Great South West Walk

Wednesday August 15

Section 23. BARNSTAPLE TO WESTWARD HO!. Miles: 19.1. Grading: Easy

Start time and location
Could you please report for registration at the Tourist Office, The Square, Barnstaple at 9am.
The walk will commence at 9.30am

Parking
Plenty of parking avaialble at start points.

Bus Services
Many services run from Barnstaple and Bideford ,with some services linking Westward Ho!, please see our current Annual Guide for details. Confirmation of all buses can be obtained from traveline on 0870 608 2608 www.traveline.org.uk

Trains
The Tarka Line runs between Barnstaple and Exeter, so you can reach the rest of the country from here. For more information, please telephone National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950.

Maps
Ordnance Survey Landranger series (scale 1:50 000) Number 180, Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.
Ordnance Survey Explorer series (scale 1:25 000) Numbers 139, Bideford, Ilfracombe and Barnstaple and 126 Clovelly, Hartland and Bideford.
Maps in this Path Description are reproduced in conjunction with Devon County Council by permission of Ordnance Survey (based mapping) on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, © Crown Copyright 100019783.
Maps in this Path Description were drawn by David Hamblin and the South West Coast Path Association acknowledges his assistance with this work.

General Information
Barnstaple: accommodation, shops (including chemists), pubs, restaurants, cafés, car parks, toilets and public telephones.
Instow: accommodation, shops, pubs, restaurants, cafés, car parks, toilets and public telephones.
Bideford: accommodation, shops (including chemists), pubs, restaurants, cafés, car parks, toilets and public telephones.
Appledore: accommodation, shops, pubs, restaurants, cafés, car parks, toilets and public telephones.
Westward Ho!: accommodation, shops (including a chemist), pubs, restaurants, cafés, car parks, toilets and public telephones.

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE
36, Boutport Street, Barnstaple. EX31 1RX. Tel: 01271 375000
Victoria Park, The Quay, Bideford. EX39 2QQ. Tel: 01237 477676

The Route
This is a very easy stretch of the coast path. Some walkers might find the path to Westward Ho! offering no physical challenge or any outstanding scenery. But when the tide is high in the twin rivers of the Taw and Torridge, there are some very pleasant stretches. In the winter months, there is the additional interest in the high bird population on the estuary.

From May to September a ferry runs from Instow to Appledore one hour either side of high tide.

A distraction is that the path is also a cycle track from Barnstaple to Bideford. This can makes walking in the summer months difficult: it is important that you keep your eyes and ears open.

BARNSTAPLE

Barnstaple has long been an important town in North Devon. It was prominent in the defence of the area – going back to Saxon times. Henry de Tracey, who became Lord of Barnstaple in 1213 was a great soldier and led soldiers from the town during the French wars.

Its importance grew during the mid twentieth century, as a west coast port. Ships from the town fought in many of the great sea battles, including the siege of Calais and the defeat of the Spanish Armada by Drake. In addition the port was important for commercial reasons. North Devon had a flourishing woollen industry and traded with many parts of the world. Eventually though the woollen industry moved North and the port lost a large part of its trade. It still has its famous pannier market which first started in 1855. The name came from the baskets in which the produce was brought to the market.

BARNSTAPLE TO WESTWARD HO!

Annual Guide Section 9 (19.1 miles: 30.7 km) Grading: Easy

After crossing Barnstaple’s medieval long bridge turn right down a road next to Leaderflush & Shapland’s factory. In a short distance bear left along a signposted path in front of a row of houses and follow this until it joins up with the old Barnstaple to Bideford railway line, which is used as the coast path, Tarka Trail and cycle track (If you have just arrived from Barnstaple Railway station, the coast path can be joined here along the old track and under the railway arch.)

After a walk of about 2.5 miles (4 km) Fremington Quay is reached.

Ball clay was brought by rail to this quay from the pits at Meeth. The trade started in 1880 but ceased in 1969. The quay and the surrounding area has recently been restored and it is now an attractive spot, with an excellent café and museum on the site of the old railway station. It is open throughout the year, except Mondays during the winter months: for further information, please see www.fremingtonquaycafe.co.uk

Crossing the iron railway bridge over Fremington Pill, the way ahead is straight and flat, with little interest.

Relief comes when the route of the coast path turns right over a stile, just past the RSPB reserve. This soon reaches the estuary side (look out for large flocks of waders and seabirds – especially in winter) and passes near to the site of the now demolished coal-fired power station. Only the jetty remains where coal was landed from South Wales.

On approaching the North Devon Cricket ground with its thatched roof score board, at most states of the tide, keep to the somewhat stony beach. When the tide is exceptionally high one has to go to the landward side of the cricket pavilion, but this is rare.

Follow the waymarks along the edge of the beach to reach Marine Road in Instow.

INSTOW

Instow is a popular holiday village, a yachting centre, and home to the world famous cricket umpire David Shepherd. A ferry used to operate over to Appledore between May and September. This has now ceased operating. The miles to Bideford and on to Appledore are included in the total length of the South West Coast Path.

Rejoin the railway track, by the restored signal box, and onto the Instow station. Here is a plaque commemorating the opening of this section of the coast path in 1987 by William Waldegrave.

The walk into Bideford has little to get enthusiastic about, but we do not recommend taking a short cut across the A39 road bridge. This is an extremely busy road. Walkers and traffic do not mix well.

The old Bideford station is now the base for the Northern Devon Coast and Countryside Service in a reconditioned railway carriage.

Cross the 24 arch stone long bridge built in 1535 and you arrive in Bideford.

BIDEFORD

Bideford has a good shopping centre with a weekly Pannier market. The MS Oldenburg sails from here to Lundy, which is a brilliant way to spend a day off. Times of sailing are available from the Islands Office on the quay.

You may see a boat being loaded with ball clay, many thousands of tonnes are still shipped from Bideford.

The name ball clay originates from the old method of working. The clay was cut into cubes about nine inches square. These rapidly assumed a roughly spherical shape. Clay was sold by the ‘ball’. It is now shredded and used in the ceramic industry, tableware, wall tiles and porcelain.

Turn right at the end of the bridge and aim for the far end of the large riverside car park to pick up the coast path again. (The tarmac path for approximately 300 yards beyond Kingsley’s statue has been named Landivisiau Walk - Bideford’s twin town in France.) There are no waymarks in Bideford to guide you, but you should not experience any difficulty, keeping to the side of the river. At the end of the car park there is a waymarked lane passing the Bideford RFC stadium. Continue walking on a road to pass under the new high level road bridge, then up a rough track, turn right by the waymark, and walk down a narrow track. This rejoins the riverside by a small beach at Lower Cleave. There is some more road walking passing the Yeoldn House Hotel. Be sure to keep to the waymarked lane; do not stray up any of the many private drives. After the Second World War tank traps, fork right and the route enters the National Trust property of Burrough Farm.

This is a pleasant walk through some riverside woods, down to the water’s edge to cross two small beaches, and fine views back up the river towards Bideford.

The sea wall at Bidna has collapsed so, at high tide you may have to take the short inland diversion. But at low tide the breach can be negotiated. The Appledore Shipyard Company has provided, at its own cost, a new and improved route up to the road. These routes are both well waymarked. With the steps now provided it is not difficult to negotiate the breach in the sea wall. Having done that the path turns inland to meet up with the high tide route.

On reaching the road turn right and on into Myrtle Street and you will reach the water front at Appledore.

APPLEDORE

Appledore has accommodation and refreshments. In the 19th century this was a busy sailing port. It is, or was, the home of Appledore Shipbuilding, one of North Devon’s largest employers. It is reported that, under new owners, shipbuilding could recommence this year. There is a lifeboat station here covering much of the North Devon and North Cornwall coasts. The seagoing boat is moored in the river, and the inshore boat is kept in the boat house.

Leaving the riverside, the route passes into old Appledore past a row of beautifully preserved cottages which were once the homes of the old sea captains.

At low tide the walk continues along the beach passing the ruined Hink’s boat yard, to reach Appledore bridge and Northam Burrows Country Park. Due to a cliff fall, the high tide route has to be walked over a small length of road.

After crossing a small bridge at the entrance to the Northam Burrows Country Park, keep to the side of the road to enter an area that until recently was a recycling centre.

The path after this is ill-defined, but bear right and follow the line of the sand dunes above the beach. It is possible to walk all the way to Westward Ho!, along the beach at most states of the tide, although the sand can be soft.

The burrows cover over 600 acres of sand dunes, salt marsh, and pasture and includes the country’s oldest golf club, established in 1846. It abounds with wild life of all types. Likewise the Burrows Country Park attracts many visitors.

On reaching Sandy Mere and the Park Information Centre it is better to walk along a track to the landward side of the pebble ridge.

WESTWARD HO!

The town of Westward Ho! was named after the seafaring novel by Charles Kingsley published in 1855.

Rudyard Kipling attended the United Services College and based his book ‘Stalkey & Co.’ there.

The town is an excellent family resort with plenty of accommodation, but it becomes very crowded in July and August.

Revised December 2003 John Pickett
(Original edition by Ken Franey September 1997)

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