Burrington and Hollocombe

This is such an attractive walk that to start with a boring uphill road walk to Burrington would be depressing. So catch the "First" 9.55 bus from Red Lion corner to Burrington (75p approximately), alighting (10.10), go down the road to the Parish Hall (signed), stopping at the village shop for refreshment! Please remember to check times of busses beforehand.

Around the corner from the hall is Twitchen Lane and two footpaths are signed here. Take the right hand one immediately passing behind a barn and through two gates (W/M). Now walk ahead through two gates to a farm road. Ahead around the corner is a gate into a field. Cross this field heading to some houses and a nearby stile to a road. Cross this road turning down to a thatched cottage, follow this road until at a cattle grid a bridle way is signed right . Follow this down hill to Mullybrook Mill. Through a gate before the Mill and over a stone bridge (W/M) to road. Here is a footpath sign. Take the left-hand route (The Mill Wheel, Mill Pond and Leat are visible), carry on in from of a house "Fox Meadow", keeping a wire fence on your right. Through gate ahead, fence on your left, straight into the wood (Harraford Plantation) and through a gate (W/M) ahead. This bridle path claims upwards until meeting the road (11.30). Turn right to Borne Cross and left here to Bourne (a large farm).

At Coles Corner sign (12.05) go ahead 200 yards to Bridge Farm. Signpost points up to concrete road. Turn into the drive of Little Kersham House and follow (W/M) through their garden to a stile at the top. Cross this field looking forward left for a gate (W/M) into the wood. This track goes straight to the wood for 1½ miles and is always above the river (Hollocombe Water), occasionally crossing a field; the direction never changes. At 1.15 you cross a road and plunge into the wood again for about 600 yards keeping at river level. Here a waymark indicates a footbridge over a stream on the left.

Go through the yard at Horry Mill and join the road heading right. After about 300 yards take footpath signed right and over substantial bridge. Shortly a bridle way is signed left and right, take the right hand one passing a thatched cottage. Carry on into the wood, climbing steadily uphill. At the top there is a gate and a reassuring waymark 50 yards in the hedge (2.00). Follow hedge and obvious path to a thatched farm. Pass through leaving house on right. Ignore the signs on the poles and follow farm road right down to a lane. Turn left here and ahead is Ashreigney, which has an unusual church (clock, roof and coat of arms) and a telephone box. The time should be about 2.50, you have three choices to return to Chulmleigh. One - get picked up here by a friend or a taxi. Two - walk along the minor roads to Chulmleigh (4miles 1½ hours). Three - walk see below to Burrington (takes a minimum of 1¼ hours) and get the only bus at 5.20 Monday to Fridays to Chulmleigh 75p.

If you arrive early Burrington Church is worth a visit.

From Ashreigney Square, take the footpath sign opposite telephone box for 50 yards, then through a swing gate. Go along right hand hedge and through a gate and forward to a (signpost) gate in hedge onto road. Turn right up the road to the junction and turn left. When the road ceases in 200 yards turn right (signpost) and go through a gate. Follow hedge on right until (W/M) obvious track goes into forest. Through a gate to a path junction and take the right hand path. Follow waymark bridle path (muddy in parts) through the fir trees to the forest leading down hill. Where the track joins the forest road, turn left, soon becoming a surface road. Turn left here (3/4 hr from Ashreigney.) Cross the road bridge noting the parish boundary sign on the bridge. Take first road right signed Burrington and in 200 yards a public footpath is signed over a stile. Cross this climbing the hill, crossing a unique gate, keeping the wood and fence on left. When the fence turns left go ahead and cross two gates to the road. Turn left and arrive at Balls Corner 1hr from start. Go ahead for village noting pump on left by the school sign, bus shelter is opposite the Barnstaple Inn, Public House