7miles/
11kms

A Walk Across the Walkham

About this route

The West Devon Way walking route links Plymouth and Okehampton, much of the route following the western edge of Dartmoor. This walk follows a length of the West Devon Way between Yelverton and Tavistock. This length begins on a route parallel to the valley of the River Walkham as it descends off Dartmoor. This walk is designed as a one-way trip along the West Devon Way, using the regular bus service between Tavistock and Yelverton to reach the start.

Getting Around

Tavistock is served by regular bus services to and from Plymouth, Okehampton, Torrington, Bideford and Barnstaple. There are also less frequent services to and from Princetown, Moretonhampstead and Exeter as well as Bere Alston.

 

Facilities
Tavistock : all facilities; Yelverton : shops, pub, buses and car parks. There are no facilities along the walk.
Terrain
No stiles; one climb of 100m/330ft.
Accessibility
Explore more, click to download pdf
Download

OS Maps

Landranger (1:50,000 scale) No. 201 Plymouth and Launceston
Explorer (1:25,000 scale) No. 108 Lower Tamar Valley

For More Information

Travel Devon

Interesting information

Yelverton is a relatively new settlement, largely owing its existence to its station on the Great Western Railway. It was built in 1859 and closed, with the rest of the local railway, as part of the Beeching cuts in the 1960s. Prior to the station, there was little more than a farm here.

Roborough Down is a low moorland plateau lying a little apart from the main mass of Dartmoor. It was used as a Second World War airfield and the remains of grass-banked Spitfire shelters remain.

Along the walk you get superb views of the south west side of Dartmoor. The main body of the moor can be seen the distinctive outline of Brentor Church on its conical hill. Walkers continuing on the West Devon Way beyond Tavistock would pass close to this landmark on their way to Okehampton.

Immediately below the path on the right can be seen the village of Horrabridge and the Walkham Valley.

A good view opens out of the Walkham Valley with West Down on the opposite side. Geographically West Down is another outlier of Dartmoor, although it is not included within the National Park. Beyond West Down can be seen the woodland which marks the line of the Tavy Valley.

The remains of an old copper mine can be seen the wonderfully named Virtuous Lady Mine. Some of the spoil heaps are on the left. The track you would have been following would have been a main access for this mine.

This picturesque spot is Double Waters, the meeting place of the Walkham with the Tavy, which is the river on the left. Dippers and grey wagtails breed here, and the rivers are used by otters.

West Down is an area of acidic grassland important for its butterflies, including nationally important populations of the high brown fritillary and the pearl bordered fritillary.

At Walreddon Farm, the present buildings date to Tudor times and the location is first mentioned in 1329. However, the name is from the Saxon for “community of Britons”, indicating that a Celtic settlement existed here after the Anglo-Saxons had colonised most of the surrounding area.

As the land descends, good views open up over Tavistock, the town laid out with Brentor behind. More immediately on the left, over the Tavy Valley, can be seen the stone buildings of Crowndale Farm, said to be the birthplace of Sir Francis Drake.

Notice the attractive terraces of cottages some of them dated. These were miners’ cottages, built by the Duke of Bedford who owned all the land and mines around during the 19th Century, when Tavistock was a major mining centre. The cottages date from the 1840s and 50s.

The waterway is the Tavistock Canal. This was built between 1803 and 1817 to take minerals from the mines which had been collected at Tavistock to the river port at Morwellham. Much of the canal was constructed by French prisoners of war. The total length of the canal was 4 miles/6.5 km and included a tunnel some 1.5 miles/2.5 km long. The first 2.5 miles/4 km from Tavistock makes a pleasant walk.

As the name Wharf suggests, it was the main wharf for loading the mined ore onto the canal. It is now a much-used Community and Arts Centre.

Photo of sheep in fields in the foreground and a a wooded valley
Walkhampton towards the Wooded Walkham Valley Copyright Martin Bodman

You can explore more in this area

Photo of Tavistock Town Hall

Tavistock and Tavistock Railway Cutting

Tavistock, originally founded in 974 AD with the building of the Benedictine Abbey, has been greatly influenced by the local
Photo of Tavistock Town Hall

Tavistock and Tavistock Railway Cutting

Tavistock, originally founded in 974 AD with the building of the Benedictine Abbey, has been greatly influenced by the local
Photo of a tow path and canal with bridge
3miles/
5kms

Drakes Trail – Tavistock to Crowndale

This route, originally built by a special needs group to meet the requirements for the whole family, now forms part of