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.
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.
The final stage is a bit longer than the others but it is a pleasant walk without too many climbs. First of all, it retraces steps back to Withypool, then follows the River Barle to Simonsbath. From there it's over The Chains to meet the Tarka Trail and descend the Cheriton Ridge and along the East Lyn River to end up in Lynmouth.
Starting from Malmsmead, this walk in the Exmoor National Park includes sections in Devon and Somerset. The main focus of the route is areas associated with the Lorna Doone novels. However expect much more with valley and moorland walking in this excellent Exmoor walk.
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This Exmoor walk includes coast, valley and high level sections. Starting from Lynmouth, the route climbs to Contisubury before crossing high pastures to descend to Watersmeet. The return leg of the walk follows the River Lyn downstream to the coast.
This beautiful circular walk is perfect to discover the Valley of Rocks from several viewpoints. First, you will reach Hollerday Hill viewpoint before you go up to the South Cleave (steep section, avoid during wet conditions!). The views of these famous rocks from the paths which go to Lynton are gorgeous!
This Exmoor walk starts from Tarr Steps, a well-known beauty spot, and then continues through countryside of steep, green fields dotted with small farms. The route crosses West Ansley Common before returning to the start through the village of Hawkridge.
Selworthy Beacon and North Hill are the main objectives of this walk from Bossington, Somerset. The route offers a variety of Exmoor scenery with coastal hills, views of high moors and the interesting village of Selworthy.
Stage 8 takes us into Exmoor National Park and back to some high ground but mostly it's a riverside walk along the River Barle that is a tributary to the River Exe that flows all the way to the south Devon coast at Exmouth. The route goes over Tar Steps near Hawkridge and has the option of finishing at Withypool or continuing to Exford to stay at the YHA.
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