uDistance: 13⅓ miles/21.2km uTime: 6 hours uGrade: Moderate
A
B
02
DORSET
GOLDEN CAP
uDistance: 6¾ miles/10.7km uTime: 4 hours uGrade: Challenging
PLAN YOUR WALK
2
2 miles/3.2km
Cross diagonally R over
stile along signed L edges,
crossing ladder stile. Go R
along 2 fields, straight across
third to go L at fingerpost
over bridge/stile. Continue
along L edge to road.
CHOSEN BY…
LEN BANISTER
Starting from the
village of Exford
we climb steeply up Room
Hill to descend to join the
picturesque Barle River
on its journey to the Steps.
On our return, a climb up
Winsford Hill is rewarded by
the wonderful views on the
descent to the River Exe.
Start
Walk to road, turn L. Go L
after bridge then L along Court
Farm drive. Keep forward;
going R at Court House.
Once through gate at top of
lane, take alternative route for
walkers. At next fingerpost go
R along R edges. At fork go L,
at next fork go R to reach road.
ROUTE
Start/parking Exford
car park, grid ref SS855383
Is it for me? A long walk
with a couple of steep
ascents along with tricky
stiles. Good fitness required
Stiles 12
Seatown’s yellow sands
from Golden Cap summit.
Nearest towns Minehead
Refreshments Tarr Farm
Inn at point 4. Exford has
pubs and a tearoom
Public toilets At start
Public transport Bus 398
Tiverton to Minehead,
five times a day
Maps OS Explorer OL9;
Landranger 181
3 miles/4.8km
Cross, go L to stile R.
Descend gradually to River
Barle and walk with it R for
4km then cross footbridge
R, turning L to Tarr Steps.
then forward through two
gates to the junction.
4
6½ miles/10.4km
Cross, pass Tarr Farm Inn
and L through the gate and
fork R. Follow track; after gate
with high netting go ahead
through gap to the gate in
next field. Keep to R edge
5
7 miles/11.3km
Turn R. Keep forward after
farm. At Higher Knaplock, go L
along drive leaving for Winsford
Hill when swings R. At junction,
➥
400
metres
metres
400
200
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
✁
4
PLANNING
Nearest towns
Bridport & Lyme Regis
Refreshments Snacks plus
hot & cold drinks at NT
shop at point 4 (open
from Easter to October)
Public toilets At NT shop
Public transport None
Maps OS Explorer 116;
Landranger 193
2
1½ miles/2.4km
Swing R to gate, fork
R at farmhouse, continuing
on concrete track. As track
flattens out, cross stile L. Go
diagonally L – aim R of barn.
Cross 2 stiles to lane.
3
2 miles/3.3km
Go L, R at T-junction.
Before next fingerpost,
go R on steep path uphill.
Near top swing gently L
toward gate; go L before it.
Keep forward. After car park,
➥
GRADIENT PROFILE
600
2
Start/parking A turning
off the A35 NW of
Chideock, on entry take
L-hand fork to Langdon
Hill car park (NT members
free), grid ref SY413929
Is it for me? This is a
well-signed route along
generally good tracks
& paths. Steep climbs
Stiles 8
Start
Leave car park R on wide
track. Ignore paths off. When
track curves sharply L, just
past bench, go R to fingerpost.
Take L fork. At next fingerpost,
go R. Once through gate, fork
R across hill to another then
onward along top. Cross stile;
go diagonally R downhill, L
on track at bottom to ruins
of St Gabriel’s Church.
GRADIENT PROFILE
600
0
km 0
ROUTE
1
CHOSEN BY
LEN BANISTER
The gentle start
and finish around
the wooded tranquillity
of Langdon Hill belie the
undulations of the walk
as a whole. After passing
St Gabriel’s Church, we climb
to the ridge of Chardown Hill
which provides wonderful
views of Lyme Regis and the
sands of Seatown. The return
along the Coastal Path has,
as its main attraction, the
inland countryside rather
than the seashore which
is obscured by landslips.
The climb to the Golden
Cap, the highest point
along the Channel coast,
provides the top reward
for a superb day.
PLANNING
3
1
PLAN YOUR WALK
PHOTO: LEN BANISTER
PHOTO: LEN BANISTER
The Tarr Steps across
the River Barle.
SOUTH WEST
SOUTH WEST
01
SOMERSET
EXFORD
200
0
km 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
SOUTH WEST
uOS Explorer map 112 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapshop
01
SOMERSET
EXFORD
uOS Explorer map OL9 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapshop
1
START
3
5
1
2
6
track is wide and arid; use
parallel grassy paths where
possible (don’t go downhill).
Reach National Trust shop.
4
5
4¼ miles/6.7km
You are on Coastal Path
(CP), so follow acorn signs
sending you on a meandering
roller coaster. Eventually climb
Golden Cap passing milestone
& commemorative rock.
Continue on lower of two
paths to trig point.
TRAILZILLA ID:
TZID30591
Use the TZID to download the
walk from www.lfto.com/routes
or search for it in the Country
Walking Best Walks in Britain App
uDownload OS maps
for PC, iPhone, iPad and
Android from £12.50
8¼ miles/13.1km
200m before road, at
complex junction, take 2nd L,
almost doubling back. Keep
ahead, roughly parallel to road.
After 2.6km reach drive. Turn R.
At road go L. At junction go R.
After 0.8km reach gate L.
10½ miles/16.8km
Diagonally R across field.
Once through gate, join track L
down hillside. Eventually cross
bridge. L at fingerpost. Path
which becomes a track roughly
follows river. Pass between
farm buildings at Lyncombe.
2
3
7
8
✁
© Country Walking August 2016
6
7
6
5½ miles/8.8km
Descend along roped
stepped path. At the gate,
go R, continuing on the CP.
On approach to Seaton, peel
away L from path toward metal
6-bar gate on horizon. Go L,
with fence R, uphill. Cross stile,
go L. Take unmarked path R
between 2 large fence-posts.
Emerge on Langdon Hill
circular track; follow this
R back to car park.
keep forward through gate
up L field edges. Where wall,
L, ends keep forward on
clear path toward road.
START
8
ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2016 IN ASSOCIATION
WITH MEMORY-MAP/BAUER MEDIA’S MEDIA LICENCE NUMBER 042/16
3½ miles/5.6km
Stay on track to car
park. Turn L at fingerpost for
‘Coastal Path Diversion’. At
next fingerpost, follow ‘Golden
Cap’ down steep grassy path.
Ignore cross paths, continue
downhill. Once past farm, on
open downland, swing L
toward prominent fingerpost.
Continue L to footbridge.
ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPPING ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2016 IN ASSOCIATION
WITH MEMORY-MAP/BAUER MEDIA’S MEDIA LICENCE NUMBER 042/16
4
PHOTO: LEN BANISTER
SOUTH WEST
02
DORSET
GOLDEN CAP
6
12¼ miles/19.6km
L over stile, then bridge
joining meandering path.
Reach gate but R over stile.
Rejoin path through reeds
following yellow markers. After
climbing up and through gate,
take path swinging R uphill to
go L downhill on track. Before
river go R to finish.
TRAILZILLA ID:
TZID30590
Use the TZID to download the
walk from www.lfto.com/routes
or search for it in the Country
Walking Best Walks in Britain App
5
uDownload OS maps
for PC, iPhone, iPad and
Android from £12.50
4
© Country Walking August 2016