Yes, after the most horrible week of rain and wind today was sunny with blue sky. The dogs were champing at the bit, especially Flora who’s been recovering from her surgery, so their favourite destination, the valley park, was calling.
I could see the cows way off in the distance
You can’t tell from the pic but this is a very steep hill!
The land is farmed, cattle grazing in summer, arable and a fabuous meadow.
An organised walk for some, a run for others
A dramatic cloudful sky
Towards Wonford and the hospital
George rushing headlong to the steep valley
Looking north west of the city
This isn’t our way in, that was a mile or so back
I don’t think Jo’s posting a walk this Monday, but this is to wish her a Happy Birthday, have a fabulous week lovely girl 🙂
where Vigilant is still being refurbished. There’s always plenty to see close to water and Topsham is no exception.
The evening is the best time to be on the quay. Look up river,
or down towards Exmouth.
If you’re there for the day, then outside the photo to the left is the Quay Antiques centre which will keep you happy for hours while you hunt for treasure.
to the glorious view of the estuary, with Exmouth to the east,and and Powderham and Starcross to the west.
As the light changed, we sat for ages listening to the varied calls of the curlews.
Then our tummies began their own howl, so back we went, meandering slowly,
envying the owners of these two gardens,
Wouldn’t they be lovely places for to sit and write or just sit? We sat in the George and Dragon eating pizza!
No such luck.
This is the view up river.
And this is down. I can’t make any sense of it, but the work’s been going on for several years already. Retracing my steps I pause to admire what I call the photo posts ( they make a great setting for family photos).
Then it’s back to the path.
Where I find this Hairy Dragonfly lady, quite happy to pose for me.
The flora and fauna get together, and give each other a helping hand.
Now, I hope that someone can tell me what this wildflower is, Jude perhaps? I only saw one.
Flora and George are keen to get going now, it’s such a hot day, they’re tempted by the water.
As it’s shallow they give it a try.
But not for long.
Next we cross the wooden footbridge.
This is the point where the North Brook joins the leat, just before it re-joins the river.
The dogs know there’s rabbits around, but they have no hope of catching them.
The bright green plant intrigued me, it’s further away than it looks, could it be a Gunnera escaped from a garden?
We’re getting close to Mill Road now, the Mill was an overgrown ruin when I was a child. A grade 2 listed building, it belongs to the city council, and quite a lot of restoration has taken place. The first mill was built in 1284 by Countess Isabela. It was powered by the leat and was used to grind corn, but from the 1630’s paper making using rags began. Through the 18th and early 19th century, the quality of paper produced changed to good writing paper, notes for private banks and news print for the Times of India. In 1816 a fire destroyed the old mil and this replacement was built.
At it’s height, 200 people were employed, the Industrial revolution was here and it was one of the first to install machines.
Once rag paper was replaced with wood pulp, the mill went into decline, such a shame. I’ve always been interested in the building, it’s so striking.
Across the water the still bare trees created some nice reflections. George jumped in because he saw a duck, his first time in water other than the sea or a bath, Flora gave him a good telling off.
There a few very colourful minutes when a barge came along.
Complete with quivering reflections.
The hedgerow provided lots of interest
In the distance stands the tower of Halberton church. This part of the walk forms an elbow shape, and I hadn’t realised how close we are to the village when we set off. 
They were both fine and very hungry when we got home and then slept very well.
So we turned tail towards the direction of the river, passing elegant gates leading to secluded mansions.
If you start walking by the lifeboat station on Marine Drive, then up the cliff to the needle, it’s less than a mile and a half. If you keep going you reach Sandy Bay, with it’s caravan park in another mile. So this walk could take less that an hour, if only there weren’t such wonderful distracting views!
stopping to see the Lower Ferry,
and enjoy the view to Kingswear, via a very pretty garden, then on along the waterfront.
But we were hot and in need of ice cream, not dungeons! No photos I’m afraid, but mine was toffee fudge. We retraced our steps to summon the little ferry, turning the board around so that the ferryman could see he had passengers from the other side of the river.I rarely go on a boat, so it’s always a delight to see the view from one.
Lot’s of interesting and very expensive properties on both sides.
and there’s Bayard’s Cove Fort again.
Nearly back to town. Just ten minutes or so on the water, and it feels like a different world.
They’re still crabbing, I’d be a bit nervous if my child was sitting there. We’ve missed lunch, so we stroll towards the little harbour to see what we can find. No lunch, just a pasty and some new sunglasses for me!
I’m usually driving some impossibly narrow lane when I see a tractor working, so this was a real treat for me, I even got a wave from what looked like father and young son.
For those of you who like a bit of decay, last years beauty hasn’t quite faded away.
We’ve only walked a couple of miles, but with eyes wide open and camera ready, so it took nearly two hours.
The dogs can remember this as a mud wallow and were a bit put out, but no worries we’d brought plenty of water for them!
A fairy tale cottage, painted in regulation Killerton colour, what a lovely place to live.
Across in the distance was the way to the castle, an English Heritage site. If we were earlier we might have had time to justify the entry cost of £8 each, but for an afternoon stroll we preferred the peace of the hill.
This is part of the old city wall.
But it feels like I’m walking in the woods.
One of the old gates, walking on past there are places to peep through.
Dido and Daisy prefer the shade and would like to run off into the trees, I like the sun on my face.
Ahh more steps!
But the view makes it worth it.
This is the entrance I was looking for. The path through Athelstan’s tower leads to Rougemont garden where you can walk inside the wall.
A last little bit of treasure.
Lucid Gypsy 