Outdoors & Active

Out and About with Tavistock Ramblers

An autumn walk on the edge of Dartmoor and through a woodland nature reserve with John Noblet of Tavistock Ramblers. This 4-mile walk starts at Sourton with its ancient church dedicated to St Thomas à Becket, and a quirky pub. Field paths lead to Cleave before reaching Sourton quarry, once a hive of activity and one of the largest limestone quarries in the area but now a nature reserve. Pass under and then over Lake Viaduct before joining The Granite Way back to Sourton. Park by Sourton Village Hall (SX535903)

1. Walk down towards the unusual

Highwayman Inn, passing the Saxon cross on the village green. Go left on the pavement along the busy road for a short distance. Just before the bus stop cross the road with care into

Windard Terrace, which is signed as a public footpath. 2. Keep left of the houses and go through a metal gate into a field.

Keep close to the hedge on the left and go through a second gate into another field. Continue ahead, still close to the left hand hedge, to a third gate leading to a short footpath between hedges and into a further field.

3. The footpath is well signed across three fields to reach another metal gate at Cleave. Cross an area of rough ground and then a small bridge over a stream opposite a house called East Cleave. Go left and then bear right up a short, steep slope before going left through a metal gate into a field where it is signed as a public footpath.

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4. Now keep the hedge on the right to reach a stile in the far corner. Go diagonally across the next field to another stile in the corner. Go up a few steps to a road, once the main

A30. Walk along the verge for a short distance and take the first turning on the left signed as a bridleway. There are splendid views of the Dartmoor skyline. Pass two cottages and the entrance to Sourton Quarry nature reserve. Walk along the track with glimpses of the flooded quarry over the wooden fence. 5. Turn left at the lane and follow this to a T-junction.

There is a distant view of Lake Viaduct from the gateway before turning right downhill. Cross the A386 again with care and continue on the signed bridleway with Bearslake Inn on the right The path follows and then crosses a stream before passing under the massive viaduct built in 1874 for the

London and South Western Railway.

Almost immediately turn right through a gate and follow the path uphill alongside the viaduct to reach

The Granite Way.

6. The old railway is now a multi-use trail, The Granite Way, so look out for cyclists from here on. Cross the viaduct but pause to savour the splendid views from Brent Tor and the Cornish hills to the west, and of course, Dartmoor to the east. Continue for nearly a mile as far as Sourton church. Turn left here and back to the car.

Tavistock Ramblers walk on most Saturdays and Sundays and some Wednesdays. There are a mix of short walks and longer all-day hikes to suit all. Go to www.tavistockramblers.org. uk to see the latest programme of walks on offer. You are welcome to join us. If you just want something shorter to start with, try a Ramblers Wellbeing Walk to get active - there will be one near you.

You will also find a series of self-guided walks on the website to download or print. Two books of Tavistock District walks and several leaflets of walks in the area are available in Tavistock Information Centre.

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