Lots of ancient byways to discover. The end bit near A38 junction is tricky as no pavement....

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It mostly follows defined tracks or worn paths, with a minor road section, and is well waymarked. At Combeshead Tor car park the route turns off the road and follows a faint worn path up over Holne Moor via Horn’s Cross....

Helen C

Starting in Buckfastleigh you follow the town out on Station Road and up “Church Steps” I didn’t mind the steps and the hill afterwards was okay to climb. I would do this part of the path if it was dry, but on the way back from Ashburton we followed the B3380 road instead. This goes past Buckfastleigh Station and brings you around to Station Road, even though it was noisy it was pavement and non slippy....

Claire

However, Chuley Road is very quiet and you then pick up a public footpath through woodland. Arriving in Buckfastleigh, if you want a more accessible and level route you could continue on the main road to avoid the steep mossy footpath (photo 15 looking back down the hill), although you would miss the old quarry (protected for bats) and lime kilns below....

Helen C

Buckfastleigh and Ipplepen have good public transport links, grocery shops, cafés and pubs, and there are several pubs en route. There was water running down the steeper paths and some large puddles, but still passable in walking boots. The Am Brook water meadow lived up to its name though, so I would recommend walking this route when conditions less likely to cause flooding. From Woolston Green the route follows a public footpath through Beara (pedestrian gap next to electric gate which probably shouldn’t be there - photo 8 - but well signed and easy to follow through yard- photo 9) then quiet lanes to Broadhempston - a good refreshment stop (can recommend the cake from the, extremely well-stocked, community shop! The route then follows public footpaths to Torbryan. A public footpath is then signed on the northern side of the road partway along....

Helen C

I wasn’t sure how to rate this route as it is a good route on the whole, but it has to fail as a slow way due to an access issue east of Woolston Green, Landscove....

Helen C

From Buckfastleigh the route largely follows quiet country lanes. From Dartington Church, the route follows part of the National Cycle Network (NCN), an off-road multi-use path all the way to Totnes. In fact, I think it would be possible to avoid all stiles by continuing on the road from Water Lane End (not taking the first footpath) then pick up the multi-use path even sooner, from the Steiner school at Hood Manor....

Helen C

Good rest stop towards end of walk in Dartington - option of community owned brewery at Dartington or pub just off main walk path. Time the walk right and you'll see the steam train along route, or even use it to get back to the start/end of the route....

Hannah

So rather than left onto Dartbridge Road and along Station Road, before going up the steps - just turn right onto Dartbridge Road and pick up the route later....

LouRos

We did alter the route near South Brent to go through Lady’s Wood and pick up Dartmoor Way as the road past Glazebrook is quite busy. Lots of great scenery. We did have a problem with a lane full of ankle deep slurry near Dean Prior but all In all loved this walk...

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It seems like going 'down-river' makes this a much easier venture, although as the previous reviewer suggests, only part of the route is suitable for those with limited mobility. The rationale for 4 stars here is that the route could be better by avoiding the hill above Week, but this would need exploring to whether the Deer Park walk around Dartington and the North Hill open access paths could be made part of this route (and whether they link up to provide a walking route), or whether this would elongate the length of this route too much....

andy_mackay

As the settlements are very small, there are no pubs/cafes on the route between Dartington and Buckfastleigh, although there is a farm shop selling fresh meat towards the end of the route....

Alex B