This walk today was one of many that we started in the period over Covid restrictions in 2020-2022 but have continued to do at times in 2023. It is a convenient walk for us as it starts from our home in Dartington and passes through the small village of Week just down the way.
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| A "Baker" estate development of 40 houses on Sawmills nearby. This should be completed in the summer and hopefully before the end of 2024. |
Passing the new development we took the country road into Week village passing over Bidwell brook which was in full spate. The walk I describe was on January 2nd 2024 during an Atlantic storm, Henk, that has been battering the country with rainfall over night with high winds.
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| Bidwell Brook in spate at the bridge in Week village. |
After the bridge the route goes left past "Post Box cottage" passing through the outskirts of the village and allotments with the brook in the valley to the north and views of Beacon Copse, small hill evident in the local landscape. The road itself was covered in places with much debris from farmers hedge-cutting and the storm. The rain overnight meant that the road was also flooded in places where there was a dip.
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| A view if Bidwell Brook from the outskirts of Week village. |
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| Near Belleigh where the road was flooded. |
On reaching a farm labelled "Belleigh", the road was flooded to over two foot depth so we decided to cross into the adjacent field and find a way around the flood. This proved more difficult than we had thought as there wasn't a gate to get back on the road after the flood. Rather than turn back, we found a way through a small copse near the brook and then checked the road again. However, there was another flooded area so we returned to the fields to find a small gate to access the road, The water on the road was still quite high but we were so close to Westcombe that we decided we'd get our feet wet rather than go back. The route after this was wet but fine to walk although the gusts of wind were strong at this stage.
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| Road into Westcombe |
At Westcombe, the route goes through Westcombe Farm. This is sign-posted from the road and follows a track through the farm to gain height to a lane that then connects to the road to the village of Rattery.
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| Not tarmac but an old lane connecting to a road to Rattery |
On reaching the road, the route turns right to follow the road to Huxham's Cross, a small Dartington estate village on the edge of Dartington. This was straight forward passing Water Lane and a few caravans used by people to live, although I don't envy them much on a day like today but needs must though. We have been down Water Lane and it is rough going as it is all down hill and the water has cut deep channels in the lane. However, today we gave it a miss,
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| The beginning of Water Lane that leads to the settlement of Hood and Steiner School and a cycle-way to Dartington. |
Once at Huxham's Cross it is a direct route on a path the St Mary's church and onto the village itself and shops.
In all the walk takes about 2 hours or less in good conditions. The route is particularly good in the spring with the emerging flowers and also with snowdrops in February.
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