Gara Bridge and Bickham Bridge circular

A short walk through the Avon valley, mostly on green lanes and footpaths.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.38 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 1h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 79 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 74 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 76 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 42 m

Photos

Description de la randonnée

(S/E) Cross Gara Bridge and turn right, following the road until you reach cottages at Hothole Wood. Take care on this section of the road.

(1) Turn right at Hothole Cottages, following the Public Footpath sign, and walk to the right of the cottages onto the footpath that follows a track into the woods. Follow the footpath through the fields and woods, following the meandering line of the River Avon. After crossing a small stream, the path climbs up to a kissing gate at the road above the house still marked as Stretchney on the map, but now known as Hepburn House.

(2) Turn right onto a minor road and follow this road past the Butterford Mill Gate junction until you reach an unnamed junction with a triangular traffic island. Turn right towards Diptford Cott, go over the old railway bridge and follow the road down to Bickham Bridge and then straight on past the cottages on your left at the first junction.

(3) Only a few yards later, turn right onto a narrow road signposted "To Unmetalled Road", and follow it past Broadley Farm, where the asphalt road becomes an unsurfaced lane - one of Devon's many 'green lanes'.

(4) At clearing that forms a junction in the track, carry straight on south-east through the woods.

(5) The track turns to the left and heads uphill, but you should take the "Miller's Path" bridlepath to the right, and follow it down through the woods. The official path runs alongside (not on!) and then high above the track bed of the former Kingsbridge branch line. Follow the bridlepath all the way back to the main road at Gara Bridge. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 43 m - Road at Gara Bridge
  2. 1 : km 0.28 - alt. 58 m - Footpath at Hothole Cottages
  3. 2 : km 1.85 - alt. 76 m - Kissing gate onto county road
  4. 3 : km 3.08 - alt. 60 m - Junction with lane
  5. 4 : km 4.34 - alt. 59 m - Clearing
  6. 5 : km 4.62 - alt. 59 m - Junction with bridlepath
  7. S/E : km 5.37 - alt. 43 m - Gara Bridge

Practical information

Map : Ordnance Survey OL20 South Devon
Walking conditions : The paths are well marked. West of the River Avon, the footpath is uneven and mostly narrow. The unsurfaced road from Broadley to the Miller's Path is generally in good condition but can be very muddy or wet in places. The roads are quiet country lanes, except between Gara Bridge and Hothole Cottages which has slightly more traffic.
Parking : There is limited on-road parking for cars at Gara Bridge, but please make sure that you do not block the road or gates for large farm vehicles.
Public Transport : There are no public transport links to this walk.

In the nearby area

Look out for signs of the old railway line that ran through the valley: known as the 'Primrose line' thanks to its carpet of spring flowers, the line from South Brent to Kingsbridge opened in 1893 and closed in 1963. You can still see the railway fencing - including bits made from Brunel's original rails, and Gara Bridge station is now a private house.

The line was not just well-known for primroses - the woods are filled with bluebells later in the year.

Bickham Bridge is first mentioned in a charter dated AD 962, but was probably rebuilt in the 16th century.

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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.