Well we are back, walking from home. With all the faff about driving 5 miles and getting a fine I decided that I would stay from the door at least for a bit and allow things to calm down a bit. The over zealous police have got things wrong, clearly but lets leave that there and get on with what was a fantastic walk. Sometimes when the weather is great then it really doesn’t matter where you walk, the conditions will elevate the walk to a higher level. This walk is already in a good area, but the weather helped make it very special. The section down by the River Yealm is glorious and I got it right this time. I’d tried to walk this way one evening in Lockdown 1 and made a right hash of it and ended up on private lanes and the Kitley estate. This walk is the right way around. I only wished I’d gone out an hour earlier and took longer!
Start – Home
Route – Hollacombe – Spriddlestone – Cofflete Creek – Steer Point – Winston – Brixton – Cherry Tree Drive – West Sherford – Elburton – Home
Distance – 10 miles Start time – 10am Time taken – 5hrs Highest Point – Hollacombe Hill 112 metres
Weather – Misty, sunny, and not a breath of wind. Cold and perfect
A hard frost again overnight as I set out, It didn’t take me long to wish I’d started out earlier than my leisurely 10amThe fields and mud were hard and frozen as I walk across the fields out of Staddiscombe and towards Hollacombe, it was glorious out hereIn the slight dip over there I could see that there was a bit of a temperature inversion in Plymouth Sound. I missed that coming this wayNow in April and May, as per Lockdown 1, this field was full of the yellow rape seed, looking fantastic. Today it was just those two jolly runners who moaned pretty much from where I’m standing to where they are here, mainly about the number of people walking across this field. Well unfortunately for them, they’d better get used to it. If you stop people from walking the hills and remote places then they congregate along the paths around the towns and villages instead.At Hollacombe now, and I’m heading that wayNow the camera hasn’t done this view justice really, the frosty ground was glistening and the distance wasn’t as hazy as this. It was a fine start to one of my favourite paths around where I live. The path in question is the one to Spriddlestone from Hollacombe.Here is the path. Its a bit muddier than normal as a fair bit of tree cutting has gone on here to clear trees from around overhead wires. thankfully the mud was crisp and frozenSpriddlestone and a sign that needs a cleanToday was robin day, I’d seen about 10 to this point without getting the camera out.This one on a house in Spriddlestone wins the prestigious robin of the day. He looks like he’s still carrying a little holiday weight from all the chocolate he’s hadInto the sun as I head towards Cofflete CreekCofflete Creek, the dew looked like it was rising hereOne of the many bridges which would have carried the old railway line around these partsAnother robin, this one was Mr Timid. He sat there eating a bit of my peanut that I’d broken up and put on the postDown the lovely lanes towards Steer PointNow this is part of the old Cofflete Estate, part of a farmstead. I learned this from a fine guy who I got chatting to near to the cylinder bridge on the River YealmThe sheep have been put out into the arable fields to munch what is left of the veg grown last summer. In the distance is Hollacombe, where I was near the start of this walkA clear row of railway houses near to the quarry at Steer PointNow then this is a bit special. All the way through this walk there had been no wind (which is rare by midday in these parts). The Yealm estuary was sublime in calmness. There were a few people about but the population of London being here wouldn’t have ruined this view.I had a walk to the waters edge and sat on a rock, the reflections were very good, the quiet. ShhhhhhhhhSpinning around the area were the Yealm narrows and heads up towards Yealmpton, before which, it stops becoming tidalAnd further around is the old railway cylinder bridge across to Warren Point. I’m heading there nextJust lovelyOut in the estuary, cormorants made loud noises on the branches sitting out of the waterI love the colours on this photo. Cylinder Bridge, the estuary on the left is full of birds, gulls and ducks mainlyJust one moreHeading towards Winston on a good path that I hadn’t walked before I spotted this buzzard. I’m guessing its a buzzard anywayThat is Kitley House over there. A fancy hotel in these parts. Before reaching here I had a fine chat with a local artist from Brixton, Glyn White. He has been exploring all parts around his local area everyday since the first lockdown, showing the power of staying local. He has found all types of wildlife and was spotting more (kingfishers) as we stood and talked. It was lovely to meet both him and his dog DeaconUnder the bridge at Winston and up towards BrixtonWell with the snow up on Dartmoor and the cold weather this last 2 weeks I was surprised to see these!Brixton Church, after this I joined Cherry Tree Drive to head out the back of Brixton and across the fieldsOn the lanes again now heading towards West SherfordAnother long distance bird. A heronWest Sherford, normally you would follow the lane but there’s a sign down there pointing right which looks like they have redirected the path. Those that know the area will know whyThis is the construction traffic for Sherford. The path leads you around the worst of it. I walked through the middle, being a Sunday to see what they were ruining, sorry doingAll in the name of progress. The 5000 house town of Sherford, which will come through here and out for another couple of miles, obliterating miles of fields, farmland and habitatThe fuzz are out checking for people more than 6 feet from their front doorI’m back in habitation proper now, the stone sign to the right tells you I’m in Elburton and not far from the Co-op where I pick up beer to celebrate a fine walk. I’ve earned it.Climbing the final short hill I realise that I haven’t mentioned Dartmoor on this walk. It shows the quality of the local area and views. However Dartmoor looked to be in slightly thicker cloud in the main, but the snow has gone from its southern tors and hills but hopefully it will be back
Good that have all that fine walking on your doorstep. My walks from home are all flat, muddy, waterlogged arable fields and not very inspiring. A short drive and there are a few places I can do a proper walk but it seems I’m being encouraged to stay in my village (where the number of people and risk of transmission is higher) rather than a short drive to lonely spot where I won’t see anyone.
Well those girls from Derby have had their fines quashed, and the PM himself was seen cycling 7 miles from Westminster. For me stay sensible and 5 minute drive seems to be fine
The guidance is confusing isn’t it..This looks a wonderful wander though. I do love reservoirs. I’ve discovered a few in Lancashire over lockdown. Love the robins and wildlife on your walk. Haven’t seen any daffs out yet.
The walk was a cracker, maybe the end needs tidying up a bit so I don’t walk through a building site but I enjoyed it all. The daffs were a bit of a shock, although those daffs are only a couple of miles from the English Channel so they are probably out in January most years
I do wish the government would establish some proper rules around excercise. I’m now getting in the car to go to places I can’t walk from the door because those walks are quiter and not full of people who have clearly driven a long way to get to the moor ☹
I’m baffled, but I also thinking the media are looking to pick holes in everything that is done. They love blaming people, doctors, government, cats, reindeer and Uncle Tom Cobbly. They are driving the panic, the keyboard warriors and those in charge (police etc). For me I’ve 3 or 4 good walks from the door and by the end of the month we should be in a position were the intense scrutiny has died down a little
I agree the media are always looking to shoot everyone and anyone down, but if you’d seen the cars here last weekend and even worse in the snow the weekend before – when it was supposed to be dangerous to travel because of the ice and snow, you’d know the media were not exaggerating the numbers and the idiocy of the places people chose to park.
treksandtors 
Good that have all that fine walking on your doorstep. My walks from home are all flat, muddy, waterlogged arable fields and not very inspiring. A short drive and there are a few places I can do a proper walk but it seems I’m being encouraged to stay in my village (where the number of people and risk of transmission is higher) rather than a short drive to lonely spot where I won’t see anyone.
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Well those girls from Derby have had their fines quashed, and the PM himself was seen cycling 7 miles from Westminster. For me stay sensible and 5 minute drive seems to be fine
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The guidance is confusing isn’t it..This looks a wonderful wander though. I do love reservoirs. I’ve discovered a few in Lancashire over lockdown. Love the robins and wildlife on your walk. Haven’t seen any daffs out yet.
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The walk was a cracker, maybe the end needs tidying up a bit so I don’t walk through a building site but I enjoyed it all. The daffs were a bit of a shock, although those daffs are only a couple of miles from the English Channel so they are probably out in January most years
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I do wish the government would establish some proper rules around excercise. I’m now getting in the car to go to places I can’t walk from the door because those walks are quiter and not full of people who have clearly driven a long way to get to the moor ☹
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m baffled, but I also thinking the media are looking to pick holes in everything that is done. They love blaming people, doctors, government, cats, reindeer and Uncle Tom Cobbly. They are driving the panic, the keyboard warriors and those in charge (police etc). For me I’ve 3 or 4 good walks from the door and by the end of the month we should be in a position were the intense scrutiny has died down a little
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree the media are always looking to shoot everyone and anyone down, but if you’d seen the cars here last weekend and even worse in the snow the weekend before – when it was supposed to be dangerous to travel because of the ice and snow, you’d know the media were not exaggerating the numbers and the idiocy of the places people chose to park.
LikeLiked by 1 person