 4". This path goes slightly down before it levels close to River Barle. Then, you just need to enjoy the pretty flat way in preserved nature to go back to Simonsbath! You will cross a footbridge and go around Cow Castle and The Calf. Then, ignore the permitted alternative path still keeping the same bank to Simonsbath.
(5) At the last junction, go up to the right "Bridleway Simonsbath" leading to the main road and the car park.(D/A)
Waypoints :
D/A : mi 0 - alt. 1112ft - Ashcombe car park in Simonsbath
1 : mi 0.2 - alt. 1073ft - Junction signposts
2 : mi 0.93 - alt. 1191ft - Rusty building
3 : mi 1.86 - alt. 1148ft - Descending track
4 : mi 3.83 - alt. 1250ft - Sharp right turn
5 : mi 7.56 - alt. 1063ft - Junction
D/A : mi 8 - alt. 1112ft - Ashcombe car park in Simonsbath
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
Global average : 5/5
Number of opinions : 1
Description quality : 5/5
Routemap quality : 5/5
Walk interest : 5/5
Global average : 5 / 5
Date of walk
: 06/08/22
Description quality
: Very good
Easiness to follow the route
: Very good
Walk interest
: Very good
I had previously walked the section by the river and decided to do entire route.
What a great walk, woods,farmland ,moor then back along the River Barle .
Great to cool off in one of the fords along the route.
Wonderful views, the heather is just starting to bloom,all in all a really lovely walk.
Absolutely not to be missed.
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+617ft
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