Hele Bay to Berrynarbor Circular Walk
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Wednesday, 15 December 2021
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A 7 mile walk around coastal North Devon from Hele Bay to Berrynarbor
This walk takes inland footpaths and tracks to navigate from the village of Hele Bay through to Berrynarbor, which, with its whitewashed stone walls takes on the guise of a Mediterranean village. The village plays host to numerous flower pot men in comical poses which makes an intriguing spectacle as one wanders through the streets. Return is along the South West Coast Path
NOTE
This is a walk summary intended to provide the user with just the essential information in order to navigate the walk route. Fully detailed information notes, refreshment stops and walk features are not included in this. A full write up will be included in the near future.
Hele Bay to Berrynarbor Circular Walk - Essential Information
Walk Statistics:
- Start location: Hele Bay
- Distance: miles ( km)
- Total Gain: ft ( metre)
- Total Descent: ft ( metre)
- Min Height: ft ( metre)
- Max Height: ft ( metre)
- Walk Time:
- Walk type: Circular
- Walk Grade: Challenging
- Terrain: Footpath, Country Lane, Track
Maps:
The following maps and services can assist in navigating this route. There are links to printed maps and links to downloadable GPX route data for importing into navigational software and apps.
- Ordnance Survey Explorer Map
- OS Explorer 139 - Bideford, Ilfracombe & Barnstaple
- GPX Route File
Accommodation:
Hele Valley Holiday ParkcampsiteView in OS Map | View in Google Map
- Website
- www.helevalley.co.uk/
- Description
- Situated close to Ilfracombe, this family owned holiday park is set in the picturesque valley at Hele Bay. It offers a peaceful, clean and well maintained park with static caravans and lodges, camping pitches and camping pods. This site has been awarded Silver Awards from the Devon Tourism Awards, a David Bellamy Gold Award for Conservation and a Trip Advisor Excellence Certificate.
Route Verification Details
- Date of Walk: 27/06/2021
- Walk Time: 10:30 to 15:30
- Walkers: griff, kat
- Weather Conditions: overcast, some drizzle
Walk Notes
This walk provides a simple yet slightly challenging circular wander around the north Devon countryside between Hele Bay, east of Ilfracombe and Berrynarbor, with a return section along the South West Coast Path. This features some glorious views, timeless villages and the glory of the South West Coast Path.
In this instance, camp was set up at the Hele Bay camp site and the starting point for the walk, Cat Lane, runs alongside the site with access from the road leading into the campsite, or alternatively through the gate at the end of the site which opens out onto the farm at the end of Cat Lane. For those who are not familiar with the area, take the right turn when entering Hele Bay from Ilfrcombe, just before the petrol station - a sign post indicates the campsite at this point. Follow the road down and around the bends. Where the road turns a sharp right, take the lane that diverges off to the left. This is Cat Lane and after a brief steep ascent the going levels out.
Both Cat Lane and the rear access of the campsite meet at a cluster of farm buildings. This is known as Comyn Farm, which in addition to being a working farm offers two cottages for Bed and Breakfast. The public footpath negotiates a course through the courtyard that separates the buildings before leading around the left hand side of the far building. The path is almost hidden but a waymarker points the way into the undergrowth and across a stream with conveniently placed stepping stones to provide a way across the waters. On this occasion it was pretty simple series of steps across what was no more than a trickle of water but during rains, no doubt this becomes a bit of a challenge to negotiate.
The footpath leads through the woodland that accompanies the stream up the valley, eventually crossing a bridge across the stream to start heading up the hillside of rough pastureland and populated by plenty of sheep. The path climbs higher and higher and higher. The views back get more and more panoramic with the coast soon easily picked out. The route leads to a group of farm buildings where the path emerges onto a tarmac track. Initially this looks like the top of the climb, but past the buildings and there is more climbing. Higher and higher and higher before it eventually levels out. From Comwyn farmhouse the climb ascends some 120m.
The track junctions a narrow country lane, and on the opposite side is a stone stile with a waymarker pointing down into the Sterridge valley beyond. The footpath is easily picked out by the darkened colour of the grass as it leads across and down the grass hillside. This crosses a hedgerow full of trees and leads towards a more dense area of woodland. Keep to the well marked route and where there appears to be more than one path choose the well worn route. Either way it all leads in the same direction following a tree lined hedgerow. At the bottom of the hill there is a five bar gate that bars entry out onto a lane beyond. A track to the left briefly runs parallel to the road and then turns sharp right to lead out onto the lane.
The lane leads through a hamlet of Sterridge made up of quaint countryside cottages. One cant help but notice the preponderance of numerous flowerpot men that are placed in the gardens and on the outbuildings of the cottages, each figure taking up a unique pose. A sniper atop a shed, a flower pot child attired in wellies with a kids windmill in hand, another wellied example sits reading Enid Byton's The Famous Five and another sits by a stream with bucket and spade and a fishing net. One has to keep ones eyes peeled high and low to see them all as they are placed in the most awkward of places such as the golfing flower pot man balanced half way up a wall with a golf club hitting a golf ball. MY favourite was the somewhat pickled looking flower pot man atop a hedge, cradling an empty glass and an empty bottle of wine.
At first these works of art are just a comical catch of the eye but one soon finds that ones eyes are drawn into the flower pot world, searching for more curiosities. A lady passed us and offered a witty word saying that we had to pay to look at them. She informed us that all these items were the work of a local man and he is credited to having created some eighty of the figures that are placed around the village, although she confessed they may not all be in place these days.
Continuing onwards we come into the main part of the village of Berrynarbor and are greeted by the church of St Peter, a Victorian restoration from an original 13th century building with 15th century tower. A slate sundial adorns the wall above the South porch and is dated 1767. Unfortunately the day is overcast and the time is cloaked in shadow which leaves us to deduce the hour by the fact that the local pub, Ye Olde Globe, is closed indicating it was before midday. I guess the same deductions were undertaken in times of old but the question is how did the landlord know the time. I guess he just looked at the sundial and in times of cloud, just had a good guess!
The pub sits amongst the terraces of whitewashed cottages and the scene down this road would not look out of place in a Mediterranean coastal village when the sun shines and the sky is blue. The pub is clearly identified by the sign and the building dates from 1675 when it was converted from existing cottages. These cottages are said to originate from at least 1275 when they were employed as accommodation for the stonemasons building the church. The fact that this is a freehouse is certainly encouragement to visit for any ale enthusiast but it is closed, and there is no sign of the landlord inspecting the sundial so opening time is not imminent. Therefore, with the prospect of afternoon rain heading our way the decision was taken to continue onwards.
The return route is along the SWCP. This is accessed directly across the main road at the junction with the Berrynarbor road and leads down the Old Coast Road. There is brief evidence of this highway as it passes the well presented Sandy Cove Hotel, and then it disperses into no more than a track through some woodland before emerging out onto the Watermouth Park Camping Park. Below these cliffs is a brief glimpse can be seen is Broadsands Beach. This includes a secluded cove where steep steps lead down to it.
The route leads down to Watermouth harbour where there is a cafe in a boat. It is an idyllic place to stop at the head of this natural harbour enclosed by the mainland on the left and a promontory on the right known as Sexton Burrows. At the tip, by an area known as Burrow Nose is a circular ruin. A path leads out to this for those with an inquisitive nature. It is only a 10 minute walk out there and well worth the excursion. The ruin looks like it could be some kind of lighthouse or day mark for shipping, or even a windmill. Curious cured patterns around the interior indicate some roof structure. There is little information about this and the only reference I have found speculates it being a 19th century lookout tower associated with Watermouth Castle, the ornate castellated building on the opposite side of the road to the entrance to the harbour. Although named a castle this was just a 19th century country house, and these days has been converted to a theme park.
The path then negotiates around Widmouth Head and Rillage Point which enclose Samsons Bay before leading up to the coastguard cottage on the main road. Then there is a simple walk alongside the road back down into Hele Bay.
Summary of Document Changes
Last Updated: 2021-12-15
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