Ashwater Public Footpaths
Click on the links below to see each footpath within the parish
To report a problem on a footpath or bridleway to Devon County Council please click HERE
Footpath No. 1
Halwill Cricket Ground to Parish boundary – link
Footpath No. 2
East Down to Muckworthy Chapel Farm – link
Footpath No. 3
Muckworthy Chapel Farm to Cookworthy Visitor Centre – link
Footpath No. 4
Cookworthy Forest to Langaford – link
Footpath No. 5
Blagaton Gate to disused railway line/parish boundary – link
Footpath No. 9
Quoditch to disused railway line/parish boundary – link
Footpath No. 10
Old Rectory Lane to The Hill – link
Footpath No. 11
Church Walk – link
Footpath No. 12
Village Green – link
Footpath No. 13
Ashwater to A388 via Lower Larkworthy – link
Footpath No. 15
Lower Larkworthy to Henford – link
Footpath No. 18
Oak Cottage to Grendisworthy Farm – link
Footpath No. 19
Burrow Farm to Oak Cottage – link
Bridleway No. 3a
Cookworthy Visitor Centre to Forest Car park – link
Click here for the Public Rights of Way map – Devon
Click here for a mobile friendly version of the Public Rights of Way map – Devon
Ashwater Parish Walk No.1
Ordinance Survey Explorer Map 112
A circular walk beginning and ending at the Village Inn; taking in the quiet hamlet of Quoditch and crossing the River Carey.
(Distance: 6 miles - allow 3 hours)
NB: Wear stout shoes or boots, as parts of the route can be waterlogged and muddy. Keep all dogs on a lead as the fields contain stock. This walk is not suitable for wheelchair users.
Start with your back to the Village Inn and walk over the green towards the church. The lane and church wall bear to the right, but follow the sign posted footpath on the left through the metal gate. Admire the slate lined hedge/banks containing wild violets under the fine Beech Trees.
At the bottom of the hill pass through the metal kissing gate. Go straight along the track then turn right onto the lane. Walk to the cross roads and go towards Quoditch. (Signposted - 1¼ miles).
After passing the Methodist Chapel on your left look back to enjoy a view of Ashwater Church or visit the small well tended graveyard. The banks contain Bluebells in spring and Marsh bedstraw in summer.
Stay on the lane passing Woodpark Cottage on your right as the route continues to wind between the fields, watching for Skylarks and then down a wooded hill to the stone bridge across Drury Water.
Pause here as a Dipper sometimes feeds amongst the shallows before you climb steadily up the other side passing Drury Cottage and Farm to enter the hamlet of Quoditch. The cottage was once the Police House.
Keep on the lane until reaching South Quoditch Farm and then turn right at the 'Footpath Sign' into the farm yard and head in a straight line for the small exit gate beyond, to join the way marked path.
Keeping between the hedges carry straight on to the open fields ahead. These slope steeply down towards the river (as yet unseen) and by starting to descend in a straight line, aim for the wooden style that stands alone on the terraced hillside. Continue descending to the next style and enter the woodland that abounds the river from where you will see a large wooden bridge over the River Carey. Listen here for the Woodpeckers, Jays and Nuthatches.
Cross the bridge and walk straight ahead towards the gate on the far side of the field. This section of culm grassland can be very boggy, but contains fine orchids and other plants plus butterfly species and damselflies.
Once through the gate cross what used to be the old railway line and head straight up hill keeping the hedge on your left. At the top of the field there are three gates to negotiate, please ensure you close them afterwards.
The track follows the course of a small stream, which runs down its centre. After the third gate join the concrete path and bear left to skirt the buildings of Lower Beckett Farm, immediately after which turn right and follow the cement lane up hill passing High Beckett Farmhouse on the left before meeting a lane. Here turn right and proceed down hill with distant views of Ashwater to the front.
The hedges and verges of this lane contain an abundance of summer wild flowers. Proceed to follow the lane as it winds and descends into some pretty woodland and across a small stream. Watch for the Peacocks at Thorne.
The lane then gradually gets closer to the river, which at one point can be seen across the water meadows where there is a weir and a fish ladder. Watch for the almost resident heron fishing nearby. Note how the old woodland clings to the valley side on the far bank.
Remnants of the railway bridges are also visible as it was here the track once crossed first the river and then the lane before arriving at Ashwater Station.
The river is now close to the lane and you may be lucky enough to see a kingfisher as you continue towards the road junction at Ash Mill. The derelict building on the left is an old shop and there is still a Victorian Post Box set in the wall.
The stone building over the road is the old station house, now a private dwelling and across the way are the coal yards, which are still used.
Turn right and cross over the river bridge then at the junction immediately bear left to begin the ascent towards Ashwater Village.
The steep roadside banks harbour slow worms and a variety of wild shade loving plants. The house halfway up on the right is the Rectory.
At the hilltop retrace your steps past the church, the green and the 'listed' red telephone box for refreshment at the Village Inn or simply take a rest on the benches by the War Memorial.
Ashwater Parish Walk No. 2
Ordinance Survey Explorer Map 112
This is a circular walk that begins and ends at the Village Inn, crossing farmland and featuring the small hamlet of Henford. (Distance: 3 miles - allow 1½ hours)
NB. Wear stout shoes or boots, as parts of the route maybe muddy. Keep dogs on a lead asthe fields contain stock. This walk is not suitable for wheel chair users.
The route offers a fine opportunity to appreciate the wild flowers so typical of the area. Look for Aconites, Snowdrops and Hazel Catkins at the turn of the year.
Primroses, Bluebells, Red Campion, Buttercups, Violets, Stitchwort, Cow Parsley, Pignut, Fox Gloves and Eyebright appear in spring.
Summer blooms include Honeysuckle, Dog and Field Roses, Hawksbeard, Scabious, Willowherbs and a host of Meadowsweet, Sorrel and Bramble.
Autumn brings forth the harvest of Blackberries, Elder, Sloes and Hawthorn with various types of Fungi in the fields and woodland.
There are many bird species throughout the year ranging from the ever-present Buzzards to the less common Spotted Flycatchers that visit between May and August with summer migrants such as the Chiff Chaff and Willow Warbler.
Start with your back to the Village Inn swivel left then take the road to the left leading out of the village and signposted to Launceston.
Proceed past all the houses and the last dwelling on the right called 'Fools Paradise'. Ahead in the far distance are glimpses of Bodmin Moor.
Keeping to the road and just beyond the entrance to Adjistment Farm look for the footpath sign and then turn right through the gate into the field.
With the field boundary on your right pass through a double gate continue ahead to the style then proceed diagonally left down the slope towards the bottom right hand corner of the field.
Look for the entrance style and enter the wooded area prolific in Spring, with bluebells and violets, follow the path and cross the small footbridge and another style into the marsh and reed bed.
In spring and summer this area is abundant with butterflies, dragonflies and broad bodied chasers.
Butterflies include the Brimstone, Orange Tip, Red Admiral, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Peacock, Painted Lady, Large White, Green Veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper amongst others.
Watch also for Roe Deer in this secluded spot then go straight ahead keeping left and cross the style into the field.
Proceed up the slope with the boundary on your right to the gate into a small lane. Continue ahead to a metal gate then immediately right following the lane shortly passing through another gate.
Look for the waymark sign to the left on the outbuilding wall. (Ignore the option to go right through Larkworthy Farm and eventually out to the main Holsworthy to Launceston road).
At the next gate bear right and keep to the field edge then through another gate with the hedge on your left. Immediately after the next gate turn right then left and go down the hill looking for the yellow-topped waymark post at the bottom.
Go over the stream by footbridge and cross the style. Continue through a gate and a further style and follow the path negotiating two more gates.
The final gate onto the lane at Henford bears the following memorial inscription, "Pa's Orchard. Daniel F Rowe 1920 1996".
Turn left and follow the lane down hill shaded by trees and across the stone bridge over Henford Water.
Begin the long ascent up Kit Hill passing the Rookery on your left. The verges along this section of the lane are festooned with the white blooms of Cow Parsley during May and June.
Pause during this steady climb to look back at the fine view of the steep slopes on the left that hide the River Carey from view before returning to the village of Ashwater for refreshment at the Village Inn or visit the PO/Shop adjacent to the Parish Hall.