An easy walk taking the riverside walk of the Two Moors Way and the ancient stannary town of Chagford.
DISTANCE: 2.3 miles
NEAREST REFRESHMENTS: Inn and restaurants in Chagford.
FACILITIES: Public toilets in the pepperpot building in the main square.
CAR PARKING: Health Centre car park (SX 702875)
Parking in the Health Centre car park turn left and when you reach the church carry straight on along Mill Street, go past the Three Crowns pub then Webber & Sons and James Bowden & Sons stores and down the hill.
There’s an interesting Italianate building on your left when you come to where the road splits into two. It’s called Moorlands and is now flats, but was converted from a mill in the 19th century.
Go right down Mill Street which is signposted Gidleigh and Throwleigh. Walk along and then down a steep hill, then along on the level until you reach a crossroads, known as Factory Cross, with the Gidleigh Park sign in front of you. Take the right road signposted Gidleigh and Throwleigh.
There are some ruins here, immediately left and next to the house which could be linked to the old woolllen mill which was about a quarter of a mile upstream from here. The mill closed in 1848.
Very shortly you’ll be at Chagford Bridge (SX 693879) where you can cross the River Teign. It’s grade II listed and dates back to the 16th/17th century. Immediately after the bridge on the right is a wooden gate with a coarse fishing notice on it. There is also a footpath sign indicating the Two Moors Way footpath.
Go through the gate and you’re now on the Two Moors Way and can follow it along next to the river. It’s pretty even underfoot all the way.
By the weir there there is a small tributary which the path follows along until it crosses it over a small wooden bridge. Then cross a field, through a gate, then another field will find you on the road by Rushford Bridge (SX 705883), which dates back to at least the 17th century. Rushford was one of many medieval manors on Dartmoor and is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Risford.
From here it’s road walking back to Chagford, so cross the bridge and follow the narrow Devon lane up to the B3206. Turn right at the junction - there is a pavement - and continue along into Chagford and into the main square.
The octagonal building, know as the pepperpot, is the Market House building and the toilets are here. It was once the site of an ancient stannary court that met twice a year.
From here head left back along Mill Street, past the church and to the car park.
© Gillian Adams 2012
For information on where to stay, eat and visit on Dartmoor, please see www.visitdartmoor.co.uk
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