Walk No. 27 South Of The Templer, Down Teignhead Way
The Templer Way is a long-distance walk of 18 miles, tracing the historic line of
granite being taken from the quarries at Haytor to the docks at Teignmouth.
Where possible, it follows the Haytor Granite Tramway and Stover Canal, and then
the Teign Estuary from Newton Abbot to the mouth of the river.
The route gets its name from the Templer family. James Templer purchased the
Stover Estate near Newton Abbot in 1765, after making his fortune at sea. His son,
also James, built the Stover Canal in 1792 between Teigngrace and Newton Abbot,
originally to carry clay. In turn, his son, George, built the Granite Tramway to link
Haytor with the Canal to move the granite. It was then “exported” from Teignmouth
and was used to build the old London Bridge (now in Arizona) and the National
Gallery.
The granite trade ended in the mid-1800s, but the Stover Canal and the Teign Estuary
continued to be used to carry clay to Teignmouth Docks from the pits inland of
Newton Abbot. This trade continued until 1940.
This walk follows a section of the Templer Way through Newton Abbot and along a
length of the Teign Estuary. It then follows one of the South of the Teign Estuary
Walks, a series of walks set up by Teignbridge District Council to complement the
Templer Way.
Fact File
The walk is based on Newton Abbot, readily accessible by buses to and from
Exeter and South Devon. It is also on the national rail network. There are
occasional buses between Newton Abbot and Combeinteignhead.
For bus timetable details, contact Traveline on 0870 608 2 608 or visit the
website at www.traveline.org. For rail information, telephone the National Rail
Enquiry Line on 08457 48 49 50 or visit www.thetrainline.com.
Walk Length: Full route 12 km/7.5 miles; shorter versions of 9 km/5.5 miles
or 10 km/6.25 miles may be walked; eight stiles (two stiles on
the shorter versions); a climb of 80 m/250 ft on the full route
only (a relatively gentle climb of 30 m/100 ft on all versions).
Facilities:
Newton Abbot has all facilities;
Combeinteignhead has a pub.
Combe
Cellars
pub;
Note that part of the estuary-side section of the Templer Way is tidal and cannot
be walked at high tide. Aim to walk this part of the route within two hours of low
tide (see local press or visit www.teignestuary.org). Beware of deep mud and
keep to the top edge of the foreshore, which itself may be slippery.
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The Templer Way is waymarked by brown signs depicting a wheel and rudder. Much of
the South of the Teign circuit is also waymarked by a green disc.
The Walk
Start the walk in
Newton Abbot at the
Jetty
Marsh
roundabout,
also
known
as
Balls
Corner.
This is
opposite the B & Q
Store at the junction
of The Avenue and
Kingsteignton Road.
Take the path next
to the National Tyre
depot through a
metal gate, signed
with
a
brown
Templer
Way
signpost.
START
/
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019783. 2006
The watercourse next to the path is known as the Whitelake, and is the link used by
the barges between Stover Canal and the River Teign. Its name comes from the white
colour it acquired from the clay workings upstream.
Follow the main path as it bears away from the Whitelake to a concrete and metal
footbridge over another watercourse.
This is the River Lemon, a major tributary of the River Teign, which it joins, along
with the Whitelake, by the railway bridges ahead.
Cross the footbridge and follow the path alongside the River Lemon and under the
railway bridge to the Town Quay, where the River Lemon joins the River Teign.
This was the main quay for Newton Abbot and, until the 19th century, was the main
means of getting goods to and from the town, the roads of the time being so poor.
The coming of the railway destroyed most of its trade. The bollard in the centre
marks the location of the quay’s crane.
At the far end of the quay go right, then take the first road on the left, through a
small industrial estate. Towards the end of the road, fork left along the public
footpath with the Templer Way sign. This path leads back to the River Teign and a
footbridge over another tributary, the Aller Brook.
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The Aller Brook is a nature reserve, forming a green wedge into Newton Abbot. The
information board by the bridge indicates what might be seen here.
Cross the footbridge and continue along the Templer Way on the riverside path.
There are extensive reed beds flanking this part of the estuary. These form a
valuable habitat for wildlife, especially birds, and marsh-loving birds such as sedge
and reed warblers are common here.
Keep on the Templer Way as it passes under the bridge carrying the Newton Abbot
by-pass. Follow the path as it joins the estuary foreshore. Be careful – from here,
the path is tidal.
The buildings on the opposite side of the river are part of the Passage House Inn
complex. The name indicates the former existence of a ford and a ferry crossing
here, when the lowest road crossing of the river was at Teign Bridge, the other side
of Newton Abbot. Notice how quickly the estuary has widened out here.
Just after crossing a footbridge, there is a track rising to the right. If you have gone
far enough, this can be used as a short-cut back to Newton Abbot via Buckland. It is
also where the return leg of the walk re-joins the Templer Way.
Continue ahead, parallel to the estuary.
The outline of Teignmouth is now visible at the mouth of the river. The village on
the opposite bank from here is Bishopsteignton. It gets its name from being the site
of a “palace”, or country residence, of the Bishops of Exeter in medieval times. The
remains can still be seen, now part of a farm, just outside the village.
The path rounds a bay in the estuary shore, crosses a flood wall, then passes
around a wooded headland.
This is Netherton Point. There is a large heronry in the private woods here, and
herons are often seen on the estuary. Looking back, there is a good view of Haytor,
the start of the Templer Way.
Continue along the foreshore and go around another small bay and headland to
pass some waterside cottages. Immediately beyond, you will see the Coombe
Cellars Inn.
This location was renowned for smuggling in the early 19th century, its remote
location at that time making it ideal. There is a tradition of a tunnel being built
under the river to transport the contraband over the Haldon Hills to Exeter, but this
is most unlikely. The cellars in the name pre-date the pub, deriving from earlier salt
pans here. There is a Templer Way information board just past the pub.
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The walk leaves the Templer Way at this point to join the South of the Teign
Estuary Circular. Retrace your steps back along the flood wall to the stile at the
far end next to the public footpath sign and green waymark. Cross the stile, then
follow the path which crosses the field diagonally to the far top corner. Go
through the gap and walk along the top of the next field to the end. Cross the
stile and follow the track to a gate into a lane. Turn left along the lane.
This soon leads to a junction. To the left, about 0.5 km/0.3 mile, is the village of
Combeinteignhead, with its pub and occasional buses. To the right is one of the short
versions of the walk. It joins the full version at the bottom of the hill 0.3 km/0.2
mile from here – if you use this route, continue the description at . The full version
of the walk is ahead.
Continue ahead past the houses at Cross Park to a larger road. Carefully cross this
road and immediately turn left, up Ridge Road. A short distance up here, look out
for the green waymark, pointing right along a hedged track. Follow the track until
it eventually arrives at a lane.
This area south of the Teign estuary is criss-crossed by a number of these tracks, all
of them old roads, making it an ideal way of exploring this attractive, hilly terrain.
The area is known as Teignhead. This has no connection with the river name, but is a
corruption of “Ten Hide”, a hide being an Anglo-Saxon unit of land measurement.
When the origin had been forgotten, the name changed because it was assumed it
derived from the river.
Cross the lane and follow the path along the field edge ahead.
For another shorter version of the walk, avoiding the hill ahead, turn right along the
lane. If you follow this, continue the description at .
At the top of the field, cross the stile in the corner, then continue up the next
field edge to a double stile at the top. Climb the next field to yet another stile.
Keep climbing and there is another stile again, on the right near the top. Cross
this.
Take the opportunity for a breather here and look back over the landscape behind.
One of Teignhead’s many valleys is laid out, culminating in Haccombe House at its
head. This is a Georgian house of c. 1805, built on the site of a medieval hall. Next
to the house, almost hidden in the trees, is Haccombe Church, notable for its fine
medieval work.
Follow the obvious track over another stile to a lane. Go ahead on this for about
100 metres, then turn right along a signed public bridleway. Where this forks, go
right, onto another of Teignhead’s old hedged tracks. The track descends, steeply
at times, until it becomes surfaced near some old cottages.
These attractive cob and thatch cottages probably date back to the mid 17th century.
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Continue to join another lane (
this is the one used on the last short cut, which
joins here). Continue on to the bottom, turn right for a short distance, then
carefully cross the road and go through the gate by a footpath sign with a green
waymark. Cross the footbridge and continue ahead on the slightly raised
embankment. Cross the stone bridge, then go on past the telegraph pole towards
the cottage. Go through the gate, past the cottage and left on to the lane.
The first short cut rejoins here.
Continue on the lane ahead.
On the left, Manor Cottages are a division of a fine 17th century house. Just beyond is
Manor Farm, again of 17th century origin.
The lane then climbs steadily to a sharp left turn, with a track going right. Turn
right down the track.
This is an interesting track. Its size and width indicate that it must once have been
quite important, yet it leads only to the estuary foreshore. Also, it is called Hackney
Lane, although Hackney is actually on the other side of the River Teign. It was once
the main access to the early ferry and ford crossing to the Passage House Inn over the
river.
The track ends at the foreshore. Turn left and follow the Templer Way back to
Newton Abbot, reversing the outward leg of the walk.
Further Information
A free leaflet on the Templer Way is available in local Tourist Information Centres, or
by post from the Discover Devon Information Service, Westacott Road, Barnstaple,
Devon, EX32 8AW, telephone 0870 608 5531; quote reference DP 38.
There is also a free leaflet on the South of the Teign Estuary Circular Walks. This may
be obtained from local Tourist Information Centres.
For information on the wider network of walking routes in Devon, there is a free
brochure “Discover Devon – Walking”, again available at local Tourist Information
Centres or from the address above.
Alternatively, visit the website
www.discoverdevon.com, which has the information plus an order form.
OS maps for this walk:
Landranger [1:50,000 scale] No. 202 Torbay and South Dartmoor
Explorer
[1:25,000 scale] No. 110 Torquay and Dawlish
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