Porlock – Hawkcombe Head – Pittcombe Head – Worthy Wood – Coleridge Way - Porlock

The walk starts in Porlock and passes by St Dubricus Church, which was open when I visited. Much of the present building dates from the 13th Century. It contains a very old clock – probably around 1450 - and a fragment of a pre-Norman (i.e. pre-1066) cross which is set in the west wall of the south aisle. The Chapel of the High Cross is situated directly above the porch and can be accessed by a squeeze stairway.

The outward leg of the walk passes along Hawkcombe and through Hawkcombe Woods National Nature Reserve. This is a Site of Special Scientific Interest on account of its rare ferns and lichen which thrive in the clean air. There are also various bird and butterfly species. Hawkcombe is a delightful valley with sessile oak woodland and a tumbling stream in the lower reaches, giving way to heathland higher up. The ascent is gradual in the main and the backward view higher up the valley is wonderful.

The route passes out of Hawkcombe at its head and turns north towards the sea. Wild Exmoor ponies are often seen in this area of the moor. The route then descends, initially through an area used for rearing pheasants, with good views out to sea before picking up the Coleridge Way, which it follows back to Porlock.

The Coleridge Way is a long-distance path of fifty miles, beginning at Nether Stowey in the Quantocks. Originally it ended at Porlock but in 2014 it was extended to Lynmouth. It is designed to link various sites which are associated with Coleridge. The nearest to this route is Ash Farm, about 2km west of Waymark 9. It was here that Coleridge wrote 'Kubla Khan'.

The route is marked on the ground by a feather logo on the signposts (representing a quill pen).

There are no stiles on the walk but there are sheep and wild ponies on the moor and young pheasants between Waymarks 8 and 9.

England - South West England - Somerset - Exmoor

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Walk id: 7473

Walk grade

Moderate Walk

Length

7.3 Miles

Height gain

460 Metres

Duration

3 Hours 43 Mins

Average rating

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