Roborough Rock – Buckland Monachorum - Harrowbeer Airfield

David Simkins

You need to log in as a member of Walkingworld to access the details for this walk and have an active subscription. Please join, or log in above if you are already a member.

Roborough Rock – Buckland Monachorum - The Garden House - Crapstone – Axtown - Harrowbeer Airfield

Although this walk takes you less than four hours if you didn't stop, it's the sort of walk where you could make a whole day of it. It's very easy walking, much of it being quite level. There is one field and a gateway you walk through that can be a bit damp if the weather is inclement, but largely quite dry and not particularly muddy, with some fine views towards the River Tamar and Kit Hill.

If you set off at 10.30am you would arrive in Buckland Monachorum for lunch in the Drake Manor at 12.30. Leaving the Drake at 2pm you would reach the Garden House at 2.15 and spend two hours looking around the gardens and then back home for tea. What a lovely day out!

On the walk you skirt the greens of Yelverton Golf Club, walk over a part of Roborough Down within the Dartmoor National Park and then explore the little-used lanes and public footpaths that traverse the farmland between the moor and Buckland Monachorum. Within fifteen minutes of leaving Buckland Monachorum you will find yourself walking through the Garden House gardens. You must stick to the public footpath but it really doesn't cost very much to go in and have a proper look, particularly the walled garden, a splendid sight in the early summer when the azaleas are flowering.

On a bit further you will pass through Crapstone, once made famous by Vinnie Jones in a TV advert for the AA. To reach the starting point you will walk over the Harrowbeer disused wartime airfield, passing between the dispersal bays where Spitfires and Hurricane aircraft were once parked, 75 years ago. There are some very interesting information boards about the airfield, one of which is next to the Rock and well worth a read before you leave.

England - South West England - Devon - Dartmoor

Features

Ancient Monument, Birds, Butterflies, Cafe, Church, Flowers, Food Shop, Great Views, Moor, Mostly Flat, Pub, Public Transport, Tea Shop, Toilets, Wildlife

11/2/2012 - Paul and Tracy Dawson

Great walk through lovely countryside. Hard going this time of year through some of the farm fields, as they were very water logged! (but where isn't at the moment :-( ) but didn't spoil our enjoyment of the walk. Guide details and photo's spot on. Didn't do all thing things David listed, but still took us 3hrs 45mins. Will be back and do the walk again when drier