Great South West Walk

Sunday August 12

Section 19. PORLOCK WEIR TO LYNMOUTH. Miles: 12.3. Grading: Moderate

Start time and location
Could you please report for registration at the car park in front of the Anchor Hotel
and Ship Inn in Porlock Weir at 1pm.
The walk will commence at 1.30pm.

Parking
Plenty of parking avaialble at start points.

BUS SERVICES
Service 900 runs from Porlock Village to Taunton, Minehead, Lynmouth and Barnstaple in the season. Confirmation of all buses can be obtained from traveline on 0870 608 2608 www.traveline.org.uk

TRAINS
The nearest railway station is Taunton - for information on train services, contact 08457 484950.
The West Somerset Railway PLC runs steam trains between Bishops Lydeard (near Taunton) to Minehead. For further details, please telephone 01643 704996.

TAXIS
Call the National Taxi Hotline on 0800 654321, and you will be put through to the nearest participating cab firm.

MAPS
Ordnance Survey Landranger Series (scale 1:50 000) - Numbers 181, Minehead & Brendon Hills, and 180, Barnstaple & Ilfracombe.
Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure (scale 1:25 000) - Number 9, Exmoor.

GENERAL
Porlock Weir: Accommodation, pub, cafes (seasonal), parking, toilets and public telephone.
Countisbury: limited accommodation, pub, parking, and public telephone.
Lynmouth: accommodation, pubs, cafés, restaurants, shops, post office, parking, toilets and public telephone.
Lynton: accommodation, cafés, restaurants, pubs, shops, chemist, post office,
toilets, parking and public telephone.

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE
Town Hall, Lee Road, Lynton, EX35 6BT. Tel: 01598 752225. Fax: 01598 752755.

The Route
PORLOCK WEIR TO LYNMOUTH

Annual Guide Section 2 (12.3 miles – 19.8 km) Grading: Moderate

The coast path is signposted to the left of the Anchor Hotel and goes round behind it but you can go along in front of the Hotel and take a footpath on the left past the various craft workshops. Carry on across the fields and along the road to the thatched Worthy Toll House (only cars have to pay!). Go right just before the Toll House and proceed along a pleasant woodland walk to Culbone. Large landslips have occurred in Yearnor Woods and signposted diversions are in operation. At Culbone there is a DIY refreshment facility – you make it and pay for whatever you’ve taken! (As usual, do not rely on this facility as it may be locked up).
CULBONE

Culbone Church is the smallest church in England still holding regular services. The church, which appears in both the Doomsday Book and the Guinness Book of
Records, is 35 feet (10.5 metres) long by 12 feet (3.6 metres) wide and it can hold about 30 people.

Culbone Woods once housed a leper colony where the main activity was charcoal burning. Lepers were not allowed into the church, but if you go to the seaward side of the church you will see a small low window where lepers could go for services. Many tombstones bear the name Red which is almost certainly the inspiration for the Ridds of ‘Lorna Doone’.
Take the path to Lynmouth, which divides after about 300 yards (274 m). Turning to the left takes you uphill on the National Trail via Silcombe and Broomstreet Farms. Bearing right is preferable but take note of the warnings about landslip. This path goes through Culbone, Embelle and Yenworthy Woods where it meets up with the official Coast Path. You then enter the Glenthorne Estate.
The Glenthorne Estate entered into a management agreement with the
Exmoor National Park so that the network of paths is now open to all. See the 1st Alternative Route for a diversion to the Pinetum, Ben’s Path and
Glenthorne Beach.
Proceed to Sister’s Fountain (named after the two daughters of the first owner of Glenthorne House) and then right past a pair of wild boar head gateposts, which was the entrance to the Victorian Woodland Lodge (1853) and Glenthorne House. Pass the Lodge on your left and continue down the drive but be careful to take the narrow signed path on the left as the drive bears round to the left.

The walk to Wingate Combe is a delight in May or June when the rhododendrons are in flower. You then pass Pudleep Gurt, Swannelcombe and
Chubhillcombe before you come to a stile and track. Bear left and then right onto a tarmac road. Go down the hill to Coddow Combe Bridge and turn left up the steps.

(See the 2nd Alternative Route for a severe walk via the Foreland Lighthouse.)

Pass by the back of Countisbury Church (unless you want to visit the church, the Exmoor Sandpiper pub or both!) and continue downwards with views of Lynmouth and Foreland Point. Eventually the path meets the road but after the lay-by keep off the busy road on a path up on the verge. Before you reach the bottom of the hill turn right onto a signposted footpath that takes you on a zigzag down through the trees to the back of the Manor House. Go right and then bear round to the left along by the lawns on the sea front. Cross the footbridge over the River Lyn and you are in Lynmouth.

LYNMOUTH

Firstly look back up Countisbury Hill and recall that in 1899 the Lynmouth Lifeboat was carried up the hill, across the top and down Porlock Hill to Porlock Weir, where it was launched to save the crew of a ship off the Weir: this epic journey took 10 hours! The East and West Lyn rivers join to enter the sea at Lynmouth. The Rhenish Tower on the harbour is a landmark now restored after the disastrous floods of 1952.

This edition revised by Malcolm Appleton, May 2003

Maps in this Path Description are reproduced in conjunction with Exmoor National Park Authority by permission of Ordnance Survey (based mapping) on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, © Crown Copyright 100024878

Maps in this path description were drawn by Keith Sokell and the South West Coast Path Association acknowledges his assistance with this work.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

1. Glenthorne

When you get to Yenworthy Combe take the path signed ‘Pinetum’ where you will see trees planted between 1840 and 1860 and now many are over 100 feet (30 m) tall. There is also a trout pond off the stream and an icehouse, which was cut into the cool shaded bank of the stream. At the end of the Pinetum turn left for Ben’s Path south of Home Farm to rejoin the Coast Path just before the Sister’s Fountain. Before taking Ben’s Path you could go down to and return from Glenthorne Beach. Here you will see the remains of the jetty that was used to bring heavy building materials for the
Estate. There are also the remains of a boathouse, coal store and limekiln – coal and limestone were brought over from Wales.

2. Foreland Lighthouse

When you get to the bridge at Coddow Combe bear right on the tarmac road towards the lighthouse. Just before the lighthouse turn left up a steep track – only for the fit in fair weather! This path joins with the main path before Countisbury Church. This path is more exposed than the official route and careful walking is necessary. If you have a head for heights and are sure-footed you will experience magnificent views.

CIRCULAR WALKS

1. County Gate and Glenthorne

Start at Car Park MR 794 485 – 8 miles/13 km

Take the track opposite the car park down to Sister’s Fountain. Follow the coast path for a short distance towards Culbone. Take a track on the left marked Ben’s Path to visit Glenthorne Beach and the Pinetum. When you rejoin the coast path bear left through Yenworthy, Embelle and Culbone Woods to Culbone. DIY refreshments are available at Culbone in a shed above the Church. Leave by the top gate through Withy Combe and return to County Gate via Silcombe, Broomstreet and Yenworthy Farms.

2. Barna Barrow and Wingate Combe

Start at Car Park MR 752 497 – 6 miles/10 km

Go north from the car park to join the coast path. Follow the coast path to Wingate Combe and proceed up the Combe (a steady climb). When you reach the main road turn right and follow the road for a short distance. Then bear right on a path to Kipscombe Farm and back to Barna Barrow.

3. Countisbury, Watersmeet and Rockford

Start at Car Park MR 748 496 – 7 miles/11 km

Join the coast path behind the Church and follow it to Lynmouth. Go over the A39 and follow the direction signs for the path to Watersmeet (NT refreshments/toilets). Follow the East Lyn River to Rockford, turn left for Wilsham, Barna Barrow and then return to Countisbury.

If you have any question on any of the above please do not hesitate to contact one the event organisers found on the Contact us page click here

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