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Home Place on Exmoor

Walk 1. The Prehistoric Chains Walk 2. The Upper Barle and Cow Castle Walk 3. Watersmeet and Arnold's Linhay Walk 4. Bull Lighthouse and Mortehoe Walk 5. Heddons Mouth and the Roman Fort Walk 6. Withypool and the Tarr Steps Walk 7. Brendon Common & Valley Walk 8. Dunkery

Walk Two- The Upper Barle A Walk to Cow Castle, Landacre Bridge. 6hrs starting at Simonsbath stopping at The Royal Oak half way for lunch

The Route- Start at the sign post opposite the Exmoor Forest Hotel. Follow the path a few yards and fork right sign-posted Landacre. Follow the path through the woods and along the northerly bank of the river Barle, walking along the river bank the whole way until a small hill where you bear left rejoining the Barle at Wheal Eliza an C19th worked out copper mine. Continue along the River until Cow Castle an Iron Age fort on top of a conical shaped hill. It is worth the short climb to the top of the castle for the spectacular views of the Barle valley. Follow the path around Cow Castle across a small footbridge and into a copse. The path leads along a track through the wood to a gate. The gate leads onto open moor. The path climbs up onto the moor leaving the river to your right. As you reach the ridge the path divides, Point "A", follow the signs to Withypool. It is worth stopping here to take in the views over Landacre Bridge. Following the path you reach a small road, point B, go straight across onto a lane, follow the lane until you start descending into Withypool where on your right you see the village sign-posted across the fields. Follow the footpath into the village the Royal Oak is on the left when you reach the road, very good for lunch, where you can sit outside on picnic benches in the summer or by the fire in Jake's Bar in the winter. After lunch you can either retrace your steps to point "A" or leaving the Inn on your right follow the road down to the river, cross the brige and on your right you will notice a sign-post to Landacre follow the Barle to Landacre Bridge. Cross the river and follow the road up the hill past Landacre farm to point "B". Retrace your steps to point "A".(This optional route will add an extra hour on to your walk.) At point "A" continue straight ahead sign-posted Simonsbath via Picked Stones. Follow the path through a gate bear left along the edge of a field go through a gate turn left down a farm track, through a metal gate and onto the farm. The path leads you around in front of the farm. Follow the sign-posts across the fields through severel gates noticing a spectacular view of Cow Castle to your left. Descend into a valley, cross a small brook climb the hill and near the top bear left between the gate-posts and then walk right along the edge of the field. Continue along the hedge through three more gates and just before the fourth gate turn left, the path leads along the righthand edge of the field go through the gate keeping the hedge on your right through three more gates then bear left to another gate. Follow the path towards the wood decending back into Simonsbath.

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