Morchu two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Morchu here.

I walked this route from M’hampstead to Chudleigh. Both towns are well served by bus and have plenty of refreshment opportunities. There is also a cafe en route just outside M’hampstead and a pub at Hennock.

Although starting out along the Wray Valley Trail (WVT) (and NCN28), which is accessible for all, the remainder of this slow way is not accessible for wheeled users - there are some very steep gradients, and stiles (including a ladder stile). It is typical of the area and these cannot be avoided. It also passes through different landscapes, from East Dartmoor to the Teign Valley.

The WVT is a largely off-road trail following a disused railway line towards Bovey Tracey. At Lustleigh the slow way diverges from the WVT. It follows a public footpath to Kelly on the A382, which it crosses to follow a bridleway towards Bullaton. The bridleway climbs steeply through woodland. There is a slightly easier permissive route signed which adds a switchback then follows a marginally less steep path at the edge of the wood, parallel to the official route which is available but directly up through the wood. They soon rejoin. It’s a lovely wooded bridleway, despite the incline! It levels out at Bullaton (lovely traditional farmstead) by Trenchford Reservoir (good picnic spot) and it’s almost all downhill from there on!

The route follows quiet country lanes to Hennock. A short field path to Teign Village had horses grazing in and was a bit muddy. The horses were friendly but not too friendly or intimidating. The route continues on quiet lanes with a short hop across the B3344 at Crocombe Bridge then back on quiet roads then footpath. At Northwood there’s no recorded public access west to the river (gated farm track). The slow way therefore continues southeast on a footpath to Chudleighwoods Farm then joins an unmetalled road heading back towards the river along a lovely holloway, before following a public footpath through woodland. There appears to be an unofficial path along the bottom of the wood but the slow way follows the marked public footpath.

The route passes under the A38 then along lane and pavement of residential roads into Chudleigh.

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