MEMBERS of the Westbury Walkers had a busy May as the group met for a walk at Corsham earlier in the month, before taking a trip further afield to Buckfastleigh in Devon for a special two-day walking weekend.
On Sunday 14th May, 14 walkers met at the Springfield Campus in Corsham for a walk that was a little over eight miles, led by Julia Tyte and Jane Dezonie. Julia says, “The weather sunny with a little breeze which was just perfect for walking. The group took alleyways through Corsham then walked past Pockeridge Ponds, which are man-made lakes, within the nature reserve, and joined the carriage drive until they reached Neston.
“From Neston Lodge the group followed the wooded track leading to the Park Lane working stone quarries, before heading up towards Gastard from where they took field paths, then a quiet road leading to Thingley Bridge farm, where the group sat on a wall on the bridge over the river to have lunch.
“Refreshed, the group then walked on to Thingley and made their way back via field tracks to Easton and then the hamlet of Westrop, before entering Corsham Court Park, where we walked beside the lake and then over to the wooded avenue leading to the park. On exiting we passed the ancient Almshouses, the Pound Arts Centre in Corsham and followed quiet alleyways back to the campus.”
The following weekend 15 members of the Westbury Walkers travelled to Buckfastleigh in Devon for a two-day walking weekend. Paddy Yerburgh said, “The weather was perfect as the group set out on the Saturday from the pretty village of Manaton on the east side of Dartmoor for a challenging eight-mile walk led by Mike Self which took us firstly down a long and stony path to the River Bovey where the more intrepid chose to cross the river by a very old and narrow clapper bridge instead of its modern replacement.
“Then a series of climbs and descents through beautiful trees and wildflowers, part of an official temperate rainforest, led to yet another rocky climb above the village of Pethybridge before our reward of a wonderful nearly two-mile ridge walk from Sharpitor to Hunters Tor which afforded wonderful views of Dartmoor at its best with the dramatic Haytor and Houndtor clearly visible. Three members of the group did a less challenging walk from the National Trust estate at Parke near Bovey Tracy.
“On the Sunday, the group travelled to Stover Country Park near Newton Abbot for a gentler seven-mile walk led by myself, which started from the attractive Stover Lake (a one-time clay pit) with lots of wildfowl and squirrels. Two swans welcomed the group by swimming close to them to show off their nine signets.
“From the lake the route took the group along the first part of the Stover Canal built by the Templer family to carry granite quarried on the moor before some narrow lanes led to paths following the River Teign for about a mile before the group turned to walk along the tow path of another stretch of the Stover Canal which included the recently restored Graving Lock – a dry dock used to repair and maintain the barges carrying their cargo to the docks at Teignmouth.
“Further tracks and footpaths took us back to Stover Lake passing a memorial to Canadian Fusiliers who came over during the First World War as the British desperately needed lumberman to fell trees to provide urgently needed wood for the war effort in France and Belgium. The fine weather added to the enjoyment of a very successful walking weekend in a sometimes dramatic and varied part of the country.”
For more information about the Westbury Walkers please email paddy@westbury.walkers.uk@gmail.com
