Hele Bay and Hillsborough ~ Griffmonsters Great Walks

Saturday, 5 February 2022

Hele Bay and Hillsborough

Author: Griffmonster | Saturday, 5 February 2022 | No comments |

A short but strenuous walk across Hillsborough Hill that separates Ilfracombe and Hele Bay.

Hillsborough is a promontory that sits between the towns of Ilfracombe and Hele Bay to the east. With a height of some 114m, this made an ideal location for an iron age for around 2500 years ago although there is nothing obvious other than information boards to point this out to the untrained eye. There are numerous paths around the hill and this walk roughly follows the South West Coast Path route although veers off to explore Raperee Cove, and to follow the path past the location of the fort.

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 may be included in the future.

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 Grade: Challenging
Terrain: Footpath, Road

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

Walk Notes

Human occupation of Hillsborugh that sites between the town of Ilfracombe and the hamlet of Hele Bay probably dates from the dawn of human civilisation of in Devon. There site hold burial chambers from the Bronze Age that were excavated in the 1930s. An Iron Age hill fort was in use between 300BC and 50AD and its remains can still be seen in the earthworks that surround the summit.

Urbanization threatened the hill in the late 19th century when builders were going to exploit the land. Fortunately the local council bought up the land to turn it into a conservation area, one of the first such areas in the country. It has retained this status to the present day with paths and viewpoints to explore the site and take in the histroic features and the wildlife.

This walk also cross Rapparee Cove, where a path leads down to the beach then up a steep set of steps on the far side. A stone commemorates a shipwreck on 9th October 1796 of the 'London', a transport ship, part of the Ganges convoy carrying St Lucian prisoners of war. At 8:30 in the evening a heavy squall forced the ship onto the rocks below the cove claiming 40 lives.

This is a guide walk as there are many paths across Hillsborough and any visitor picks and chooses their route as takes their curiosity. This was the case here, roughly following the South West Coast Path waymarkers and then being led astray by curiosity of the wonders that hill hill beholds.

Images